Vaccines Pros Cons

Many people who belong with the anti-vaccine movement are individuals who blame MMR (mumps-measles-rubella) vaccine for autism. It has now been found through several studies, that vaccines do not cause autism (Taylor, 2006). “In 2011 the vaccine-autism connection was described as “the most damaging medical hoax of the last 100 years”

This led to the support of various unproven vaccine-autism theories by parents in both the UK and America. After findings of intestinal disease in children with autism, Wakefield claimed that separating the MMR into three different vaccinations would be safer. Since then, Wakefield’s research has been discredited, he was charged with serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council for violating several ethical practices, and he was investigated for failing to disclose conflict of interest – a pending patent on a rival measles vaccine (Gross, 2009). Although false, many still believe wholeheartedly that vaccines are harmful.

In 1988, 350,000 cases of polio, an incurable virus that can cause permanent paralysis or death, were reported. In 2014, only 359 cases were reported (“Poliomyelitis”). The reason for this dramatic decline in cases was a global initiative to vaccinate children and eradicate the virus. No longer did parents have to warn their children away from crowded areas or swimming pools for fear of their child contracting polio. However, as the relief faded and polio became little more than a historical relic, a new movement gained traction. People started focusing more on the possible dangers of vaccines than on their numerous advantages. It culminated in an “anti-vaccination” movement, and ever since science and advocates have been fighting over the issue. Vaccines have since been studied closely for years, and a myriad of investigations have proven that vaccinations are crucial. Every person should receive necessary immunizations because they protect people from dying of preventable diseases, their benefits far outweigh the risks, and vaccinated people protect all members of their community, especially those who cannot receive vaccinations.

In the 1990s, an article was released in The Lancet by Andrew Wakefield. He composed a study of the effects of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccines on children. The study suggested that the MMR vaccine can be linked to causing autism or personality disorders. The published study sparked controversy, and stopped families from taking their children to get vaccinated out of fear. Scientists and doctors quickly disproved Wakefield’s findings, claiming his work was inaccurate and fraudulent (Mnookin, 2011). However, parents continue to distrust vaccines and spread the inaccurate information about autism around to other parents who are unsure what to think about vaccines.

Vaccines are a revolutionary form of technology that save lives, lessen child mortality rates, and strengthen child immunity. Vaccination technology has become sophisticated since the knowhow of inoculation was first presented. Death resulting diseases are nearly eradicated in first world countries. Herd immunity is a bonus to the aftermath of immunization, offering another level of protection against disease. Though the potential side effects of vaccines cause concern for some, the benefits of this medication knowledge outweigh the rare potential dangers. Vaccinations are a key development towards survival and the eradication of fatal disease.

Vaccines have almost been in use from the beginning of our country in the late 1700s. The first person to use the term vaccine was ,Edward Jenner, a doctor in England in 1796 (Kluger 43). Since then there have been fifteen other major vaccines created to protect from killer diseases such as the Measles, Tuberculosis, and Polio (Kluger 43). Polio was a major disease in the United States during the 1950s until the vaccine was created and mass-produced. Vaccines are an effective protective measure against disease; for example “ in 1952 there were 57,879 cases of polio in the U.S, and by 1961, just six years after the vaccine was introduced, the number was 1,312” (Kluger 41). With the introduction and wide spread use of the vaccine in the U.S during the 1950s the cases of Polio had a “98% reduction” rate (Kluger 41). American parents in the 1950s until now did not question the safety of vaccines because they saved millions of lives

Although there has been testing results to show the improvement vaccines have made parents has divided when it comes to vaccinating their children. Today having your children vaccinated seems to be the typical protocol from the beginning as an infant, up until the time of becoming young adults. Children should be required to be vaccinated because the science behind the tested vaccines show proof on paper the benefits it has implemented on our country. However, you have some parents who question if their child is being put at risk.

In 2014, one of the worst contagious disease outbreaks in recent United States history was at its height. Measles, a highly infectious respiratory illness, spread through workers at Disneyland in California and from there, it spread throughout the American Southeast. At the end of the outbreak in February 2015, the Center for Disease Control reported approximately 147 cases in Oregon, Mexico, California, Nevada, Colorado, and Washington. While no deaths occurred because of this outbreak, vaccines could have entirely prevented the epidemic (Chemerinsky and Goodwin 590). Vaccines are a controversial subject within the United States with two very clear sides. While some believe that compulsory vaccination laws violate the ability of the parents to make decisions for their children, in reality it will only serve to improve public health and decrease the risk of preventable disease outbreaks.

It is a common argument debated about whether or not a child should get vaccinated. Many parents will argue that vaccinating their children isn't healthy. Some individuals believe vaccines can cause more damage than not getting vaccinated. Many doctors are encouraging parents and guardians to vaccinate their children for the antibodies in the vaccinations help protect people if they are exposed to the virus in the future. Vaccines have saved many lives and will continue to as long as people are vaccinating. Vaccines are safe, with FDA approval vaccines are monitored for safety and are studied to be administered to protect children. Vaccines does not cause autism, this is the main argument for parents not wanting to vaccinate their children. Vaccinations should be mandatory in order to keep diseases from spreading and killing off people like it has in the past.

People should receive their vaccines when ever they need to be taken. Vaccines were first implemented in 1796 after an epidemics of small pox . Adults and children were getting small pox causing them to become seriously ill or potentially die. Edward Jenner created the first vaccine which cured small pox and was later enforced. Vaccines were then known to help fight diseases to prevent severe illnesses. They are given to people before they are infected with the virus so the body can be prepared to fight it off if it ever gets contaminated. (The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia n. pag.). Taking responsibility over vaccines is critical to maintain the immune system strong and healthy. Vaccines are injected to a persons body to help fight common disease since the body may not be producing all the immunities needed to fight sever problems. They also decreases the chance of catching illnesses by implementing immunities that the body is not capable of producing, which will reduce the chances of a person getting severely sick. Lastly, children in the U.S are not allowed to enroll in school unless all their immunizations are taken, therefore it is crucial for children to get immunization to prevent endangerment of disease in schools. If children vaccines aren’t taken they will be denied their privilege to go to school. It is important to get vaccinated to protect the immune system, reduce risks of getting sick, and to be allowed to enroll in school.

Throughout history, illnesses have plagued mankind. Things as simple as having the measles or as serious as polio could have been a death sentence 100 years ago (“Five Important Reasons” 2017). Vaccines are societies way of fighting back. The world now has and needs to use the capability to vaccinate children when they are young to protect them from these deadly diseases, as well as helping to prevent others that have not been cured.

Diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, yellow fever, small pox, and mumps are several diseases that have become unfamiliar to many nowadays. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, these illnesses struck and killed thousands of people worldwide, targeting mostly children. Today, these diseases remain forgotten due to vaccines. A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity against a type of disease. Vaccinations are beneficial because they train the immune system to resist a new pathogenic without exposing us to the disease by producing antibodies to fight it. Whereas before vaccinations, in order to be fully immune from an illness you had to catch the disease, and hopefully survive it. However, despite the positivity that comes out of being vaccinated, their are still certain individuals who do not believe vaccines are as beneficial as they are said to be. This indeed is a false accusation because vaccines can save a child’s life, the ingredients in the vaccine are proven to be safe in the amount used, vaccines saves time and money , and they are proven to protect future generations.

Vaccinations are one of the greatest medical achievements known to man. Diseases that may have been occurring decades ago, are now increasingly rare because of vaccines. Measles, polio, rotavirus, pertussis (whooping cough), neuropils influenza, diphtheria, and several other illnesses are prevented due to the phenomenon that is a vaccine. Sixteen types of diseases are now preventable, and lifespan has increased thirty years thanks to vaccines. However, there have been several arguments about the vaccine between parents and physicians for as long as the vaccine has existed. There have been various conspiracies that have been researched online. The most argued theory is: “The MMR shot is a cause of Autism”. Even though doctors have backed up that this statement is not true with medical evidence, parents seem to still go against their physician’s advice and don’t get their children vaccinated. The decision to not vaccinate a child has been a controversial issue widely discussed. Not vaccinating a child may seem like a safe and healthier route, but in reality, it may be the most harmful option.

The arrival of vaccines came in 1796, after an outbreak of a disease called smallpox which had been the leading cause of death among many children and adults over

Vaccines have been around for hundreds of years, starting with the smallpox vaccine invented by Edward Jenner also known as ‘The Father of Immunization’. Smallpox was a disease that ravaged populations for thousands of years. The need for a smallpox treatment was vital because “30% of those infected died within the first two weeks of infection”, those who survived had scars for the rest of their lives (TED-Ed How we conquered the deadly smallpox virus). Smallpox was also not contained to one area of the world