Conversation with Doc about the vaccine

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It’s very important to have real conversations.

From a twitter user (https://twitter.com/PN_1984)

My conversation w/ my MD today: 

MD: Did you get the Covid vax?
Me: No!

MD: Are you planning to?
Me: Absolutely not!

MD: It’s turned out to be very safe & effective, perhaps you’ll consider? I got the vax & did fine, no issues.
Me: No issues yet, that your aware of…
MD: Meaning?

Me: What are the long term effects? Does it cause cancer? Genetic mutations? Infertility? Birth defects in unborn?
MD: Not that we know of.
Me: The drug trials didn’t perform mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic studies & since it’s only been used 6 months it’s too soon to know.

MD: The technology has been around for over 15 years, it’s not brand new.
Me: Right, but in 15 years there has not been any successful candidate for use, all of the studies were halted for major safety issues. Dose too high & it’s toxic, too low & it’s not effective.

Me: How long is it effective anyway? Life?
MD: Not sure, we may need yearly boosters like the flu shot.

Me: Is the vaccine safe for those w/ autoimmune conditions.
MD: Yes it’s recommended by CDC.

Me: But the clinical trials didn’t include anyone w/ autoimmune conditions.
Me: It took a long time to get to a place where I feel well & I’ve had a long run w/out any major flare ups, that’s a huge risk for an uncertain benefit.

MD: Covid is a risk as well!
Me: It’s been 1 & 1/2 yrs & so far so good. I’ve had illnesses & the flu before & did fine.

MD: It’s not just for you, it’s for your family, neighbors, friends, other vulnerable people in the community.
Me: So you recommend I take it to possibly benefit others in society? Even if it causes me to be harmed?

MD: We don’t know that you will be harmed. Me: Exactly!
Me: As a doctor your responsibility is to me- not to others who are not in your care! Not to all of society as a whole!
MD: You’re right.

Me: So how can you recommend the vax to me when you couldn’t answer any of my questions about the safety? Why should I take it?
MD: Because I believe those who developed the vax have the best intentions, some of the best scientists in the world put forth the best product so we can put an end to all of this!

Me: Then the developers should accept liability for their product, if it’s so safe why not?
MD: At some point you just need to have faith! You have to believe it will be fine, millions of people have already been vaxxed & nothing bad has happened!
Me: (Dumbfounded). Not true. The VAERS data shows over 11k deaths to date & we’re yet to see the long term effects.

Me: Science is evidence. It’s critical & scrutinizing. You are to practice evidence-based medicine not faith-based religion! I have faith in God in the absence of observable evidence. I do not have faith in a vax that is required to have solid scientific evidence.
Me: Show me the evidence & I will consider, until then you know where I stand.
MD: Understand, I respect that.