Many of you may wonder how it is so common for educated people to come to conclusions that are totally false or inaccurate. A lack of understanding of the limitations and flaws present in scientific research is one factor, as the more "educated" people are the more likely they are to have faith and trust in what is presented as "science."

I am sharing an example here on the topic of vaccinations and health from veterinary medicine. This example has implications for human vaccination as well. Searching for research on all cause mortality associated with pet vaccinations brings up just one study, which claims to show that rabies vaccines for dogs led to a decrease in all cause mortality.

The study was done as an observational study of free roaming domesticated dogs in an impoverished neighborhood in South Africa. There is no control method implemented and no consideration of confounding variables. In this population of dogs it is logical to suspect that the ones whose human caretakers vaccinated them also received more care and attention overall than the ones that were not vaccinated. Domesticated animals that are neglected would be expected to have more disease and death than ones given more care to their physical and emotional well-being. This would have nothing to do with vaccines and their effects.

Yet based upon a dubious interpretation of just a single poorly designed study you could find some in the veterinary medicine community claiming that according to the "science" pet vaccines boost the overall health of dogs.

When it comes to human vaccination there is also a lack of research on all cause mortality following vaccination. In doing such research there would be the likelihood that the study design would lack control and confounding variables would be neglected in the interpretation. Those wishing to create an illusion of vaccine benefits could choose a non-vaccinated population of impoverished people whose children weren't vaccinated mainly because they weren't able or willing to access health and wellness resources in general, including nutrition and safe social environments.

The non-vaccinated subset of the population tends to include two major subsets: 1. those who are impoverished and uneducated and whose children are extra likely to suffer from neglect or abuse. 2. those who are well educated and above the mean in their economic status, who are inclined to seek out the best quality health care and social and educational resources for their children.

Depending on which subset of unvaccinated children might be observed in a study there could be a major contrast in outcomes. Unless the relevant variables are controlled for it would be easy to draw a false conclusion from the research.

While religion has historically been a tool used to impose dogmas and false beliefs to bind the masses, the modern era has brought to the forefront the use of faulty research, blinding people with "science."

https://www.dvm360.com/view/rabies-vaccination-may-reduce-allcause-mortality-in-dogs

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28602607/