Vaccine in the News

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5937461/Samoa-halts-vaccines-MMR-two-babies-die-minutes-receiving-routine-shot.html?fbclid=IwAR1isOWYfT69EVLS26QdGnkKeONi5aMiSgAOxe8QKU3ia0qJ7of_rA5JQpI
Samoa withdraws vaccine protecting against measles, mumps and rubella after two babies die within minutes of receiving the routine shot - as it's revealed a nurse 'injected one of the children without his parents' consent'
Two babies were killed in Samoa just minutes after receiving the MMR vaccine
Samoan government has withdrawn the vaccine across the entire country
Both of the one-year-old babies died within minutes after being injected
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the babies' deaths 
By LAUREN FERRI FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

PUBLISHED: 12:07, 10 July 2018 | UPDATED: 12:22, 10 July 2018
The Samoan government has ordered doctors to stop administering a vaccination protecting against the measles, mumps and rubella.

The nation-wide halt was requested after two babies died minutes after receiving the MMR vaccination on July 6.  

The babies were rushed to Safotu Hospital in Savai'i but couldn't be saved.

Both the one-year-old girl and boy were killed within minutes of getting the injection (stock image) +2
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The first baby, a one-year-old girl, died within three minutes of being injected with the vaccine, TV1 Samoa reported.

Two hours later, a second family brought in their one-year-old boy to be vaccinated, but refused to go through with it after hearing about the earlier death.

The nurse allegedly injected the boy without the parents' consent and he died within one minute.

ABOUT THE MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA SHOT
According to the World Health Organisation, countries that use vaccines have almost entirely eradicated diseases such as measles
The MMR vaccine protects against the three diseases of mumps, measles and rubella
It is usually injected in two doses in young children
One injection is about 93% effective, while the two doses are 97% effective at preventing diseases
Child mortality has gone down in many countries that use the vaccines 
An immediate withdrawal of the vaccine was ordered by Ministry of Health CEO Dr Take Naseri.

A forensic autopsy on the two babies has also been requested. Their deaths are being investigated by police.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi expressed his condolences to the families via Facebook.

'There are already processes that will determine if negligence is a factor. And if so, rest assured those processes will be implemented to the letter to ensure that such a tragedy will not be repeated and those responsible will be made to answer,' he said.

'Providing quality health care for our people remains a key government priority.'

The Samoan government has pulled the MMR vaccine throughout the entire country following the tragic deaths (stock image) +2

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5937461/Samoa-halts-vaccines-MMR-two-babies-die-minutes-receiving-routine-shot.html?fbclid=IwAR1isOWYfT69EVLS26QdGnkKeONi5aMiSgAOxe8QKU3ia0qJ7of_rA5JQpI

Facebook may soon remove “Anti-Vaccine” content
Feb 14, 2019 07:18 pm
Facebook may soon remove “Anti-Vaccine” content
(Bloomberg) – Facebook Inc., under pressure to reduce harmful, misleading and fake content, said it is exploring removing anti-vaccine information from software systems that recommend other things to read on its social network. Information discouraging people from getting vaccines for their children, which has gone viral on Facebook, especially in its Groups product, may have contributed to an increase in outbreaks of measles. The crisis drew attention on Thursday from Representative Adam Schiff, who sent a letter to

Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Google boss Sundar Pichai, asking them to address the problem. In response, Facebook said it is “exploring additional measures to best combat the problem,” according to a statement from the company. That might include “reducing or removing this type of content from recommendations, including Groups You Should Join, and demoting it in search results, while also ensuring that higher quality and more authoritative information is available.” 

READ MORE https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-14/facebook-says-it-may-remove-anti-vaccine-recommendations

Facebook, Facing Lawmaker Questions, Says It May Remove Anti-Vaccine Recommendations
By Sarah Frier
14 February 2019, 18:36 GMT
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-14/facebook-says-it-may-remove-anti-vaccine-recommendations
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Private Company
Facebook Inc., under pressure to reduce harmful, misleading and fake content, said it is exploring removing anti-vaccine information from software systems that recommend other things to read on its social network.

Information discouraging people from getting vaccines for their children, which has gone viral on Facebook, especially in its Groups product, may have contributed to an increase in outbreaks of measles. The crisis drew attention on Thursday from Representative Adam Schiff, who sent a letter to Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Google boss Sundar Pichai, asking them to address the problem.

In response, Facebook said it is “exploring additional measures to best combat the problem," according to a statement from the company. That might include “reducing or removing this type of content from recommendations, including Groups You Should Join, and demoting it in search results, while also ensuring that higher quality and more authoritative information is available."


Google, which did not immediately respond to a comment about Schiff’s letter, has already been taking similar measures. Last month, Google’s YouTube unfurled a change in the way it recommends videos -- an automated system that has been criticized for promoting misinformation. YouTube said it would starting cutting videos with "borderline content" that "misinform users in harmful ways" from its recommendation system. The company only offered three examples. One was videos that promote "a phony miracle cure for a serious illness."

Schiff, a Democrat from California, cited several reasons tech companies should be taking action. The World Health Organization listed reluctance or refusal to get vaccines as a top threat to global health this year. Also, he highlighted a resurgence of measles in Clark County, Washington.

“There is strong evidence to suggest that at least part of the source of this trend is the degree to which medically inaccurate information about vaccines surface on the websites where many Americans get their information,” Schiff wrote. “The algorithms which power these services are not designed to distinguish quality information from misinformation or misleading information, and the consequences of that are particularly troubling for public health issues.”

The first result under a search for "vaccines" on YouTube is a video showing a “middle ground” debate between supporters of vaccines and those who think they’re dangerous. The fourth result is first episode of a popular anti-vaccine documentary series called “The Truth About Vaccines.” It has almost 1.2 million views.

— With assistance by Mark Bergen, Gerrit De Vynck, and Ben Brody