MMR Vaccine: Examining the Evidence

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The MMR Vaccine: Examining the Evidence
In 1963 the Noble Peace Prize winning virologist John F. Enders finally licensed his vaccine for measles. Prior to this vaccine the United States alone reported 4 million cases of the measles each year. With more scientific discoveries the measles vaccine today has evolved to include immunity against rubella and mumps along with protecting millions against illness each year. However, vaccination is a word surrounded by controversy in today’s parenting world and the Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR) can be distinguished as possibly the most controversial vaccine of our time. Controversial because of the fear that many have that it causes autism along with other hazards. This fear has clouded the judgment of thousands of concerned parents who are making the decision of whether or not to vaccinate their children with the MMR vaccine. These suspicions are not unreasonable, considering parents have been exposed to a range of conflicting views resulting in the feeling of having been misled about the safety of the vaccine. Various groups and individuals are responsible for this over all feeling, but it is the scientific and medical community’s responsibility to ensure the safety of such an important vaccine not just for children but also for the general population. Parents should have their children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine to ensure protection against illness for their children, and for the safety of public as well. This decision can be made confidently once parents are educated about the science and safety of the vaccine, rather than the bad science being broadcasted globally by sources that are not credible.
Based on the immense amount of media coverage of the safety of MMR, the ...

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