Intro: Weekly Dose of Wellness, brought to you by Memorial Care Health System. Here's Deborah Howell.

Deborah Howell (Host): You know, we all hear so much in the news cycle these days about vaccines and about vaccinating your children. So, what are the actual facts? In this episode, Dr. Eric Morley, a pediatrician at Memorial Care Medical Group, long Beach Los Altos, will explain the science and safety of childhood vaccines and emphasize why timely vaccination is crucial for family and public health. Welcome, Dr. Morley.

Eric Morley, MD: Thank you. Happy to be here.

Host: We're happy to have you and we're going to dive right in, if that's all right. Can you explain how vaccines work to prevent illness?

Eric Morley, MD: Vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize and fight off harmful invaders like bacteria or viruses. When a vaccine is administered, it introduces a weakened or inactivated form of the pathogen or just part of it, like a protein. This stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies, which are proteins that can specifically target and neutralize the pathogen. If the body is later exposed to the actual disease, the immune system remembers how to fight it, preventing the illness, or significantly reducing its severity.

Host: That is a beautiful explanation. What can I say? We've seen major public health wins thanks, of course, to vaccines. Maybe you can share some examples of diseases that have been significantly reduced or even eradicated thanks to childhood vaccinations.

Eric Morley, MD: Absolutely. There really are enormous number of them, and I'll just talk about a few. One would be smallpox, which was completely eradicated in 1980 through a global vaccination campaign. Now, there's polio, which was drastically reduced worldwide. There's only a few countries in the world that still have it. And it's on the verge of global eradication currently. Measles, which is still a concern in some regions, and a growing concern in the United States, but the measles cases have fallen significantly in places with high vaccination rates. Pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough, and although it still exists, its incidence has been greatly reduced in countries with high vaccine coverage. And then, finally, mumps and rubella, vaccines have nearly eliminated these diseases in many parts of the world.

Host: Yeah, and you don't want your children to get any of the above, right?

Eric Morley, MD: Definitely not.

Host: Yeah. So, why is it so important for children to follow the recommended vaccination schedule rather than spacing out their vaccines?

Eric Morley, MD: I'm really glad you asked. Following the recommended vaccination schedule is important because it ensures that children receive vaccines at the optimal time to protect them before they're exposed to those diseases. Spacing out vaccines or delaying them can leave children vulnerable to infections. Vaccines work best when they're given on time, and delaying or skipping doses could result in missed opportunities for protection. For example, delaying the first dose of the MMR or measles, mumps and Ruba vaccine increases the risk of getting the disease before immunity has been built up.

Host: And some of these diseases, I'm assuming are contagious, correct?

Eric Morley, MD: Absolutely. That's the only way you can get them is because they're contagious and can be spread from one person to another.

Host: I just want to make that clear because, if your child gets it, it's not maybe only your child who has to undergo the treatments.

Eric Morley, MD: Absolutely correct. It could be someone else who then got it from your child.

Host: And a lot of parents right now, these days, they want some reassurance. Can you walk us through how vaccines are tested and approved and monitored to ensure they're safe for our kids?

Eric Morley, MD: So, vaccines go through several phases of testing before they're approved. First phase is preclinical testing. The vaccine is first tested in labs and on animals to assess its safety and ability to generate an immune response. Phase two is what's called clinical trials, right? And these trials test the vaccine in humans, starting with a small group, then expanding to larger groups to check for safety effectiveness and potential side effects. It then goes for FDA approval. And if the clinical trials show the vaccine is safety and effective, the FDA will review them. Only vaccines that pass rigorous review are approved by the FDA. And then, once it's approved and it's being given to the public, there's ongoing monitoring through systems like the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and the Vaccine Safety Datalink ensures any potential issues that may arise post-approval are detected quickly.

Host: That's a multi multi-factor and multi-step process to make sure everything's safe for our kids and for our families. Are there any newer vaccines or changes to the schedule that parents should be aware of, like maybe RSV for example?

Eric Morley, MD: Yes. So, RSV, which stands for respiratory syncytial virus. This is a new vaccine recently approved, provides protection against RSV, which is the leading cause of respiratory illness in young children, especially those under two. And it's now part of the schedule for at-risk children. Another example would be, of course, the COVID-19 vaccines, which are now a few years old, but still relatively new, and then changes to older vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine in terms of when they're given.

Host: Sure. Because these diseases are always changing and mutating, correct?

Eric Morley, MD: Exactly.

Host: Now, beyond individual protection, how do vaccines contribute to a safer and healthier school environment for all children, especially in places like schools and daycares.

Eric Morley, MD: Vaccinations play a key role in protecting not just individual children, but also the community and school environments, by having vaccination rates, high schools can create what's called herd immunity, where enough children are immune to prevent the spread of diseases like measles or whooping cough. This is especially important for children who are immunocompromised or those who can't be vaccinated for medical reasons. It helps protect them by reducing the overall risk of disease outbreaks.

Host: I wanted to drill down on that a little bit for parents of immunocompromised or medically complex children, how does vaccination play a role in protecting them, and how do you approach those situations differently?

Eric Morley, MD: So, vaccines protect children directly by helping them build immunity, but they also indirectly protect others through herd immunity. For immunocompromised children who may not be able to receive certain vaccines or may not respond well to them, the vaccination of others around them helps prevent the spread of disease. Parents of immunocompromised children often work with healthcare providers to ensure that all household members and close contacts are up-to-date on their vaccines to create protective environment for those children.

Host: Got it. Now, of course, we all know there's been a lot of misinformation about vaccines being linked to autism. How can we effectively counter these false claims?

Eric Morley, MD: Yeah. This is a major, major problem. The claim that vaccines cause autism has been widely debunked multiple, multiple times. The original study that suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism was retracted, the researcher was discredited. Numerous large scale studies since then have found no connection between vaccines and autism.

I think the key is to focus on sharing trusted evidence-based information from reputable sources, like the CDC, WHO, and pediatricians to help parents make their own informed decisions. Of course, anybody can say anything on the internet. And so, you really want to make sure what you're reading and what you're trusting is legitimate.

Host: Exactly. And then, hopefully, these rumors and this misinformation will over time disperse. Now, if a parent is feeling unsure or overwhelmed about vaccines, what advice would you offer to help them feel more confident in making this decision for their child?

Eric Morley, MD: I'd say that for parents who are feeling uncertain about vaccines, the best approach is to have open and honest conversations with a trusted pediatrician or healthcare provider. Ask questions about the benefits, risks, and how vaccines protect not just your child, but the broader community. It's totally normal to have concerns, but knowing the facts, understanding the science behind the vaccines and discussing any worries with a medical professional can help make decision feel more comfortable.

Host: Your passion, Dr. Morley, it's definitely coming through. Is there anything you'd like to add?

Eric Morley, MD: Just that it's something that I encounter on a daily basis. And while I have many patients who are very happy and feel grateful to be able to vaccinate their children, there are certainly many who are skeptical. And I totally understand that because in the end, everyone just wants to do what's right for their child. The healthcare provider wants to do what's right for the child, the parents wants to do what's right for the child. So, everyone's on the same team. And I think just having open and honest conversations and looking at the sources of information, and the bigger picture is really helpful for having people feel comfortable with the decisions they're making.

Host: Okay. Well, thank you so much, Dr. Morley, for your time and your expertise today. I learned a lot, and I hope our audience did too. We really enjoyed having you on the podcast.

Eric Morley, MD: Oh, it was great to be here. Thanks so much for having me.

Host: And you can learn more about childhood vaccines and how to keep your kids protected or to make an appointment, visit memorialcare.org/cmg

Deborah Howell (Host): or call our navigation center at (877) 696-3622.

Host: That's all for this time. I'm Deborah Howell. Have yourself a terrific day.