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The Future of American Vaccination Policy

It is just that we should be grateful, not only to those with whose views we may agree, but also
to those who have expressed more superficial views; for these also contributed something, by
developing before us the powers of thought. Aristotle

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The Future of American Vaccination Policy
Introduction

Approach #1 Requirement to get Vaccinated:

Why should the government mandate everyone to get

vaccinated? Safety, its as simple as that. If everyone in the
U.S. is vaccinated against a certain virus we are very likely to
never have an outbreak of said virus. In addition to a lack of
outbreaks being beneficial to everyones health, it also
benefits the nation economically. The U.S. holds the record
for the most expensive healthcare system in the world. Due to
the fact that we spend a lot of money trying to keep our people
healthy, wouldnt it make sense that we would want to take
necessary steps to reduce outbreaks that would otherwise add
to what we are already paying for? Currently we require
certain vaccinations for admittance to public schools and

Deliberation
When people deliberate,
they carefully examine a
problem and arise a wellreasoned solution after a
period of inclusive,
respectful consideration

of diverse points of view.

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There is a great debate around whether or not

vaccination should be required, or if they are even effective in
the first place. Do they really cause such things as autism, or is
that just a gross distortion of side effects that are actually
minimal? Like most arguments, there are inevitably at least
two sides that directly conflict with each other. To vaccinate
or not to vaccinate, that is the question. However, what both of
these arguments ultimately stem from is education, or lack
thereof. What do we really know about what we are putting
into our bodies with these simple injections? These are
important questions to not only ask ourselves, but our nation
as a whole.
Our goal for this deliberation is to get all of the
information out on the table. By collaborating and discussing
different opinions, we will be able to create an entirely new
belief of the best approach to take for the situation. There is
no one winner in a meeting like this, because we should all
leave having learned something new that could possibly
influence the way we perceive the issue of vaccination in
America.

-Gastil and Black

Thomas Andrews
Dan Braun
Paul Chichura
Erin Ferris
Mark Hewertson
Elizabeth Hopta
Andrew Marshall
Anirudh Mylavarapu
Jeevan Prabhakar
Christine Suhr
Thanakorn Thaminkaew
Yike Zhao

universities, but is that enough? Should we not require vaccinations into adulthood as
well? Should the current system of required vaccinations in place be overhauled or
expanded?
Approach #2 Right to Choose to get Vaccinated:

Despite the seeming correlation between vaccination rates and the decline of
infectious disease, many argue that the government does not have the right to force it
on the people. Beyond religious objections and fears of the side effects of vaccines,
the prevailing argument against vaccination requirements is that it violates the
peoples right to bodily autonomy. Similarly to the way we are not told what to eat or
what medicine to take, it should be left to the individual, in the end, to decide what
goes into their body.

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Approach #3 Education:

If vaccines are not to be mandated, then people should have the information
they need to make an educated decision on whether or not to be vaccinated. Instead of
tackling the issue in courtrooms, we can solve it in the classrooms of our youth and
the centers of our community, with objective medical officials teaching both the side
effects and benefits of vaccinations. If we simply present people with the facts and
allow them to make their own informed decisions, we can avoid conflict between
radical groups that result from a lack of objectivity and understanding.

The Government Should Require Vaccinations

When it comes to reasons as to why vaccinate almost everyone it boils down

to safety and peace of mind for all. It is always better to prevent a disease than to
treat it after it occurs, says the Center for Disease Control. Vaccinations can easily
prevent diseases and save lives. Such is the case with the Polio Virus that once killed
thousands, but has now been eliminated thanks to vaccines. Vaccination ultimately is
a social responsibility for parents. Refraining from vaccinating ones child not only
affects the child, but it also affects anyone who comes into contact with them. Just
like paying taxes and following laws or traffic regulations, vaccination assists civil
society by benefiting the public good.
Commonly known as Herd Immunity, Community Immunity is, according
to the CDC, when a critical portion of a community is immunized against a
contagious disease. If a certain threshold is reached, then those members who are
immunized create a barrier against a disease and protect those who are not
immunized. In this case, most members within the community are protected against
the disease, because there is not much of an opportunity for an outbreak. Community
Immunity is critical because there are certain demographics who are either unable to
receive vaccinations or have religious objections to them.

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Infants are born with antibodies from their mothers to many

diseases. Unfortunately, immunity disappears within one year. Therefore, people
interacting with young children, and young children who are of age, need to be
vaccinated in order to better protect the health of infants and young children. In
addition to those too young to be vaccinated, there are thousands of people in this
country who cant be vaccinated because theyre either undergoing chemotherapy,
receiving immunosuppressive drugs, or are simply allergic to its ingredients. These
people need to be protected from outbreaks of diseases that occur when people arent
getting vaccinated.
A very small portion of the population belonging to minute religious sects
such as the Christian Scientists or the Church of Christ are faith healing groups that
oppose vaccinations. It is unethical to force these groups of people who outstandingly
object to vaccination mandates; however, the large body of individuals who refrain
from vaccinating do so on philosophical objections. In many cases, this exemption
is granted by simply checking a box on a form. If we prevent the 18 states that
currently exempt individuals who claim to possess non-religious cultural or
philosophical objections from continuing this policy, the greater good of the
community will be protected.
Diseases are entirely detrimental to our society. Not only do they pose a
health risk, but they also cripple the nations economic growth. Children take off
from school and adults miss work when they are ill, both of which limit the overall
productivity of the country. When easily preventable diseases infect a group of
people, they are rendered almost entirely unproductive. Diseases can also have lasting
effects on individuals, such as causing permanent disabilities. In addition to the
personal agony these individuals face, society pays the cost of lost productivity and
disability support. Children vaccinated between 1994 and 2014 have saved about
$1.38 trillion in societal costs. Hospital visits, doctor appointments, and health
insurance are all extraordinarily costly. When more people are vaccinated, society
benefits from this added efficiency.
The current system in the U.S. for vaccinations is that students in public
schools are required in all 50 states to have certain vaccinations in place. This is how
the government currently regulates mandatory vaccination. This is effective
especially because children are more vulnerable to diseases given their weaker
immune systems and extensive contact with other individuals in public settings.
However, there are other forms of regulation that are viable options; the US
need not limit itself to the form of regulation previously mentioned. One other
possibility could include meeting certain vaccination standards, barring exemptions,
when getting a drivers license. This would put more emphasis on adults. The
drawback of this is not covering all adults and making licensing more difficult.
Individuals could also be required to file for certificates of vaccinations similar to
how birth certificates are required for certain things, vaccination certificates could be

required. Vaccination requirements could be encouraged by health insurance

companies. By providing economic incentives for people who are fully vaccinated,
more people will be inclined to vaccinate themselves and their families. This option
is a good trade off because it still encourages vaccination while maintaining more
individuals rights to choose. Governments involvement does not have to be
overbearing or completely absent. There are many forms that regulation and
incentives can take.

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Individuals Should Have the Freedom to Choose; The

Government Cannot Force People to Get Vaccinated

The government does not have the right to our health because the right to
health and health care is an individual freedom; people have the power to decide
whether or not they want to be vaccinated. The government cannot impose or force
the citizens to get vaccinated, although such vaccinations may be highly
recommended. Bodily integrity is the inviolability of the physical body and
emphasizes the importance of personal autonomy and the self-determination of
human beings over their own bodies. It considers the violation of bodily integrity as
an unethical infringement, intrusive, and possibly criminal. When the government
forces people to get vaccinated, it is a violation of these privacy rights and personal
freedoms.
According to Jane Orient, a member of the Association of American
Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), when the government forces people to get
vaccinated, it violates the doctor-patient relationship because the doctor becomes an
agent of the state. Early on, the public health policy of the U.S. only restricted the
liberty of individuals who had been exposed to any dangerous communicable
diseases; however, nowadays any individual who doesnt get immunized is faced with
certain restrictions from living normally. This is wrong because it violates bodily
integrity. As of today, there is no federal law mandating vaccinations. According to
Senator Marco Rubio, vaccinations should be made mandatory. Senator Rand Paul,
however, thinks they should be voluntary.
With the recent outbreak of measles, there is a constant debate as to whether
or not the government should pass a law to make vaccinations mandatory. As of
2014, health care employees, teachers, day care employees, and students are the
targets of the new legislation that forces the people to get the recommended vaccines
or suffer economic sanctions as well as restrictions to everyday life.
Several parents are refraining from getting their children vaccinated due to the
fear of their child becoming autistic. While public health officials strongly suggest
that vaccinations are a must and are the best way of eliminating diseases. A recent
survey found that about 51.16% of people believe that the government should have

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the right to determine whether or not people get vaccinated and 26.51 % believe that
it should be voluntary. In this situation, people who have suffered from diseases in the
past, are taking the governments side because they do not want the future generations
to suffer as they once had. On the other hand, the people who are superstitious or
anxious about vaccines refuse to take them. A lot of the time, several people have
allergic reactions to vaccinations, which affects them much more than the positive
aspects of a vaccine and can even result in death.
The government shouldnt force everyone to get vaccinated and should be
able to provide exemption to those who have other medical conditions which might
be affected due to the vaccinations. The freedoms similar to the freedom of diet and
medicines also applies to vaccines. It is the individuals right to decide what they put
inside of their own body. If they feel the need and have faith in vaccines, they may
choose to vaccinate; otherwise, the government cannot force citizens.
Aside from issues stemming from an overbearing government and violations
of body autonomy, there are issues of implementation that need to be addressed. For
one, supposing there was a mandatory assignment, there would obviously need to be
some sort of punishment associated for refusing to vaccinate. Would this punishment
be a fine? Jail time? Nothing? A fine would enable people who have the money to
just simply pay the due in order to avoid the vaccination.
Punishing someone for practicing something they strongly believe in is highly
immoral. So, do we force these people to be vaccinated? Strapping them down and
injecting them would be an example of the government clearly overstepping its
bounds. If there would be a change to the current system, what would be the
implementation? Would the government fund the vaccinations or would they be paid
for by the consumer? If the government is going to force someone to vaccinate, it
seems fair that the government would pay for it.

The Government Should Enact Policies to Educate the

Population on Vaccinations
Too often people race to drastically different stances, black or white; perhaps
what is needed most right now is the grey area. Education on vaccination provides a
grey area that allows for open-mindedness and intellectual debate, with all facts
available. Through the education of ourselves and our children, a healthy society with
a focus on intellect and compromise will be born.
Education is constantly regarded as something that begins in the classroom.
While the classroom is an important setting, not everyone is still in school. The
people that are still in school should take mandatory classes, provided by objective
health officials, which teach both the positive and negative side effects of vaccination.
People who have since left the classroom should be provided with mandatory lessons

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or meetings in their workplace, neighborhood, or community centers. If these routes

do not work, brochures, posters, TV commercials, billboards, etc can be issued so that
people have the opportunity to educate themselves.
The process of education begins with scientific fact. There are two possible
vaccinations for the measles, and it is important to educate people about both options
and their side effects in order for people to weigh the risks on their own. The MMR
and the MMRV vaccine are the two options available, and both have side effects
ranging from mild to severe. A mild side effect example for the MMR and MMRV
vaccines is that the MMR vaccine can cause a fever in 1 out of every 6 children, and
the MMRV can cause a fever in 1 out of every 5 children (2014, CDC). A moderate
problem of the MMR vaccine is seizures caused by the fever, which happens in about
1 in every 3,000 people (2014, CDC). The MMRV vaccine can cause seizures as
well, which are produced by the fever, and this occurs in about 1 in every 1,250
people (2014, CDC). Permanent brain damage is caused by the MMR vaccine in less
than 1 in a million cases, but in about 4 in a million cases with the MMRV vaccine
(2014, CDC). These side effects are certainly scary, but most doctors today still
recommend getting vaccinated. In fact, 30 percent of Connecticut pediatricians who
participated in a 2011 study reported asking a patient to leave their practice after
refusing vaccines (2012, Gavett).
The effects of not getting vaccinated must also be taught. In the case of the
measles again, once youre infected, the measles virus incubatesyou have no signs
or symptoms (2015, Mayo Clinic). However, during this time you are still
contagious. A person with measles can spread the virus to other for about eight days,
starting four days before the rash appears and ending when the rash has been present
for about four days (2014, Mayo Clinic). Without vaccination, one can unknowingly
spread this virus to others for this disease spreads through the air and is among the
most contagious of all viruses[about] 90 percent of people exposed [to the virus]
will get sick (2015, Grady). Getting sick is alright, but only if you are able to
recover; and the sad truth is that while many people can fight the disease through
vaccination, some people, children especially, are unable to survive this disease. In
2003 a study was done by the World Health Organization that revealed there were
about 145,700 measles deaths globally about 40 deaths every day or 16 deaths
every hour (2015, WHO). Vaccination helped prevent an estimated 15.6 million
deaths from measles (2015, WHO). Education on side effects of vaccination and side
effects of not getting vaccinated is crucial to a healthy society.
Once an educated society has been achieved, the hope is that people will be
able to make informed decisions regarding their own, and others, health, as well as
keep peace between the radically different stances. Education is the key to a brighter,
healthier future that will achieve peace based on compromise and intellect.

Required to Get Vaccinated:

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