John Tringas Connie Douglas English 112 October 21, 2014 ‘Vaccinations have eliminated threats to society secondary only to the atom bomb. When Dr. Jonas Salk discovered and developed the polio vaccine, it began to eliminate the disease from the Northern Hemisphere. Vaccines have a reputation for being successful and eliminating a handful of communicable diseases from the Northern Hemisphere. The harmful effeets of all ‘vaccines are documented and studied by the U.S Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Sometimes science is revealed that is hi ly refuted, such as the link between ‘autism and the MMR vaccine, and the vaccines are a ploy by the government to sterilize a certain eroup of people. Howeverjone views vaccines, there is uch controversy t0 read about whether | it is from a concemed parent who just wants to make the best choice, an official government J committee that creates and studies vaccines, or armchair physicians that protest the vaccine. caf) because of the effect that it has had on them or a loved one. y The first voice in this round table discussion consists of concemed parents of children who need to be inoculated. They are neither for nor against vaccinations; they just want to make the best choice about whether they are going to vaccinate or not. Concemed parents want their children to be healthy and happy and not become autistic or injured in any way from vaccines, Since parents are scared of harming their children they do as much research as possible, and they want the right information to be published for them to make a decision. There is so much information published that it is easy to get confused and get stuck on one side of thisvery controversial topic. These parents encounter the social debate that is going on that includes “peoples discomfort and distrust of the government,” so they bring it to their family physician for answers “and that’s bigger than what most medical professionals can handle,” Eula Bliss is a parent tumed vaccine author who started out concemed for her children’s safety. (Vaccines) ‘When she was done answering her own questions, Bliss felt that through her book she could help other parents make the best decision. Some of the help that is out there aimed at providing accurate information about vaccines such as the Global Vaccine Awareness League, a website for parents and citizens created by parents that have been affected by vaccines. ‘The more official and professional voice, in vaccine controversies are the National Institute of Health (NIH), Center for Disease Control (CDC), The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the government, and medical professionals; such asphysicians. This group of professionals says that vaccines are necessary; they create and set the schedule for inoculation of vaccine preventable diseases. They believe that all people possible should be vaccinated, particularly children who should have a set vaccination schedule. This government and medical professional group rigorously tests and retests vaccines starting with rodents, then swine, then monkeys, and finally to a small group of humans that gradually grows depending on the effects of the vaccine. Before any vaccine is added to the schedule, the ACIP takes into account all the data created by the trials in order to understand the practicality of adding a new vaccine to the schedule. These medical professional groups work hard to make the best vaccines they can. The CDC’s Roger Brenier says that vaccines are the “safest pharmacological interventions for disease prevention available{(Koch),Though there are some medical professionals that recognize that “ vaceines are not completely harmless” which is the truth, the medical community stands by thestatement that it is better to take the risk and vaccinate than trying to doge these diseases. (Koch) This group faces the brunt of criticisms and slippery myths about vaccines containing toxic chemicals and vaccine preventable diseases not being dangerous. The third voice of the round table discussion is what is generally known as the anti- vaccine movement, various media sources reporting on false science or against vaccinations, and parents Wao have children who have been harmed by vaccines or reject vaccinations on the basis of health, religion, or philosophy. Sometimes articles are written about things that are simply not true, Michael Snyder writes about how the mercury preservative in vaccines, thimersal, could “theoretically push an infant’s total exposure of mereury, a neurotoxin, above safe limits”. (Snyder) That fact has been taken away by news media personalities such a Jenny McCarthy from The View who claims that vaccines have caused autism in her child, Author Eula Bliss talks about the anti-vaccine movement in her interview on Morning Edition: “There are so many different reasons people don’t vaccinate that I'm not even sure it can be looked at asa cohesive movement. Some people have concems that are really health-based, and some people are resisting capitalism when they resist veccination. Some people are resisting what they feel is the comupt pharmaceutical system and corrupt medical system.” This viewpoint has its own agenda not to vaccinate. Their views are obtained through their own kind of research whether it be personal experience or false science. What is most important to note is that all parties in the vaccine controversy conversation are seeking the same thing. They want to be as healthy as possible and stay alive. Each person as an individual makes their own choice about whether to vaccinate or not to vaccinate based ontheir research or beliefs and the effects of that decision determines the course of their health, it is no doubt that anyone can be harmed by these vaccinations just as anyone can be harmed in everyday life, but the main idea of vaccinations is that it benefits the community and the idea of vaccinating together we win the war against communicable disease. Just as the development and scence ie Bll alae ve exceed 50008 | yt a Pp ae \}o on So y (pCaWork Cited Koch, Kathy. “Vaccine Controversies.” CQ Researcher 25 Aug. 2000; 641-72. Web.14 Oct. 2014 Snyder Michael. “Vaccines Cause Autism.” Behavioral Disorders. Ed. Roman Espejo. Fermington Hills, MI; Greenhaven Press, 2104. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Vaccines and Autism: The Secret That You Are Not Supposed To Know.” The American Dream, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 6 Sept. 2014 “Vaccine Controversies Are As Social As They Are Medical.” Morning Edition 30 Sept. 2014. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.