The Pros And Cons Of Vaccination

In 1796, after years of research, Edward Jenner used material from cowpox pustules to create immunity to smallpox. After 200 years of use and modifications to the vaccine, smallpox the disease has been eradicated. In general, the hope with vaccinations is eradication of all diseases that humans are susceptible to by inoculating everyone against these diseases. In 1885, Louis Pasteur developed a vaccine against rabies. Due to huge advances in science and technology, vaccines and anti-toxins against diphtheria, tetanus, anthrax, cholera, plague, typhoid, tuberculosis, and more were developed through the 1930s.[1] More followed in the mid twentieth century. [2] Vaccines have been so successful, that researchers are now moving beyond looking for

With advances in technology, we have developed a large number of very effective vaccines, however we have also uncovered disadvantages to vaccinating against diseases. Most states mandate that children get 29 individual doses of nine different vaccines to attend kindergarten [3]. Not all federally recommended vaccines are required as a condition of employment, and school or day care attendance in all states, but they are strongly recommended of the safety of adults, children and the elderly. But how safe are vaccines really? The people who support vaccines, their use, and the laws that require people of all ages to be vaccinated, believe that yes, vaccines are safe. U.S Senator Marco Rubio, JD said that ‘I believe that all children, as is the law in most states in this country, before they can even attend school, have to be vaccinated for a certain panel.’ [4] Senator Rand Paul on the other hand, believes that vaccines have, and can cause ‘mental disorders’ [5].

Weinreb, an internist certified in oncology and hematology, is a sufferer of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and wrote that “we should not get vaccinated for ourselves alone; we should do it for one another.” As a community who cares for each other, we must also look at the beliefs of people in our community. Aside from medical exemptions to vaccinations, there are also religious exemptions. Some people find that vaccines “contain ingredients some people consider immoral or otherwise objectionable”. The Vatican urged people to avoid the "evil" of actively or passively participating in anything that involves voluntary abortion - some DTaP/IPV/Hib combination, Hep A/Hep B combination, HepA, MMR, and chicken pox vaccines are cultivated in cells from two fetuses aborted in the 1960s [2]. To non-religious or not very strictly religious folk however, this turns into a lesser evil, if you consider the benefits of vaccinating. You can prevent diseases that are costly to treat.