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I have read a number of comments here on like cures like with respect to vaccines. Vaccines are categorically NOT like cures like; vaccines work because a "sacr

I have read a number of comments here on like cures like with respect to vaccines. Vaccines are categorically NOT like cures like; vaccines work because a "sacrificial lamb" organism (bacteria, lab animal, or other) is infected, and then the macrophages (mostly white blood cells) then digest these bacteria or viruses that have infected the host and leave behind anti-gens. The immune system reacts to these anti-gens; and that's what the vaccine is, in layman's terms chopped up bacteria or virus that is chemically bonded to a protein (Major Histocompatability Complex (MHC) class II molecule) that activates a learning process in the immune system (adaptive immune response). So it is not a like cures like process; it is a processed hybrid molecule that induces an immune response. Another organism has been through an infection to learn how to combat it so you don't have to. Vaccines prevent an infection from taking hold with biologically modified proteins, it doesn't cure an infection. [EDIT] fixed typo and thinko

will_brown 10y ago
So perhaps it is less accurate to say vaccinations are like cures like and more significant processing of like cures like. So then maybe anti-venom also falls more in line with vaccinations in the sense of the processing of the original like involved. Others have also presented arguments why immunotherapy for allergies isn't really like cures like. However, nothing as comprehensive as your post to suggest any significant processing on the vaccination level as much as a simple reduction to the chemical allergen to reduce and/or prevent allergies to said chemical.
- tankenmate 10y ago
  Allergen immunotherapy (slowly increased exposure to allergens) is sometimes suggested for environmental allergies (such as insect bites or asthma) but not generally accepted for allergies such as food allergies. The reason for this is that there is scientific evidence that the benefits outweigh the risks. What's more is that it isn't just administered in blindly increasing amounts; the histamine reaction in the body is carefully measured and doses of the allergen in carefully calibrated to match. But this is just one small part of medicine. Almost no other medical treatments have such evidence which is why homeopathy is labelled as having no evidence to support it and that is being generous as plenty of people have gone looking for evidence to support it but there is no credible evidence to be found after 100 years of trying.

will_brown 10y ago

So perhaps it is less accurate to say vaccinations are like cures like and more significant processing of like cures like. So then maybe anti-venom also falls more in line with vaccinations in the sense of the processing of the original like involved. Others have also presented arguments why immunotherapy for allergies isn't really like cures like. However, nothing as comprehensive as your post to suggest any significant processing on the vaccination level as much as a simple reduction to the chemical allergen to reduce and/or prevent allergies to said chemical.

tankenmate 10y ago
Allergen immunotherapy (slowly increased exposure to allergens) is sometimes suggested for environmental allergies (such as insect bites or asthma) but not generally accepted for allergies such as food allergies. The reason for this is that there is scientific evidence that the benefits outweigh the risks. What's more is that it isn't just administered in blindly increasing amounts; the histamine reaction in the body is carefully measured and doses of the allergen in carefully calibrated to match. But this is just one small part of medicine. Almost no other medical treatments have such evidence which is why homeopathy is labelled as having no evidence to support it and that is being generous as plenty of people have gone looking for evidence to support it but there is no credible evidence to be found after 100 years of trying.