By Jennifer Smith at Brownstone dot org.

"Toxic and Effective" Does Not Make for a Snappy Marketing Slogan

Over the last 4+ years, we have heard the slogan "safe and effective" ad nauseum in relation to vaccines - repeated by health agencies, media, and pharmaceutical companies. But what does "safe" really mean?

This post isn't about fear. It's about precision.

The word "safe" is not scientific, especially when evaluating the effects of substances, such as vaccines, on living organisms. Every substance that is taken into the body, either by ingesting or injection, can be toxic, even water and oxygen.

Toxicity is not binary.

Substances aren't simply "toxic" or "non-toxic" - toxicity is measured on a spectrum.

The same logic applies to vaccines: they contain active and inactive components that should be assessed across a spectrum of toxicity.

"What is it that is not poison? All things are poison and nothing is without poison. It is the dose only that makes a thing not a poison."

Paracelsus (1493-1541)

Toxicity: An Overview

Toxicity refers to the inherent capacity of a substance to cause harmful effects on living organisms and the degree to which a substance can harm living organisms. It can affect whole organisms, like humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms, or specific parts of them, such as cells or organs. For example, neurotoxicity is damage to the nervous system from exposure to a substance, or reproductive toxicity, the adverse effects on sexual function, fertility, or offspring.

The toxicity of a chemical is referred to numerically using the term Lethal Dose 50 (LD50). The LD50 describes the amount of chemical ingested or absorbed by the skin in test animals that causes death in 50% of the test animals used during a toxicity test study.

Another common term is Lethal Concentration 50 (LC50), which describes the amount of chemical inhaled by test animals that causes death in 50% of test animals used during a toxicity test study. The lower the LD50 or LC50 number, the more toxic the chemical.

There are a number of factors that influence the toxic effects of chemicals on the body. These include, but are not limited to:

The quantity and concentration of the chemical. Even typically harmless substances can be toxic at high doses (e.g., water intoxication), while highly toxic substances may have no detectable effects at low doses (e.g., snake venom).

The length of time and the frequency of the exposure.

The route of the exposure. Substances can enter the body through inhalation (breathing), ingestion (swallowing), or direct contact with the skin or eyes.

If mixtures of chemicals are involved.

Genetics, age, health status of the individual, and environment can affect how someone responds to any medical product - including vaccines.

Toxic effects are generally classified as acute toxicity or chronic toxicity.

Acute toxicity is generally thought of as a single, short-term exposure where effects appear immediately and are often reversible. An example of acute toxicity relates to the overconsumption of alcohol and "hangovers."

Chronic toxicity is generally thought of as frequent exposures where effects may be delayed (even for years) and are generally irreversible. Chronic toxicity can also result in acute exposures, with long-term chronic effects. An example of chronic toxicity relates to cigarette smoking and lung cancer.

Toxicology studies aim to define the limits of toxicity, determining how much exposure can be tolerated before adverse effects appear. This often involves identifying target organs, evaluating dose-response relationships, and assessing the potential for recovery.

Vaccines and Toxicity: A Measurable Spectrum

A Proposed Framework: Rating Vaccines on a Spectrum of Toxicity

Current vaccine safety evaluations focus on overall adverse events and statistical safety profiles. But what if we had a transparent, ingredient-level, biology-based toxicity index - a way to give each vaccine a score based on measurable t...