Debunking the Myth: Vaccines Don't Cause Autism

554 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: American physciatric association 2000 autism

Paulson 1Daniel PaulsonProfessor FukuchiEnglish 1301-3056226 October 2016Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism In the past few years there have been many false accusations about vaccines causing ASD (Autism spectrum disorder). Arsenal predicted that vaccines caused ASD. Arsenal went on to state “there is absolutely undeniable scientific proof that vaccines cause autism. There is no question! Case closed! Game over!”. This false prediction spread fear in the populace despite the fact there is no hard evidence that vaccines causes ASD. Due to predictions like Arsenal’s gaining so much attention the CDC has issued a statement refuting that vaccines cause autism. There has been increased number of cases of ASD in the last 40 years however this has mostly …show more content…

The intent of this was to reduce fears until the CDC could do comprehensive studies to make sure that vaccines with thimerosal were safe for our most vulnerable citizens, children. There has been “a ten-fold increase in prevalence (. . .of autism) over the last 40 years”, but “there is no established explanation for this continuing increase, although improved diagnosis and environmental influences are two reasons often considered” all of which the article “Autism Speaks” brings up. If vaccines were the cause of the increase in cases of ASD the rate at which people being diagnosed would have plummeted between 1999 and 2001. There is still no definitive answer to why the cases of ASD has rapidly increased but Autism Speaks has identified “that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls”. You cannot draw the conclusion that vaccines cause autism from this data because vaccines are just as likely to be given to males as females. Doctor Wakefield originally fueled the prediction made by Arsenal has now had his license pulled by the GMC for “dishonesty and irresponsibly in conducting the experiments” (Alice). This alone should be enough to disprove the entire prediction that vaccines cause autism. Wakefield wasn’t even a specialist in the field of early child development he was actually a gastroenterologist making him unqualified to make this connection.

Show More
Related

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Horse To Water

    300 Words  | 1 Pages

    The vaccination scandals have dominated the news, this past February. False accusations against the CDC or Center for Disease Control, saying that vaccines cause Autism Spectrum Disorder in young children. Cleverly using the classic idiom, ‘you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink it,’ Robert Ariail’s cartoon portrays Uncle Sam attempting to pull a horse, labelled anti-vaxxer, to a pool of water, labelled knowledge. Another image in opposition of the anti-vaxxer movement is a cartoon by Mike Keefe, which depicts

    Read More

  • The Vaccine Court and the Autism Test Case, Written by Lauren L. Haertlei

    1086 Words  | 3 Pages

    Haertlein’s article will be particularly useful for my research because it goes into great detail about the Vaccine Court and provides multiple court cases to use as resources later. Even more, it offers definitions of terms that could be useful. She uses a standard argument, scientific evidence, to back up her statement. Haertlein’s article has made me even more excited to further study the controversy between vaccinations and autism.

    Read More

  • Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism

    3078 Words  | 7 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Austism and Vaccines

    632 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every year, tens of thousands Americans die from the seasonal flu alone. This alarming statistic is what led the United States government to urge the country to vaccinate themselves, as well as their children every November, when the flu season is fast approaching. Though countless Americans do follow the government’s plea, many others insist that these vaccines distributed every year (as well as other year-long vaccines) contain an abnormally high amount of thimerosal, (a mercury-based chemical in vaccines designed to prevent the growth of bacteria) which could eventually lead to autism. This generation of fear is what has led many concerned parents to refuse to vaccinate their children, who seem to be the most vulnerable to this disease. However, can we really trust a rumor to fuel our doubts of America’s struggle to fight disease among our people? Can we discontinue our trust in the health department because of paranoia? No. Even if autism may be an effect of these vaccines, it is our duty, our responsibility to protect the good of the public by preventing an outbreak of this infl...

    Read More

  • Vaccines Are The Cause Of Autism In Children

    567 Words  | 2 Pages

    My brother Dan was born November 22, 1999. Daniel was a normal child, he developed at a normal physical and social rate. He was just beginning to talk, gave eye contact, and would use hand gestures (pointing and clapping). When he was almost 2, he when to the doctor's office to receive his MMR (Measles, mumps, and Rubella) shots. He received 9 doses of the shot. After 24 hours of the vaccination, Dan developed an extremely high fever that lasted for two weeks. Once Dan's fever receded, he did not socialize, give eye contact, couldn't be touched, and did not interact with the family anymore. Dan was diagnosed with Autism soon after. Many families report this happening to their child, the reports have grown since the late 90's. I believe that vaccines are the cause of autism and the only way to lower the rate is to give fewer vaccines at a time.

    Read More

  • MMR Vaccine and Autism

    676 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...also be mentioned that many studies worldwide have also concluded that MMR vaccine is not a definite cause of ASD. Did Dr. Wakefield’s research uncover something that could damage the medical industry? It is known that medicine manufacturers conceal harmful evidence from public eye to protect their business. Apart from the decade long debate on MMR being linked to ASD, there are still numerous studies and experiments carried out, that suggests MMR vaccines are a potential cause of Autism.

    Read More

  • The Vaccine War

    1168 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the Frontline episode The Vaccine War, a progressively distressful debate ensues among many scientists and doctors within the public health system and an unnerving alliance of parents, politicians, and celebrities. The topic of debate is the overwhelming pressure parents feel to vaccinate their children and their right to decline such vaccinations. In several American neighborhoods, groups of parents have been exercising their right to refuse vaccinations, which has elevated anxiety on the return of vaccine-preventable diseases such as pertussis and measles. The reason such parents are denying their children various vaccines such as the MMR “triple shot” for measles, mumps, and rubella is because they are convinced that it is linked to autism, a link that has yet to be proven. Many of these parents are focused solely on their children, not taking into account that their decision may put the American populace at risk for disease. Such parents are not thinking about other members of society that vaccines don’t work for, and in certain adolescents the effects deteriorate, thus only when every person is immunized the “heard immunity” is successful.

    Read More

  • The Truths of Autism

    1015 Words  | 3 Pages

    Every year doctors diagnose thousands of adults and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Due to the growing awareness of autism and recent developments in technology, scientists and doctors can now discover and observe the effects of autism on society, and people. Starting with its discovery, researchers have been able to diagnose people more effectively. Doctors are beginning to discover what causes this disorder, and are currently trying to find ways to prevent and treat it. Many places have opened their doors to people with this disorder, creating autistic friendly environments where people are patient and understanding. Schools have also become accommodating to autistic children and adults. Autism also puts great strain on family and home lives.

    Read More

  • Theories of Autism Causes

    1913 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how someone communicates with, and relates to other people. Autism also affects how a person makes sense of the world around them ”(autism.org). People wonder the causes of this disability, but what they do not know is there has not been an official cause yet determined! Although there hasn’t been an official cause of autism, there are a lot of theories people believe cause autism. One of the main theories is what pills or vitamins women take during their pregnancy. During pregnancy women have to be very careful on what antibiotics or vitamins they take. Sometimes the child can be affected by the pill which leads to problems during birth. “Another major theory is exposure to chemical pollutants, metals, pesticides, etc.” (webmd.). These substances contain a lot of poisons, chemicals, or bacteria that are very dangerous for a fetus to be exposed too. This is why people say pregnant women should just stay away from places where these substances are. But the main theory that many people think causes autism is vaccines. Although vaccines are supposed to prevent disease, people think there is a chemical in them which causes autism, but this theory is false! The cause of autism has not yet been fully determined, but it is not caused by vaccines; it is usually caused by genetics, metabolic or neurological factors, or lastly problems that occurred during birth.

    Read More

  • Anti Vaccination Essay

    2192 Words  | 5 Pages

    In recent years, the correlation between vaccines and autism has become the subject of much debate. On one side, there are the anti-vaccinators, or anti-vaccers. On the other, there’s pretty much everyone else. Despite the fact that the anti-vaccination movement has little base in scientific fact, their campaign to end early infanthood vaccinations rages on. While doctors and scientists try desperately to make parents look at the research studies, vaccination rates continue to fall. But, even in these dark times, there is still hope that scientific fact will prevail and defeat the anti-vaccination fear mongers who have caused many children to fall ill and even die because their parents did not properly vaccinate them. This is one of the most saddening scientific failures of the twenty-first century. A failure to educate the public properly has resulted in child, even infant, fatalities. The anti-vaccination movement was started based on falsified data and continues only because of a lack of knowledge and proper education of the general public.

    Read More

  • The Harmful Effects of Vaccines

    1406 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Harmful Effects of Vaccines Vaccines are becoming increasingly hazardous for many children and parents are not being informed about the safety of their children. Current reports are linking vaccines to serious life-threatening disorders such as asthma, autism, immune system dysfunction, and mental retardation (Williams). These recent revelations are causing an increasing amount of people to claim religious and medical exemptions from vaccines. From 1999 to 2006, exemptions have more than doubled from 9,722 to 24,919 (Cronin). It is very clear that vaccinations are posing many problems for parents everywhere.

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Vaccinations

    1147 Words  | 3 Pages

    Vaccines against diphtheria, polio, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella, and more recent additions of hepatitis B and chicken pox, have given humans powerful immune guards to ward off unwelcome sickness. And thanks to state laws that require vaccinations for kids enrolling in kindergarten, the U.S. presently enjoys the highest immunization rate ever at 77%. Yet bubbling beneath these national numbers is the question about vaccine safety. Driven by claims that vaccinations can be associated with autism, increasing number of parents are raising questions about whether vaccines are in fact harmful to children, instead of helpful (Park, 2008).

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Anti Vaccination

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Vaccines

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Vaccine Argumentative Essay

    1488 Words  | 3 Pages

    The third and most essential reason that the United States should enforce national inoculation pertains to the concept that vaccines can support not only individual immunity, but also herd immunity to protect those who are medically incompatible with vaccines. A prevailing argument that pro-volunteer individuals frequently make is that vaccines have the potential to be harmful to individuals; a primary motive behind this pertains to an alleged correlation that exists between thimerosal, a component of vaccines, and countless disorders including autism (Benjamin, 2003). According to Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, “When you take a look at the ever-increasing numbers of doses of vaccines babies have received over the past two decades and you see this corresponding rise in chronic disease and disability in our children, it is out of control” (Benjamin, 2003). Many speculated that the mercury contained within the thimerosal was to blame for this.

    Read More

More about Debunking the Myth: Vaccines Don't Cause Autism

Open Document