Vaccines Beneficial Or Detrimental

Vaccines: Beneficial or Detrimental In recent years, vaccines have come under intense ridicule and speculation. Some have begun to believe they may be one of the causes of autism. Vaccines have gotten much publicity, some good and some bad. However, the latter has given them a negative connotation. Subsequently, the number of children receiving vaccinations has declined while the number of preventable outbreaks has increased. A British physician published a book that pointed the finger to vaccines, and left the world reeling with doubt. This subject questions the safety and morality of vaccines. Vaccines are imperative to the health and welfare of the public, no conclusive evidence has been discovered that suggests they affect the development
However, following Andrew Wakefield's book having been published, vaccines became increasingly controversial. Although his work was found to be falsified, it didn’t fail to ignite the fire under a bevy of doubt: “The results provoked a widespread backlash against vaccines, forcing the medical community to spend years attempting to debunk his false claims” (Heuvel). Immunization rates decreased rapidly following the scandal. Despite having been publicly discredited, Wakefield’s words had an uncontrollable effect on the public. People began to voice their opinions on the topic, the number blaming vaccines for autism jumping to incredible heights. One actress, Jenny McCarthy, joined the conversation: “McCarthy was convinced that vaccines gave her son autism and seizures” (Heuvel). She addressed the topic on international television, influencing thousands of people with her negative views. Conversely, numerous studies have been completed on this subject, none which can decisively point to vaccines as the origin of autism in the children who had received them: “After reviewing more than 200 studies in 2004 and more than 1,000 studies in 2011, the consensus report strongly stated that the evidence did not show a link between vaccines and autism” (Evidence Shows). Outbreaks increased and the pessimistic standpoint taken by thousands jeopardized more lives than those who supposedly developed
Wakefield played on that flaw to benefit financially while simultaneously endangering the lives of his fellow citizens. The public is like a young child: you tell an interesting story and he embellishes and exaggerates more extravagantly each time the words pass from his lips to another’s ears. Andrew Wakefield pushed his fraudulent research into the eager hands of the public. Parents wanted a tangible (insert word here) they could blame for their child’s disorder and ran with it. Studies intermittently showed up, claiming vaccines correspond with autism. They were all too accepting of the vaccine’s condemnation, and could not be convinced otherwise: “It is difficult to counter, as students of what psychologists call "the backfire effect" note, because people who have unsubstantiated views challenged by evidence tend not to change their minds but adhere even more firmly to their existing opinion” (No Vaccine). Despite the fact that the deceitful information was discredited and had a substantial amount of studies showing no correlation between vaccines and autism; hundreds of people still believe in the fabricated