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 a child’s life. One of the many serious decisions that parents must make is whether or not to get their child vaccinated with certain vaccines and not with others. Vaccines were created to prevent people of all ages from contracting life threatening diseases and to create a healthy population with a strong resistance against those diseases. Vaccines were first used back in the colonial era to combat spread of smallpox.  The procedure was known as variolation, where a person was intentionally exposed 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 (“Immunisation Advisory Centre”). 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 advancement of science and technology.  One of the reasons that the United States is a first world country is its high priority in medical developments, especially vaccines, which keep the general population healthy. 

Personal experiences back my interest in vaccines.  For instance, when I go for my yearly check ups, I am still prompted to get certain shots to help prevent diseases, just as my parents were when I was a young child. Although for me vaccination has been positive towards my health, I have also witnessed that not all vaccinations go as planned; in middle school my sister went in to get an optional vaccine to prevent ovarian cancer and may have had a negative reaction. At first it was not noticeable, but through time we realized that my sister started to develop a skin condition referred to as vitiligo, which may have been linked to the vaccine (although this has not been proven). Even though this condition is not life threating and can be somewhat treated, it hurt her emotionally and was a massive challenge to overcome growing up. I watched my sister go through years of insecurities and self-consciousness 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 of deciding to partake in receiving them. These variables lead to parents’ fears, such as their child being affected with a life long condition like my sister’s just from a simple immunization. This whole experience has made my family, including me, 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 anecdote of a family problem that occurred due to vaccines and the reasoning behind me doing such vast research into the topic.

Despite the fears surrounding vaccines, there are indisputable facts in support of immunization. In the past 60 years, vaccines helped eradicate one disease, smallpox, and are close to eradicating another, polio (“11 Facts About Vaccines”). In addition to eliminating disease, they also prevent more than 2.5 million deaths each year (“11 Facts About Vaccines”). Some scientific studies and reviews continue to show no relationship between vaccines and autism (Rao), 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 (“Herd Immunity”).  This is due to a majority of the people he or she comes into contact with being unable to contract and thus the disease. In addition, vaccines helped reduce measles deaths globally by 78% between 2000 and 2008 and in sub-Saharan Africa alone, 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 (“11 Facts About News”). 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 in 1988 (Zhou, Fangjun, et al.). In the past couple of years, researchers have developed vaccines that are not given as shots but rather 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 were not used, just a few cases could quickly turn into tens or hundreds of thousands. Factual evidence provides strong support for pro-vaccination either as a child or throughout one’s life in order to stay healthy and live a longer life. 

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 against certain diseases or not to when given the option. 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 if they do not have the proper knowledge.  This predicament arose or was mentioned in a vast majority of research conducted. The main problem that is constantly brought to the reader’s attention is that parents are not properly educated about the topic of vaccines and are making improper judgments off of falsified data with clinical trials that lack discrete evidence. One article said that within the last couple of years the amount of parents getting their children vaccinated had increased 44 percent (Kluger). The rate of vaccination had dramatically increased because previously there had been a theory that vaccines can cause autism in early stages of development, so parents resisted vaccination.  However, as it was debunked through scientific research, the rate rose (Kluger). 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 a child.  However, through proper education, an adult will be able to make the proper decision. 

Putting my family’s possible encounter aside, the research shows that those who get vaccinated have a higher life expectancy and should have little to fear of contracting the threatening diseases against which they were vaccinated (Zhou, Fangjun, et al.). Therefore, another positive aspect of getting vaccinated is that it can help keep an overall healthy and productive society. Through the use of vaccines and immunizations, as previously mentioned, 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 (“Herd Immunity”). Vaccines were created in order to help the sick and to protect the healthy by providing them 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 and prone to infectious disease as there would be a greater amount of widespread outbreaks leading to death and ultimately a decrease in the population’s life expectancy and productivity. 

Those who oppose vaccines hold on to the idea that they could possibly cause birth defects or developmental disorders as their primary argument. Science and medicine can prove through clinical trials and logical data whether or not these concerns are valid.    “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” (Stratton). One of these insults is thought possibly to be vaccination, as it disrupts the body’s natural order. The one part of the vaccine that some scientists have looked at and thought possibly to be a contributing factor in developmental disorders is thimerosal exposure. The data found in the book shows a trend that as the mercury or thimerosal exposure increases, the chance of a developmental disorder also goes up (Stratton). However, there is not enough statistically significant data that connects the two or how much it plays a role in the developmental disorders (Rao).  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 or distribution of vaccines. Both parties are trying to grab parents as their audience and gain their attention through methods like fear, factual data, and logic.  Facts should be used to lead people in the correct direction, and even though there is minimal data on these potential disorders caused by vaccines, it is interesting that there seems to be at least possibly some correlation, allowing people to argue 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 positive uses these vaccines provide each and every day. There is no definite proof that the thimerosal exposure that some vaccines possess have direct impacts on development, but there is definite proof that vaccines are beneficial to one’s immune system and can protect from life threatening diseases. Living without any vaccinations can be life threatening, and not only does it potentially hurt oneself, but other surrounding or connected people can also be affected just from being in the same area. For an infectious disease to spread, it only takes one person to not be vaccinated and to carry around the virus as a host who can then pass it on to another person (“Herd Immunity”). Hypothetically speaking, if all 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 may have been personally affected by vaccines in a negative way, not only frightening me but making me more reluctant to get any vaccine, I still strongly advocate the vaccination process and believe that it could be a strong start or possible answer to eradicating an increasing number of diseases in the near future because of the pure logic backing their usefulness.

Even though it seems according to data that vaccines are positive options for people, an observation one has while researching vaccines and really anything to do with the medical community is that there are always new developments, not only every year but even by the month. It is important for parents, when they are doing their research, to look at current articles or journals so that they 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 (Stratton). Over the last decade or so there has been an increasing number of medical discoveries and a large increase in 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 can never be a single lasting vaccine or immunization against the flu, scientists still work every year to try and anticipate the upcoming flu strains 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 reluctance 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 partially responsible for allowing my sister 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 effects 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 (“American College of Pediatricians Latest to Warn of Gardasil HPV Vaccine Dangers”). There were also some reports of death, which leads one to believe that the vaccine was not only unprepared for the market, but it was also a poor decision to choose to receive it (“Vaccine Impact”). That decision changed my sister’s life forever, initially in a negative aspect, but through time has strengthened not only her self confidence but also her character. If parents of developing children do proper research, one should not run into such complications. The early vaccinations for children are proven to only be beneficial and can only help prevent one’s child from infectious diseases. These preliminary vaccines should be mandatory, and in most cases they are already required by schools, and know that some are such as the small pox vaccine seen earlier in history. Because of informed and required vaccination against smallpox, health officials achieved their goal when small pox was eradicated and controlled to a secured facility in Atlanta, GA where the CDC is.  As technology keeps improving and changing and more vaccines become approved, parents today must do adequate research and subsequently follow through with vaccination if it is safe so that more diseases get eradicated, or at the very least more people are kept safe.

The goal of eradicating diseases is hard to reach and not only requires vast research, but it also requires years of clinical trials with human subjects through the FDA to even be allowed on the market and incorporated into the yearly vaccination process.  It is important as parents researching the drugs as advised above that they look at where these clinical trials take place and what potential hoops the researchers jumped through to come up with a marketable vaccine.  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 patients receiving the vaccine can be carefully observed for side effects or for protection against whatever the disease may be before the product is brought into the US. From family experience and listening to my parents, who are both clinical trials researchers, talking about their jobs, 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 that country strengthens the chances of the vaccine getting passed and mass produced in the United States. The US is one of the strictest countries when it comes to passing medical devices or vaccines in order to prevent a situation where someone either gets hurt, sick, or dies from the product that may not have been properly regulated and tested.  It is dangerous to advise young children to get vaccines that have not been around for enough time or that have gone through less than superior, rapid testing, so it is important that the process by which a vaccine is tested is thoroughly researched by parents.  

Even though there are some clear negatives to vaccines, such as possible life-long side effects, the amount of beneficial aspects of vaccines far surpasses the negatives, thus deserving adequate funding. There are incredibly small odds that one gets a side effect or is developmentally challenged due to a vaccine. A large majority of the time, vaccines have positive effects and protect one’s body from deadly diseases, for example malaria. One of the processes that one has to go through when traveling to certain parts of the world is receiving specific immunizations for the diseases prominent in those regions. This prevents one not only from getting sick but also from a situation where that person comes back to the United States carrying a disease that can then spread to the population via insect vectors (mosquitoes), saliva, or many other way. Recently in the United States there was a brief scare that caught the entire country’s attention: a few people that were on mission trips in Africa came back on planes with the Ebola virus (Lupkin). This potential life threatening disease gave lots of people in America a scare of what could possibly happen if Ebola was to spread; thoughts turned to whether there would be any way to stop it from spreading or to possibly treat it. As one of my main points, this is where the importance of funding comes into the discussion. Yes, vaccines are highly funded and are given lots of attention from society; however, 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 (Meissner) but also the prevention of life threatening diseases such as malaria or small pox from affecting society so negatively like it has throughout time. 

A focused effort needs to be steered in a direction where each person makes an impact in either the development of vaccines or is required to receive them to create a healthy society. The next step for scientists studying vaccines has to be continuing to get large amounts of funding and trying to explore 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 it and its ability to fight off diseases. For example, there is currently no exact 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 tirelessly on in the hopes of finding a break through. The vast types of cancers with ever changing mutations and new ways of destroying tissues that had not yet previously been observed creates a never ending challenge for researchers and doctors. There are so many medical discoveries that we as a society are in desperate need of making, 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 and more attention but ultimately acceptance as positive tools for preserving health. 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 even though there are only a couple logical standpoints on the topic. It is important for one to make an educated decision on vaccines and be knowledgeable about the topic, which is where my duty comes in. In order to educate my readers, it is my responsibility to display accurate evidence and proven facts that support my strong viewpoint on pro-vaccines. I also find it important to not bash the anti-vaccine community but rather to 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 data collection. Awareness is the first step towards accepting the usefulness of vaccines, finding cures, and developing vaccines that could potentially save someone’s life. 
