Does the pertussis vaccine cause brain damage?
In 1974 a paper was published suggesting a link between the whooping cough vaccine and brain damage. Because of this concern, the number of children receiving the vaccine fell. As a consequence, the number of cases and deaths from the disease rose. Subsequent research shows that, if there is a long-term risk of brain damage from the vaccine, it is rare, whereas the disease itself is known to cause brain damage and death.