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August is <\/em><\/em>National Immunization Awareness Month<\/em><\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n Remember the Great Polio Scare of 2025?<\/p>\n Of course you don\u2019t! Thanks to vaccines<\/a>, the deadly poliovirus was eliminated in the U.S. in 1979.<\/p>\n Vaccines are like the Superwoman of modern medicine: They prevent serious diseases and illnesses, protect society through herd immunity and save countless lives.<\/p>\n But heavy is the vax that wears the crown. Like the deadly viruses vaccines protect us from, misinformation is contagious and myths about vaccines<\/a> seem to have staying power. Between public mistrust in health and pharmaceutical companies and false information on social media \u2014 it can be hard to know who to trust and what facts are real.<\/p>\n So, let\u2019s set the record straight with science. <\/p>\n Here are 5 common falsehoods about vaccines and the facts you need to know.<\/p>\n There is no scientific evidence linking vaccines to autism.<\/p>\n The misinformation can be tied in part to a 1998 British study that suggested a possible link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine<\/a> and autism. The study<\/a> was later retracted by The Lancet <\/em><\/em>in 2011 after the lead researcher admitted \u201cseveral elements\u201d in the paper were incorrect, and he was found guilty of fraud among other charges. <\/p>\n Today, there are more than 25 studies that support no evidence of a connection between the MMR vaccine and the development of autism. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Adults need vaccines, too.<\/p>\n Some vaccines, like the shingles<\/a> vaccine, are recommended for people 50 and older. <\/p>\n And even if you\u2019ve received all the recommended vaccines as a child, some vaccines may become less potent over time, and you may need a booster dose. <\/p>\n Other vaccines, including the flu vaccine, are updated yearly to provide the best protection from severe illness. <\/p>\n The best thing to do? Talk to your clinician about what vaccines you may need and the best time to get them. <\/p>\n Read: 10 Vaccines Adults Should Get >><\/em><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hear us out: It\u2019s true that some vaccines contain aluminum and formaldehyde (yes, like dead bodies formaldehyde).<\/p>\n But the amount of aluminum and formaldehyde in vaccines is tiny compared to what you\u2019re exposed to on a daily basis in things like food, water and air.<\/p>\n Formaldehyde is a natural substance made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and it\u2019s found in every living thing on the planet. Manufacturers add tiny amounts of formaldehyde during vaccine production to kill viruses or toxins. Then, the vaccine is purified leaving only a trace amount of formaldehyde. The amount is so small compared to what we already have naturally occurring in our bodies that it\u2019s not harmful or dangerous. <\/p>\n Vaccines may also contain aluminum salts as an adjuvant, which is a substance added to enhance immune response. So, aluminum salts help your immune system build up protection. Without it, the vaccine wouldn\u2019t work the way it should. <\/p>\n Considering that aluminum is everywhere \u2014 in the water you drink, the food you eat, even in the air we breathe \u2014 the small amount in vaccines is considered safe.<\/p>\n See, way less creepy!<\/p>\n Watch our video: How Are Vaccines Made? >><\/em><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s extremely unlikely that a vaccine could cause a disease.<\/p>\n For one, most vaccines are not live vaccines, meaning they use inactive (killed) germs, bacteria or viral proteins, so it\u2019s impossible to get the disease from the vaccine.<\/p>\n The vaccines that do contain live organisms \u2014 the chickenpox<\/a> vaccine, for example \u2014 are grown in a lab where the weakened versions of the virus or bacteria eventually lose the ability to cause disease. Manufacturers then choose the weakest ones to reproduce and put in the vaccine. <\/p>\n The vaccine is made to be weak so your body can use it to build up the immunity to fight the virus without it causing a full-blown infection or disease.<\/p>\n Live vaccines can cause mild symptoms like a rash after getting the vaccine, but that\u2019s a sign that the vaccine is working.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Think of vaccines like a safety bubble for your body. When you get a vaccine, it builds immune defense in a safe and controlled way without putting you at risk for the potential complications of the real-world infection.<\/p>\n Natural immunity can create immunity too, but it also means you\u2019re exposed to infections and diseases that can cause serious illness or even death, as we\u2019ve seen with smallpox, measles and the flu<\/a> \u2014 just to name a few. <\/p>\n Many serious health outcomes can be avoided with vaccines. And being vaccinated doesn\u2019t just help you \u2014 it helps keep deadly diseases and illnesses from spreading to other people. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n1. \u201cVaccines cause autism.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n2. \u201cYou don\u2019t need vaccinations as an adult.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n3. \u201cVaccines contain harmful, toxic ingredients.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n4. \u201cYou can actually get the disease from the vaccine.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n5. \u201cIt\u2019s better to have natural immunity than immunity through vaccines.\u201d <\/strong><\/h3>\n