Vaccinations that protect against diseases and illnesses have become extremely common in the United States and other first world countries; however, beginning in the 19th Century, the anti-vaccination movement began to challenge doctors and medical advice with home remedies. The argument continues into the 21st century whether or not it should be the parents’ choice to vaccinate their children, or if it should be left up to the states or even the federal government (Vaccine Development). In the United States, forty seven out of fifty states allow children entering school to be exempt from their vaccinations if they have religious reason.
Eighteen out of those forty seven states also allow an exemption for personal or philosophical beliefs; however, the remaining three states, California, West Virginia, and Mississippi, do not allow any form of exemption for childhood vaccinations (State Non-Medical Exemptions). The reasons for religious exemptions seem to be fairly just, but when looking into religious views on vaccines, there are not many rules against immunizing children and adults. Many people misconstrue the rules of what religions can and cannot do when it comes to vaccinating.
For instance, in Judaism and Islam, both religions are restricted from eating pork, and, since any vaccines actually contain pork, the followers of these religions often opt out of getting immunized. Digging deeper into the actual rules, both religions agree that if it will keep an individual healthy, it is permissible to put the restricted substance in that person’s body (Arizona Partnership). So the question still remains about why people refuse to vaccinate themselves and their children: the people who support the anti- vaccination movement claim there are many reasons to go without immunizations.
For instance, in “8 Reasons I Haven’t Vaccinated My Daughter,” James Maskell, an online blogger, tates that he “doesn’t want his daughter to be a statistic. ” He claims that since science and medical knowledge have proven itself wrong time and time again, he won’t let his daughter’s body be pumped with the “toxic” ingredients commonly found in vaccines; he also mentions side effects from vaccines such as brain damage, ovarian failure, and immediate discomfort that comes with getting a shot (Maskell). Maskell is not the only parent who feels this way, of course.
Arguments about the toxicity, safety, and reliability of vaccines and drug companies are worrying many parents; however, autism is biggest concern arents are weary of when it comes to vaccinations. In a new documentary Vaxxed: From Cover-up to Catastrophe written and directed by Andrew Wakefield, the movie follows a scientist who worked for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that is said to expose a mistake made by the CDC on a 2004 study that showed no link between vaccinations and autism (Vaxxed).
Interestingly enough, Andrew Wakefield was stripped of his medical license in 1998 for tampering with data in a trial dedicated to finding the cure of autism. The American Association of Pediatrics has even given a list of at least forty tudies showing that autism is not caused by vaccinations (Mnookin), and there has even been a study done showing that the Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine- referred to as an MMR vaccine- may even decrease the chances of autism in children (New Meta-Analysis). While many parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children, there is a larger number of parents who think children need to be vaccinated.
Vaccines have created cures and immunities towards hundreds of illnesses that many parents believe to be worth the minute possibility of autism in their children. Vaccinations are also believed to be better for ther children who may come in contact with such as those with terminal illnesses who are unable to be vaccinated, children who are too young to be vaccinated, or those that are too poor to receive vaccinations. The general consensus is that as many children and adults who can be vaccinated is better for the rest of the population.
This falls into “herd immunity” (Five Important Reasons), which states just that there would be “little room for an outbreak” of a disease if most of an area’s population were to be properly vaccinated (Community Immunity). It has also been proven that vaccines are not really as harmful as many anti-vaxxers” think. They’re said to be “safer than vitamins” by some doctors after the vaccines have gone through months and months of continuous clinical trials (Vaccine ety), so the claim about vaccines being “toxic” (Maskell) appears more false with each new discovery in the world of vaccinations.
For instance, a harmful substance that can be used in vaccinations is formaldehyde, which is used to preserve dead organisms; however, in vaccinations, the amount of formaldehyde that could possibly be used is much lower than what could harm a person. It is also said that the body produces more ormaldehyde than what is used in a single vaccination (Vaccine Safety). Another argument for vaccinating children is that the vaccines can possibly eradicate diseases.
As of 2016, the only disease that has been wiped from society is smallpox; however, United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has predicted that polio and measles are up next for eradication. Polio, a disease that causes total paralysis of the body, has an yearly mortality rate of 640,000 people, and, thanks to the polio vaccine, there has been an 86% prevention rate (see Fig 1). Another disease that had its mortality rate lowered is measles. Before 1964, there were at least 5,570,000 cases of the measles until the vaccination was authorized (see Fig 2).
After the vaccine was available to the public, while there was a slight jump around 1965, the most cases seen until the early ’90s were around 300,000 (Measles – United States). In researching this topic, I have found that I agree with vaccinating children. While there may be side effects and discomfort, if it were my own younger sibling or even my child, I would think the risks of possible life-threatening diseases would be more than a mental handicap or obstacle that has many ccommodations.
Knowing that children could be going into a school system unvaccinated and spreading germs that could infect someone with cancer who couldn’t get a vaccination of his own is a very scary thought as I would like everyone to be as protected as possible from all of the extremely dangerous and taxing diseases this world has had and will continue to have. It is also quite shocking how people believe that autism or ovarian failure is the worst thing that could happen to their child.
These parents will risk their children contracting preventable diseases just to make sure they’re not handicapped n anyway, and in my opinion, that seems like bad parenting. In “Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child,” the author compares getting children immunized to the “importance of car seats” for babies, and I couldn’t agree more. If I were a parent, I would want to go to the greatest lengths possible for my child to give them the healthiest life possible, and I don’t feel that parents supporting the anti-vaccination movement are really doing that.
I do believe, however, that medical decisions should be personal and remain on a doctor to patient level. One way to accommodate both vaccine requirements and personal pinions, I feel that there should be a time period in a child’s life that a parent can, of course, make the medical decision for his child, but also let the child have a say in the decision because they’re the one who is getting the shot or risking contracting a disease due to not receiving a shot.
I am pro-vaccination due to the wonders modern medicine has bestowed upon our world. We are lucky to have the knowledge about medicines that we do, and I feel like some people take advantage of it while so many people would kill for a chance to be immunized for half of the diseases running rampant in their country.
