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Running head: VACCINES: DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
Vaccines: Do The Benefits Outweigh The Risks?
Vana Hagimanoukian
HUM101: Critical Reasoning (GT-AH3):
Colorado State University – Global Campus
Dr. Robert Freeborough
Date
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VACCINES: DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
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VACCINES: DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
I. Introduction
Vaccines refers to drugs that are introduced in one’s body to help in boosting their immune
system against certain diseases. The vaccines introduces the body of the child to the disease
causing antigens, which sensitizes the child’s white blood cells or the lymphocytes to start
producing antibodies for the specified antigens. This helps the immune system to be strong
against the specified antibodies, which is the working mechanism of vaccines. Vaccines are
usually introduced in a child’s body through injections on the leg or arm, or through orals in the
mouth. Since Andrew Wakefield published a research in the Lancet in 1998 that indicated that
vaccines, especially the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, is associated with causing
autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there has been an increasing gap in the number of parents
avoiding to vaccinate their children. This has been found common especially in households
where older siblings were vaccinated and developed autism spectrum disorder. This is a major
public health concern, affecting both parents and the ministry of health at large and needs to be
addressed. This is mainly because evidence reveals that some of the diseases that have been
eradicated through the whole of the 20th century have started emerging in the late 20th century as
well as early 21st century. This essay collects evidence from various research to help in
highlighting whether MMR is a risky vaccine in causing autism spectrum disorder or not. Even
though vaccinations should be eliminating diseases, research indicates that it is causing other
diseases such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and it is the government’s role to monitor and
improve the vaccines to reduce the risks of autism spectrum disorder. This will boost parents’
confidence in vaccinating their children.
Key Terms: Fear of vaccination, refusal of vaccinating their children, side effects of vaccines.
VACCINES: DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
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II. Background
Historical Overview: Vaccines have been available for use since the 1800’s and when the child
is born, he or she is systematically given vaccines to boost their immunity.
History of Vaccine Refusal: The first movement against immunizations documented was in
London in 1853 and was known as the Anti -Vaccination League (Saint - Victor & Omer, 2013).
Likewise, in the 21st century, parents are having fear of vaccinating their children due to
reactionary diseases such as ASD, even though the 50 states have mandatory vaccination rule,
unless it is for religious reasons.
Vaccinations, instead of helping they are causing diseases such as Autism Spectrum Disorder
and the government should examine and regulate vaccinations to reduce the fear of the parents of
vaccinating their children.
A. Current Perceptions: Some people refuse to get vaccines because it is not helpful
or it causes different diseases, such as flu shot. They believe that immunizations are
ineffective and pointless because they still get sick or experience symptoms. The
possibility of some vaccines to cause ASD also puts off many parents.
III. Vaccines Cause Autism Spectrum Disorder: Some people refuse to be vaccinated since
there is a link between vaccination and ASD.
A. Major Point 1: Vaccinations are causing different types of diseases such as
Autism Spectrum Disorder. The Lancet, a British Medical Journal found that Autism
Spectrum Disorder can be caused by the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella
(Holton, Weberling, Clarke, & Smith, 2012)
i.
Minor Point 1: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a multifaceted developing disease that
leads into abnormal function and development of the brain.
VACCINES: DO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE RISKS?
ii.
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Minor Point 2: Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder include deficits in social
behavior, inability or difficulty with communication, and delays in cognition. There is a
very strong connection between fetal cell-line created immunizations and autism
spectrum disorder (Deisher, et al., 2015).
IV. Conflicting research on vaccines safety
A. Major Point 2: There is conflicting research on whether vaccines cause autism spectrum
disorder. They agree that vaccines do not cause ASD but offer contradicting evidence and
facts on the issue.
i.
Minor Point 1: Several studies have been conducted that show no link between Autism
Spectrum Disorder and vaccines (Institute of Medicine, 2004; Offit & Hackett, 2003).
The study concluded that vaccinations given during the first two years of life were not
the cause of a child developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (DeStefano, Price,
Weintraub, 2013).
ii.
Minor Point 2: A study conducted in Denmark concluded that there was no association
between the age and the time of vaccination, the time since vaccination, or the date of
vaccination and the development of autistic disorder (Madsen, Hviid, Vestergaard,
Schendel, Wohlfahrt, Thorsen, Olsen, Melbye, 2002).
V. Role of the Media
A. Major Point 3: The media plays a substantial role in vaccine awareness and
communication of associated risks of immunizations (Saint - Victor & Omer, 2013).
i.
Minor Point 1: Unfortunately, journalists often trust data from “expert” sources that may
not necessarily be factual when creating articles due their lack of knowledge with
medical information (Holton et al., 2012)....