Vaccines: An Ongoing Debate with Adverse Effects

V as in Vaccine

I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day with your significant other or with your pals!! It is probably one of the most affectionate holidays during the year. In the midst of all of these holiday festivities, it is important to remember another important topic (and yes, it also starts with the letter “v”): vaccines. The world of vaccines is ever so changing, and actions most definitely speak louder than words in this case.

According to an article from BBC News, it has been reported that almost 5,100 individuals were diagnosed with mumps in the last year in England. It is important to note that this number is taking into account college-aged students ALONE. Many of you may be wondering how this could be, considering you and your loved ones may have never gotten it before. Luckily, you probably received the MMR vaccine or the MMRV vaccine. As discussed in class, these vaccines provide some sort of protection against measles, MUMPS, rubella, and in the case of the MMRV vaccine, varicella as well. However, the people who received this diagnosis more than likely did not receive one or both of the MMR vaccines. Much of this is attributed to Andrew Wakefield’s dishonest claims concerning autism and vaccines. At that time, it made sense that the parents of these undergraduate students did not want to let their children get vaccines. However, because of Wakefield’s untruthful report, they and their children are paying the price today. For those who have not been diagnosed with the mumps and have yet to receive at least one dose of the vaccine, they are GREATLY encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as possible.

I believe this outbreak highlights the lack of herd immunity present in the populations among universities in England. Because there is not enough people in the population that is immune to mumps (and other illnesses grouped in with the vaccine), the entire population is not protected from these diseases, hence the outbreaks. Moreover, the vaccination numbers still fail to reach the amount necessary to make sure the population is protected. I believe it is of utmost importance to inform the public of the most recent and accurate information concerning vaccines. It is a gradual change that we must continuously work towards if we want to protect ourselves as well as future generations of individuals.

The Anti-Vaxxing Movement Gains Momentum…from a Doctor?

According to an article from The Washington Post, an osteopathic physician by the name of Joseph Mercola has been selling products for anti-vaxxers to take in place of getting vaccines. These products are supplementation of vitamins C and D. However, most of the sources that he cited for his strong belief were not viable, as they were mostly redacted (sound familiar?). In addition, an organization known as the National Vaccine Information Center has received almost $3 million from Mercola himself. This anti-vaxx organization has been known for spreading false information concerning vaccinations. Even with the lack of evidence, this movement maintains its speed. It has been reported that the number of cases of measles have continued to rise. Moreover, in the last year, over 1,000 cases of the measles was reported in the U.S. alone! This is most definitely a consequence of decreased vaccination numbers.

It startles me that someone who has studied up to that level of medicine still does not believe in the use of vaccines. Time and time again, vaccines have been proven to provide some sort of protection for children and adults against diseases that have adverse effects. While Wakefield’s report did throw a wrench in the increasing rates of vaccination, the report has been long redacted. However, it is seen that turning the people’s view against vaccines around is going to take a lot more than just that.

In the last 100 years, the advancements in medicine and technology have been out of this world! Let us not let those discoveries go unnoticed. If you are fortunate enough to have access to one of the best health-care systems in the world, it is vital that you should take advantage of it. People in undeveloped countries who do not have access to these resources would do ANYTHING for these products, if it meant that they could live healthy lives. Just like the idea on how we should love more than we hate, we should focus on making sure to get vaccinated in order to protect ourselves, and even our loved ones.