America has been split over a great healthcare debate, the debate over immunizations. However despite this conflict America has a high vaccination rate. On the other hand, the world has a very low vaccination rate. Vaccines benefit every level of society from the government down to individuals, thus everyone should have access to them. In 2010, an initiative call “The Decade of Vaccines (DoV)” was launched. The purpose of this initiative was to bring the full benefits of vaccines to all people regardless of who they are or which country they live in by the year 2020 and beyond. This initiative was introduced during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2010, starting with a pledge of ten million dollars from the Bill and
…show more content…
Through their life-saving vaccines, the research-based vaccine companies represented by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) make a major contribution toward this vision. In December of 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, officially launched the “The Decade of Vaccines” mission. DoV is intended to create a Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) to “achieve key milestones in the discovery, development, and delivery of life-saving vaccines to the most vulnerable populations in the poorest countries over the next decade”. In May 2012, after some extensive consultations with DoV stakeholders – including the IFPMA and BIO, the final draft of GVAP was introduced and approved at the 65th World Health …show more content…
Societies get benefits from both direct and “herd immunity”. When a community attains a high rate of vaccinating, it benefits from a decreased spread of disease. For each generation that achieves this, each subsequent generation benefits, until the disease is eliminated. Such an example is smallpox. The government also benefits from vaccines. Immunizations complement many preventative measures such as counseling and behavior change interventions (ie. Dietary changes for heart disease), and screenings (ie. for cancers). Additionally, workforce employers benefit from a more productive workforce due to less employee sick days. On a more personal level, families also obtain benefits from vaccines due to: less breadwinner sick days, less days for which parents must stay home to take care of sick children, vaccinating provides a contact point to get individuals into a healthcare facility for other interventions, health education, and for routine childhood exams. Lastly, individuals acquire benefit from vaccines by reducing pain and suffering, and disability or death. Additional benefits are lowered costs of medical treatments, reducing the amount of time lost from work because of illness or the need to care for a sick family member. Furthermore, everyone benefits from “herd immunity” regardless of whether or not they can be vaccinated. Despite all of these benefits, many countries currently do not have access to
Through their life-saving vaccines, the research-based vaccine companies represented by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) make a major contribution toward this vision. In December of 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, officially launched the “The Decade of Vaccines” mission. DoV is intended to create a Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) to “achieve key milestones in the discovery, development, and delivery of life-saving vaccines to the most vulnerable populations in the poorest countries over the next decade”. In May 2012, after some extensive consultations with DoV stakeholders – including the IFPMA and BIO, the final draft of GVAP was introduced and approved at the 65th World Health …show more content…
Societies get benefits from both direct and “herd immunity”. When a community attains a high rate of vaccinating, it benefits from a decreased spread of disease. For each generation that achieves this, each subsequent generation benefits, until the disease is eliminated. Such an example is smallpox. The government also benefits from vaccines. Immunizations complement many preventative measures such as counseling and behavior change interventions (ie. Dietary changes for heart disease), and screenings (ie. for cancers). Additionally, workforce employers benefit from a more productive workforce due to less employee sick days. On a more personal level, families also obtain benefits from vaccines due to: less breadwinner sick days, less days for which parents must stay home to take care of sick children, vaccinating provides a contact point to get individuals into a healthcare facility for other interventions, health education, and for routine childhood exams. Lastly, individuals acquire benefit from vaccines by reducing pain and suffering, and disability or death. Additional benefits are lowered costs of medical treatments, reducing the amount of time lost from work because of illness or the need to care for a sick family member. Furthermore, everyone benefits from “herd immunity” regardless of whether or not they can be vaccinated. Despite all of these benefits, many countries currently do not have access to