Carlee Williams
Mrs. Heather Timmons
American Literature 132-03
Thursday March 20, 2014
Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
Although vaccination has proven to be an effective means of preventing serious
childhood illness, there is still question over whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Through
much research we can assume that it has been successfully proven that the benefits truly do
outweigh the risks; which is why many people should choose to vaccinate their children.
“Vaccines are among the 20th
preventing disease, disability, and death.” (Risk vs. Benefit) During the years 1951-1954 there
were over 1,879 deaths from the disease polio. In 1955 the polio vaccine was licensed in the U.S.
By the year 1991 polio was eliminated from the Western Hemisphere. We can see the dramatic
change with vaccinations throughout history. Scientists are still looking for more ways to assist
the small amount of risk factors in our society today.
Vaccines are a type of substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and help
prevent several diseases. There are many benefits to vaccinations, vaccines are examples of
taking small risks to enjoy large benefits. Our society should ask themselves the question would
you rather say you took the chance in vaccinating your children or waiting to see the terrible
outcome from not taking that risk. Although you may think vaccination is dangerous you are
helping not only the individual but also protecting your community from diseases spread from
person-to-person. Parents and patients are revealed to a lot of false information. They here in the
media, the news, the internet, and the public; false information about vaccines. Even parents that
c...
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...ic achievements in the United States during the
20th
century.” (Risk vs. Benefit) Without vaccination we would lose our friends and family
each day. There are vaccines that have eliminated poliomyelitis in America; and has controlled
measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, and other infectious diseases. We have only reached the
beginning with vaccination in our society today. With technology improving there is a clearer
road for a risk free vaccine process. Now that we have reached the 21st
and effective vaccines will be strongly continued. Vaccines have truly reduced the number of
people who get infectious diseases. Without vaccines, a widespread of preventable diseases
would return. Which would increase illness and disability. Ultimately without vaccination we
would have a higher risk of the worst disease possible, death.
century promoting safe
At first polio was a troubling prospect when it first reared its ugly head in the United States of America. In a noble effort to be rid of polio, America as a whole was to adopt stringent sanitation measures. Everywhere, especially the home was to be spotless and clean in order to try and prevent the contraction of polio. This coupled with the view that America as a western nation seemed impervious to such a lowly disease tried to assuage American fear of the disease. Despite the measures commonly adopted throughout the myriad of cities and towns, polio still managed to spread around the country and wreak havoc taking thousands of lives. An outbreak that ravaged America claimed nearly 27,000 lives in a terrible reckoning before it finally subsided. This and several other troubling outbreaks
Polio: An American Story describes a struggle to find a vaccine on polio through several researchers’ lives, and over the course of many years. The second thesis is the struggle between Salk and Sabin, two bitter rivals who had their own vaccine that they believed would cure polio. The author David M. Oshinsky, is describing how difficult it was to find the cure to a horrifying disease, which lasted from the Great Depression until the 1960’s. Oshinsky then writes about how foundations formed as fundraisers, to support polio research. Lastly, the author demonstrates how researchers were forced to back track on multiple occasions, to learn more about polio.
There is a war going on against parents that refuse to vaccinate their children. It is coming from the government that makes and enforces laws requiring parents to vaccinate their children, hostile parents of vaccinated children, and doctors that refuse to see unvaccinated children. They are concerned about the potential health risk unvaccinated children pose to the public. These parents aren’t lunatics but are concerned parents that are trying to make the best choice for their children. In fact, these parents aren’t fighting alone; a number of pediatricians and medical experts are apart of this crusade and have taken the lead. They will tell you there is an agenda, “Vaccine manufacturers, health officials, medical doctors, lead authors of important studies, editors of major medical journals, hospital personnel, and even coroners, cooperate to minimize vaccine failings, exaggerate benefits, and avert any negative publicity that might frighten concerned parents, threaten the vaccine program and lower vaccination rates.” 4
“Vaccinations are causing a major upsurge in childhood diseases, adult maladies, and even deadly ailments such as Gulf War Syndrome and Lou Gehrig’s disease” (Blaylock). Every now and then an individual’s doctor calls telling them about the latest vaccine they should receive. The person immediately schedules a time to come in and get it done. But do they even give a second thought about it? Have they ever thought that maybe they do not need another vaccination? Many people have not taken the time to seriously think about the process of immunization. The truth is, there are many dangers that the average person should be unaware of. Rarely do vaccines actually accomplish what the public has been told. In fact, a lot of vaccines contain harmful substances that have been linked to disorders such as autism. The lack of education and dishonesty from doctors are putting people in danger of health problems without even realizing. Many parents feel obligated for their children to get vaccinated because of school, not knowing they have the alternative option of refusing immunization.
Sixty-five years ago, the US was facing the brunt of one of the most feared epidemics of the 20th century. Polio had been lingering in the region since its discovery in 1894, but was now running full throttle. This was the beginning marker of an era that changed the face of medicine and propelled the U.S. forward as the worldwide leader in not only medicine, but also innovative pediatric medical care. In the early 1950s frightened parents quarantined their families and entire towns were put on lockdown for fear of transmission of the airborne pathogen. The nation scrambled as 58,000 cases swept through taking with them the lives of 3,145.
Despite all the testing and approval process of vaccines, many people still mistakenly believe that vaccines cause autism, even in light of research that has disproven the notion. This evidences the difficulty of dispelling false statements once someone has accepted a falsehood, especially if it has scientific research backing the results. It also highlights the gullibility of the public at large to believe anything that medical research reports without questioning the findings. Unfortunately, the media attention such examples of junk science receive aids in convincing many of its truthfulness. The hype surrounding the belief that vaccines cause autism began in 1998 when Andrew Wakefield in the UK published an article in the Lancet linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR...
In Conclusion, Understanding Polio’s etiology, history and epidemiology, as well as proper treatments will assist in avoiding its return. Although polio has been known to substantially affect a wide population in a small amount of time, eradication of this disease may also be accomplished in a short period of time. Scientists and medical professionals continue to research this disease in order to better understand and maintain it for many years to come. There are still aspect of the disease people do not understand that may be vital for the future of a polio-free world.
Spencer, Steven M. "Where Are We Now on Polio?" Saturday Evening Post 10 Sept. 1955: 19+. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 6 Mar. 2014.
The extent of adverse reactions to vaccines is crippling. Every year, there are more than 20,000 vaccine adverse reaction reports that are filed with the US government (Merino 17). 13% are classified as serious, including death, lifelong disability or life-threatening illness (“Vaccines ProCon”). Considering that almost all Americans are vaccinated makes these numbers seem less significant. However, it is estimated that less than ten percent of adverse reactions are reported (“National Vaccine…”). This means that over 200,000 people in America are possibly affected in a negative way by vaccines per year.
diseases, many of which are deadly. Some people seem to think vaccine side effects can cause
Poliomyelitis, also known as Polio, is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. Most victims to this disease are younger than five years of age; they are more likely to get this disease than any other age group. Out of two hundred people infected with the polio disease one is most likely to result in paralysis. The Polio Virus has decreased greatly since the Polio Vaccine was developed. In 2010 a WHO (World Health Organization) pole reported only 1,352 cases worldwide. Since the Polio Vaccine was developed the U.S has not has a single Polio case since 1979.
... Tarrant and Thomson (2008), parents readily admitted that they had knowledge discrepancies in regards to childhood vaccines but believed that the benefits of immunization overshadowed any risks that might be present. The biggest source of information for these parents was family members and peers. Along with this information wide-ranging public health programs and mandatory vaccination requirements for school entry made certain that childhood immunization recommendations were followed.
Immunisation or vaccination is a very effective and safe form of medicine used to prevent severe diseases occurring from viruses and other infectious organisms and increase the amount of protective antibodies. It is given by drops in the mouth or injecting a person with a dead or modified disease-causing agent, in order for the person to become immune to that disease.
Because of vaccines, the prevalence of diseases that used to kill hundreds of thousands every year is extremely low. Because these diseases have been all but eradicated, the majority of parents have seen neither these diseases, nor their devastating symptoms. As stated by William Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University, “We’ve become prisoners of our own success. Nobody knows what measles is (Parker).” In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of 315 people were surveyed on their attitudes toward vaccines. After the survey, the subjects were divided into three groups. One group was given the most recent research showing no link between vaccines and autism; another was read a paragraph written in a mother’s voice, describing her child’s contraction of measles, shown three pictures of children with measles, mumps, rubella, and read warnings about the dangers of not vaccinating. The third group, as a control, was given an unrelated science article to read. After the experiment, the subjects were tested again on their attitudes toward vaccines. The group who was shown the diseases’ approval rates jumped five times higher than the
Recently the number of parents who are intentionally delaying their children’s general vaccinations is increasing. The controversy that is causing the number of delayed vaccinations to go up is based on the fact that there are negative articles connecting them to autism and other similar diseases. When parents are researching vaccinations and they read those negative articles, those articles make them believe that vaccines cause autism. Vaccines are important because they protect humans from preventable diseases and getting them could save human lives. Vaccines are important throughout life no matter what some research suggests. Parents are now more likely to intentionally delay vaccines because of negative press, even though vaccines