Risks versus benefits

The controversy over whether to vaccinate or not has been made such a hot political football that many people are confused, and it is no wonder with the information seeming to change daily.

After 50-plus years in the practice of pharmacy I have seen medications come on the market thought to be perfectly safe only to be pulled due to side effects not discovered until years after the medications’ release. I’ll admit that I was concerned about the covid vaccine and didn’t get vaccinated until a few months after its release. With any medication, vaccine or otherwise, everyone should always consider the risk-versus-benefit profile, research the medication and discuss the pros and cons of the medication with your health-care provider if possible, which would include physicians and pharmacists.

It is obvious there will be times when medications must be given on an emergent basis to sustain life and there is no time to consider the aforementioned options. Also, when you consider risk versus benefit, remember that not everyone reacts the same to medications, so even with vaccines, different people will respond differently. Some will benefit more than others and, of course, there will be those that have adverse reactions. To date it appears that the vaccine is at least somewhat effective and people who have received it are less symptomatic in general if they do become covid-positive. This is nothing new. It all goes back to risk versus benefit.

Please look to reliable sources to obtain information. Remember, you wouldn’t go to your doctor to obtain information on how to fix a leaky faucet or to Home Depot to obtain information on treating hypertension.

ROBERT RHOADS

North Little Rock