Collier

Madeleine Collier
Adam Padgett
English 102
14 November 2016



Vaccines: Essential to Americas Health

The first vaccine was invented and introduced in 1796, and since that time it

has been a controversial medical topic. When vaccinations were first proposed to
the public, many people were against them at first because of their unknown effects,
which is still true today. Throughout history weve seen that vaccinations have been
proven effective in preventing serious diseases and illnesses. Some people argue
whether the risk of possible side effects associated with the vaccines out-weighs the
risk of developing the disease. In recent years, the incidence rate of these diseases

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:19 PM

Comment [1]: This seems like a factoid
that isnt really serving a purpose. Maybe
you could be more specific about the first
vaccine. What was it for? What sorts of
controversies surrounded it at the time?
PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:21 PM
Comment [2]: Again, this is interesting
stuff. I think your paper would really benefit
if you got into the details a bit more.
PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:23 PM
Comment [3]: Who are these people? Can
you be more specific?

has decreased, and a number of parents have decided against vaccinating their
children due to the fears of side effects, most commonly, autism. On the contrary,
others have linked certain outbreaks to these groups whose members claim
vaccinations are unsafe and ineffective (Anderson).

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:29 PM

Comment [4]: The content of this quote
does not really justify the quote, if that
makes sense. In other words, what you
source is saying isnt so new or surprising or
helpful that you really need to quote
someone saying this in order to have it in
your paper.

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Below is a chart that displays the number of reported measles cases in the
United States from 1974 to 2014.

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:30 PM

Comment [5]: You need to mention
where this information comes from.

While looking at the graph as a whole, it is clear that since the 1980s the country has
overall greatly improved with significantly less cases. However, if you look closely
you can see that there is an increase, albeit slight, of documented measles cases in
2014, after years of nominal cases reported. This increase in cases indicates that
more people have recently been compromised by the disease because of the lack of
vaccinations. In 2015, California experienced a measles outbreak whose numbers
climbed to over 100 new cases. Health officials cited unvaccinated individuals as a
main contributor to the diseases spread (Anderson). This specific case, and many
more, raises the question of whether or not the government should mandate

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 7:31 PM

Comment [6]: I think the big observation
here is how much weve conquered measles.
The small rise is only noteworthy
considering how much weve squashed the
disease out.

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vaccinations. Certain vaccinations need to be required by the government to ensure

the health and safety of all of its constituents.

Diseases like measles, mumps, whooping cough, and meningitis are easily

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 8:17 PM

Comment [7]: Good clear thesis here.

spread and very deadly. From the mid 1900s to today, pandemics have occurred
throughout the United States as a result of these diseases, killing hundreds of
thousands of people. The US Centers for Disease Control recommends that children
should receive vaccines that protect them from a slew of frightening diseases like
mumps, measles, chicken pox, and meningitis by his or her second birthday
(Vaccines). Vaccines are recognized as the most valuable, effective, and cost
efficient medical tool in history. Small pox was the most devastatingly infectious
disease to ever exist; however with the invention of the vaccine, smallpox was
reduced and finally eradicated in the United States and across the globe.

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 8:21 PM

Comment [8]: According to who?

Vaccinations like this are especially protective against the certain diseases that
impact children the most (Calfee). Vaccinations are not only effective, but also safe.
They have been used for many years without any proven major side affects. Some
people argue that there is no way that vaccinations can be safe for children as young
as a newborn, yet researchers have found that a babys immune system can easily

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 8:21 PM

Comment [9]: Im thinking about who
your ideal audience is here. is this kind of
declaration persuasive enough for your
ideal audience? So: an audience who might
be skeptical of vaccines?
PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 8:22 PM
Comment [10]: effects

handle the vaccines (Evidence Shows) The immune system has an exceptional

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:01 PM

Comment [11]: effects

capacity and the moment a baby is born the immune system begins fighting off the

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 8:23 PM

Comment [12]: again, who are these
people?

antigens in bacteria, viruses, and fungi, so a baby can easily withstand exposure to
the antigens in vaccines. (Evidence shows).

Ever since their development, vaccines have been the most controversial and

widely debated medical invention. Many people believe there is a link between

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vaccinations and autism, or other major side effects. In the past 10 years the number
of children diagnosed with autism has risen by 78 percent (Snyder). People claim
that big pharmaceutical companies are pushing vaccines in spite of the risks
associated with them. Another claim is that many vaccines contain thimerosal, a
preservative containing mercury, which is toxic and causes both brain and
neurological damage. The naysayers arent only focused on children; they say that
adults are also at risk of developing complications after being injected with vaccines.
According to an article titled Vaccines Cause Autism, pregnant women have
experienced complications and have lost their baby after being vaccinated.
Additionally, adults have become permanently disabled after taking vaccines
(Snyder).

Other controversies surrounding mandated vaccinations involve the idea

that if the government mandated certain vaccines, the American peoples freedom
and individualism would be greatly compromised. Government officials and various
health departments face a difficult challenge: respecting the rights and freedoms of
individuals or protecting the public welfare (Vanishing Vaccinations). Some
libertarians argue that required vaccines would be a violation of liberty because
agents of the state inject substances into someones body against his or her will
(Murphy). They insist that when someone is vaccinated the primary beneficiary is
himself or herself; therefore it should be their right to choose.

The last main controversy relating to the mandatory vaccinations is that they

would conflict with individuals religious and philosophical beliefs. Almost all of the
states in the United States provide exceptions for those whose beliefs contradict

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:03 PM

Comment [13]: Youre going to need to
give analysis to this information. I
understand that you are showing the other
side, but you need to explain, for example,
why the rising number of children with
autism isnt related to vaccines. Dig in and
participate in the conversation.

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:06 PM

Comment [14]: This word is not genre-
appropriate.

Collier 5

with certain vaccinations. Specific vaccines may be developed using human tissue
cells, which is an ethical dilemma to some (Cultural Perspective). The Catholic
Church understands the importance of vaccines, however they desire for members
of the church to receive an alternate to any vaccines that are produced using cell
lines from aborted fetuses, if they are available. Other religious view the body as a
sacred place and should not be contaminated with chemicals, blood, or tissues from
certain animals. They would rather be healed by God or natural means rather than
the vaccines. In recent years, exemptions from mandatory vaccines on the basis of
religion have risen. As a result of the contested vaccines, infections spread quickly
through small church communities because they are all unvaccinated (Cultural
Perspective).

Although there may be some exceptions, the consequences of people not

being vaccinated are too serious to overlook or ignore. When people choose to not
vaccinate, herd immunity is greatly impacted. Herd immunity is the concept that
unvaccinated individuals, like the immunocompromised and very young babies, will
still be protected against diseases if a significant majority of the population is
vaccinated. This vaccination level is generally agreed to be at about 90 percent of
the population to protect against outbreaks in the United States (Vaccines). A
result of the declining herd immunity, many vulnerable populations are prone to
suffering harm or even death. In the future, the exemption process should be
carefully modified to keep people from opting out of required vaccinations for the
reason of convenience, but still allowing the exemptions for those individuals with
serious convictions or medical reasoning (Vanishing Vaccinations).

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For hundreds of years, vaccinations have effectively curbed the spread of

diseases (Vidula). In the article Evidence Shows Vaccines Unrelated to Autism it is

noted that signs of autism are first noticed when a child is 18-24 months old.
Because most children have already received their vaccinations by this age, parents
tend to jump to the conclusion that the vaccines are the cause of their childs altered
behavior. Research shows that genetics are a big factor in whether or not a child is
diagnosed as autistic. The mutations that are associated with autism are found the
in the genes that control brain development. Eric Courchesne, an autism researcher
and professor, along with his colleagues at the University of California, San Diego,
have established that children with autism have architectural disorganization in in
their brain tissue. The organization of the tissue happens in the second trimester of
a mothers pregnancy. This means that the disorganization that causes a child to
develop autism begins way before a child is born, or ever receives a vaccine
(Evidence shows).

Andrew Wakefield, a British physician, and 12 other coauthors published a

paper in the late 1990s that raised concerns about the potential connection between
the Measles/Mumps/Rubella Vaccine and autism. The authors of this paper could
not prove that there was a link, and further research indicated that the MMR vaccine
did not cause autism (Vaccines). Not only was Wakefields paper deceptive and
carelessly thrown together, he included fraudulent information. Experts found that
throughout his research, Wakefield has manipulated the data for each test subject
(Calfee). The journal that published the paper retracted Wakefields work and his
medical license was taken away. Although both Wakefield and his work were

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discredited, many parents of young children are still concerned about the idea that
vaccines may contribute to autism (Vaccines).

A policy that accepts voluntary vaccinations and grants exceptions to getting

vaccinated causes more harm than requiring people to get a vaccination.

Libertarians claim that it should be their right to choose whether or not to get
vaccinated because they are the ones being put at harms risk, however no
individual has the right to expose other individuals to that risk (Meyer). Once an
individuals actions are causing harm to others and not just themselves, it is no
longer their right to choose, which is why these mandated vaccines are necessary
for the welfare of the country as a whole. Another reason why vaccines should be
required is that if enough people choose to not get vaccinated and the herd
immunity rate falls low enough, we can expect nation wide pandemics (Meyer).

While it is important to acknowledge those who wish to not vaccinate

because of their religious beliefs, it is also pivotal that they understand the possible
consequences of their decisions. There have been many cases of infectious diseases
rapidly spreading through small, unvaccinated religious communities. In 1990
there was a significant measles outbreak involving Philadelphia schoolchildren.
These children were members of churches that relied on prayer instead of vaccines
to heal. In 1994 there was another measles outbreak in a different church
community that also opposed vaccinations. The flare-up started with one sick
teenager, and the illness spread and created significant outbreaks in both Illinois
and Missouri. Lastly, and more recently, a measles outbreak occurred in another
religious community in Indiana. Once again, the outbreak was caused by an

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unvaccinated individual who infected others in the community. Although it is hard

for the government to force vaccinations upon those who refuse due to religion,
health officials warn parents that their children, if unvaccinated, have a higher risk
of catching an infection that is preventable by vaccines (Cultural Perspective).

Mandated vaccinations, while controversial, are a necessary tool in the

prevention of deadly diseases and the safe guarding of public health in America.
There are so many deadly diseases and infections in this world that have come and
gone, only to come back again. Most of these diseases are easily spread, extremely
fatal, and yet easily preventable with a simply, and safe vaccine. Despite a flurry of
misinformation regarding vaccines and Autism, no credible connections have been
made. Vaccines have been used safely for over a hundred years to stop diseases in
their tracks, and we should not be less diligent or complacent just because of their
success.

Maddie,
You do a good job tackling a big topic and covering the wide range of subject matter.
Your thesis is clear and your conclusion really hammers the point home. However,
this paper would benefit from a greater sense of organization and focus. There are
times when I feel like the paragraphs are drifting from one topic to the next and we
lose sight of your thesis, of what exactly it is that you are arguing. Every paragraph
needs to point back to your thesis, and you need to analyze each of the quotes you
use, with your thesis in mind. Also, some of your citations in your works cited page
are incomplete, and so I have trouble checking them out. Also you have several from

Collier 9

Opposing Viewpoints. I feel like I made a comment on your bib about the trouble
with this particular source. Really think about not only vetting all of your sources
here, but getting your citation right. This is a really important component in
academic writing. While Im not super fussy on the details, it does have to be
generally correct, or correct enough so that the reader can find your original source
fairly easily.

Collier 10

Works Cited
Anderson, Monica. "Young Adults More Likely to Say Vaccinating Kids Should Be a
Parental Choice." Pew Research Center. N.p., 02 Feb. 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Calfee, John. Junk Science and the Anti-Vaccine Fraud. American Enterprise
Institute. 11 Jan. 2011. Website. 23 Nov. 2016.
"Cultural Perspectives on Vaccination." History of Vaccines. The College of Physicians
of Philadelphia, 7 June 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:28 PM

Comment [15]: Bare in mind that this is a
conservative think tank, and so it does have
a particular ideological slant to what they
produce.

"Evidence Shows Vaccines Unrelated to Autism." (Oct. 2014). Rpt. in Vaccines. Ed.
Nol Merino. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
"Measles - Reported Cases by Country." Global Health Observatory Data Repository.
Global Health Organization, 12 Jan. 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Meyer, Randoll John. "Mandatory Vaccinations Can Be Compatible With Liberty."
FEE Freeman Article. N.p., 1 July 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Murphy, Robert P. "Mandatory Vaccinations Are Incompatible with Liberty." FEE
Freeman Article. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Snyder, Michael. "Vaccines Cause Autism." Behavioral Disorders. Ed. Roman Espejo.
Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. 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. 22
Nov. 2016.
"Vaccines." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2016. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.

PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:02 PM

Comment [16]: Do not cite "opposing
viewpoints." There's nothing inherently
wrong with using it to find information, but
once you find that information, go to the
source itself. Do not cite through this
database/search tool. Often this group will
give you sources regardless of that source's
legitimacy. They have just as many bogus
sources as they do credible ones.
PADGETT, ADAM 11/23/2016 11:12 PM
Comment [17]: You need to provide the
url if it is a web source.

Collier 11

"Vanishing Vaccinations: Why Are so Many Americans Opting out of Vaccinating

Their Children?" National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National
Library of Medicine, 2004. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.
Vidula, Mahesh. "Individual Rights vs. Public Health: The Vaccination Debate."
Angles. MIT, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016.