A report released by the Institute of Medicine found that few adverse effects are caused by or linked to eight vaccines. The scientific evidence also veers more in the direction of rejecting the connection and causal relationship between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

An 18-member committee of experts convened by the IOM analyzed more than 1,000 research articles, analyzing the evidence behind each of these as to the amount of adverse effects caused by the eight vaccines.

The committee made 158 conclusions that made up four categories, ranging from supporting a casual relationship between the vaccine and the adverse effect to favoring rejection of the causal relationship.

One hundred thirty-three out of the 158 decisions were in the category labeled as evidence inadequate to accept or reject a causal relationship. One such includes that of concerns over the HPV vaccine.

This inadequate evidence comes from the lack of data, due to the short amount of time it has been on the market. This category, however, varies in its findings, since evidence is labeled inadequate for a variety of reasons.

Fourteen of the outcomes were found to be convincingly linked, including fainting and febrile seizures.

However, as the press release states, cause and effect relationships can only be established with significant and solid evidence. The conclusions reached by the committee reflect the “strengths and weakenesses of several types of evidence, including biological, clinical, and epidemiological research,” the press release says.

The IOM was asked by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to examine the eight vaccines. HRSA also chose the adverse effects to be studied.

These effects are ones “for which people have submitted claims – successful or not – “ to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, according to the report brief.

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About the author

Lindsey Kratochwill

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