Against Mandatory Vaccines

Great Essays
Over the last few decades vaccinating children has been up for debate. Vaccinations have been in use for over 150 years for potentially dangerous diseases, but there has always been protest to governments making them mandatory. Modern believers in the anti-vaccination movement have used case studies to “prove” their thesis that there are negative effects of vaccinations on children 's well-being. Consequently, an increasing amount of research has become public to prove there are no negative effects of vaccines on a child 's body or health. Government mandated vaccinations have shown a positive trend, parallel with the increase in scientific evidence and proof of the effectiveness and the lack of side effects of vaccines. Thus, the leading …show more content…
Those put at risk are people that have an immune system which is too weak permanently or for a temporary amount of time. Those whose bodies cannot withstand the vaccine include, but aren’t limited to, anyone with HIV/AIDS or diseases that deter the immune system or those with an allergic reaction to the vaccine. When diseases spread, like the recent Measles outbreak, only those who haven’t taken the vaccine and those who can’t are affected. Nonetheless, the amount of children who don’t receive vaccinations is actually very small, as the US mandates a number of vaccines for children entering public schools. The MMR Vaccination, which received the heaviest critique when it was first introduced, now covers 95% of all kindergarten students in the US. But the US sees a large dip in meeting the 95% coverage goal in states where there are more exemptions, of up to 20% lower on critical vaccines, like the MMR vaccine. However, diseases can travel easily and it will attack those who haven’t received immunization. When the CDC was asked why not stop immunizing if the disease is gone they said, “Unless we can "stop the leak" (eliminate the disease), it is important to keep immunizing. Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will become infected and will spread disease to others. Soon we will undo the progress …show more content…
In older history of vaccinations, those who opposed vaccines, believed that the government shouldn’t be able to mandate what they put in their bodies. Today we know the benefit of the vaccine shot and preventing the disease far outweighs the minor side effects. When Andrew Wakefield concluded through his case study report, that the MMR vaccine can lead to Autism, the argument of anti-vaccinating turned to focus on supporting Wakefield 's findings. In response the scientific community found through research his report was fraudulent and founded on false accusations. Even so, the protests continued, but what changed is now the two main arguments against vaccinating have been scientifically proven unsound: that babies develop autism from vaccines, and that we are uncertain of the side effects of vaccines. Nonetheless, people continue to not vaccinate their children and because of this the current outbreak of measles, has been able to move from unvaccinated person to person along the western United

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    “Should children have to be vaccinated to attend school?” (Lemons, 2016, p. 185). This statement is the prescriptive issue that Jane Fullerton Lemons, writer for the 2008 CQ Researcher posits in her report on “Vaccine Controversies.” In order to get both sides of the issue, Lemons obtained a testimony from Amy Pisani, Executive Director of Every Child By Two, and a rebuttal from Barbra L. Fisher, President of National Vaccine Information Center. Initially, my thought was to side with Fisher, but with further reading I 've concluded that Pisani had the stronger argument, despite the weaknesses given throughout.…

    • 1845 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The current measles outbreak in Canada is due largely from misinformed parents refusing to vaccinate their kids. Vaccines are incredibly safe, and the chances of being injured by a vaccine preventable disease are increasingly higher than a vaccine itself. Many claims made against the safety of vaccinations are unreliable and have been debunked by scientific research time and time again. One of the largest opposing arguments comes from a study conducted solely by Andrew Wakefield in 1998 connecting the MMR vaccine to the rise in kids with autism. Since then, seven large medical journals conducted studies finding no link between MMR and ASD, officially retracting Andrew Wakefield’s original paper and stripping him of his doctoring license due to the release of fraudulent information.…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Childhood vaccinations are very important in today’s century. Vaccines are injections or shots that can help prevent deadly disease. Vaccines work by giving the body immunity to certain diseases without getting the actual disease itself. Even though they are not mandatory, all 50 states require children to have certain vaccines to enter public schools. Each year vaccines save approximately 2.5 million children from preventable disease, and ones that agree with mandatory vaccinations say that they are safe; in fact ones who agree say that vaccinations are one of the best health developments today (Procon.org).…

    • 933 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    On the other hand, it still is decreasing deaths because of the people that are vaccinating their children, or staying up to date on their vaccines. The decline of diseases is going down in the United States, but there is also a chance travelers can bring a disease from another country over. If one is not vaccinated, they could get one of the diseases or even spread it. Therefore, one vaccination can save a life from a harmful…

    • 948 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In addition, the article includes graphical representations of the hypothesized correlation between being vaccinated and avoiding the contraction of the commonly fatal diseases such as the Measles. Although the article exhibits objectively scientific information, the discussion concludes the direct relationship of the anti-vaccination movement and the increase in the cases of measles particularly in individuals that were exempt from their shots. Concluding that a ninety-six to ninety-nine percent vaccination rate is necessary to preserve herd immunity and avoid the potential inefficacy of the vaccine in the future due to Measles Parties and mutations. The authors’ collaboration…

    • 1288 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The primary topics that have been discussed in this paper include vaccine safety, side effects and toxicity, and the need for vaccinations for diseases that appear to be eradicated. The concerns that have been raised about vaccine safety and effectiveness have all been addressed and the overwhelming evidence has been provided (Achievements in Public Heath, 1999). However, despite this evidence, theories against vaccinations by social groups often misrepresent the scientific data and are not backed by scientific logic. These concerns have led many parents to decline the recommended vaccination of their children which had led to a resurgence of diseases such as measles and pertussis in the United States (Maglione et al, 2015).…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The president of the National Vaccine Information Center thinks the MMR vaccine could cause a regressive form of autism. “In which a child will take a downturn in development after receiving the shot (WebMD, 2000, p. 1).” The NVIC is a non-profit organization that was formed by parents that have had their children adversely affected by vaccinations. Nearly all US Health departments deny any link between the MMR cocktail and autism, but the CDC has decided to conduct a study in Atlanta to further investigate the…

    • 1765 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In my research paper, I will be addressing the controversies that surround vaccinating children. I believe that children should be vaccinated on the referred schedule by public health organizations and pediatricians. Vaccinations have major impacts on health of individuals and the low rates of disease outbreaks. Since the early 2000s parents have started questioning the efficiency and benefits of vaccinations. Some believe it can lead to certain disabilities such as autism, delayed development, and mental retardation.…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Vaccinations have been a staple of modern medicine for a sizable amount of time. The widespread use and acceptance of the practice has proven to be beneficial to improving global health. While better judgement would be thought to sway fear, there is still a long standing war against vaccines. The anti-vaccine movement—individuals referred to as anti-vaxxers—have long believed that there is not only a strong link to autism, but that all vaccines should be avoided by proxy. As you stated yourself, the original study done by Andrew Wakefield proved to be disingenuous.…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While different types of immunization have been used throughout history, the first vaccine was administered by a country doctor named Edward Jenner in 1796. Ever since that first vaccination, the world has been filled with both pro-vaccination and anti-vaccination movements. Vaccines have helped our society by drastically decreasing the presence of many life threatening diseases like polio, smallpox, and measles, to name a few. Fear and doubt have also surrounded vaccines since their birth. Recently, the anti-vaccination movement has grown in light of one study linking vaccines to autism.…

    • 1517 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Arguments For Vaccinations

    • 1067 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In the past, diseases like small pox and polio killed whole portions of populations that it infected, yet those diseases are now extinct due to vaccinations. Thus, the stance that…

    • 1067 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A couple become the proud parents of an adorable baby boy. After reading an article online suggesting that vaccines contain harmful chemicals and can lead to the development of autism, they decide to refuse their newborn’s immunisations. As the years pass, their child continues to grow at a natural, healthy rate, and the parents continue to ignore the immunisation schedule given to them by the paediatrician. One day, the child cuts his foot. Within days, the child is hospitalised with excruciating cramps consuming his entire body.…

    • 1126 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An outbreak of a contagious disease threatens children all around the country. All of the doctors and nurses are on the alert. Two mothers enter the doctor’s office with their children. The doctor explains and suggest that prevention is essential. Mother A angrily exclaims “I do not trust your vaccines!…

    • 492 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mandatory Vaccines

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In a recent survey of more than 1,500 parents, one quarter believed that vaccines can cause autism in healthy children, and more than one in 10 had refused at least one recommended vaccine.14 Doing this can not only effect the life of a child, but also that of a parent. If a child is exposed to a disease, the likelihood of an unvaccinated parent contracting the disease from an unvaccinated child is substantially higher than an unvaccinated parent contracting it from a vaccinated child. To prevent a mass plague among a community, parents should continue and start vaccinating their…

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Also, vaccines such as, the MMR vaccine does not completely protect vaccinated areas. Considering measles vaccines are roughly ninety five percent effective for children, which then leaves a five percent chance that the vaccinated children will still contract measles, and that no matter what the disease still poses as a public health risk. Due to the inconclusive data about the harms and risks of vaccines for children it is an understandably difficult decision for parents whether or not to expose their children to vaccinations. With factual research, the likelihood of a child actually being able to contract a certain disease, and some vaccines harmful risks a parent will then be able to make the most accurate decision of which vaccines are worth the risks and which are…

    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays