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Robbie Martini

Professor Rutherford

English 15

7 December 2017

Dangers of Vaccination

Who ever thought that something made to keep us safe from disease could potentially place great

risk to our health and well being? Before discovering the dangers of vaccination, I didn’t think it could’ve

been true. Through my extensive research on the topic, I have come to a conclusion that there are many

dangers associated with vaccinations, what they can do to our bodies, and how a lack of a properly

informed viewpoint could lead to the possibility of endangering the welfare of individuals, at the very

least . In this paper, I will explain the potential risks I see with vaccination and the potential effects upon

our bodies.

One of the main problems I see with vaccinations is the side effects that come with them. There

are thousands of different vaccines that all come with their own set of side effects. Although most side

effects are uncommon and minor, there are always a select few that can be detrimental to one’s health in

many ways. With little to no ways to prevent these from happening, it can be a scary thought to see a

loved one go through these effects. Severe reactions do happen and if choosing to vaccinate, one must

understand this fact.

Although the side effects of most vaccines are typically minor, some are worse. For example, as

stated in an article from the Center of Disease Control, ”Long-term seizures, coma, lowered

consciousness, and permanent brain damage may be associated with the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and

pertussis) and MMR vaccines, though the CDC notes the rarity of the reaction makes it difficult to

determine causation.” (CDC). With the cause of the reaction being too difficult to determine, it is

unlikely for the reaction to be prevented in the situation of where it may occur. Many parents would

struggle to see their child go through any type of pain or sickness, which is why many vaccinate. But how

would a parent feel if the safety precaution backfired and actually began to hurt their child?
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Another negative aspect of vaccinating is the different reactions that may be induced upon the

patient. Every person reacts in different ways to everything around us. While being vaccinated, thousands

of chemicals are being pumped into your bloodstream. Any of these chemicals could be potential

allergens to anyone, and until given the vaccine dose, you don’t know what that may be. Just like the side

effects, most reactions are mild. As stated in an article written by Dina Fine Maron, “In more serious

cases, with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination, there is roughly a 1 in 3,000 chance of a

child developing a fever that can lead to seizures.” As a 1 in 3,000 chance seems to be very unlikely odds,

the unlucky individual who does suffer from these reactions can experience great discomfort and/or pain

that may make their decision of vaccinating regretful.

Amongst all of the reactions possible, some are far more common than others. One common

reaction is swelling, redness, itchiness, and a lump surrounding the injection site for a number of hours. In

the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine, approximately 1 out of every 20 kids suffers from the

lump/rash reaction. About 1 in every 5 children react to the same vaccine with a fever that typically lasts

1-2 days. Other less common reactions to the vaccination are deafness, permanent brain damage, and

coma. These reactions can happen to anyone of any age and cannot be prevented.

My last reason as to why I oppose vaccinations is the possibility of increased rates of autism in

children who have been vaccinated. In 1998, a study done by british gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield

first linked the MMR vaccine with autism. His theory was that the MMR vaccine caused inflammation of

the intestines which then let toxins into the bloodstream which would travel to the brain, causing damage.

This study sparked a long time controversy that is still argued to this day. Many people think that this

theory may be a myth, while others are still skeptical and refuse to vaccinate their children because of this

reason. Although I do believe vaccinations can still help in many ways, something like this is very

deterring to someone even considering vaccinating.

Although some may not believe this could happen, the scenario where it does can be very life

changing. As said by Chris Mooney from Discover Magazine, “You can see where the emotion and

sentiment come from. Autism can be a terrible condition, devastating to families. It can leave parents not
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only aggrieved but desperate to find any cure, any salvation. Medical services and behavioral therapy for

severely autistic children can cost more than $100,000 a year, and these children often exhibit extremely

difficult behavior.” (Mooney). A parent who raised their child, taught them everything they know, and

have seen them become who they are would be devastated to see their own child begin to go backwards in

progression and begin to forget everything they learned. Something like this being caused by a

vaccination is a major concern and nobody should have to experience it.

As one can see, there are many reasons as to why vaccinations can be more cruel than kind to

one’s health. They not only can have side effects, but can cause allergic reactions, fevers, seizures, and

even raise the possibility of a child getting autism. I have explained the risks associated with vaccinations

and I hope that my article persuades readers to do their own research before they vaccinate their child or

themselves, for the greater safety of one’s well being.

Works Cited

CDC, "Possible Side-Effects from Vaccines." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6

February 2014.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm
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“How Safe Are Vaccines?” HealthyChildren.org, American Academy of Pediatrics, 21 Nov. 2015,

www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/How-Safe-are-Vaccines.aspx.

Maron, Dina. “Fact or Fiction: Vaccines Are Dangerous.” Scientific American, a division of Nature

America, Inc, 6 March 2015.

Miller, Neil Z. Miller's Review of Critical Vaccine Studies: 400 Important Scientific Papers Summarized

for Parents and Researchers. New Atlantean Press, 2016.

Mills, David “The Debate Over Vaccine Safety Is Far from Over.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 7 Mar.

2017, www.healthline.com/health-news/debate-over-vaccine-safety.

Mnookin, Seth. The Panic Virus: the True Story behind the Vaccine-Autism Controversy. Simon &

Schuster, 2012.

Mooney, Chris. “Why Does the Vaccine/Autism Controversy Live On?” Discover Magazine, Kalmbach

Publishing Co., 6 May 2009, discovermagazine.com/2009/jun/06-why-does-vaccine-autism-controversy-

live-on/.

Works Cited Cont.

Plotkin, Stanley. “Vaccines and Autism: A Tale of Shifting Hypotheses | Clinical Infectious

Diseases | Oxford Academic.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 15 Feb. 2009.

academic.oup.com/cid/article/48/4/456/284219.

Rettner, Rachel. “Just how safe are vaccines? Here are the numbers.” Live Science, 12 January 17.
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https://www.livescience.com/57488-vaccine-safety-numbers.html

US Department of Health and Human Services, "Safety,” Digital Communications Division, 10 July

2015.

https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/safety/index.html

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