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Bryce Walls
Mr. Hawkins
Government, Period 5
6 November 2015
What are the arguments for and against vaccinations for children?
All 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public schools even though no
mandatory federal vaccination laws exist (CDC). This is a reality for the federal government,
but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State laws establish
vaccination requirements for school children (CDC). These vaccine requirements to enter
public, private, or daycare facilities are still in place today. The mandatory vaccinations began to
become a reality when In 1855 Massachusetts passed the first US state law mandating
vaccinations for school children, followed by New York (1862), Connecticut (1872), Indiana
(1881), and Arkansas (1882) (PublicHealth). This continued to manifest in each state. Now each
state in the United States has these requirements for school children, not only public schools, but
also for those attending private schools and daycare facilities. Although all 50 states are
requiring this they also ...provide medical exemptions, and [49] state[s] laws also offer
exemptions for religious and/or philosophical reasons (CDC). These vaccinations and
immunizations became controversial when the State establish[ed] mechanisms for enforcement
of school vaccination requirements and exemptions (CDC). These requirements introduce a
problem because people do not like the idea of being forced to have their children injected with
vaccines. These vaccinations can intimidate and scare people because of the death and disease
cases that are results of vaccinations. People are not only fearful about the vaccinations, but
some people are very excited for the vaccinations because of the benefits that it gives in return.

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Recently The California Assembly joined the state Senate in voting to approve a controversial
bill requiring all children attending school to be vaccinated against measles and other common,
preventable illnesses effectively eliminating so-called "personal belief exemptions" that
allowed parents to opt out (NPR). Many people are not happy with this bill being passed
because of the dangers that it implements for their children. The bill will now go to Gov. Jerry
Brown's office and, if he signs the measure there would be no more exemptions from
vaccinations for children entering school (CNBC). There are two main arguments that surround
this topic. The first is that vaccines are vital to our health and the liveliness of this society and
that they should be required for all children that are entering school. The second is that
vaccinations are bad and should not be forced upon school children. These are only the
overarching arguments now let's take a look at the underlying arguments within each one.
There are many arguments that people have developed and built upon that are convincing
me of the importance of the vaccinations. The benefits of vaccinations really were shown when
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 American children were saved
from death and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014
due to vaccination (Huffington). This is proof right in front of our eyes that vaccinations are
working for some children. Something that saves 732,000 lives is a very important asset. Also, I
think that it is critical to take into account the 322 million children that were saved from
sickness. These 322 million children were kept from getting an illness that could be life
threatening or even just uncomfortable. No matter the severity of the sickness there is an
importance in the prevention of these diseases. Another intriguing argument for the continued
use and importance of vaccines is that most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in
preventing disease (AAP). With a 90%-99% success rate it shows that it is so important to

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receive a vaccination because of the dangers of the diseases. In fact the 90%-99% effectiveness
has save[ed] 2.5 million children from preventable diseases every year (Shot@Life). This
direct correlation between these two arguments makes this side of the topic even more
compelling. Another statistic that creates a realization that there may be more to vaccinations
than we see on the surface is that The measles vaccine has decreased childhood deaths from
measles by 74% (Shot@Life). This can relate to the recent issues at Disneyland. There was a
measles outbreak in Disneyland and 150 people were infected (NPR). This outbreak has given
people a deeper understanding of the possibilities that vaccines can give us. All of these facts
give us a new foundation and give us a clear understanding of the many lives that vaccines have
saved. Some people argue that there are harmful ingredients in the vaccinations, but these
ingredients are very safe in the amounts that are used. According to parent.com, thimerosal,
formaldehyde, and aluminum are all used in vaccines and can be harmful in large doses, but the
doses that are used in the vaccinations are very safe. In fact, Dr. Offit points out that young
children are exposed to more antigens -- bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other substances that can
stimulate disease-fighting antibodies -- in a single day of eating, playing, and breathing than they
are through immunizations (Parents). This is a truth that everyone can testify to and relate to.
There are so many germs and harmful substances that each day people are exposed to. Not only
are the vaccinations safer than everyday life, but they are tested for ten years or longer before
they are released to the public as safe. For example, The United States has the safest, most
effective vaccine supply in its history. Years of testing are required by law to ensure that vaccines
are safe before they are made available in the United States. This process can take 10 years or
longer. Once a vaccine is in use, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitor
any possible side effects reported through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

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(VAERS) and other vaccine safety systems (CDC3). This gives us a sort of assurance that the
vaccines have been tested and are safe. Not only does it assure us, but it gives us proof that it is
safe. All of these compelling results tell us that vaccines are safe and the ingredients used are
safe in the doses used. Not only are the ingredients in vaccines safe, but according to WebMD,
Serious side effects, like a severe allergic reaction, seizures, hearing loss, or severe pain, are
very rare -- so rare that experts aren't even sure they're linked to vaccines (WebMD). Because of
how rare these extreme reactions are could this side argue that vaccines are not dangerous at all
and that they can help you more than they can hurt you. Not only can they argue that they are not
dangerous, but the can prove the side against vaccinations to be wrong because of the scientific
proof and data that has been collected. Doctor Gupta says a strong argument that can prove
vaccines to be safe and effective, ...you are 100 times more likely to be struck by lightning than
to have a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine that protects you against measles is not a matter
of opinion (Gupta). He even adds at the end that it is no longer a matter of opinion. He pretty
much just slaps anyone in the face that is against vaccines for children. I still dont know if I am
convinced yet because there is a miniscule chance that there could be a reaction that can alter the
course of child's life. If Doctor Gupta stated that the chances of there being a reaction to the
vaccines is impossible, maybe the argument would be more convincing.
Although Guptas argument may not have been convincing, Ellen Clayton, maybe able to clear
up a few concerns that parents may have. Ellen Clayton, a pediatrician, said, The MMR vaccine
does not cause autism and she added that The MMR and the DTaP do not cause Type 1
diabetes. And the killed flu vaccine does not cause Bell's palsy, and it does not trigger episodes
of asthma (NPR2). Not only is this very convincing, but it also relieves some concerns of life
altering diseases. All of these arguments just lead to proof that adverse reactions to vaccines are

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extremely rare. Furthermore there is much evidence that leads to the conclusion of vaccines
saving children and their parents time and money. According to the Center of Disease Control
and Prevention, A child with a vaccine-preventable disease can be denied attendance at schools
or daycare facilities. Some vaccine-preventable diseases can result in prolonged disabilities and
can take a financial toll because of lost time at work, medical bills or long term disability care. In
contrast, getting vaccinated against these diseases is a good investment and usually covered by
insurance. The Vaccines for Children program is a federally funded program that provides
vaccines at no cost to children from low income families (CDC4). This is very convincing
truths that lead us to the fact that vaccinating your children will save you and your children time
and money. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention did a test or experiment, The study
examined the experience of 282 children under the age of 5 in 3 U.S. cities, and found that
parents had medical expenses ranging from under $300 to about $4,000 and missed between 11
and 73 hours of work, depending on whether their child was able to recover at home or was
hospitalized (CDC5). Having an unvaccinated child could get pretty pricy. For example, if your
child develops rotavirus they are and can be contagious for up to thirty days, which means that
you, the parent, might have to miss thirty days of work and miss thirty days of pay. You can
prevent all of this just by getting your children vaccinated. All of these compelling facts point to
a big savings of time and money. With many arguments that manifest the importance of vaccines,
there are also copious amounts of arguments that contradict these.
There are plenty of convincing arguments that lead us to an understanding of the dangers
of vaccines and the hazards of the government forcing them. About 30,000 cases of adverse
reactions to vaccines have been reported annually to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting
System (VAERS) since 1990, with 10-15% classified as serious, meaning associated with

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permanent disability, hospitalization, life-threatening illness, or death (VAERS). These facts are
a sad truth. The fact that 30,000 people have lifelong problems now due to the adverse reaction
to the vaccines is sad. Because of these reactions there were compensations made to make these
side effects justified. Between 1989 and July 1, 2014, 3,645 compensation awards have been
made by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) (amounting to over $2.7
billion in awards and $113.2 million to cover legal costs) and 9,786 claims have been dismissed
(amounting to $62.8 million paid to 4,925 dismissed claimants to cover legal costs) (USDHHS).
The idea of giving money to someone for taking away their normal life is wrong. I think that it is
sad that society thinks that it is okay to just compensate with money. I guess there is nothing else
really that can be done to make these mistakes and reactions reverse or justified. There is
research that shows that 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 (CDC2). This is not too convincing due to the fact that it says may be associated
with because there is not real proof, but it is a speculation. Something that is alarming to me and
should be alarming for you is that the Center for Disease Control and Protection has an entire
page dedicated to the many possible side effects of vaccinations. In this case it is important to
weigh the possible side effects with the positive benefits of being vaccinated. All of this
enthralling data and facts can show us that vaccines can cause serious or sometimes fatal side
effects. As we develop our thoughts about the serious and sometimes fatal reactions that can
occur from vaccines we must also look at the ingredients that these vaccines contain. Regarding
the harmful ingredients found in vaccines, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a
policy, Aluminum Toxicity in Infants and Children, that said too much Aluminum can cause

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neurological harm (AAP2). There were tests conducted that proved that there was neurological
brain impairment because of aluminum in the vaccines. With vaccines that contain raised levels
of aluminum there could be a big problem neurologically. In the same way some vaccines
contain formaldehyde. According to Vaxtruth.org, Formaldehyde is toxic and is known to cause
cancer (VaxTruth). The toxicity of a chemical should be an indicator that we should not want to
be putting these things in our bodies. Glutaraldehyde, used to sterilize medical and dental
equipment, is also used in vaccines to preserve the vaccine. There have been several studies
done on Glutaraldehyde and it has been found that exposure to it can cause: Asthma, Allergic
reactions (up to 10% of up people can be allergic to Glutaraldehyde.), Induced respiratory issues,
diarrhea (VaxTruth).According to VaxTruth.org glutaraldhyde is used in some of the DTaP
vaccines. These types vaccines are very prevalent and are admitted to many people. There are
many different harmful chemicals that I can find that are used in the making of vaccines. Another
chemical is Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTMB) which is ...used for many things,
including acting as a buffer solution for extracting DNA. According to its Safety Data Sheet we
find out several things: CTMB is labeled as Hazardous, It is a skin irritant, It is a serious eye
irritant, It is hazardous if inhaled, It is harmful if swallowed, It may cause respiratory irritation, It
is dangerous to the environment, It is very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects, and It is
flammable (VaxTruth). Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTMB) is found in some flu
vaccines. As a result of all the chemicals that are found in these vaccines I begin to question the
safety of vaccines. There are so many harmful chemicals and ingredients in vaccines. In addition
to the harmful ingredients, it is just downright unconstitutional for the government to intervene
in our personal medical choices. The choice to vaccinate should be left up to the parents or
guardians of the children. The government might need to take a step back and stop worrying

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about the health of the citizens. The co-founder of the National Vaccine Information Center,
Barbara Loe Fisher said, "If the State can tag, track down and force citizens against their will to
be injected with biological products of known and unknown toxicity today, there will be no limit
on which individual freedoms the State can take away in the name of the greater good tomorrow"
(NIVC). This is a very valid statement. Once we give the United States government the ability to
chase us and inject us with vaccines there is almost nothing that can stop them from taking away
more freedom. Ron Paul, the former United States Representative, said, "intimately personal
medical decisions should not be made by government Freedom over ones physical person is
the most basic freedom of all, and people in a free society should be sovereign over their own
bodies. When we give government the power to make medical decisions for us, we in essence
accept that the state owns our bodies" (Paul). He believes our freedom to our own physical
bodies is the most basic freedom. I think this could be very true. Our bodies are personal and our
business. The government should not be able to tell us what goes in the body. This could be the
next step of the government gaining more power into our everyday personal lives. All of these
facts prove that the government should not intervene in the daily lives of citizens by forcing
vaccinations upon them. Now that we have looked at the many arguments for and against
vaccines, we will now take a stance on the controversial issue. There used to be the ability to
exempt your children from vaccinations due to religious reason, but that is not longer allowed
due to the new law recently passed. How can this new law do this when the First Amendment of
the US Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" (FirstAmendment). The government just went right over
the constitution and made a law without seeking approval from the constitution. Mary Baker
Eddy made a bold statement and said that the "calm, Christian state of mind is a better

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preventative of contagion than a drug, or than any other possible sanative method the perfect
Love that casteth out fear is a sure defense" (Vidula). This goes right along with the freedom of
religion. We should be able to believe what we want and the government should not be able to
control what is done to us. The Church of Illumination is scared of how vaccinations may affect
their afterlife and states that "the teachings of the Church unequivocally affirm that injections of
vaccines and inoculations are a violation of these biblical teachings Immunizations and
vaccinations are a form of blood pollution because they have devastating effects on the
regeneration of the soul that each Church member seeks to attain (Crucis). The Universal
Family Church takes a different approach and believes that "God intends the health decisions of
individuals should be honored by all authorities" (Universal). These facts prove that forced
vaccines are unconstitutional and infringe upon protected religious freedoms.
After taking a large step back and gathering data for both sides of the argument it is
important to dive deep into the each side of the argument and decide which one you will side
with. Lets reflect on the arguments that were affirmative of the vaccines. In the paper I
discussed how vaccines can save children's lives, the ingredients in vaccines are safe in the
amounts used, adverse reactions to vaccines are extremely rare, and vaccines safe children and
parents time and money. There were many different convincing arguments and proof that went
along with each part. Now lets reflect on the arguments that were against vaccinations. I talk
about how vaccines can cause serious and sometimes fatal side effects, vaccines contain harmful
ingredients, the government should not intervene in medical choices, and mandatory vaccines
infringe on religious freedoms. To me I believe that the most convincing side to this argument is
the side that believes vaccines are safe and a great thing for society.

Works Cited

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CDC, "School Vaccination Requirements, Exemptions and Web Links," www.cdc.gov, October
30, 2015 (CDC)
Bahar Gholipour, "Vaccination Has Saved 732,000 Children's Lives Since 1994, Says Report,"
www.huffingtonpost.com, Apr. 25, 2014 (Huffington)
James G. Hodge, Jr. and Lawrence O. Gostin, "School Vaccination Requirements: Historical,
Social, and Legal Perspectives as of February 15, 2002: A State of the Art Assessment of
Law and Policy," www.publichealthlaw.net, Feb. 15, 2002. (PublicHealth)
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, "About the VAERS Program," www.vaers.hhs.gov
(accessed Aug. 4, 2014) (VAERS)
US Department of Health and Human Services, "National Vaccine Injury Compensation
Program, www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/index.html (accessed Aug. 4, 2014)
(USDHHS)
American Academy of Pediatrics, "Vaccine Safety: The Facts," www.aap.org, 2008 (AAP)
Shot@Life, "The Solution: Vaccines," www.shotatlife.org (accessed June 4, 2014) (Shot@Life)
"California Lawmakers Vote To Remove Vaccine Exemptions For Schoolchildren." NPR. NPR,
25 June 2015. Web. 5 Nov. 2015. (NPR)
"Pass on Vaccinating Your Kids? Not in California." CNBC. 26 June 2015. Web. 5 Nov. 2015.
(CNBC)
CDC, "Possible Side-Effects from Vaccines," www.cdc.gov, Feb. 4, 2014 (CDC2)
Kelley King Heyworth, "Vaccines: The Reality behind the Debate," www.parents.com (Parents)
CDC, "Frequently Asked Questions about Vaccine Safety," www.cdc.gov, Feb. 27, 2014 (CDC3)
Kathleen Dohenny, "Expert Q&A: Childhood Vaccine Safety," www.webmd.com (WebMD)
Sanjay Gupta, "Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Vaccines Are a Matter of Fact," www.edition.cnn.com (Gupta)

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Nancy Shute, "Report: Vaccines Are Safe, Hazards Few and Far Between," www.npr.org (NPR2)
Aluminum Toxicity in Infants and Children, Committee on Nutrition, American Academy of
Pediatrics, Pediatrics Volume 97, Number 3 March, 1996, pp. 413-416. (AAP2)
VaxTruth, "Vaccine Ingredients A Comprehensive Guide," www.vaxtruth.org (VaxTruth)
National Vaccine Information Center, "Barbara Speaks Out!," www.nvic.org (NVIC)
Ron Paul, "Government VaccinesBad Policy, Bad Medicine," www.vaccinationcouncil.org
(Paul)
CDC, "Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child," www.cdc.gov (CDC4)
CDC, "CDC Study: Treating Children's Flu Illness Costly," www.cdc.gov (CDC5)
Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute, "First Amendment,"
www.law.cornell.edu (FirstAmendment)
Mahesh Vidula, "Individual Rights vs. Public Health: The Vaccination Debate," www.mit.edu
(Vidula)
Fraternitas Rosae Crucis, "The Church of Illumination: Tenet on Vaccination and Immunization,"
www.soul.org (Crucis)
Universal Family Church, "FAQ," www.universalfamilychurch.org (Universal)