Final Research and Conclusion

                This topic of vaccinations has been a revolution of sorts to me; not in that I've changed my opinion of vaccines being important, but in that I’m not quite so judgmental of those that choose not to vaccinate.  As I continued researching my topic, I was finally able to find an article that I felt brought up some valid points for the argument against vaccines.  Until this point, I was unable to find anything from a medical professional or reliable source; when I came across the article Hidden in Plain Sight: Vaccines as a Major Risk Factor for Chronic Disease written by Richard Moskowitz, M.D., I was truly excited to see some proof of the other side.  This article gave interesting information on some chronic diseases; some of its main points being the reasons that he felt these issues were often overlooked as being caused by the vaccines themselves.  Moskowitz believed that reasons such as: time lapses after the vaccines, they may worsen issues that already exist, they may be working with other disease-promoting factors and they “mainly represent non-specific effects of the vaccination process itself, rather than specific effects of the specific vaccines.” (Moskowitz, 112)  Although Moskowitz makes some interesting points within the examples he gives in his article, I feel that his examples so rarely occur that they cannot apply to the general population.  Freak occurrences happen within medicine all the time; not everyone is going to respond to all medications or treatments the same.  To me, Moskowitz’s just proves my previous statement about the importance of parent’s doing proper research before vaccinating; for example, if you have a history of other disorders or allergies within your family, it is crucial to properly research the vaccines.  Not all children can receive all vaccines, it’s important for parents to know if and why their children cannot. 

                This whole article led me to wonder, how many parents actually don’t vaccinate their children?  I decided to put this question to the test by asking my Facebook family.  My interest in the controversy of vaccinations first came to my attention from posts and statuses I saw on Facebook, so what better place to ask.  I posed the question of a simple Yes or No answer to whether or not people vaccinated their children.  I made a point to state that I wanted only yes or no answers; I didn't want any opinions voiced here.  I did however encourage anyone that had a strong opinion one way or the other to personal message me.  Through my survey thus far, I have found that only 2 in 50 families have not vaccinated their children.  So, this brought a new question to mind for me; does it really matter if so few people choose not to vaccinate?

                Finding an answer to my new question didn't take too much searching.  I came across an interesting concept called “Herd Immunity.”  Herd immunity is the idea that by vaccinating, you not only protect yourself from the disease, but the community as a whole.  William Schaffner, M.D., of the department of preventative medicine at Vanderbilt University explained that “unvaccinated people are protected because they are surrounded by people who are immune, so it’s harder for the bad bug to find unprotected individuals.”(Schaffner, 6)  Although this explains why many people who are unvaccinated may still remain healthy, it’s important to point out that it is because so many others are vaccinated that it is possible for the bacteria or viruses to die out before finding a viable source to feed off.  Dr. Schaffner also goes on to point out that the immune system can handle a lot, so by getting several doses of vaccines at the same time is barely a challenge to our immune system. 

                In conclusion, my research brought me to the same opinion I initially began with; that vaccines are a crucial part of our society’s ongoing health.  I feel more confident going forward in sharing my beliefs as well as am more open to hearing others opinions on the opposition.  When I initially approached this topic, I first wanted to find out if there was any proof that vaccines caused the conditions and disorders that they were accused of; I was unable to find any true substantial evidence supporting any of these claims.  I did however learn that conditions and issues that may possibly arise following vaccinations are often times associated with already occurring conditions.  This has made me realize the absolute importance of parents doing proper research before vaccinating their children and being well informed.  I've also come to the conclusion that although I’m not supportive of not vaccinating for any other reason besides medical ones, at least through herd immunity we are more protected because of those that do get vaccinated.  I think this will continue to be a hot button topic and look forward to seeing what new information arises on it.

Works Cited

Hock, Kathryn.  “Do you Vaccinate?”  Survey.  Facebook.com. Publisher, 7, November 2013.  Web.  7 Nov.  2013.

Moskowitz, Richard.  “Hidden in Plain Sight: Vaccines as a Major Risk Factor for Chronic Disease.”  American Journal of Homeopathic Medicine  106.3 (2013): 107-119.  Consumer Health Complete.  Web.   7 Nov. 2013.

Schaffner, William.  “Herd Immunity.”  Consumer Reports on Health 23.12 (2011): 6.  Consumer Health Complete.  Web.  7 Nov. 2013.