By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    All-On-4 Dental Implant Surgery: A Guide to the Recovery Process
    All-On-4 Dental Implant Surgery: A Guide to the Recovery Process
    March 22, 2023
    scaling a pharmaceutical product
    Important Steps to Take for Scaling A Biopharma Product
    May 2, 2023
    Liposuction
    The Science Behind Liposuction: How It Works to Sculpt Your Body
    August 23, 2023
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Nursing Shortage Cheerleaders: There You Go Again
    March 22, 2012
    Myth Busters #9: Hysteria Over the Uninsured
    September 27, 2011
    What Causes Inflammation? A Comprehensive Look At The Causes and Effects Of Inflammation (part 3)
    April 10, 2012
    Latest News
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Should I Vaccinate My Child? Why Vaccines Are Important
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Public Health > Should I Vaccinate My Child? Why Vaccines Are Important
Policy & LawPublic HealthWellness

Should I Vaccinate My Child? Why Vaccines Are Important

AveryP
Last updated: November 8, 2018 8:20 pm
AveryP
Share
7 Min Read
SHARE

 

Contents
Vaccines and AutismCelebritiesSocial MediaVaccination Efforts Continue

While vaccines are meant to prevent disease and fight off potentially life-threatening bacteria, some still consider their effects dangerous and a debate still rages on in this country over their use. Why is this? Is there any truth to anti-vaccine claims? Often, then answers are fairly easy. Social media has led to a wave of “fake news” and fear mongering, while celebrities use their status to spread messages despite being misinformed. To understand the fear of vaccines, though, it’s necessary to start with one man: Andrew Wakefield.

Vaccines and Autism

In February of 1998, British doctor Andrew Wakefield published an article in The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal. In it, he linked vaccines, specifically the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine as a cause of autism. It was, in essence, the start of the anti-vaxxer movement, where parents would cite the study as a reason for not getting vaccinations for their children.

The problem was that it used fraudulent science. The co-authors of the study had it retracted. Wakefield lost his medical license over the article. The General Medical Council found he had shown “callous disregard for any distress or pain the children might suffer” in his collection methods and even collected blood samples at a birthday party.

More Read

Antibiotics
Antibiotics: Just What the Doctor (Shouldn’t Have) Ordered
Important Guidelines for Saving Money on Medications
Temporary Health Plans With Low Benefits Continue to Grow
New Proposed CMS Rule on Radiology Reimbursement Rates for 2015
What To Expect At A Cannabis Vape Lounge

Celebrities

Wakefield wasn’t the only person making a connection between vaccines and autism. In 2007, actress Jenny McCarthy told Oprah Winfrey during the latter’s talk show that her “mommy instinct” told her the MMR vaccine had caused her son Evan’s autism. She spread the same message on “Larry King Live” and “Good Morning America,” reaching some 20 million viewers.

Ironically, celebrities used to be a force for good in vaccines. Elvis Presley famously received a polio vaccine during “The Ed Sullivan Show,” to convince the public it was safe. It worked. By 1961, 90 percent of Americans under 20 received at least one polio shot. Since 1979, there has not been a single case of polio that originated in the U.S. The U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) notes that it is 99 percent eradicated around the world, saving 16 million people from paralysis. Only Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan have not stopped the transmission of polio.

Social Media

In the past, spreading misinformation required watching the right channel or word of mouth. Now, however, nearly everyone is connected to Facebook and will see shared articles on how a mother recently learned vaccines are bad and will no longer vaccinate. The problem is that many of these articles simply aren’t true or are using inaccurate information.

Social media vaccine myths have caught the attention of parents in England. The result? Social media is helping spread measles. Just this year, there have been 903 cases of measles in England, despite no cases originating in England since last year. Vaccination rates in the country are at 87 percent while the target is 95 percent for community immunity, often called herd immunity. In America, measles was declared eliminated in 2000 despite a 2015 outbreak at Disneyland in California.

Dr. Peter Hotez, author and director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine, told NBC News that the problem is the sheer volume of misinformation online.

“The anti-vaccine groups have made very strategic use of the internet and social media,” he added. “It’s estimated that there are more than 400 anti-vaccine websites now, and when you put ‘vaccine’ into a search engine, it’s almost inevitable you’re going to get an anti-vaccine website popping up.”

He added, “there’s an element of the anti-vaccine movement that is peddling alternative therapies and making money off of phony treatments.” It’s also become politicized, he argues: “ …  (T)here’s an element that have tied themselves to different political groups. In Texas the major anti-vaccine lobby likes to use libertarian garbage terms like ‘medical freedom’ or ‘medical choice.’”

The outbreak isn’t just limited to England. Across Europe, NBC News reports there have been 41,000 cases and 40 deaths as of Oct. 20. At this rate, it is shaping up to not only be an epidemic, but possibly a pandemic if it continues spreading. Measles has been vaccine-preventable since 1963, yet unlike polio, still manages to spread like wildfire.

Vaccination Efforts Continue

Despite the fear mongering, the spread of misinformation over social media, and the continued use of celebrity status to derail herd immunity, vaccination efforts continue worldwide. In 2012, all 194 U.N. WHO member states endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan. It aimed to reach 90 percent DTP3 (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccination coverage in all countries by 2015 but had only reached 85 percent by 2017.

The WHO also vaccinates about 100 million children worldwide with a BCG vaccine, used to protect people against tuberculosis. The vaccine has shown to be at least 60 percent effective and lasts for several decades. It may also provide protection against meningitis and may be helpful for people with bladder cancer.

The short version, to answer the question posed in the title, is “yes, you should vaccinate your children.” The pros — vaccinating against harmful diseases, especially ones that can be vaccinated against — outweigh the cons of actually contracting the disease. Polio was a scourge in the 1950s, famously affecting President Franklin Roosevelt. Now, it is eradicated in the U.S. This could not have happened without vaccines. If someone is still trying to deter you from vaccinating your child, show them this unofficial Magic School Bus episode.

TAGGED:children's healthvaccinationsvaccines
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

healthcare facilities
Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
Global Healthcare Infographics
June 15, 2025
from gut to glow
From Plate to Wellness: How Everyday Foods Nourish Your Body Inside and Out
Dental health Infographics Specialties
June 15, 2025
beyond nutrition
Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
Health Infographics
June 15, 2025
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy
How TMS Therapy Helps with Treatment-Resistant Mental Illness
Mental Health Therapies
June 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Kaiser Permanente Colorado Drastically Improves Hypertension Control Among Its Members

September 22, 2012
Mental HealthWellness

Why Wellness Vacations Are Important For Mental Health

July 25, 2019
NewsWellness

Do Multivitamins Prevent Cardiovascular Disease in Men?

November 12, 2012
CMS
Policy & LawPublic Health

New CMS Chief Confirmed by Senate

May 18, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?