Vaccinations – A New Controversy for an Age Old Cure

As a student in the field of Immunology and Infectious Disease, I have taken a keen interest in medicine, and vaccinations in particular. Viruses are very intriguing organisms; they contain no living cells, are too small to be seen even with the most powerful light microscopes, yet they have the genetic makeup to invade a host, essentially hijacking its living cells.

Vaccines are a mixture of proteins, cellular elements, and most importantly, a dead or severely impaired version of a dangerous virus. This mixture is delivered to us, the general population, in the form of an intravenous fluid, or even a nasal spray. The dead viral particles are then taken up by the body’s immune system, and that specific viral strain is remembered by your body. Should you ever encounter a similar pathogen again, your body will already have the blueprints to know how to defend itself properly. There can also be a lot of variation when it comes to viruses, even among the same strain. This is why there are new vaccines every year (sometimes even more frequently) for the flu, as well as other viral strains (HPV, H1N1).

Vaccinations are a hot topic in the medical field right now. Many people are under the impression that by getting vaccinated, you are going to increase your chances of catching the contagion. It’s a general mindset of “Why should I get the vaccination if its just going to give me the flu anyway?” As a student in the field, I  believe that every person should get vaccinated each year. These are mixtures created in a laboratory by the world’s top doctors and researchers, whose sole purpose is to prevent the spread of viral infection. There is a chance you may feel a bit under the weather following a vaccination – this is simply your body’s way of letting you know that it is working. The Boston Globe posted a short article online about the concerns that many patients share in the doctor’s office prior to receiving their vaccinations. In my opinion, I would much rather prefer 2-3 days of grogginess (if this happens at all) than 2 weeks of being bedridden with the newest strain of the flu.

The new vaccines each year are risky in some sense. There are teams of virologists that gather data at the start of each flu season and attempt to predict what the next strain will look like. Usually, this is a successful venture, but there are times when a new vaccine may only be 50% effective. As more information is discovered about a new strain, then updated vaccines can replace the old formulas. It is a continuous learning process that has gone on for many years. It’s also worth noting that even if an unexpected strain gets out, if I’ve had my 50%-efficient vaccine, I am still twice as likely to remain healthy compared to those who have not gotten the shot or spray.

On the other side of the argument, there have been brief studies conducted, such as that in Natural Life Magazine that have collected data in an attempt to prove that live-strain vaccines increase the risk of other illnesses, particularly in children. They found that the children in the study who received the whooping cough vaccination were more likely to develop asthma than the children who did not. Something that many people fail to understand about this (especially compared to flu vaccines) is that this was a live vaccine. This means that the viruses were not killed before being put into the vaccine, they were simply injured or “paralyzed” in a sense by heat treatment. These live vaccines have different side effects than those prepared from dead viral strains; they are often more likely to affect your immediate health.

Another topic worthy of discussion is the widespread fear that vaccinations cause autism. This myth bothers me deeply, as it is simply not true. The Huffington Post posted an online article about why many parents still fear vaccinations for this reason. Originally this claim was made by Andrew Wakefield in 1998 in a paper titled “The Lancet”. The data of the experiment was altered to his benefit in order to prove his hypothesis was correct. In reality, however, there are no links between autism and vaccinations. Scientists have tried to find connections between the two for years with no such luck. Parents should not be afraid to get their children vaccinated. It is encouraged. It is in their best interest. It is the smart thing to do.

Overall, there are pros and cons when it comes to vaccinations. However, as a student of the field, it is extremely clear to me that the pros far outweigh the cons. Every single man, woman, and child should be vaccinated for various pathogens throughout their lifetime. These are regulated and mass produced to be used by citizens such as yourselves. Unless you honestly believe that our government would approve, time and time again, of vaccines that will harm al healthy, and free of those nasty little bugs that creep up on us the instant that the weather gets cooler.