Pros And Cons Of Vaccination

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Vaccinations have been around for generations and were first developed in the 1800’s. They have helped eradicate severe diseases and protect the general public from devastating infectious diseases. Immunizations have helped reduce severe infections like polio and the measles and have greatly reduced the death toll. Vaccinations are one the medical professional’s most powerful tool in preventing illness and disease. Yet, with all the success immunizations have had on improved health conditions they continue to be a controversial issue as many Americans still refuse them. State-mandated policies require certain childhood immunization to be completed prior to entry into school. Ethical debate has occurred over whether states have this right to mandate these vaccinations or if families should have the freedom to choose based on religious and philosophical conflicts in beliefs. Though regulations regarding vaccinations may violate one 's autonomy, the government believes they are just in requiring them in order to protect the greatest number of people (History of Vaccines, 2018). In recent years the rate of refusal has been on the rise so this paper will discuss the pros and cons of mandated vaccinations as well as related ethical issues. Propionates Position Vaccines were developed in the early 1800s and to date are one of the most effective ways of controlling disease and protecting the general public. However, their effectiveness is dependent and their acceptance and the