Anti Vaccination

The modern anti-vaccination movement all started with one study. In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield posted a study he had executed in a medical journal entitled, The Lancet. This study, claiming to have found legitimate links between vaccinations and autism, sparked a controversy over the safety of immunizations. Although his data was found to be fraudulent in later years, the fear had already been instilled in the minds of many (CNN). With celebrity and television personality Jenny McCarthy spearheading the movement, it has been able to gain publicity and momentum. While McCarthy’s main focus is on the supposed link between immunizations and the onset of autism, the concerns are far reaching. Those who choose not to vaccinate their children due

With most scientists and doctors, as well as a majority of the population believing that vaccinations are safe and effective, the few outliers have still managed to gain a large enough following to become noticed. The conflicting arguments over the ethicality of vaccine requirements, and vaccines in general, have sparked national interest. This interest has been held due to continuing issues, such as outbreaks of highly contagious childhood diseases. With these outbreaks possibly threatening those too young to be vaccinated, or who cannot be vaccinated for medical circumstances, many people believe vaccines should be required to protect public safety. Others believe that the possible negative side effects of vaccines greatly outweigh the positive ones, and want to be able to, as well as have the right to, choose not to vaccinate their child. While organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have done multiple studies showing that key concerns surrounding vaccines, such as the risk of autism, are erroneous, the concerns of many still stand strong (CDC). The results of this dispute remain unclear, with no real “winner” on either side of the argument. Although, with the numbers of unvaccinated children continuing to rise, it may become more necessary for increased government involvement surrounding vaccines, whether it may be at the state or federal