Negative Effects Of Vaccination

Introduction Vaccines are known to be a crucial means of maintaining population health, although many people are against being and/or getting their children vaccinated. A vaccination typically consists of a low-dose or synthetic virus strains injected into the body such that one will develop an immune response to that specific pathogen. In the case that a person contracts the virus in the future, their immune system will be able to recognize it and act faster, thus killing the invader. The war on vaccines escalated in 1998 when a false claim was made that the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine was linked to colitis (inflammation of the colon) and autism spectrum disorders. The untrue claim was subsequently published in The Lancet and the news became public. (Wakefield et al.; Taylor, p.1). Despite the article being retracted in 2010 due to proof of fraudulent data, public fear of vaccines remains. This fear is further materialized by the fact that early onset diseases (such as autism) tend to become visible around the time that vaccinations are given, often resulting in a post hoc ergo propter hoc response in which people believe that the disorder materialized because the vaccine was given. Many health professionals will suggest that immunizations are vital for “herd immunity”. Herd immunity is an “indirect protection” (Fine, Eames and Heymann, p.911) of those within a community that cannot get vaccinations (i.e. young children, elders, or others with compromised