The Pros And Cons Of Immunization

Immunization is a controversial topic. Some feel like they should be mandatory while others do not. Safety and ethical issues alarm anti-vaccine advocates while vaccine advocates have disproven many theories and believe it is a civil duty to receive vaccines and protect one’s surrounding community. Common things that parents worry about are the affects of vaccines on their baby’s fragile immune system or the rumored relationship between autism and the MMR vaccine. Along with the fact that many of the arguments have been discredited, Heyworth states, “…most doctors say that the odds of experiencing a vaccine-related injury are greatly outweighed by the dangers of catching a vaccine-preventable disease” (2014). Ethical and moral issues are

Great Britain, also advanced, is similar to the U.S. when it comes to the fear of vaccines. When the supposed link between autism and the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine started to spread via news and other media, the MMR vaccine coverage went from 92% to 73% while London was reported to be as low as 50% (Smith, Ellenberg, Bell, & Rubin, 2008, p. 836). Colgrove and Bayer report another specific controversy that took place in Great Britain. After a report in the Archives of Diseases of Childhood “…suggested a connection between the whole-cell pertussis vaccine and neurological brain damage in children, acceptance of the vaccine plummeted…from some 80 percent coverage in 1974 to 30 percent in 1978” (2005, p. 729-30). Although the United States never experienced these specific declines, it is also noted that other countries experienced the same responses (2005, p. 731). One difference between the two countries is that while the U.K.’s vaccination system is voluntary, the U.S. has a system in place that makes certain vaccinations mandatory for children to get in school (Colgrove & Bayer, 2005, p. 735). This is most likely the best way to ensure that children receive their immunizations. School is one of the most important factors in a child’s life, and parents would rarely take the risk of refusing vaccinations if it meant their child would not

After researching, I believe that immunizations should be required for two reasons. The first is that it is a civil duty to protect one’s community. Although some people think forced vaccinations violate their individual rights, I believe the bigger issue involves safety. If people are refusing to vaccinate their children simply to make a point about their civil rights, it is dangerous. Citizens of America should focus on herd immunity—the ultimate goal. The second reason is that most of the arguments against vaccines have been disproven. I believe the controversy is a mild case of mass hysteria. As Chatterjee and O’Keefe say, we are now in a world where a “…fear of diseases has been replaced by a fear of vaccines” (2010, p. 500). That in itself is quite scary to