Child vaccinations are now mandatory in the United States if the children want to attend public schools. A lot of parents disagree with child vaccinations, because there have been reports of the negative effects of vaccinations on the child’s life. A lot of the parents that I work with through summer camps do not want their children to be vaccinated because there is a lot of unknowns when it comes to vaccinations. I think the main reason why vaccinations are a problem for a lot of parents is because they do not fully understand the purpose, mechanism, and desired effect of the vaccinations, which to be is a limitation on their autonomy because they do not fully understand, and they don’t really have a choice.
I also think that in some cases, doctors are not transparent with their patients in terms of the purpose of the vaccinations. I know that within the African American community, in 2012, there was a lot of distrust in vaccinations in Atlanta because the CDC was conducting a study on the effects of a measles vaccine, specifically looking at African American children, who they suspected were at a higher risk of developing autism from the vaccine. The authors of the study manipulated and hid data that proved that black babies were more than three times more likely to develop regressive autism if they were given the vaccine before the age of three. The parents of the children who were administered the vaccine were not made aware of their increased risk, and it was only through a leaked source that they were made aware. Information such as this deters parents from vaccinations and should serve as a basis for why parents should have the choice of vaccinating their child.
Source:
Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health; Should Routine Childhood Immunizations be Compulsory?
5 Unethical Medical Experiments That Used Black People As Guinea Pigs
Hi Ifechi,
I really appreciated your blog post, as it highlighted some key issues regarding autonomy. Presently, many physicians do not excel at explaining the risks and benefits of vaccines. As a result, there is profound mistrust between physicians and patients in regards to vaccination. This is highly detrimental, as patients may be more willing to accept flawed, yet easily translated studies that generate mass media attention.
To further the discussion, I think it is important to consider the risks to other individuals. In my opinion, it is reasonable and ethical to implement policies requiring vaccines. If a majority of the population does not receive vaccines, then certain vulnerable individuals who cannot receive vaccines (e.g. pregnant women, infants, immunocompromised individuals) will not be protected by herd immunity. Essentially if a majority of the population is vaccinated, then there is little opportunity for outbreak, which protects these vulnerable individuals (HHS). In my opinion, autonomy can be compromised due to the profound health benefits for others. However, I agree with you in that doctors need to be more proactive in providing information regarding vaccinations.
References: https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/protection/
I agree Marianna, there is an ethical responsibility for the health of the public, but I also think that in order to ensure that this responbility is fully met, there needs to be a full understanding on both parties, the medical professionals and the patients. Because I think what’s happening is, all people are hearing in the public is “You must get vaccinated in order to go to school, in order to work ect.” and not “This is the reason why we need to be vaccinated. These are the risks, this is what we know, this is what we don’t know, this is how it could affect you… ect. ect.” But I agree, but in fufilling that responsibility, there needs to be an understanding that not everyone is well versed on the topic and not everyone sees the situation as the medical professionals see the situation with vaccines. But thank you for bringing this up!
Hi Ifechi!
I think your post highlights the main issue in regard to vaccines and the pubic opinion: education on what vaccines really do. There appears to be a disconnect between what physicians know about vaccines and what the average person knows; however this disconnect does not have to be there. It may not be important for parents or individuals to know the exact physiological mechanisms of vaccines, but it is important for them to know the actual risks and benefits. Much of the controversy over whether or not vaccines should be mandatory or administered at all rests on an argument based on misconceptions. Many people who oppose vaccines are under the impression that vaccines cause much greater harms than what has been shown to be true. According to the CDC, vaccines, as well as any other medications, could potentially have side effects; however major or even moderate problems following vaccinations are rare (“Possible Side-effects from Vaccines”). While technically possible to have unwanted reactions after a vaccine such as soreness or a low fever, should fear of coming down with a fever be reason enough to not get a vaccine? I think most people would say that is not enough of a reason to not get a vaccine; however I also think that many people do not believe these statistics to be true. While risks may vary depending on the vaccine, I think the public as a whole believes vaccines to be far more dangerous than they are, causing many people to opt out of getting vaccinated. I think that patient autonomy is very important and the patient’s opinion should be respected; however if the patient is making a decision based on false information or a misconception, it compromises their autonomy. I am not suggesting that anyone who doesn’t fully understand vaccinations should be forced to get them, but I think that there needs to be more of a push from the medical community to educate the public about the minute risks and massive benefits associated with vaccinations. I think that educating the public is the best way to improve public health and before we address whether or not vaccines should be compulsory, we must first dispel the myths about vaccines to educate the public on the truth of vaccinations.
References:
“Possible Side-effects from Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 02 Dec. 2016. Web. 30 Mar. 2017
Thank you Gabby for stating this! I totally agree, education is the key, because I think that when stories like this come out, and other stories, the public get a negative view on vaccines. However, I can’t really blame them, because on the medical side, there isn’t any information being given out that fully addresses their concerns, and the only information that they are receiving is negative information. I think if the doctors and medical professionals can put out information that addresses these concerns, not as many people will be opposed to it.
Hi Ifechi,
Thank you for such a thoughtful post. I would like to expand the topic of childhood immunization to a broader discussion of vaccinations.
This controversy brought to mind a personal predicament:
My father has ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease that causes some of the vertebrae in the spine to fuse. Unfortunately there is no cure, but there is treatment involving medications that reduce inflammation or suppress immunity, physical therapy, and exercise. His doctor put him on HUMIRA, which helped to reduce the pain in his legs and allowed him to walk better.
Over winter break, my father became very ill. He was screened for tuberculosis and the tuberculin skin test indicated that he had been exposed to the disease. Because it is very contagious, my parents became worried that my four siblings and I had also been exposed. We were all tested (none of us had been exposed other than my father). His doctor explained that the HUMIRA had weakened his immune system and response to tuberculosis.
My father was angry and decided to stop taking the HUMIRA, which includes the following risks:
“Serious infections have happened in people taking HUMIRA. These serious infections include tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by viruses, fungi, or bacteria that have spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your doctor should test you for TB before starting HUMIRA, and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with HUMIRA. If your doctor feels you are at risk, you may be treated with medicine for TB.
For children and adults taking TNF blockers, including HUMIRA, the chance of getting lymphoma or other cancers may increase. There have been cases of unusual cancers in children, teenagers, and young adults using TNF blockers. Some people have developed a rare type of cancer called hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma. This type of cancer often results in death. If using TNF blockers including HUMIRA, your chance of getting two types of skin cancer (basal cell and squamous cell) may increase. These types are generally not life-threatening if treated; tell your doctor if you have a bump or open sore that doesn’t heal.”
My reason for mentioning this is to emphasize the dangers of all vaccinations. My father is always in pain, cannot sleep at night, and can hardly walk anymore. For those reasons he decided that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the potential risks…
He may be right in the case of tuberculosis, but what about lymphoma?
Patients must asses the benefits, risks, and unknowns before subjecting themselves to something that is dangerous.
Thank you so much for responding to my post. I hope all works out for your father. I think one issue that your fathers predicament and many others is that there is not a transparency with the patients in order to, as you said, assess the benefits, risks, and unknowns. I think a lot of times vaccines are introduced to patients as the best and only option, and conversations about those risks, benefits, and unknowns are often overshadowed. Your father’s story highlights the importance of ensuring that both parties, the patients and the doctors understand the complete story relative to the individual patient.
Hi Ifechi,
Great post! I do agree with you in that doctors need to educate parents about the importance of vaccinations. I also agree that many parents refuse vaccination due the negative things they hear about them. Also, Some parents do oppose vaccinations for cultural and religious reasons. What do we do about those parents? Do we still require that they get their children vaccinated? If so, would that be violating their autonomy?
On the topic of autonomy. I sometimes think autonomy can be a problem because parents aren’t going to choose the best option, which is to get their children vaccinated. By not getting their children vaccinated, they are affecting other kids in the community or at school.
Hi everyone,
This is a very relevant issue in today’s society so I thought I’d chip in. I enjoyed last week’s in-class debate concerning mandatory vaccinations, and want to provide some alternate perspectives for compulsory vaccinations. I was a member of the team that argued against vaccinations. I, as I think the majority of the class does, do not believe in any harm from vaccinations and will not hesitate to receive them. This is, however, because I’ve done my research on the vaccines that I have received and will continue to receive, and believe that it is in my best interest to do so. In particular instances, vaccines are not always the best option, but that must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
A large reason that people do not agree to vaccinate their children is because they are not fully educated on their benefits and assume only the risks and gains other people will have. While doing some reading after class on Friday about why people choose not to vaccinate their children, I came across this article (https://wellnessandequality.com/2016/06/20/how-much-money-do-pediatricians-really-make-from-vaccines/) about how pediatricians’ only goal is to profit off of the vaccines they give to children. I truly hope this is not the case, but regardless there is paranoia of people not only taking advantage of their children medically but also financially, which may be even worse of a fear for those who are uneducated.
Say that there is a way to educate an appropriate amount of people regarding vaccines so that their use is understood and favored in the population. Even if this occurred, not everybody is going to vaccinate themselves and their children. In this case, a point brought up in the debate was given the currently high favor of vaccinations in the population and their efficacy in reducing the spread of disease, there might not be a need to make them compulsory. As it stands, a portion of the population depends on herd immunity to stay safe, which will always be necessary. If we could vaccinate everybody in the country, continent, and Earth, we would be well on the way to doing so. Obstacles such as culture, business, and profit rule the vaccine industry and force people to work with what is present.
Thanks!
Elisabeth Crusey
Hi Ifechi,
I really liked the point you made about educating parents more about vaccines. I too feel that the reason why many parents are starting to question the procedure of vaccinating their children is because they are uninformed or acquired wrong information. I think that the best way to help bring back support towards vaccinations is having doctors sit down and explain to the parents what the vaccine will do for their child and the minimal risks that are at hand.
I think also that it is important for there to be more education of herd immunity as many doctors are finding children who are allergic to these vaccines so their kids are posing risks to others, especially at school. That’s why I feel the mandate for vaccinations for public school is pretty important and crucial.
And I say this because my parents were not every keen on having/having me get a flu shot when I was younger. My mom, who’s a medical professional, thought that the shot was unnecessary and simply added more chemicals to the body. She felt this way because I was a pretty healthy kid and never got sick. However, when my younger brother was about 2 he got really sick and we had to take him to the ER. We found out he was allergic to Eggs, and that he was having a severe allergic reaction. Upon learning this news, the doctors informed my parents that the flu vaccine contains an egg-protein, meaning he can’t have the shot without facing possible death. (this was during a time of a really bad flu season) We also found out that his immune system at the time was pretty weak due to his excessive exposure to allergens (he is allergic to A LOT of things). So it was in his best interest if we all got vaccinated for the flu so that is decreases his chance of getting it. From this personal experience, I think it’s important for people to be vaccinated for contagious diseases (especially those who will be in common.shared spaces with others) as many kids may not be able to protect themselves even if they wanted to. And simple education abut vaccines to parents can really make a difference for not only their child but others too.
-Arianna E.