Famed internet "kook" Todd Gastaldo has for years claimed that "MDs"
are "LYING by omission" by calling vaccines "immunizations" while
"failing" to acknowledge and/or inform mothers that breastfeeding is
immunization. He also claims that "MDs" imply vaccines are 100%
effective because of school exclusion policies in times of disease
outbreaks (although when I demonstrated that his logical fallacy stems
from ignorance of basic epidemiology, I did achieve a rare feat:
Gastaldo didn't admit he was wrong, but at least he failed to reply.)

Todd has asked that the American Academy of Pediatrics come outright
and say that breastfeeding is immunization. (He actually thinks that
we would have 100% breastfeeding rates if that were the case, which is
akin to claiming that, if only there were a warning on cigarette packs
that it's bad for you, then no one would smoke, but I digress.) So
imagine my surprise when I received in the mail a poster from the AAP
in conjunction with Breastfeeding Promotion in Physicians' Office
Practices, the Childhood Immunization Support Program, and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, with a copyright from 2004.
Unfortunately, I can't find an on-line version of it, so I will
reproduce the relevant text here:

Quote:

Immunization saves lives.

Immunizations save millions of babies from suffering or dying each
year. Breastfeeding is YOUR baby's first immunization by providing
protective antibodies to common diseases. Breastfeeding and immunizing
your baby in the first 2 years of life can protect your child and your
child's friends at school or child care centers.

Immunizations are more effective in breastfed babies.(1)

Breastfed babies have a stronger immune response to several common
vaccines. Breastfeeding and immunizations work together to provide
better protection for your baby.

[...]

Help your baby build a strong immune system; breastfeed and immunize
your baby!

[...]

1. Pabst HF, Godel J, Grace M, Cho H, Spady DW. Effect of
breast-feeding on immune response to BCG vaccination. _Lancet_.
1989;1:295-7.

End quote.

So I ask again: Will Gastaldo be satisfied? I honestly can't remember
Todd's delusional explanation for WHY the AAP would be slyly trying to
suppress immunization rates by "LYING by omission" when they otherwise
ostensibly encourage exclusive breastfeeding, but I wonder if, by
presenting this evidence that, as Todd has asked, the AAP is
specifically telling people (1) to breastfeed their babies, (2) that
breastfeeding is immunization, and (3) immunization is more effective
in breastfed babies (implying, or course, that they are not 100%
effective), am I again toiling in futility? Should I instead be
heeding my own advice, as I posted in May, 2004?

PF Riley, May, 2004:

We shall see.

PF