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Vaccinations 1
Why You Should Vaccinate Your Children
Jameson G. Wilbur
Glen Allen High School
May 2015
Vaccinations 2
Introduction:
The shot heard round the world—vaccinations. Since Edward Jenner first created a
vaccine for polio more than two centuries ago, modern medicine has made continued
advancement into the prevention of disease. Today, with a single shot, life-threatening diseases
like measles, polio, and the flu, just to name a few, are preventable. Yet, there are those who
refuse to vaccinate. Some refuse out of misinformation, some because of indignant beliefs.
Regardless, ensuring a generation of health is dependent on the spread of education and
opportunity to vaccinate. All bias aside the question is clear: Why should you vaccinate your
kids?
How Vaccines Work:
There is a wealth of information available on the method through which vaccinations
create immunity. However, for the purposes of this discussion a detailed explanation is not
pertinent, and information readily available from the CDC provide an adequate explanation. In
short, “vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection” (Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention [CDC], 2013). Within the white blood cells there are several elements including
B-lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes, and macrophages. When the body encounters an unknown germ
T-lymphocytes go into action and fight against the infection and warn the body of the disease. As
a result, macrophages engulf the germs and use enzymes to digest them, leaving behind antigens
which are then attacked by antibodies produced by B-lymphocytes. The person is then at a much
lesser risk for a further encounter with the disease. As the CDC writes:
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The body keeps a few T-lymphocytes, called memory cells that go into action
quickly if the body encounters the same germ again. When the familiar antigens
are detected, B-lymphocytes produce antibodies to attack them.
Vaccinations work in a similar manner by mimicking an infection. However, the vaccine is
modified so that while it causes your body to produce T-lymphocytes and antibodies, it does not
cause illness (CDC, 2013).
History:
Vaccinations or the concept of engineering artificial immunity has been around for longer
than many people might think. Inoculation has been around since as early as 200 BC
(Smithsonian, 2015). Early humans in India and China began to notice that certain common
infections rarely reinfected a person after recovery. Healers began to try and prevent diseases by
purposefully scratching or injecting people with infected matter. However, these practices were
not without risk. While the ancient methods of inoculation were effective for the most part, with
smallpox especially there was still a significant risk of contracting the full blown disease
(Bungiro, 2015).
However, in the late 1700s a physician named Edward Jenner began to develop a keen
interest in the process of inoculation. One observation of Jenner’s was that milk maids, who
frequently contracted cowpox, contracted smallpox far less frequently. He thus theorized that
using cowpox as opposed to smallpox during the inoculation process would grant the same
immunity, while conferring significantly less risk. He tested his theory by inoculating a young
boy using a needle containing infected material from a milk maid who had contracted cowpox.
Jenner then subjected the boy to the variola virus, which causes smallpox, and to his surprise, the
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child did not contract the disease. Unconvinced he subjected the boy to the variola virus again,
and once again he did not contract the virus (Riedel, 2005).
Jenner’s breakthrough revolutionized the science of medicine, and interest in inoculation
and conferred immunity. The term vaccines was actually derived from the work of Edward
Jenner. Vaccine comes from the Latin word vaccinus roughly meaning “of the cow” as Jenner’s
original smallpox vaccine arose from his work with the cowpox vaccine. If he had instead been
working with sheep, vaccines today may well have been known as ovines. (Bungiro, 2015).
Jenner’s work was revolutionized by a scientist named Louis Pasteur began to investigate the
method by which the human body acquires immunity and contracts disease. Pasteur did work on
chickens, and then humans, and found that injecting a subject with dead virus matter was just as
effective against virulent agents as the live virus. According to Agnes Ullmann:
It is often said that English surgeon Edward Jenner discovered vaccination and
that Pasteur invented vaccines. Indeed, almost 90 years after Jenner initiated
immunization against smallpox, Pasteur developed another vaccine—the first
vaccine against rabies (Ullmann, 2014).
While the methods of inoculation have been around for centuries, Jenner is often known as the
father of vaccines. As Francis Galton put it, “in science credit goes to the man who convinces the
world, not the man whom the idea first occurs.”
The science of acquired immunity has made leaps and bounds since the time of Jenner
and Pasteur. Today we have vaccines for a variety of different ailments. The advancement of
availability has even led to the complex eradication of certain illnesses. In the United States,
smallpox and polio have been completely eradicated. However, in recent years many parents
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have opted against vaccination. For the most part the science behind vaccination given the risks
at hand is sound. Yet, parents still continue to not vaccinate their children.
Andrew Wakefield and MMR
Where there is smoke, there is usually a fire. The same can be said of the anti-vaccination
movement. This fire was provided by a bright young physician from the UK by the name of
Andrew Wakefield, a name that will forever live in infamy.
In 1998, Wakefield published a report in The Lancet regarding a serious of tests that he
and his team had conducted on a group of twelve children with gastrointestinal and
developmental issues. As a side note, he could not have published his report in a more
appropriately named medical journal, as a lancet is a surgical needle now associated with finger
pricks, which was used as an early tool for inoculation of patients. Wakefield and his team
examined the children following, “history of normal development followed by loss of acquired
skills, including language, together with diarrhea and abdominal pain” (Bellanti, 1998). The
patients’ medical records were examined, in addition to an array of tests including but not limited
to, “leocolonoscopy and biopsy sampling, magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI),
electroencephalography (EEG), and lumbar puncture.”
In eight of the twelve children, the intestinal abnormalities were linked to the Measles,
Mumps, and Rubella vaccination (MMR). Nine of the twelve children were diagnosed with
autism, and one with disintegrative psychosis (Bellanti, 1998). On the surface it would seem
difficult to link vaccination history to all of these ailments, however Wakefield justified his
findings as follows:
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One child (child four) had received monovalent measles vaccine at 15 months,
after which his development slowed (confirmed by professional assessors). No
association was made with the vaccine at this time. He received a dose of measles,
mumps, and rubella vaccine at age 4·5 years, the day after which his mother
described a striking deterioration in his behaviour that she did link with the
immunisation. Child nine received measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine at 16
months. At 18 months he developed recurrent antibiotic resistant otitis media and
the first behavioural symptoms, including disinterest in his sibling and lack of
play (Bellanti, 1998).
Rather intuitively these findings were rather alarming to parents.
However, the immediate risks that vaccinations purportedly posed to their children
compromised the foresight into the potential risks of their decision. Parents of this generation
were raised in an era where scientific advancement and knowledge were generally accepted.
These parents were vaccinated at a very young age, and as a result of vaccination commonality
this group did not experience firsthand the harm of not vaccinating one’s child. They did not
witness the crippling effects of polio, or the chilling breath of pertussis (Bungiro, 2015). As a
result they had no empirical foundations on which to base their decision on whether or not to
vaccinate their children other than this report published by Wakefield. Even though the article
was later retracted after claims of falsification of data were brought to light, the hysteria remains.
The Wakefield Effect is still alive and well in America.
Discrediting Wakefield and Other “Anti-Vaxxers”
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Rather intuitively, the report published by Dr. Wakefield’s jumpstarted what has come to
be known as the “Great Vaccination Scare.” Many parents began to opt out of what had been
routine vaccinations. Dr. David Tyring writes that the scare is especially alarming as, “the
purported link between vaccines and autism that initially caused parents to abandon vaccines
[has] been discredited” (Jesitus, 2015). In fact, it was found out that Dr. Wakefield was paid by
lawyers to advance his fraudulent claims so that they could sue vaccine manufacturers. As a
result he lost his medical license (Jesitus, 2015).
Furthermore the chance factor alone should be enough to discredit Wakefield’s research.
For example, as a man ages grows taller and goes through puberty he is likely to develop facial
hair, as well as hitting many growth spurts. These effects are just results of physiological
changes going on in the body. However, saying that significant growth in height causes beard
growth would be incorrect. Just as the two are associated chronologically does not mean one
causes the other. In The Oxford University Press, Drs. Jeffrey Gerber and Paul Offit address this
chance and association factor:
Because ~50,000 British children per month received the MMR vaccines between
ages 1 and 2 years—at a time when autism typically presents—coincidental
associations were inevitable. Indeed, given the prevalence of autism in England in
1998 of 1 in 200 children, ~25 per month would receive a diagnosis of the
disorder soon after receiving the MMR vaccine by chance alone (Gerber, 2009).
Obviously if vaccination and autism diagnoses occur at the same time frame, one could
draw an association between the two, however correlation does not equate to causation.
The timing of the two predisposes them to occur together.
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Gerber and Offit go on to criticize Wakefield for his complete disregard for the scientific
method. His experiment lacked a control, was incredibly too small-scale for the conclusions he
drew from his research, and lacked blinding and discretion when evaluating patient condition. In
fact, a study performed by a team led by Dr. M. Hornig found that, “the measles vaccine virus
genome was not detected more commonly in children with or without autism” (Gerber, 2009). In
short, the current medical consensus seems to be very clear that there is no substantive link
between vaccines and developmental disorders.
How to Deal with Anti-Vaxxers
For many people, healthcare professionals especially, the fact that the Wakefield Effect
remains prevalent even after its foundations have been discredited is maddening. Many of these
people attack those who do not vaccinate their children. More often than not, those who choose
not to vaccinate their children are met with belligerence. Their intelligence is insulted, science
and research is thrown in their face, and society addresses them with a certain degree of hostility
and rage.
However, while it is important that society works towards changing the perspective of
these anti-vaxxers, it is important to consider what belligerent argument actually accomplishes.
While a person may elicit scientific support and justification for their arguments, the problem
with anti-vaxxers runs deeper than misinformation, it is a result of the natural tendencies
synonymous with human nature.
When a person is engrossed in an argument tempers flare, nostrils tense, muscles
contract, the heart races; arguments elicit a very strong biological response. Historically and
biologically, this makes sense. In the days of the cavemen arguments often lead to violence, and
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life threatening situations and thus it would make sense to prime the body for action. While this
same threat is largely irrelevant today, biological mechanisms, unfortunately, take longer than
the age of civilized man to change. As a result today we suffer the consequences of an antiquated
design, as, “when faced with stress—an acute threat—our bodies enter fight-or-flight mode”
(Wolfson, 2013).
This fight or flight response is vitally important to understanding the mechanism of
argument. The common way of dealing with anti-vaxxers, assaulting them with so-called science
and reason does nothing more than place the person in a stressful situation, which in turn triggers
their fight or flight response. When a person is engaged in this response their biological
responses and drives are all focused on survival; they will either fight back, defending their
beliefs until out of breath, or avoid the conversation and flee all together. This does not make a
person ignorant, or irresponsible. This sentiment is a conglomerate of misinformation and
superfluous biological responses. There is nothing wrong with anti-vaxxers, they are simply
human.
However, too much is at stake to offer unconditional forgiveness to this group of people.
Just as the cavemen discovered fire, there exists a way to illuminate the anti-vaxxers’ misbeliefs.
“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life,
ourselves, and the world around us.” Yes, Socrates himself is the solution to the vaccination
crisis. Socratic questioning, or questioning the foundation of one’s beliefs continually until they
unravel is the true solution. As these anti-vaxxers beliefs dissolve, they can be exposed to the
true wisdom of science. While Socrates meant for his method to encourage his pupils to always
be inquisitive of the world around him, everything must change and adapt to remain useful.
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Just how these principles can be applied to the anti-vaccination movement is vital to the
growth of a healthy society. The principles of this method are as follows:
Respond to all answers with a further question (that calls upon the respondent to
develop his/her thinking in a fuller and deeper way). Seek to understand, where
possible, the ultimate foundations for what is said or believed. Treat all assertions
as a connecting point to further thoughts. Treat all thoughts as in need of
development. Recognize that a thought can only exist fully in a network of
connected thoughts. Stimulate students, by your questions, to pursue those
connections. Recognize that all questions presuppose prior questions and all
thinking presupposes prior thinking. When raising questions, be open to the
questions they presuppose (Union University, 2015).
It would appear from those principles that the key to changing the minds of anti-vaxxers is not a
matter of seeking to disprove their beliefs by aggressively addressing them with science. Rather
it would seem the key it to inquire of them to explain their beliefs, and ask them to draw deeper
and deeper conclusions until they reach the point that they reach the realization that their beliefs
are unfounded. As the anti-vaccination movement grows, it will become more and more
important that society meets these misguided missionaries with calm questioning, and not
belligerence. Once these beliefs are exposed it is important to provide the anti-vaxxers with a
wealth of information for them to found sound beliefs.
Why You Should Vaccinate:
Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN Sanjay Gupta and one time candidate for Surgeon
General of the United States considers vaccines as vital to global progress. He writes that
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vaccines, “have prevented 6 million deaths every year worldwide and have fundamentally
changed modern medicine” (Gupta, 2015). The case for vaccinations is vast and expansive, yet
for many anti-vaxxers the science is not enough. Gupta goes on to write the following:
The benefit of vaccines is not a matter of opinion. It is a matter of fact.
Studies, including a meta-analysis of 1.2 million children this past December,
show no link between vaccines and autism. That is not a matter of opinion. It is a
matter of fact. That you are 100 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to
have a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine that protects you against measles is
not a matter of opinion. That is also a matter of fact. (Gupta, 2015)
Gupta is not alone. The CDC backed by a wealth of research warns parents that not vaccinating
their child is a great responsibility that a parent must bear. Vaccinations are not only safe and
effective, they save the lives of not only one’s own child but other children around them. Even
with the growth in vaccinations efficacy, there still are vaccine preventable diseases in the
United States. The CDC writes that, “some babies are too young to be completely vaccinated and
some people may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to severe allergies, weakened
immune systems from conditions like leukemia, or other reasons” (CDC, 2015). In addition to
the health benefits, vaccinations also save families time and money by preventing the hefty
medical expenses that often accompany the treatment of these diseases. But, most importantly
vaccinations could create a better future by eradicating diseases that have plagued mankind for
generations (CDC, 2015).
Conclusion:
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It would appear that with the wealth of information regarding the safety and efficacy of
vaccination, any first-world educated country would never face such a scare threatening public
safety and the future of medicine. Yet, the anti-vaccine movement prevails. Today it has almost
morphed itself with parents touting the danger of injecting poison into ones children, and that
vaccines are a lie to produce a profit for vaccine manufacturers. Anyone with a basic
understanding should be able to deduce that attacking anti-vaxxers with the facts will simply not
work. When humans are questioned on their beliefs rather than allowing them to engage in
educated conversation, their fight or flight reflexes dig them into their beliefs. What then is the
missing link? Education—the savior of vaccinations. As a society, the United States needs to
begin educating people on the costs and benefits of vaccination in an unbiased, non-
argumentative way, so that healthcare can continue to progress.
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References:
(2013.) Should you get vaccinated? Piled Higher and Deeper Comics. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_6QW9sNPEY
(2013) Understanding how vaccines work. Center for Disease Control. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/patient-ed/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-
understand-color-office.pdf
(2015). If you choose not to vaccinate your child, understand the risks and responsibilities..
Center for Disease Control. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/patient-ed/conversations/downloads/not-vacc-risks-
color-office.pdf
(2015) The Harm of Skipping Vaccinations or Delaying. New York State Department of Health.
Retrieved from
https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/vaccine_safety/harm.htm
(2015). Five important reasons to vaccinate your child. Center for Disease Control. Retrieved
from http://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/features/five-important-reasons-to-vaccinate-
your-child.html
(2015). The spirit and principles of socratic questioning. Center for Faculty Development. Union
University. Retrieved from
https://www.uu.edu/centers/faculty/resources/article.cfm?ArticleID=73
(2015). What ever happened to polio? History of Vaccines. Smithsonian National Museum of
American History. Retrieved from http://amhistory.si.edu/polio/virusvaccine/history.htm
Bellanti, J., Colón, A., Sabra, A. & Wakefield, A. (1998.). Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia,
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351(9103), 637-641. Retrieved from
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Bennett, P. & Smith, C. (1992). Parents attitudinal and social influences on childhood
vaccination. US National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from
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Bungiro, R. (April 22, 2015). It’s a small, measles infected world after all. Brown University
Farchy, D. (2005). A common good: Whither the global eradication of the measles virus? The
World Bank; Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved from
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Gerber, J., & Offit, P. (2009). Vaccines and Autism: A tale of shifting hypotheses. Clinical
Infectious Diseases, 48(4), 456-461. Retrieved from
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Godlee F. Smith J. & Marcovitch H. (2011). Wakefield’s article linking MMR vaccine and
autism was fraudulent. The BMJ. Retrieved from
http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c7452
Gupta, S. (February, 2015). Vaccines are a matter of fact. CNN. Cable News Network. Retrieved
from http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/03/health/measles-gupta-fact/index.html
Jesitus, J. (March, 2015). Vaccine Wars. Contemporary Pediatrics.
Khazan, O. (2014, Sep 16). Wealth L.A. schools’ vaccination rates are as low as south sudan’s.
The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/wealthy-
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgpfNScEd3M
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Samad Lamiya, Tate A Rosemary, Dezateux Carol, Peckham Catherine, Butler Neville, Bedford
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