To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate. time. The spread of infectious disease, like the bubonic plague in

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1 Last 1 First Last Professor Nicole Zaza ENGL November 2015 To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate Disease has been perhaps the most constant and misunderstood threat to human existence since the beginning of time. The spread of infectious disease, like the bubonic plague in the Middle Ages and small pox in the conquering of the New World, Introduction: Relevance History have often had the most significant impact in shaping the course of modern history. Modern science has brought many advancements to stopping the spread of infectious diseases, the most effective advancement so far has been in the area of prevention. One of the Current issue Topic most discussed debate in health is our primary method of prevention of infectious disease, the vaccine. The current debate however is not about the usefulness of vaccines in preventing the Controversy spread of infectious disease. Modern synthetic chemical found in vaccines are being questioned for their potential to cause severe physical and mental problems. This phenomenon is not limited to developing countries or poor and uniformed segment of the population. In fact, the contrary Negation

2 Last 2 is true. The United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) has recently identified studies indicating higher education as a potential barrier to vaccine acceptance in some settings. According to the Cause and effect Merriam Webster a vaccine is a substance that is usually injected into a person or animal to protect against a particular disease. Some of the Definition most common vaccinations administered to children in the U.S. today are meant to protect against the following infectious diseases: whooping cough (pertussis), tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, bacterial Examples meningitis, and diphtheria. The need for various vaccinations differs around the world. For example, Americans travelling to certain parts of the world may be surprised when they find out they need to get Contrast vaccinations to prevent the contraction of diseases we do not often hear about in the U.S. such as tuberculosis and malaria. Many people have doubted the success of immunization programs by citing the concept of dead diseases. For example, in Example 1979 the medical community officially declared polio dead. Most would attribute that success to increased or mandatory vaccinations (4). Other diseases, while still present, have been drastically reduced in prevalence. In 1960, there were more than 1.5 million cases of Cause and effect measles and more than 400 deaths associated with this disease. In 1989 the United States had only 89 cases of measles and no deaths (4). Proponents of vaccination cite the active immunization process to Neutral statement of one position thank for this reduction in the contraction of measles. Despite these

3 Last 3 apparent successes, as noted above, the vaccinations have recently come under public scrutiny for a variety of reasons. The first, and perhaps most important from a public health perspective, is concerns about the relationship between vaccination s and serval severe mental and physical illnesses and death. Other concerns which often overlap Neutral explanation of alternate position one anther include the infringement of parental rights, and religious freedom. Perhaps the most conflicting area of the vaccination debate among physicians, scientist and the general public is the potential causal link between vaccines and disorders such as autism, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), multiple sclerosis and asthma. Prominent physicians POINT AGAINST VACCINES Examples and organizations have publicly denied any such links. For example, Steven P. Shelov, a practicing pediatrician and chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Babies and Children s Hospital at the Maimonides Medical Center in New York City said there is no evidence linking vaccines to any such disorders (4). The hazards associated with such illnesses as tetanus, measles and polio, he says, far out weight the risks posed by immunizations. Other researchers cite the federal government s National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program as proof that there is a growing awareness even among high level health officials that vaccines are causing severe complications in children. (3) The compensation Cause effect program has paid out over $1.5 billion dollars of damage s to family for injuries and deaths following a vaccine reaction (3). Every year the Food

4 Last 4 and Drug Administration (FDA) receives 12,000 to 14,000 reports to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) of hospitalizations Cause and effect injuries and deaths following vaccination (3). While some well-known organizations claim there is no scientific evidence of harm from vaccinations. It is apparent that there is growing concern and growing numbers of cases and potential adverse effects. Opponents of mandatory vaccinations believe that the science is not yet in on the troubling idea of vaccinations causing severe disorders POINT in children. Therefore, the opponents believe that opting out of vaccinations is the prudent thing to-do until it can be proven with scientific certainty that no such link exists. According to the vaccine ILLUSTRATION manufacture s own product inserts, most vaccines have not been evaluated or tested for their carcinogenic potential, mutagenic potential EXPLANATION or for impairment of fertility (3) opponents claim this is reason enough to avoid vaccinations all together. Avoiding vaccinations, however, has been blamed for the recent resurgence of several diseases that have long been considered rare or impossible to catch. A well publicizes example is the measles scare in POINT FOR VACCINES California recently a hundred and forty five people in the US and about a dozen other in Canada and Mexico were diagnosed with measles (5) and it is thought to have spread from a single unvaccinated person at ILLUSTRATION Disney land in California. A research team from MIT and Boston

5 Last 5 Children Hospital calculated the range of likely vaccination rates based on a few key data points. Based on historical data, infectious disease experts believe that in the absent of any vaccination, a single person infected with the measles can spread it between 11 and 18 other people. (5) They also know that it takes 10 to 14 days for one measles case to lead to another. In the best case scenario, the vaccination rate among people who encountered the measles as a result of the Disney land outbreak was between 75% and 86 % (5) to establish heard immunity between 96 % and 99 % of the population must be vaccinated (5). Despite the fact that a vaccine has been available for decades, about 400 people died from the measles every day according to the WHO. Before vaccination became wide spread the disease killed about 2.6 million people per year the WHO says. The study s authors said the EXPLANATION scope of the Disney land outbreak in certainly a reflection of the antivaccination movement. A common reason parents cite for not giving their children the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) is that there has been discussions recently about its link to the development of autism. Physicians, however believe that because the MMR vaccine is administered just before the age of autism appears in children that it has caused some parents to believe that a relationship between the two exist. Steve Shelov a practicing pediatrician and vaccination proponent cites a recent study in

6 Last 6 a British journal that showed there was no association between the MMR vaccination and autism. Despite the apparent success of the wide spread usage of vaccinations, there clearly exists a strong trend towards avoiding vaccinations. While studies had shown no linkage between vaccination and several worrisome disorders, many people believe the studies are not thorough enough to apply to every child. Until there is a wide spread contentious among the medical and scientific community and vaccines are able to claim openly that there is no such links the debate will likely continue to rage on, and it is likely that cases such as the Disney land outbreak of measles become a more common place. Aside from the medical concerns, parents, especially in the United States believe mandatory of vaccination is a violation of their parental rights. For many years routine childhood vaccination has been required in all 50 states. Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education and upbringing of their children, as guaranteed by the Liberty Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (3) The US Supreme Court has recognized this foundational freedom of parental liberty in a long line of cases. The rationale behind this is that, as a general principal, parents act in the best interest if their children and as result, make the best decisions for their children. (3) The area of health, anti-vaccination proponents claim, is no exception.

7 Last 7 Along the same lines of parental liberty is that of religious liberty. Many parents have strong religious convictions against vaccinating their children. (3) Some religious advocates cite the Bible where it explains that it is a sin to do anything that could harm their children as reason to not have them vaccinated. As awareness of the potential dangers of vaccination grows and the pressure for mandatory immunizations increases more and more parents will likely use religious convictions as their reasons for not vaccinating their children. With all the controversy surrounding vaccinations, one has to ask themselves Should parents be allowed to opt out of vaccinating their children? TRANSITION TO ARGUMENT the answer to this question has to be no. If the pool of unimmunized children becomes large enough, then many disease may reemerge, possibly in epidemic proportions. This has occurred in counties where immunizations have been allowed to increase pertussis (whooping cough) has resurfaced in Europe. Failure to immunize children not only puts the health of society in jeopardy, and the concerns of a few parents should not outweigh the potential danger to the entire population. As the mother of a one and a half year old I can tell you I would not send my child to a school where a large number of children were known to be unimmunized. While the fear of a potential negative reaction is there I feel much ETHOS AUTHORITY safer when I know other children are vaccinated. The contraction of diseases in children that are so young is too severe to ignore.

8 Last 8 One only has to look to the terrible suffering of children around the world due to lack of available vaccines in order to reach the conclusion that LOGOS COMPARE mandatory vaccination is important. Considering the how fast an infectious disease can take over the body making the decision for a child to not be vaccinated is gambling with the fragile life of a child in an irresponsible way. This is especially true when the act of prevention through vaccination PATHOS CAUSE PATHOS can be so easy and inexpensive. The man I interviewed Alex takes the opposite position. He believes It is irresponsible for an adult to administer a vaccine that contains chemicals with unknown potential side effects to a child. Alex thinks until CONCESSION science can prove otherwise vaccinations should be completely optional. He believes the rise in cases of autism around the country can be contributed to mandatory vaccinations of all children. Every parent wants the best health for their child. Parents need to recognize their personal choices for their child affects other children as well. This an important area for the health and safety of our children and Conclusion: Looking out into the world more emphasis should be placed on funding research in this area rather than fighting amongst people with no scientific or medical background. Hopefully we can start taking vaccines more seriously and prove the effect it has or does not have on our children.

9 Last 9 Works Cited Same header above. Kaplan, Karen. "Parents Likely Fueled Measles Surge." Los Angeles Times. 17 Mar. 2015: B.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 23 Nov Klicka, Christopher. "Mandatory Vaccinations Are a Violation of Parental Rights." Current Controversies: Vaccines. Ed. Noël Title Centered Double space Hanging Indent Alphabetized Merino. Detroit:Greenhaven Press, Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Houston Community College. 25 Nov Shelov, Steven P. "Parents Should Not Be Allowed to Opt Out of Vaccinating Their Children." At Issue: Vaccinations. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Houston Community College. 1 Dec 2015 "Vaccine Hesitancy: A Growing Challenge for Immunization Programmes." Targeted News Service. 18 Aug. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 23 Nov. 2015