VACCINES: THE CAUSE OR SOLUTION TO DISEASES?
“This is going to burn a little.”
She inserted the needle into my bicep and pushed the plunger into the barrel. The clear liquid disappeared from the syringe as a sudden pain appeared in my upper arm. Just when I thought I would have to amputate my arm to stop the pain, she removed the needle and said, “All done. You may experience a fever or some swelling and soreness in your arm for a few days, but the side effects will go away. You are going to be fine.” She smiled reassuringly as she threw all the materials into the red biohazard bin. The sting had vanished, but a dull ache took its place. I sighed with relief. The worst was over. I was safe now.
I walked out of the doctor’s office with the satisfaction that I would never get the measles, mumps, or rubella. The MMR vaccine took care of that. I never worried about my health because I trusted my doctors would always know what the best course of action would be if I was ever sick or at risk for an illness. After all, they were the ones who had gone to medical school and had experience in dealing with illnesses; they had to be correct. If they said vaccines were absolutely necessary because they would save my life, I believed them.
I never really questioned vaccines’ ability to protect humans from developing illnesses, such as hepatitis B, tetanus, chicken pox, and polio, and to save millions of lives. I assumed if there were any serious dangers, doctors would inform their patients of the high risks. I was astonished when I came across a New York Times article titled in large, menacing print: “Swine Flu Shots Revive a Debate About Vaccines” (Steinhauer, 2009). Had this debate over the safety of vaccines always existed or have I just been extremely oblivious to the possible dangers of shots? While the author of this article, Jennifer Steinhauer, largely denounced the claims of the anti-vaccinator community, I was intrigued by the underdogs who were determined to gain attention. Most people do not question the reliability or power of medicine, as they are grateful for the advances that allow us to stay healthy and to live longer, yet more and more parents are voicing their stance against giving children vaccine shots. Why do they believe vaccines are dangerous? Are their objections legitimate? As this anti-vaccine movement gains publicity and numbers, both the common people, including myself, and professionals search for evidence of its effectiveness and its harms in hopes of finding a definitive answer to the important question, are vaccines safe? An examination of the roots of this widespread movement reveals that the actions of the supporters and media coverage of their position play a critical role in spreading the belief that vaccines should not be administered and in inducing panic over medicine’s reliability.
Vaccination is one of public health’s highest achievements, but opposition has existed since as early as the 1800s (The College of Physicians of Philadelphia). Some object to vaccines for religious reasons; they believe it is unethical to use human tissue cells to develop vaccines or that the body is sacred and should only be healed by God or natural means, without the use of tissue, blood, or chemicals from other animals (CPP). Others object because they are suspicious of or do not trust the safety of vaccines, and this belief seems to be the dominant force in encouraging the movement. Vaccine campaigns seem to fluctuate in popularity and energy in response to various outbreaks. For example, anti-vaccination leagues founded in late 19th century were sparked by smallpox outbreaks and the international controversy over the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine arose in late 20th century when 36 children suffered neurological conditions after receiving DTP immunization (CPP). The debate continues to present day over whether vaccines actually do cause the development of health problems, such as diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, brain damage, infertility, and a weaker immune system (Immunise Australia Program, 2008).
She inserted the needle into my bicep and pushed the plunger into the barrel. The clear liquid disappeared from the syringe as a sudden pain appeared in my upper arm. Just when I thought I would have to amputate my arm to stop the pain, she removed the needle and said, “All done. You may experience a fever or some swelling and soreness in your arm for a few days, but the side effects will go away. You are going to be fine.” She smiled reassuringly as she threw all the materials into the red biohazard bin. The sting had vanished, but a dull ache took its place. I sighed with relief. The worst was over. I was safe now.
I walked out of the doctor’s office with the satisfaction that I would never get the measles, mumps, or rubella. The MMR vaccine took care of that. I never worried about my health because I trusted my doctors would always know what the best course of action would be if I was ever sick or at risk for an illness. After all, they were the ones who had gone to medical school and had experience in dealing with illnesses; they had to be correct. If they said vaccines were absolutely necessary because they would save my life, I believed them.
I never really questioned vaccines’ ability to protect humans from developing illnesses, such as hepatitis B, tetanus, chicken pox, and polio, and to save millions of lives. I assumed if there were any serious dangers, doctors would inform their patients of the high risks. I was astonished when I came across a New York Times article titled in large, menacing print: “Swine Flu Shots Revive a Debate About Vaccines” (Steinhauer, 2009). Had this debate over the safety of vaccines always existed or have I just been extremely oblivious to the possible dangers of shots? While the author of this article, Jennifer Steinhauer, largely denounced the claims of the anti-vaccinator community, I was intrigued by the underdogs who were determined to gain attention. Most people do not question the reliability or power of medicine, as they are grateful for the advances that allow us to stay healthy and to live longer, yet more and more parents are voicing their stance against giving children vaccine shots. Why do they believe vaccines are dangerous? Are their objections legitimate? As this anti-vaccine movement gains publicity and numbers, both the common people, including myself, and professionals search for evidence of its effectiveness and its harms in hopes of finding a definitive answer to the important question, are vaccines safe? An examination of the roots of this widespread movement reveals that the actions of the supporters and media coverage of their position play a critical role in spreading the belief that vaccines should not be administered and in inducing panic over medicine’s reliability.
Vaccination is one of public health’s highest achievements, but opposition has existed since as early as the 1800s (The College of Physicians of Philadelphia). Some object to vaccines for religious reasons; they believe it is unethical to use human tissue cells to develop vaccines or that the body is sacred and should only be healed by God or natural means, without the use of tissue, blood, or chemicals from other animals (CPP). Others object because they are suspicious of or do not trust the safety of vaccines, and this belief seems to be the dominant force in encouraging the movement. Vaccine campaigns seem to fluctuate in popularity and energy in response to various outbreaks. For example, anti-vaccination leagues founded in late 19th century were sparked by smallpox outbreaks and the international controversy over the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine arose in late 20th century when 36 children suffered neurological conditions after receiving DTP immunization (CPP). The debate continues to present day over whether vaccines actually do cause the development of health problems, such as diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, brain damage, infertility, and a weaker immune system (Immunise Australia Program, 2008).