Argumentative Essay

Shahadat Rahman
Professor Matyakubova 
English 21003
October 12, 2017
 Argumentative Essay Final Draft

Abstract

Humans have been taking advantage of vaccines for decades. Today vaccines are relevant, as they are vital in preventing childhood diseases; children have weaker immune systems and are more susceptible illnesses, but because of vaccines a child’s immune system can learn to adapt at an early age. Without vaccines, times would regress to the age of polio or measles, where thousands of children died every year due to ineffective treatments. Therefore, with all the ways vaccines have improved lives, it would be dangerous not to take advantage of them. Yet scores of people refuse to vaccinate their children on the premise that vaccines are ineffective or immoral; their actions providing a medium for a disease to circulate throughout a community. When observing the claims of those who are skeptical of vaccines and actual data that supports the use of vaccines, it was found that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the potential drawbacks. This evidence necessitates making vaccinations compulsory in order to secure the welfare of the overall population.

Key Words:     Vaccination

                        Herd Immunity

                        Immunity

                        Immunocompromised

Vaccination: The Underappreciated Miracle

Vaccination is considered one of the biggest modern-day medical miracles, becoming a standard in contemporary society. The justification for the widespread integration of vaccines is simple: they help prevent diseases before they infect a victim. Surprisingly, the efficiency of vaccines stems from the diseases they combat. Vaccines provide an innocuous version of an ailment, allowing the antibodies in the body to learn to resist this particular condition if it appears again; therefore, more vaccinated people equates to less sick people. Consequently, increased prevention against certain illnesses also leads to their diminishment, allowing these diseases to continue to exist only in history books. By simplifying, and even eliminating, the treatment of several contagions, vaccines have saved families and hospitals millions of dollars every year. Yet despite all these benefits, a portion of the population is left susceptible to a host of infections by those that doubt the application of vaccines. These skeptics claim that there are unknown risks involved in the use of vaccinations and mandating vaccines would infringe on the personal liberties of an individual. Although there are several concerns about the integration of vaccines, the value of vaccinations supersedes the potential drawbacks, warranting governments to make them mandatory.

            It was less than 60 years ago that measles was as common as the flu, with nearly all children contracting the disease by the time they were 15, until vaccines made this ubiquitous illness into a rare diagnosis. In fact, it was estimated that approximately 4 million people in the United States were infected with measles every year in the decade before the vaccine was developed in 1963(“Measles (Rubeola)” 1). But the American medical landscape rapidly transformed once the measles vaccine was developed in 1963. The vaccine was widely distributed throughout the United States and the measles vaccination rate steadily increased while the number of measles cases steadily decreased— within a year the number of measles cases decreased by 80% (“Measles (Rubeola)” 1). In recent years, the measles vaccination rate has reached an astounding 91% in the United States [Figure 1]. Furthermore, there were only 70 cases of measles in 2016 and only 350 cases in the past 3 years; this is less than 1% of the prevalence measles once had in the United States, with the majority of people who were diagnosed with measles being those who were unvaccinated and lived in communities with other unvaccinated individuals. Mandating the administration of vaccines, especially as a prerequisite to enter school settings, would promote healthier environments for the general population. There are still several people who are unable to be vaccinated—such as children under the ages of one—that would be left susceptible to disease that do not have to be, especially in areas dense with people who are unvaccinated. Some people are unable to receive vaccines since they have compromised immune systems, so even innocuous versions of a disease could be life-threatening. Vaccines are not an issue regarding an individual; they concern the entire well-being of a community. They are clearly effective and since it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the well-being of the American community, the government should mandate the administration of vaccines.

            While the benefits of vaccines are obvious, there are skeptics who protest the implementation of mandatory vaccinations due to questions of effectiveness. These are often young people who have never truly seen the dangers of epidemics and the miracles of vaccines. In fact, a study on the views in different age groups on childhood vaccinations found that the largest percentage of people who believed that vaccines should not be required were between ages 18-29. Inversely, the smallest percentage of people who believed vaccines should not be required were over age 65 [Figure 2]. Older people have seen the effectiveness of vaccines with their own eyes. They have seen the rise and fall of several epidemics including polio, measles, and rubella due to the use of vaccines. On the other hand, younger people have lived with these vaccines their whole lives, so they would not be able to visualize a world in which vaccines did not exist. The skeptics of vaccines, such as Jack Wolfson, DO, cardiologist at Wolfson Integrative Cardiology, instead have claimed that children should be allowed to contract illnesses to gain resistance naturally. According to Wolfson, the immune system has long been fighting infectious diseases before the first vaccine was created and this method should not be overlooked (“Doctors have heated debate over vaccination.”). This argument is flawed primarily because it assumes that all diseases that have vaccines also have cures. It is important to make the distinction that a vaccine is not a cure; it simply prevents a body from ever being infected. A body that is already affected by a disease requires a cure. Therefore, Wolfson’s logic is ineffective because diseases with permanent physical side effects and no cure, like polio, would already affect its victims. Vaccines provide a sensible alternative where a cure is not needed if the virus could never be contracted. This not only protects people preemptively but also leads to the diminishment of diseases in the overall population over time, until they eventually disappear.

            The use of vaccines not only minimizes the dangers of different diseases, but large numbers of immunized people in a community can protect those who are unable to be vaccinated and eventually leads to abating numbers of certain maladies in society. For example, if a large percentage of a population is immunized against a contagion, there would be a low probability of the disease entering the population and affecting someone who is not vaccinated. This concept, known as herd immunity, proposes that the vaccination level of the population must be about 90% for all members to be protected (“Vaccines” 1). Herd immunity would help defend babies who cannot yet receive vaccinations as well as immunocompromised individuals. Yet, if the percentage of the population that is protected drops drastically, the disease would be able to circulate and these individuals with special needs would no longer be protected.  Mandating vaccination would also help eventually eradicate diseases, subsequently eliminating the use of those vaccines. For example, vaccinations combating smallpox are no longer needed due to the fact that the disease no longer exists. Since the creation of the smallpox vaccine, the last case of smallpox in the world was in 1977 ("Smallpox Disease Overview" 1). Smallpox was one of the deadliest epidemics in history, and its eradication saved millions of lives. Mandating vaccination would lead to a safer environment for everyone in the population, as there are fewer dangers that people are susceptible to falling victim to.

Although vaccines can help prevent diseases, some worry that there is a greater problem creeping behind them: autism. Skeptics claim that certain vaccines — particularly the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine — may be linked to autism, and it is somewhat understandable when observing their contents. One of the main ingredients in vaccines, thimerosal, is a mercury-containing preservative which prevents the contamination and growth of potentially harmful bacteria (Stoskad 1). Thimerosal first garnered attention when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noticed that toddlers may have received excess doses of mercury due to being injected with multiple vaccines when young; the use of thimerosal was immediately stopped the following year as a precaution. Based on this information, many parents concluded vaccines caused autism, since symptoms of autism appeared when a child was 18-24 months old— coincidentally when children received most vaccines. This rumor was exacerbated when British physician Andrew Wakefield tied the measles vaccine to autism when he announced that he had discovered viruses from measles vaccines lingering in the intestines of 12 autistic children (Stoskad 2). Yet despite these conclusions, neither pieces of evidence presented displays a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. Although thimerosal was no longer used in vaccines after 2001, there have still been cases of autism appearing in young children. Since autism has still sprouted in children born after 2001, thimerosal could not be the source of the disorder. Studies have also proven this by examining groups of children who had received different amounts of thimerosal in their vaccines; autism occurred at the same rate no matter how much thimerosal a child received (“Evidence shows vaccines unrelated to autism” 1). Furthermore, thimerosal is particularly useful because it is excreted from the body quickly and cannot cross the membrane surrounding the brain; illustrating that could not be responsible for the complex changes in the brains of autistic children, as it would not be in the body long enough nor would it cross the membrane and cause the complex chemical changes seen in the brain (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research 1). In addition, when researchers tried to replicate Andrew Wakefield’s findings, they were unable to do so, which implied that Wakefield’s conclusion must have been erroneous and his observations occurred coincidentally. Deeper investigations surfaced that Wakefield had falsified patent data and used incorrect laboratory reports to make his conclusions, proving his findings were based on false information and his claims were completely unreliable (Stoskad 2). Although this exemplifies there are no proven links between receiving vaccines like MMR and diseases like autism, the consequences of not being vaccinated are still authentic.

As a result of rumors pointing to vaccines as the cause of certain diseases, there have been numerous cases of outbreaks due to concentrated populations of unvaccinated individuals — some of which have occurred this year. Although it was eradicated in the United States in the year 2000, in May of 2017 a measles outbreak had health officials scrambling to contain 79 known cases in Minnesota — a culmination of the problems skeptics have with vaccines (Zdechlik 1). Even if measles has been eradicated in America, it still exists in underdeveloped nations like Somalia; so all it takes is one traveler to bring the disease to America. Indeed, the outbreak in Minnesota was traced backed to communities of Somali Americans who refused to vaccinate their children; their reasoning was fueled by fears of autism. While these rumors were disproven, the fear they invoked was enough for as many as 1 in 6 Somali children to be unvaccinated against the disease (Zdechlik 3). Combined with a complete disregard for herd immunity, the highly contagious measles disease quickly circulated through Minnesota, infecting more than the total number of individuals diagnosed in 2016 and hospitalizing 20 people. When the measles outbreak was first pioneered in the 1960s, it had an impressive efficiency of 95%; it was so effective that measles was declared eradicated in the year 2000 (“Measles (Rubeola)” 3). But all it took was a small community and one traveler to expose nearly 8,000 people to the disease and restricting nearly 700 people to their homes (Zdechlik 4). Even if a few individuals are not vaccinated, thousands of individuals can be exposed to a disease, even an eradicated one.  Vaccines must continue to be administered to all citizens to ensure eradicated diseases do not reappear, as well as guarantee the safety of all citizens. It may be one’s choice to be vaccinated, but it is a choice that affects everyone in their community.

            Despite evidence that vaccines help defend the population, some people worry that mandating vaccinations actually attacks something just as important as health: personal liberties. Similar to how the government cannot force anyone to be treated for an injury, some believe the government should not be able to force vaccinations. Vaccinations are perceived as a personal medical choice and the government has no right to intrude on such choices. Quite recently this idea was tested when a mother in Detroit refused to vaccinate her son due to her own personal beliefs. Luckily, living in Michigan meant that her son was exempt from taking certain vaccines if the mother had any qualms with them being administered (Ramirez 1). She made this decision without consulting the father, and in the ensuing court case a judge jailed the mother and ordered the boy to be administered 20 vaccines he was missing (Ramirez 2). If the government is allowed to control these medical decisions, it would violate the idea that medical decisions require consent from the patient. The difference is, though, that unlike treating injuries vaccinations not only affect the individual, but the overall population as well. The decision to not administer vaccines can help infections propagate and spread throughout a community. Consequently, this forces an unsafe environment on parents who seek to raise their children in environments that are free of certain diseases. Furthermore, the government’s responsibility is not to a single individual but the overall population. The government must do what is best for the community, and in this case that gives it the right to mandate vaccinations.

Aside from the medical reasons they are beneficial, vaccines aid hospitals, researchers, and families financially. With the administration of vaccines, families no longer need to worry about the potential costs in treatment for particular diseases. Instead, it is ensured that the child will already be able to defend itself from certain illnesses. This is also a relief for researchers, who no longer need to spend resources trying to find a cure or developing treatment plans for certain diseases. Instead, researchers can allocate their time and money to investigating ailments that do not have cures or vaccines. This benefits the economy since there are more people being productive and supporting it. The CDC estimates that in the last 20 years there has been nearly $1.4 trillion in savings in societal costs which include preventing lost productivity due to disabilities and early death (Noel 3). In addition, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health claims that $63 billion dollars could be saved by providing vaccinations to the world’s poorest countries (Noel 4). Money is often the greatest obstacle in these situations. The first and last question asked is usually, “is this a financially feasible option?” But in the case of vaccines, mandating them would support the economy and would help save billions of dollars.

            But vaccines have not always been advantageous; there have been reported cases of vaccines causing illnesses in children. The CDC reported several claims of anaphylaxis — an allergic reaction — after the administration of some vaccines. Anaphylaxis can often be fatal and can be unpredictable when following vaccinations, prompting healthcare providers to be prepared to treat medical emergencies if they occur; even then, these steps may not always be effective. On the other hand, these cases are quite rare with less than two cases per million doses of vaccines administered to children and adolescents (Miller 1). Live vaccine viruses have also killed some children with compromised immune systems. For example, a case involving a 4-year old cancer patient resulted in the patient’s death after receiving a varicella vaccine after a chemotherapy treatment (Miller 2). Children with cancer are especially susceptible to diseases since their immune systems are severely weakened.  There is little that can be done to prevent these situations, especially in the case of anaphylaxis, aside from prescreening for an immunodeficiency as well as receiving vaccines ahead of time. To acknowledge the injuries vaccines may cause, however rare they may be, the federal government established the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program — a no-fault alternative to the traditional way of petitioning vaccine injuries (“National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program” 1). The act provides compensation to those who have been injured by vaccines, similar to how the Heroes Act of 2003 provides relief to those affected by natural disasters. Vaccine-related injuries are as rare and unpredictable as natural disasters, and although this element of surprise provides few options for preventive measures, there are programs to alleviate the stress these situations may entail. 

            But the consequences of vaccines are not only summed up in statistics, they can be seen in the lives of typical citizens. The founder of the National Meningitis Association, Lynn Bozoff, lost her son Evan because he never received the meningitis vaccine. The meningitis epidemic plagues the entire world, but is not as prevalent in the United States, yet Evan lost his life because he was unprotected. “What one night presented itself as a small virus quickly evolved into a life-threatening disease that gave Evan less than a 5% chance of survival in under 12 hours” claimed Mrs. Bozoff, who added “my son did not have to die; there were vaccines that could have saved his life” (Bozoff 1). Since then, Mrs. Bozoff has made it her mission to make vaccination compulsory, and prevent the situation that befell her son from damaging someone else. Mrs. Bozoff was right when she claimed her son did not have to die. Meningitis vaccines are regularly given out in hospitals as well as in the army, yet in Mrs. Bozoff’s mind rumors made the word vaccine synonymous with the word poison— the same rumors that manipulated the Somali-Americans in Minnesota as well. Therefore, vaccines should be mandated; rumors incite fear and cause people to act irrationally. Although the data that depicts the benefits of vaccines is right in front of them, they allow their fear to dictate their actions. Vaccines must be mandated in order to maintain a healthy population, even if the population does not always see the benefits they provide.

            The administration of vaccines should be mandated as it has been proven to be both medically and economically beneficial in the long and short term. Vaccines are a preventive measure instead of a reactive one. They help protect against diseases before they even appear in the body and over time limit the appearance of such ailments until they eventually disappear. Furthermore, administering vaccines could help save billions of dollars as well as remove stress from patients, families, and researchers. Although some people are skeptical of the effectiveness of vaccines, they have decreased the number of child deaths as well as the number of deadly diseases prevalent in society today by a drastic amount. The government should not cater toward these skeptics who do not believe the facts in front them. It is the responsibility of the government to look after the entire community, not just consider the needs of an individual. As such, it is imperative that lawmakers mandate vaccinations in order to promote a safe and healthy environment for the entire population. There is no need to regress to times without technology when the ability to save millions of lives is available.

Works Cited

"Annual Measles Vaccination Rate, 1991–2013." Tribune Content Agency Photos,            2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,             link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/DOFPLX938787112/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&xid=            5f93214. Accessed 2 Oct. 2017.

"AMA Encourages Community-Clinical Partnerships to Increase Use of Preventative Health        Services among Boomers," American Medical Association, www.ama-assn.org, Nov. 19,    2009 

Bozoff, Lynn. “Remembering Evan.” Voices For Vaccines, National Meningitis Association, 30  May 2013, www.voicesforvaccines.org/remembering-evan/.

Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “Vaccine Safety & Availability - Thimerosal and  Vaccines.” U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page, Center for Biologics          Evaluation and Research, www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228.

“Doctors have heated debate over vaccination.” CNN, Cable News Network, 29 Jan. 2015,            www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/01/30/erin-panel-anti-vaccination     

“Evidence shows vaccines unrelated to autism.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10376617,9643797/.

“Smallpox Disease Overview," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease  Control and Prevention, 12 July 2017, www.cdc.gov/smallpox/index.html.

“Measles (Rubeola).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control    and Prevention, 20 Sept. 2017, www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html. Accessed 3          Oct. 2017.

Merino, Noel "The Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh the Risks." Vaccines, Greenhaven   Press,2015. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,         link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010938204/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&xid=ce667       Accessed 2 Oct. 2017. Originally published as "General Vaccine Safety            Concerns," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], Apr. 2013.

Miller, Elaine R., et al. “Deaths following vaccination: What does the evidence show?” Vaccine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 June 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4599698/.

“National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.” Health Resources & Services  Administration, 1 Mar. 2017, www.hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/index.html.

Ramirez, Charles E., and Karen Bouffard. “Refusal to vaccinate son lands Ferndale mom in jail.” Detroit News, The Detroit News, 5 Oct. 2017,           www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/oakland-county/2017/10/04/ferndale-woman   jailed-not-vaccinating-son/731005001/.

Stokstad, Erik. “Vaccine-Autism Link Dealt Blow.” Science, American Association for the            Advancement of Science, 12 Sept. 2003,       science.sciencemag.org/content/301/5639/1454.1.

"US Views on Childhood Vaccination Requirements by Demographics, 2015." Tribune Content  Agency            Photos, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in            Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/QTKGOK802161133/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&xid=            9f189a0.Accessed 2 Oct. 2017

"Vaccines." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints in            Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999291/OVIC?u=cuny_ccny&xid=fc099    Accessed 3 Oct. 2017.

Zdechlik, Mark. “Unfounded Autism Fears Are Fueling Minnesota's Measles Outbreak.” NPR,    NPR, 3 May 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/03/526723028/autism     fears-fueling-minnesotas-measles-outbreak.