Parents prepare for their baby to come into this world by baby proofing their homes, setting up a bedroom for their baby to grow up in, and of course purchasing essential materials such as a stroller, food, and diapers. Becoming a parent is a very stressful time full of important decisions that could potentially impact that child’s life. One of the many decisions that parents do not always give enough attention is whether or not to get their child vaccinated and if they should receive certain vaccines and not others. Vaccines were created to prevent people of all ages from contracting life threatening diseases and creating a healthy population with a strong resistance against those life threatening diseases. Vaccines were first used back in the colonial era where the procedure was known as variolation, intentionally exposing someone to a mild form of the smallpox virus. As a result of Washington's orders, the Continental Army was the first in the world with an organized program to prevent smallpox. This idea of exposing someone to a life threatening disease in order to protect them from it has come a long ways and has greatly improved especially recently with the improvement of science and technology. Society has made medical developments as a high priority in the process of creating a strong population and is one of the necessities in order to be considered a first world country.

I have lots of personal experiences with vaccines such as when I go for my yearly check ups and get certain shots to help prevent from diseases or when I was a child receiving vaccines throughout my first couple years. Not all vaccinations go as planned though such as when my sister went in to get a yearly vaccine when she was in middle school and had a negative reaction. At first it was not noticeable but through time my sister started to develop a skin condition referred to as vitiligo. Even though this condition is not life threating and can be somewhat treated it hurt her emotionally and was a massive challenge to overcome going up. I watched my sister go through years of insecurities and being self conscious due to a negative reaction to a vaccine. Even though vaccines are of course created to help the recipients, there are always variables to account for in the process. These variables lead to parents fears such as their child being affected with a life long condition like my sisters just from a simple immunization. This whole experience has made my family including me to be more reluctant and careful as to which vaccines we receive. Even though both my parents work in healthcare and have strong knowledge on the topic, there are still some hesitations to certain vaccines due to a lack of clinical data and long term research. This is a simple antidote of a family problem that occurred due to vaccines and the reasoning behind me doing such vast research into the topic.

Some of the main evidence that vaccines are beneficial are the following facts. In the past 60 years, vaccines helped eradicate one disease, smallpox, and are close to eradicating another, polio along with them preventing more than 2.5 million deaths each year. Some scientific studies and reviews continue to show no relationship between vaccines and autism, which is one of the main arguments the anti-vaccine community continues to fight for. A strong pro for vaccines is that it can cause “herd immunity,” which means if the majority of people in a community have been vaccinated against a disease, an unvaccinated person is less likely to get sick because others are less likely to get sick and spread the disease. A global fact that is pro-vaccines is that they helped reduce measles deaths globally by 78% between 2000 and 2008 and in sub-Saharan Africa, deaths dropped by 92% in the same period. Through new developments over the past decade existing vaccines were created that could stop rotavirus and pneumonia — two conditions that kill nearly 3 million children under the age of five every year. The CDC (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has reported a 99% reduction in the incidence of bacterial meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae since the introduction of the vaccination against the disease in 1988. In the past couple of years’ researchers have developed vaccines that are not given as shots but are given orally or through the nasal cavity such as the flu mist. Most diseases prevented by vaccines are no longer common in the United States and if vaccines weren’t used, just a few cases could quickly turn into tens or hundreds of thousands. These facts are strong pros for getting vaccinated either as a child or throughout one’s life in order to stay healthy and live a longer life. 

One of the major parts of developing vaccines to help those and finding out new cures to deadly diseases is funding. Without funding the CDC and other private companies cannot create vaccines to try and help the general public. Development of a novel vaccine is a risky and expensive endeavor with research, licensing, and production costs approaching or exceeding $1 billion. Trying to find funding for creating vaccines is not a huge problem for the CDC and government organizations but funding the private sector has become an increasing problem. Without this funding major companies cannot work on developing new vaccines that could potentially save lives and increase life expectancy. A proposition that is commonly found is the collaboration between the CDC and the private sector but due to specific regulations found in each sector the collaboration is messy and can be hard to manage. Funding for the private sector either comes from large investments from members of the board of trustees or from government grants for developmental research. In the past couple years, the private sector has been pumping out vaccines for use all over the world but the development and production is expensive which increases the prices to get vaccines. If there was more budgeting for vaccines to maybe find a way to mass produce vaccines at a cheaper rate than not only will the price go down allowing poverty stricken family to receive the necessary vaccines but it could also allow for third world countries in desperate need to receive these vaccines. 

One key part of the argument that has been briefly addressed but not properly explained is the parent perspective that is so vital to the entire cycle. Essentially the entire process comes down to one decision, whether to get your child vaccinated or not. Through lots of expansive and diligent research reading through many extracts published by some of the leading medical journals and books such as, The Institute of Medicine and The International Journal of Medical Science, one can come to the conclusion that parents are faced with a predicament from the start of parenthood without proper knowledge. Once a child is born a parent is faced with the task of vaccinating their child or not. This predicament arose or was mentioned in every single piece of research that I conducted. The main problem that kept being brought to reader’s attention was that parents were not properly educated about the topic of vaccines and were making improper judgments off of falsified data with clinical trials that lacked discrete evidence. One article said that within the last couple of years the amount of parents getting their child vaccinated had increased by (INSERT PERCENTAGE HERE). This dramatic increase came about from the theory that vaccines can cause autism in early stages of development had been debunked through scientific research. Looking at the negative aspects of getting one’s child vaccinated can be ominous and as a parent, of course one would not want to make an incorrect decision regarding the health of their child, but through proper education of adults, one will be able to make the proper decision. 

Through my research I have found that the pros of getting vaccinated far outweigh the negatives even though I have seen negative outcomes personally from vaccines. Putting my personal encounter aside, the research shows that those who get vaccinated have a higher life expectancy and never have to fear of life threatening diseases. Another positive aspect of getting vaccinated is that it can help keep a healthy and productive society. Through the use of vaccines and immunizations, like I mentioned above, the United States has eradicated small pox (one of the deadliest diseases the western hemisphere has ever faced) and is on the brink of eradicating polio. Vaccines were created in order to help the sick, protect the healthy, and provide the healthy, with a way to stay and continue to be healthy. The world without the constant use and consumption of vaccines would be a lot deadlier infectious disease wise and there would be a greater amount of outbreaks leading to death and a decrease in the life expectancy. 

Those who oppose vaccines have the idea that they could possibly cause birth defects or developmental disorders as their primary argument. Science and medicine can be proven through trials and logical data and one of the main concepts that autism and vaccines could possibly be related has already been thrown out through a vast amount of trials and facts. The one part of the vaccine that some scientists have looked at and thought that it may have a contributing factor in developmental disorders is “Research has established a strong genetic component in the etiology of autism, but other factors, including infectious, neurological, metabolic, immunological, and environmental insults, may play important roles”. It goes on later to describe what autism is and some of the therapies that can be used to control it but there is no cure. In the conclusion the committee sees that thimerosal exposure and neurodevelopmental disorders may have a strong connection. There is not significant data that connects the two or how much it plays a role in the developmental disorders. The data found in the book shows a trend that as the mercury or thimerosal exposure increases that the chance to have a developmental disorder goes up. This makes the discussion about disorders interesting due to a little data and just mere observation from scientists. These scientists are trying to complete the same objective as major corporations or just anyone involved in the creation/distribution of vaccines. Both parties are trying to grab parents as their audience and gain their attention through methods such as fear, and in the case of the pro-vaccine community, pure logic. Facts have never lead a person in the wrong direction and even though there is minimal data on these potential disorders caused by vaccines, it is interesting to incorporate into an argument against vaccines. 

As a man of logic and one that looks to facts to find answers, it is only logical to see that the minimal data does not stack up against all of the clinical trials and the thousands of uses these vaccines get each and every day. There is not definite proof that the thimerosal that some vaccines posses have direct impacts on development, but there is definite proof that vaccines are beneficial to one’s immune system and protecting one from life threatening diseases. Living without any vaccinations can be life threatening and not only are you hurting yourself but those around you can be affected from being in the same area as you if you were to pass on an infectious disease. For an infectious disease to spread it only takes one person to not be vaccinated and carry around the virus as a host and then pass it on to another person. Hypothetically speaking if vaccines were to become mandatory, one might see many positives impacts such as a decrease in disease and a healthy, longer living society. Even though my family has been personally affected by vaccines in a negative way, not only frightening me but making me more reluctant to get any vaccine, I am strongly advocating the vaccination process and believe that it could be a strong start or possible an answer to eradicating an increasing number of diseases in the near future. 

One of the first observations that I had while researching vaccines and really anything to do with the medical community, was that there were always new developments not only every year but by the month. It is important for parents, when they are doing their research, to look at current articles or journals so that one can make an accurate standpoint on the topic. One can see that as one goes further back in time to either the early 2000’s or late 1990’s, there are more articles criticizing the vaccination process and the contents within the vaccine itself. Over the last decade or so there have been an increasing number of medical discoveries and a large increase of exposure and funding. The funding and exposure for vaccines is of great importance since the need to find cures for diseases is at an all time high. Even though there will most likely never be a definite vaccine or immunization against the flu, scientists still work each and every year to try and anticipate flu season by looking at Australia and their flu season. Even though this body of work is strongly advocating vaccines, each person has their own choice that they have to make whether or not to receive vaccines. Through personal experience I have seen first hand the reluctantly to get immunized either through my dad or through my sister but through deep research and time one can find out for oneself if receiving the vaccine is the correct decision or not. From my father’s perspective, he feels for my sister and partially responsible for allowing her to receive a vaccine that did not go through extensive clinical trials like some other vaccines. The vaccine that my sister received that gave her her permanent skin condition, was a newer vaccine that had not been on the market long enough to fully see not only the long term affects but the horrific side effects that a small amount of patients got. The vaccine was called Guardisil and through some research it was apparent that it should stop being offered to children due to some of the nasty side effects such as vitiligo which is what my sister got. There were also some reports of death which leads one to believe that the vaccine was not only not ready for the market but was a poor decision to receive. That decision changed my sister’s life forever, initially in a negative aspect, but through time has strengthened not only her self confidence but her character. If parents of developing children due proper research one should not run into any complications. The early vaccinations for children are proven to only be beneficial and can only help prevent one’s child from infectious diseases. I think that the preliminary vaccines should be mandatory and know that some are such as the small pox vaccine seen earlier in history. The goal was eventually reached when small pox was eradicated and controlled to a secured facility in Atlanta, GA where the CDC is. 

The eventual goal for scientists is the vaccinate the entire population in order to get rid of dangerous diseases that could harm a population. These goals are hard to reach and not only require vast research along with trial and error but require years of clinical trials through the FDA to even be allowed on the market and incorporated into the yearly vaccination process that one may go through at the doctors. Lots of companies especially some of the smaller privatized corporations find themselves going overseas to start trials where the regulations are not as stringent and the process at times can be smoother. Once the product passes the trial process and is allowed to be used and sold in that country, the product or vaccine in this situation can be monitored along with the patients being carefully observed for side effects or for progress/protection against whatever the disease may be. From family experience and always listening to my parents talking about clinical trials, I have gathered a strong background in the process a drug or medical device goes through before it is released to the general public. Developing a trial in another country and being successful in another country strengthens the chances of the vaccine getting passed and mass produced in the United States. The United States is one if not the strictest country on the types of medical devices/treatments that are allowed to prevent a situation where someone either gets hurt, sick, or dies due to a device that had not been properly regulated and tested. Back to vaccines, in my opinion, I find it unlawful and unprofessional to advise young children to get vaccines that have not been around for enough time for one to observe the long term effects or side effects. I think that a stricter process on some of the new vaccines should be enforced and kept under close watch. 

Even though there are some clear negatives to vaccines such as a life long side effect like the one that my sister received, the amount of beneficial aspects of vaccines far surpasses the negatives. There are incredibly small odds that one gets a side effect of a vaccine or is developmentally challenged due to a vaccine. A large majority of the time, almost every single time, vaccines have positive effects and protect one’s body from deadly diseases such as malaria. One of the processes that one has to go through when traveling to certain parts of the world, is the receive specific immunizations in order to prevent not only one from getting it but from a situation where that person comes back to the United States carrying that disease and then spread it to the population via mosquitoes, saliva, or many other way. Recently in the United States there was a brief scare that caught the entire countries attention when a few people that were on mission trips or helping those in need in Africa, came back on planes with the Ebola virus. This potential life threatening disease gave lots of people in America a scare of what could possibly happen if Ebola was to spread and if there would be anyway to stop it from spreading or possibly treating it. As one of my main points, this is where the importance of funding comes into the discussion. Do not get me wrong, vaccines are highly funded and giving lots of attention from society, but if there was a slight increase in funding from either the government into private corporations or through government budgeting, one could notice a significant impact on not only healthcare but the prevention from life threatening diseases such as malaria or small pox from affecting society so negatively like it has throughout time. Even though small pox has been cured it was still one of the deadliest diseases of all time a reeked havoc on the Native Americans when the first Englishmen came and settled into the New World. 

The focus needs to be directed into a direction where each person makes an impact in either the development of said vaccines or is required to receive them to create a healthy society. The next step for vaccines has to be continuing to get large amounts of funding and try to explore for answers and cures to ongoing life threatening diseases such as tuberculosis or AIDS. The human body is extremely complex and from my perspective it seems near impossible for one to master the human body and its ability to either fight off diseases or hurt itself. For example, there is no cure for cancer even though thousands of people each and every year get diagnosed with it. Cancer is one of the primary diseases that scientists work everyday on to try and find a break through. Cancer is the most complicated disease/mutation that the human body can get. The vast types of cancers with ever changing mutations and new ways of destroying antibodies that had not yet previously been observed creates a never ending challenge for researchers and doctors. There are just so many medical discoveries that we as a society are in desperate need of and these needs can only be met through extensive research requiring a continuous cash flow. My intention was to grab the reader’s attention and point out some of the major reasons why vaccines require not only more funding but more attention. The topic of vaccines is relevant to each and every person making it a very controversial topic. Each person has their own individual opinion on the topic event though there are only a couple logical standpoints on the topic. It is important for one to make an educated standpoint on vaccines and be knowledgeable about the topic which is where my duty comes in. In order to educate my readers, it was my responsibility to display accurate evidence and proven facts that support my strong viewpoint on pro-vaccines. I also found it important to not bash the anti-vaccine community but the enlighten the opposing side and argument through simply disproving their viewpoint on the topic through solid facts and accurate data that was acquired through many years of collecting data. Being a viable giver of data and information was of the upmost importance and I hope that through reading this and maybe getting a stronger and more developed understanding for the topic, one can see my viewpoint and make their own educated one and become part of solution to fund and advocate the immunization process. Awareness is the first step towards finding cures and developing vaccines that could potentially save someone’s life. 

The United States of America is fortunate enough to have a strong democracy and uncorrupt government that makes strides each and everyday to create better living conditions along with lending a hand to those in need. As one of the strongest countries in the world if not the strongest it is almost our duty or moral obligation to help those in need. The United States has many organizations to get life saving vaccines to those that could potentially die without them. Vaccines that are developed and created in the United States not only goes to its inhabitants but gets dispersed global in an effort to make the world a better place and save lives. Organizations such as the Red Cross or through mission trips, maybe through either a school or church. When one embarks on such a trip one may take life saving medical equipment such as vaccines. The world needs vaccines to stay healthy and either needs improvements or new discoveries in the category in order to continue to be progress and move in the correct direction.

In the final analysis one can formulate their own opinion on the topic. You are now armed with valuable data and facts in order to make your own stance on the topic. Through reading this one has not only become educated on the topic but now has a chance to enact their opinion on the topic by either having an influence on others around them, or getting involved in spreading knowledge on the topic to others. Education is a big problem in the United States, and to be able to give one the ability to read and become knowledgeable on a topic is power. As Sir Francis Bacon once said, “knowledge is power”, and now that you have been educated on the topic of vaccines, you are powerful.
