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By Lady Helen Jordan

 

Published in The New Zealand Journal of Natural Medicine, Issue 15: November 2014 – February 2015.

Some of the polio vaccine administered from 1955-1963 was contaminated with a virus, called simian virus 40 (SV40). The virus came from African green monkey kidney cultures (Vero cells) used to produce the vaccine. [1]

Epidemiologic studies were flawed and thus inadequate to conclude whether or not the contaminated polio vaccine caused cancer, but there is biological evidence supporting the theory. [1]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed the page from their website about the incident stating: “Routine review of our website is conducted to ensure that the most current and useful information is retained. This particular page has been on our site for some time and has seen little traffic over the past several months. The decision was made to take this page down and archive it.”

Lessons have been learned and surely something like this could never happen again, could it? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admit that actually yes, it could reoccur.

Vaccine viruses are grown using living cells called substrates. It’s claimed “…the current repertoire of cell substrates is inadequate to manufacture the next generation of viral vaccines (i.e., certain viruses cannot be propagated or grow poorly in the available cell lines).” [2, pg 4]

The new cell lines being considered are immortal, having being transformed by various oncogenes (genes with the potential to cause cancer). Some cell lines are tumor-derived (i.e., they’re established from cells from leukemia, lung and cervical cancers). They’re being considered for use with HIV vaccines. [2, pg 4/6/7]

“The continual growth of cell lines ensures that there is a consistent supply of the same cells that can yield high quantities of the vaccine.” [3] (i.e., it increases profits for the manufacturer).

“In some cases the cell lines that are used might be tumorigenic, that is, they form tumors when injected into rodents.” [3] “Tumorigenic cells have not traditionally been used for the production of prophylactic (preventative) viral vaccines, primarily because of theoretical concerns that components within tumorigenic cells could induce tumors in vaccine recipients.” [5, pg 33]

These cell lines may contain cancer-causing viruses that aren’t actively reproducing, but may become active under vaccine manufacturing conditions. Using standard methods they’re hard to detect. Ways to activate and detect latent known and novel viruses are being investigated, but haven’t been recommended due to technical challenges. [2, pg 14/15]  [3]

“Small amounts of residual cell substrate DNA unavoidably occur in all viral vaccines.” [2, pg 15]

“A major concern about residual cell substrate DNA has been the potential for the induction of cancer, particularly if the DNA was from a tumorigenic cell or from a cell line established from a human cancer.”    [2, pg 16]

“The MDCK cell line is a spontaneously immortalized cell line established from the kidney of an apparently normal dog. Some variants of MDCK cells are highly tumorigenic, while others are not. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) accepted the use of tumorigenic MDCK cells for inactivated (dead virus) influenza vaccines.” [2, pg 6]

Residual cell-substrate DNA could be oncogenic (causing development of a tumor) if integration and expression of encoded oncogenes occurs with our DNA. [5, pg 37]

To reduce the risk it’s recommended that the size of the DNA is reduced to below 200bp (base pairs). [5, pg 37] However, studies brought to light by Dr. Deisher (who testified at the Minnesota House of Representatives) have shown that short DNA fragments of fewer than 250bp from human cell substrates have a higher probability of integration with human DNA. Aborted fetus cells (diploid cells) are used as cell substrates. [7]

While “…it has been reported that several oncogenic events are required to convert a normal human cell into a cell that can establish a tumor in an experimentally inoculated mouse, the concern remains that a single oncogenic “hit” can predispose a cell to subsequent oncogenic events that will, perhaps over many years, lead to a malignant cell. At this time, if such initiating events occur it is not possible to detect them.” [2, pg 8]

“Inactivation steps (e.g., chemical treatment, gamma irradiation) cannot typically be used with live-virus vaccines” [2, pg 15], as they would damage the vaccine virus, so there is more potential for contamination. With live-virus vaccines (such as the MMR) “…there are no or minimal virus inactivation and removal steps during vaccine manufacturing.” [3]

“Members of the VRBPAC supported the use of the non-tumorigenic Vero cells for production of inactivated vaccines; however, some members expressed some concern that, because Vero cells have the capacity to become tumorigenic, they might not be suitable for the production of live, attenuated (weakened virus) vaccines.” [2, pg 19]

Despite these concerns, Vero cells are used during production of live-virus vaccines smallpox and rotavirus, which was added to the UK childhood vaccine schedule in 2013. [2, pg 20]

Parents aren’t being told about the potential risks to weigh up the pros and cons of vaccines. Rotavirus is a stomach virus that prior to vaccination was estimated to kill 3/4 children per year in the UK, due to dehydration. No child in developed countries should die from dehydration. [4]

Rotavirus vaccine has been found to be contaminated with pig virus (porcine circovirus-1). This is more recent proof that contamination has been discovered after vaccines have already been given to the public. The discovery happened by chance when researchers were demonstrating the potential application of new virus detection technologies. [2, pg 14] How many viruses have been passed onto vaccine recipients unnoticed will never be known.

People may wonder if being injected with pig DNA is harmful because people eat pigs, but the effects of consuming and injecting DNA can be very different. The FDA say “…orally administered DNA is taken up approximately 10,000-fold less efficiently than parenterally (via injection) administered DNA…” [5, pg 37]

The FDA also admit there’s potential for viral vaccines to become contaminated with transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) and Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), but say they don’t know enough about their replication in tissue culture and present tests aren’t sensitive enough to detect them. [6]

The likelihood of a vaccine recipient acquiring cancer is described as “improbable” and risks are being “mitigated”, but the public aren’t even being made aware that there is a risk of cancer and harm from other viruses from receiving vaccines.

The FDA has produced a 47 page document, which is merely guidance for industry containing “nonbinding recommendations” on how to maintain cell line purity. [5]

Are the recommendations stringent enough; is it possible to perfect the methods outlined, and even then, will it be strictly adhered to?

http://www.naturalmedicine.net.nz