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Bonnie Futch
Prof McGriff
Composition II
18 July 2015
The Truth about Vaccines
Vaccines have been a very hot topic lately. Every time you get online you are bombarded
with articles, social media posts, and propaganda. All of the recent attention to vaccines seems
to be so mixed. Some tell you how horrible they are, and how they will permanently damage
your child. Others are telling you how you are harming your child, and others by not vaccinating.
With so much conflicting information how is a parent supposed to know what is right for their
child? Have we as a society forgotten what was happening to children before vaccinations? Are
the stories true about vaccines causing the uprising in autism ad other neurological diseases?
What should we believe, and what shouldnt we? Let me convince you to vaccinate your children
by addressing; the history of vaccinations, the controversial concerns of vaccinations, and the
devastating effects if we all stop vaccinating.
The first vaccine was created by Edward Jenner on May 14, 1796. According to
History.com, as a medical student Jenner observed that milkmaids that were subjected to cowpox
were not contracting smallpox. Cowpox caused very little reaction in humans, while smallpox
killed millions of people up to this point. Jenners theory was that the cowpox kept the
milkmaids from contracting the deadly disease of smallpox. To test his theory Jenner took fluid
from a cowpox blister and infected a young boy with the cowpox, by scratching it into his hand.
The boy had a small blister at the inoculation site, but was otherwise unaffected. After a month

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and a half Jenner then inoculated the boy with the very deadly smallpox, and the boy was
unaffected by the disease (History.com Staff, 2010). The first vaccine had been created. This
discovery would be monumental to the world today. Now that we have an understanding of how
vaccines began I want to discuss the history of epidemics, the decline in diseases from
vaccinations, how vaccines work, and how they are regulated.
Most of us are too young to remember diseases like smallpox, because it has been wiped
out. We do not remember the 100s of children that died every year from whooping cough. We do
not remember the Americans infected every year with rubella, measles, and polio. We do not
remember the Iron Lung. We do not remember these horrible outbreaks because of vaccines.
According to the Center for Disease Control More than 15,000 Americans died from diphtheria
in 1921, before there was a vaccine. Only one case of diphtheria has been reported to CDC since
2004. (CDC, 2014). The Center for Disease Control also reports that between 1964 and 1965
more than 12,500,000 Americans were infected with rubella. This outbreak killed 2,000 infants
and caused 11,000 miscarriages (CDC, 2014). These outbreaks have ceased because of the
vaccines created for them. Millions of lives have been saved because vaccines. Without
vaccinations our nation would look very different today. We owe a lot to a handful of shots, but
how do they work?
Many people do not have an understanding of how vaccines actually work with the
immune system. Here is a brief description of how the immune system works and how vaccines
help prevent illnesses according to The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.
First the bodys immune system is guarded with white blood cells and microphages (blood cells
designed to ingest foreign particles) that attack foreign microbes (tiny particles found in the
environment). This army of defenders knows that there is an invasion by antigens (any substance

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that provokes an immune response) attached to the microbes, which signal the army to attack.
Microphages attack the microbes and transport the antigens back to the lymphatic system. This is
where the immune system displays the antigen so that the lymphocytes (specialized white blood
cells) can recognize them in future attacks. There are two types of lymphocytes called T
lymphocytes and B lymphocytes, both with their own job. T lymphocytes or T-cells attack cells
that have been infected. They know which cells to attack because they have been programmed
with the antigen that macrophages found. B lymphocytes or B-cells find the intruder microbes
and secrete antibodies, which attach to the antigens. Once the B-cells have done this they
multiply and engulf the microbe. Once the threat is eliminated the immune system stores B-cells
and T-cells into memory cells that help the body fight off future invasions of the same type.
Vaccines mimic a natural infection, by introducing a weak form of a disease. The vaccine sends
the immune system to work in its process to find the invader (who has been disabled and cant
fight back well), so that the body can build up a strong defense in the case that the body is
attacked by the real thing (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, 2011). All of this
is important because vaccines are not just a placebo, vaccines actively put the immune system on
guard.
Now that we have an understanding about how vaccines work, here is an example of the
decline in disease since the main vaccines were implemented. According to Donald Mcneil, with
the NY Times, the death rates for diseases that are preventable by vaccination are at an all-time
low. In his article he talks about the American Medical Associations study that looked at trends
back to 1900. This study concluded that in the case of nine of the illnesses, hospitalization, and
death rates have declined more that 90 percent. Smallpox, diphtheria, and polio have been

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removed as a threat completely, with vaccinations. (Mcneil, 2007) This is a huge win for
medicine.
We know that vaccines are required to enter into some group settings such as school,
daycare, sports team, some jobs; but decides what is required? According to Jason Schwartz with
the New England Journal of Medicine, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
governs the vaccination schedule. The Advisory Committee on Immunizations (ACIP) guides the
CDC. The ACIP is a worldwide respected source on vaccinations. According to Schwartz the
ACIP profoundly influences the design, scope, and funding of U.S. vaccination efforts and
has been actively involved in essentially every significant development in U.S. vaccination
policy since its creation. (Schwartz, 2014). This committee is being constantly monitored in
order to insure its integrity. This is done by monitoring the committee members to make sure that
there are not financial relationships between members and vaccine manufacturers. The food and
Drug Administration also contributes by evaluating the vaccines safety and efficiency.
Now that we all have a clearer understanding about the history of vaccines and how they
work, lets talk about the concerns. This is where the social media scares come into play. You
hear about children catching autism from vaccines. There is worry about Mercury and other
harmful ingredients in the vaccines. There is discussion about the quantity and timing of the
inoculations. It is said that because some diseases were on a downward slope before the
introduction of the vaccine that the disease would have wiped its self out eventually without
modern medicine. How valid are these claims? Is there science to back aby of it up? Lets talk
about these issues and see where we should be concerned, and what is speculation.
So much of the negative response that vaccines have been getting lately have to do with
the side effects of the vaccines, and the claim that they are causing neurological damage and

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autism. The concern is mainly due to the ingredients in the common vaccinations. According to
the Institute of Medicine (IOM), evidence convincingly supports a causal relationship between
some vaccines and some adverse eventssuch as MMR, varicella zoster, influenza, hepatitis B,
meningococcal, and tetanus-containing vaccines linked to anaphylaxis. Additionally, evidence
favors rejection of five vaccine-adverse event relationships, including MMR vaccine and autism
(Institute of Medicine, 2011). This means that a child can suffer from anaphylaxis (a severe
allergic reaction) after being vaccinated, but that there was no link found between vaccines and
autism. Another study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, concluded that the antibody
stimulating proteins found in vaccines were not related to the risk of developing an autism
spectrum disorder (Destefano, 2013). The CDC provides a list of all possible side effects for each
vaccine on their website. Most of the common reactions include; low grade fever, redness or
swelling at injection site, fussiness, or vomiting. In one in one thousand doses there may be a
severe allergic reaction (CDC, 2015).
Another concern that I want to address with vaccines is the quantity and timing of the
vaccines. For example, there is some concern that children are given too many vaccines too
young. The Center for Disease Control addresses these issues. According to the CDC newborn
babies are at the highest risk of serious illness or death from the diseases that are vaccinated
against. A mother passes her immunities to her newborn, but this only last a few months.
Vaccinating early means that children are immunized as early as possible in such a venerable
time in life. Studies of simultaneous and multiple vaccinations have shown no adverse effect on a
childs immune system (CDC, 2012). The recommendation from the CDC, Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices, and the American Academy of Pediatrics is to simultaneously
administer all of the required vaccinations when recommended (CDC, 2012)

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One stigma that I want to address with vaccines is the notion that many of these severe
illnesses were on a decline before the vaccination was introduced, so would have been wiped out
naturally. It is true that there was a decline in illness, this was due to higher sanitation standards.
As the nation became more aware of hygiene and its effects on health we did see a decline in
illness. Less diseases were spread from one person to another as hand washing became the norm.
According to Dr. Robert Sears the advances in healthcare and sanitation there was a decline is
diseases before vaccinations were introduces, however we would not have seen the decline in the
disease as we do today without vaccinations, and we would not have seen diseases wiped out
completely like polio and smallpox. Chickenpox for example should have declined drastically
when sanitation improved, we should have seen a drastic drop in cases by the 1970s or 1980s, in
the case of chickenpox there was not a drastic decline until the vaccine was introduced in the
mid-1990s (Sears, 2013). We have seen a drastic drop in what used to be common childhood
illnesses since vaccines have been implemented.
There has been a lot of talk about a parent having a right to choose vaccination for their
child. This is problematic because of the lack of medical education of the general population. For
example if a person decides that they want to have surgery because they dont feel that they need
a spleen any longer then they cannot go to a doctor and demand that their spleen be removed.
Instead they may have a discussion with their physician about why their spleen is useful and why
it would be a bad idea to remove their spleen at this time. You have this discussion with a doctor
because the doctor has been trained in medicine. The doctor can give you information and
educate you. This is the same with certain aspects of your childs medical care. Having a doctor
that is open to discuss vaccines with you is vital.

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Now that we have discussed the fears of vaccination I want to talk about what would
happen if we all stop vaccinating. Although certain diseases have been wiped out in the United
States there are still countries that deal with these devastating illnesses, such as polio. If we were
to all stop vaccinating we are putting others at risk that cannot be vaccinated. Most importantly
many of these diseases cannot be treated once they are contracted. If we all stop vaccinating our
children the results could be devastating to the whole nation.
According to Public Health we have what is known as herd immunity. This is where the
majority of people are immunized, which keeps epidemics from being able to infest the
population. When the majority is resistant to a disease then there is not room for an epidemic,
this helps protect the unimmunized minority. The unimmunized minority is the small percentage
of the population that cannot be immunized, this includes pregnant women, infants, the elderly,
and those with already weakened immune systems (Public Health). If we continue to decline in
immunization rates we will start to see an incline in diseases that we once thought we were free
of. For example in California in 2010 there were more cases of whooping cough than any year
since the vaccine was made available in the 1940s. The population most affected by this outbreak
were infants that were too young to be vaccinated. This resulted in 10 infant deaths from
whooping cough (Public Health). If the fears of vaccines continue to spread we will see more
and more cases like this.
Due to international travel we as a nation are still venerable to outbreaks that are common
among certain third world countries. Polio for example is not something that we see any more in
the United States. Polio is however still an issue in some other countries such as Cameroon,
where there were five cases reported in 2014 (CDC, 2015). If we stop vaccinating then it will not
take long before we start to see these outbreaks in the United States. This is not just a third world

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problem. In 2015 there have been more than 1,700 cases of measles reported in Germany (CDC,
2015). If we as a nation remain vaccinated to these preventable diseases then we are helping to
protect ourselves and our children.
The biggest issue with not vaccinating is that many of these illnesses that are avoidable with
a simple injection are not treatable if contracted. According to Dr. Robert Sears certain diseases
that can be vaccinated against do not respond well to treatment if contracted, this includes
chickenpox, tetanus, hepatitis B, and influenza. Other diseases are not treatable at all with
todays medicine once contracted, such as polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, rotavirus,
and human papillomavirus (Sears, 2013). There is a theory that we are better off with a natural
immunity from these diseases then an artificial immunity from vaccines, the fact is that this is
simply not true. With the case of chickenpox once contracted the virus remains in your body
even after the chickenpox symptoms have subsided and makes your susceptible to shingles later
in life. Shingles are highly contagious and painful and can be spread to anyone that is not
immune to chickenpox.
It is so important that as a population we are educated on vaccines. We need to understand
why vaccines are such an amazing development in science and medicine. We need to understand
the risk of what will happen if we continue on this anti-vaccine trend. The millions of lives that
have been saved over the last half a century from diseases that once wiped out entire populations
must be considered. It is so important that parents work with their pediatricians to determine
what is best for their children. A pediatrician should be open to discuss with you what is best for
your child and be able to explain why these vaccines are important, not only to your family but
the population as a whole. The devastation that was caused by these now preventable diseases

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must be remembered. If we as a population do not listen to the science behind vaccines we will
once again see the kind of devastation that was once thought to be wiped out.

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Works Cited
History.com Staff. "Jenner Tests Smallpox Vaccine." History.com. A&E Television Networks,
2010. Web. 13 July 2015.
"What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations?" Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 May 2014. Web. 09 July
2015.
"How Vaccines Work". National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, 19 Apr. 2011. Web.
11 July 2015.
Mcneil, Donald G. "Sharp Drop Seen in Deaths from Ills Fought by Vaccine." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 13 Nov. 2007. Web. 09 July 2015.
Schwartz, Jason L., and Adel Mahmoud. "A Half-Century of Prevention The Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices." New England Journal of Medicine N Engl J Med
371.21 (2014): 1953-956. Web.
"Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 18 Nov. 2014. Web. 09 July 2015.
"Institute of Medicine." Adverse Effects of Vaccines: Evidence and Causality -. National
Academy of Sciences, 25 Aug. 2011. Web. 15 July 2015.
Destefano, Frank, Cristofer S. Price, and Eric S. Weintraub. "Increasing Exposure to AntibodyStimulating Proteins and Polysaccharides in Vaccines Is Not Associated with Risk of
Autism." The Journal of Pediatrics 163.2 (2013): 561-67. Web.
"Frequently Asked Questions about Multiple Vaccinations and the Immune System." Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 07 Dec.
2012. Web. 10 July 2015.

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Sears, Robert W. "Dr. Bob Sears Featured in the NY Times | Ask Dr Sears | The Trusted
Resource for Parents." Ask Dr Sears The Trusted Resource for Parents. N.p., 30 Aug.
2013. Web. 10 July 2015.
"Possible Side-effects from Vaccines." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 11 June 2015. Web. 11 July 2015.
"Vaccine Myths Debunked - PublicHealth.org." PublicHealth.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2015.
"Travel Health Notices." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 08 July 2015. Web. 18 July 2015.