Essay about MMR Vaccine Examining the Evidence - 1935 Words

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†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, they believe that these illnesses are not serious. Not only parents, but also advocates for anti-vaccination are a huge voice in this heated debate. Whether the public understands and accepts important information in the debate will depend on both the communication skills, and the credibility, of the source. Vaccines are as safe as humans can presently make them. Yet as in any health intervention, some level of uncertainty will always remain (Clements). It is now the responsibility of the parents of these young children to make the pivotal decision in their young child’s life. To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a question that many parents find extremely difficult to answer. However, once faced with the research and safety statistics surrounding the MMR vaccine, the answer may be clearer than once believed. Starting with the controversy of the presence of thimerosal, once further research is done the speculation over its presence and lack of safety can be dismissed entirely. According to a statement made the Federal Drug and Food Administration, thimerosal is a mercury-containing organic compound that since the 1930s and has been widely used as a preservative in a number of biological and drug products. These said drug products include vaccines, and many have speculated that the organic compound may be influential in causing autism. Due to the concern and controversy over the topic, pharmaceutical companies made the decision to extremelyShow MoreRelatedThe Anti Vaccine Movement And The Vaccine1620 Words   |  7 Pages The Anti-Vaccine Movement Although the MMR link to autism is one of the most recent anti-vaccine incidences, the anti-vaccine movement didn’t begin with the suggestion that MMR caused autism. Previous vaccine scare incidences arose prior to the 1998 study on MMR that fueled more anti-vaccine sentiments. Offit (2011) claims that the modern American anti-vaccine movement began when a documentary titled DPT: Vaccine Roulette, aired on April 19, 1982. The documentary questioned the safety and effectivenessRead MoreChildren Should Receive The Mmr Vaccine1283 Words   |  6 Pageswhether or not children should receive the MMR vaccine. The injection itself was created in order to prevent infection of measles, mumps, and rubella - all of which are viruses that cause serious illnesses, and even death. Several thousand people in the United States, commonly referred to as â€Å"anti-vaxxers,† are choosing to defer the vaccination of their children because they believe it causes more harm than good. Two main speculations sparking the MMR debate are the accusation that it causes autismRead More Controversy About Vaccinations Against Infectious Diseases Essays1085 Words   |  5 PagesVaccination Against Infectious Diseases Vaccines are one of the most controversial topics in modern medicine and will continue to attract more attention in the years ahead. Most new parents dutifully take their babies to their doctor to be vaccinated, at the prescribed times. However, over the last few decades, there have been several scares concerning vaccinations, and the possible side effects of them. Some parents have refused to have their child vaccinated becauseRead MoreThe Effects Of Receiving Vaccinations On Children1619 Words   |  7 PagesFor the longest time, vaccines have been thought of has as medical breakthroughs of epic proportions. 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The smallpox vaccine was invented as early as 1796, and since then the use of vaccines has continued to protect us from countless life threatening diseases such as polio, measles, and pertussis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) assures that vaccines are extensively tested by scientist to make sure they are effective and safe, and must receive the approval of theRead MoreVaccinations Are Necessary For Our Youth1305 Words   |  6 Pagesand have saved the lives of many citizen’s in the United States. These developments have been considered one of medicine’s greatest achievements. In the 1920’s there were a total of about 200,000 cases of diphtheria and because of the invention of vaccines, the cases of diphtheria have gone done to only one in 2002 (National Network for Immunization Information). 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As the stereotype against immunizing children becomes more prevalent, children (even if they are completely immunized) are increasingly placed at risk. Vaccines are not effective in all cases; although the large majority of kids who receive a vaccine will develop immunity, some will not and are still susceptible to infection. Additionally, children who haven’t received full vaccinations are significantly more likely to contract various diseases than