Historically, disease has been one of the most prevalent concerns among nations. Only one hundred years ago, it was a common to die by the flu, most notably the 1918 influenza pandemic which killed upwards of fifty million people in America alone (Billings 1). Parents would restrict their children to a single room in fear of them contracting polio, and schools were converted into sick rooms to house the mass quantities of ill. There was not a day that went by that parents were not terrified that their children would wake up with a fever. In some cases, this was a death sentence. Today however, in most first world countries, this is nearly unheard of, which is a direct result of modern vaccinations. We know a new found freedom compared to those who lived through the early 1900s, carefree of the fear of preventable diseases. It seems we are taking this for granted as many parents are beginning to postpone or even forgo vaccinations for their children all together in fear of the side effects. Despite the overwhelming evidence that proves vaccinations to be safe and effective, many parents are hesitant to inoculate their children as a result of the communication breakdown between parents and doctors. Doctors must take the time to explain to parents that fatal diseases could resurface, other children could be at risk, and that the benefits outweigh the risks. If the well-being of the whole is not prioritized over the rights of the individual, we could be looking at a mass pandemic sooner than we ever imagined.

Vaccinations were first manufactured in 1796 and have come so far that they can be considered one of the most important inventions in human history (Philadelphia 1). In fact they come only second to clean water, and the measles vaccination alone has saved an estimated 17.1 million lives since 2000 (“Measles Vaccination” 1). Over the past one hundred years doctors and scientists alike have worked tirelessly to perfect formulas for different vaccinations in an attempt to eliminate a number of other diseases. Because of their enormous success physicians are now able to safely recommend fourteen different vaccinations before the age of six. This is an incredible leap from the recommended one dosage in the early 1900s (Specter 2). It seems that the increase in vaccinations has also caused an increase in the parents who harbor concerns for the side effects. Though the anti-vaccination movement has seen a recent revival, it is certainly not new.

In fact, the anti-vaccination movement goes back to when they were first invented in the late 1700’s. Many people were distrustful of modern science, which can still be seen today especially in developing countries. It also conflicted which many people's religious beliefs but it picked up support in the early 1900s when millions of people were dying from measles, polio, and the flu. Parents were desperate and began to put faith in the doctors who swore by vaccinations. As a result, the number of cases of the diseases took a nosedive. However, in 1998 a British gastroenterologist published research that drew a connection between the measles vaccination and autism (Parker 3). The researcher, named Andrew Wakefield was quickly discredited and stripped of his right to practice medicine and yet his impact still lives on. In the following years vaccinations rates in Britain and West Europe dropped and this concern continues to be cycled throughout internet sites and social media platforms (Parker 4). In the United States vaccinations are required in all 50 states, but even so 20 currently allow for exemptions for personal or moral beliefs, with this number only on the rise. Many parents protest that it should be their right to chose, while Paul Offit, a University of Pennsylvania pediatrics professor and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia argued that, "Chris Christie has a state law requiring car seats for children. Why isn't that a matter of parental choice?” (Parker 1). The government has the right to dictate that parents must use car seats for their children because the facts show that this is what is best for them. This is the same when it comes to vaccinations. These laws must be in place because some parents will make the wrong choice and put their children at risk. Paul Offit further commented that, “This is a dangerous game to play" (Parker 1). 

It seems to be a very dangerous game indeed. A line must be drawn when an individual's rights begin to affect the wellbeing of others, a line which has been the topic of much debate. Also, parents who choose not to inoculate their children are essentially choosing the risk of them contacting a deadly disease over the risk of a rare side effect. Overall, most American parents have played it smart and adhered to the recommendations of the WHO and FDA. However, it is the minority that can easily put the majority at risk. This can be seen in the 1991 outbreak of the measles in Philadelphia, which spread to an astounding 1,500 children and killed 9 (Parker 5). This occurred as a result of privates schools where over 350 students had not received vaccinations. It quickly spread to those who were not able to be vaccinated and caused mass panic. This is where the rights of the society must be prioritized over the rights of the individual. 

However, a great deal of conflict would be avoided if everyone could understand the importance of vaccinations. As the popularity of the internet grows, so does the reliance on it for information. This can be incredibly dangerous as not all information on the web is credible which more and more people do not to recognize. Parents are often turning to the internet in search of medical advice as opposed to calling up their own physician. In my own personal experience, I find it alarmingly common to scroll through Facebook and find that many of my friends and family have shared articles detailing why vaccines should not be trusted. This is how the fear is perpetuated. A study conducted in Britain revealed that most parents choose not to vaccinate their children because of the fear that their immune system would not be able to handle it (Hilton 1). This holds no scientific backing and in fact, inoculations have become dramatically safer over the years as they contain far fewer antigens which reduces any stress on the immune system (Specter 1). Physicians should be more aware of this common parental fear and address it when the time comes for a patient's yearly checkup. It is hard to hold doctors responsible when they are only with their patients for a brief period but if they took the time to reassure parents that this information has been discredited instead of simply accepting a parent's refusal of the vaccination, it could save millions of lives. I can recall several instances when I protested a shot and my physician would simply shrug in defeat instead of stressing to my mother the importance of such a decision. Doctors need to recognize the power that they have and should not give up as the anti-vax movement gains momentum. 

On top of reassuring parents that all studies have concluded that vaccines are safe, doctors must also address the fact that fatal diseases have the potential to resurface. If measles or tuberculosis were to become widespread once again, this could have horrible, deadly consequences for those across the world. Many people argue that vaccinations are not necessary because the diseases are so rare but this is a backwards statement. These diseases are only rare because so many people have been vaccinated. 

According to the website The History of Vaccines, “When a disease stops circulating in a region, it’s considered eliminated in that region,” but, “if a particular disease is eliminated worldwide, it’s considered eradicated” (“Disease Eradication.”). The only disease that has been completely eradicated worldwide is smallpox. Therefore, there could be an outbreak for every single disease that we are vaccinated against besides smallpox. It is only recently that the United States was once again eradicated of measles, almost two years after an outbreak in Disneyland (Leonard 1). This outbreak was caused by a person who had recently visited another country, and it quickly spread to 667 people among 27 different states (Leonard 1). 

We believe ourselves to be an advanced country. Perhaps even the most advanced. However, it is humbling to realize that America was free from measles years after the Pan American Health Organization declared Latin America to be eradicated (Parker 2). William Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University commented on this saying, “Talk about stunning. We have no measles upriver on the Amazon. None in Chile, Nicaragua, Mexico. The only country that [had] measles transmission in the Western Hemisphere [was] the U.S.” (Parker 3). He went on to discuss that many people worry about illegal immigrants coming into the country and bringing diseases but Latin America was measles free before us. Americans do not seem to be using the education they have at this disposal. 

Furthermore, even though many diseases have been eradicated in the United States there are other countries where these diseases are still prevalent. Immigrants and travelers are constantly flowing into the U.S. and it would be easy to transmit an infectious disease to someone who has not been immunized. The same can be said for U.S. citizens who chose to leave the states without vaccinations, thus putting themselves and others at risk. 

Doctors should also make use of pathos in order to appeal to a parent's emotional side. They should be reminded that when they make the choice not to vaccinate their children they are putting others’ lives at stake. A common rebuttal to this is that they should simply vaccinate their own children then. It is not as easy as this. Not everyone is able to get vaccinated even though they might want to. This includes children who are too young. Many vaccinations are not recommended for children under 2 months of age, making newborns incredibly susceptible to infectious diseases. They are also more at risk because they have not developed natural immunities and their small bodies would struggle to fight the disease. It also could affect those with weakened immune systems such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or transplant recipients (“Importance of Vaccines” 1). Furthermore, there are many people who do not have the means to get vaccination, such as those lacking insurance. Going without vaccinations is like tempting the domino effect, and if someone is lucky enough to be able to receive vaccinations they should fully take advantage of that. 

The main point that doctors must get across to parents and patients is that even though there are possible side effects to some vaccinations, the benefits outweigh the risks. Doctors do acknowledge there is the potential to experience side effects after receiving a vaccination. In fact, they even hand you a pamphlet detailing all the before they administer the dosage. Though these are rare, none of the side effects are fatal. It would be far more dangerous to contract the actual disease than it would be to experience a side effect. One example is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The New England Journal of Medicine conducted a study which revealed that “children who receive the whole-cell pertussis (DTP) vaccine, or measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, may be at an increased risk of developing rare seizures brought on by a high fever” (Poznick 1). However, this is incredibly rare, and even more important, the seizures are not harmful. Doctors recognize that having a seizure may be incredibly frightening for both a child and a parent but a case of the measles could be much more emotionally exhausting and even potentially fatal. Further than that, the diseases could also cause continuous seizures and neurological damage would which have a much more lasting effect. Parents should be fully aware of the side effects and should keep a diligent eye on this children after a vaccination but they should not forgo them. 

Another issue that doctors need to take into consideration is the people who do not have regular health care providers. These can be people who do not have insurance or simply do not have the interest. Doctors will not be able to reach them during a yearly checkup; therefore they must take other steps to educate them on the importance of vaccinations. This can be done through advertisements, such as billboards or commercials. They could also volunteer to take time to visit workplaces, hand out pamphlets, and answer any questions people may have. Doctors should also utilize social media to target a larger group of people. This form of media is something that a vast majority of America has, no matter the social class. These solutions would all be very new to many physicians but they could be crucial in informing a different group of the population.

Many parents also harbor concerns about corruption within medicine because of the big businesses that manufacture vaccinations. It is true that they are businesses like any other and are looking to make a profit. To do this, they probably put a lot of effort into selling their product, which must be done by convincing parents to vaccinate their children. However, they also make a profit by selling good products that actually work. Big companies would not benefit from creating harmful vaccinations, because in the end it would come back to them and cost them money. This is why they higher the most talented researchers and doctors to perfect their medical cocktails. 

Jimmy Kimmel also has an interesting take on this common concern. He proposes that if you believe that you know better than doctors, you should not go to them. If you know better than them you should be able to stitch your head up next time you fall (Fisher). He also jokes that we should just let our kids smoke since it is only the doctors who tell us that it is bad. This video puts a comical spin on a serious topic but the message is clear. We should trust doctors when they try to relay to us how important vaccinations are. Parents must also trust that doctors have their best interest at heart. They go into this field, not to make money but to help people and it is preposterous to believe that every doctor who encourages vaccinations is corrupt. It is important to remember that we trust doctors with everything, from stitches, to cancer treatments to brain surgery. It seems ridiculous that people stop trusting them when it comes time for their recommended vaccination and instead turn to Facebook or Twitter. 

It is essential that doctors take steps to bridge the communication gap between themselves and their patients. Miscommunication is the main reason for this disagreement. Many people continue to rely on social media, the internet and even chain emails as a source for important information. Instead, they should turn to their physicians who are far more qualified than conspiracists who write articles for Facebook. Because many parents have already made up their minds it is up to the doctors to make the first attempt to bridge this gap. It most likely will be incredibly frustrating as they encounter parents who argue refuse to acknowledge the facts, and it will definitely add time to check ups but it could potentially save millions of lives. Many parents are simply uneducated when it comes to the side effects of vaccinations and a quick conversation with their physician could easily clear it up. Though others may be more set in their ways it is still important for doctors to take the time to explain to them that fatal diseases have the potential to resurface. If parents are more aware that rare diseases might become more prevalent this could play a large part in changing their opinion. It makes things more real when they realize their own children could be at stake, like those in the measles outbreak of 1991. Other parents might be swayed by the reality that other children could be at risk. This includes helpless newborns who would not be able to deal with the disease as easily as their grown children. Doctors must also take steps to stress the fact that the benefits outweigh the risks and the disease could have much more lasting consequences than the vaccination. Many people are unaware of the effects of diseases such as measles and polio. This could alter many parent’s decision to forgo vaccinations for their children.  In conclusion, everyone has the responsibility to protect themselves, and their friends, family, and community by getting vaccinated. If the importance of this is not conveyed, America could face regression as a nation, and years of unnecessary suffering because of unimaginable disease pandemics.  
