...even though rigorous studies do not support this hypothesis. Legislators are right to take into account the concerns of parent groups and other individuals who are directly affected by autism, but policy decisions should be based on hard evidence rather than unproven ideas. The hypothesis is based on the observation that the number of autism cases increased in the years of the 1980s, coinciding with a push for greater childhood vaccinations, which increased above recommended levels of a child’s exposure to mercury in the vaccine preservative, called thimerosal. The autism diagnosis continued to rise even after thimerosal was removed from the United States childhood vaccines in the year of 2001. A review by the Institute of Medicine, of over 200 studies concluded that there were no links between vaccines containing thimerosal and autism. Autism is no more common among vaccinated children than those children who are unvaccinated, and its incidence has not varied with the presence of thimerosal in vaccines across different times and locations. These findings have not persuaded supporters of the mercury autism link, whose strategies have become more extreme as the evidence against the hypothesis have mounted. Mercury is a known neurotoxin, so even without believing that it causes autism, one might argue for removing thimerosal entirely from vaccines all together. Although, this option is not risk free. Without a reliable preservative within the vaccine, they would need to be...
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...Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Michael L Eisenmenger Western Governors University Vaccines, Do They Cause Autism in Children? Vaccinations have been used for centuries to prevent the spread of some of the most dangerous diseases in humans. In 1998, a research study from Dr. Andrew Wakefield was published in the journal Lancet, suggesting common vaccinations were the cause of autism in children (Brink. 2013). That study has since been retracted by the Lancet and Dr. Wakefield has had his medical license revoked. However, the rates of vaccinations have declined because of the study and new outbreaks of diseases once considered eradicated are killing children. Research has shown that vaccines are not a cause of autism in children because the preservatives suspected of causing autism have been removed from them, research studies have shown no link between the two, the original research has been proven false, and the diagnosis of autism has changed. Ever since the debate of vaccines being a cause of autism has started, the ingredient thimersol has been one of the focus’ of study. Thimersol is a preservative that was used in vaccines until 2001. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated, “In 2001, thimersol was removed or reduced to trace amounts in all childhood vaccinations except one type of influenza vaccine, and thimersol-free alternatives are available for influenza vaccines.” (CDC, 2014) Thimersol contains the type of mercury...
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...The Devastating Effects of the Measles Vaccine Thesis: The MMR vaccine is harmful to one’s health because it can cause sickness, degenerative diseases, and even death. Introduction The Measles vaccine is one of the many vaccinations children receive to supposedly keep them safe from the disease. While the effectiveness of this vaccination in combating the wild measles virus is debatable, the unintended consequences of the vaccines side effects have become increasingly alarming and may warrant the removal of this vaccine from the general populous. From the very beginning of the vaccines release studies have been linking numerous disorders that only occur after the vaccine has been given. One such example of this is a study published in 1973 shows that the measles virus vaccine can cause encephalitis, encephalopathy, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis generally occurring within six to 15 days after being vaccinated with the measles vaccine. It was estimated in this report that the encephalitis risk after having being vaccinated is one case per 1000 patients. (Landrigan, & Witte, 1973). In 1995 a group studied the causality between the measles vaccine and inflammatory bowel disease. They compared 3,045 people vaccinated in 1964 against 11,470 people who did not receive the vaccine. The results of the study were astounding. The group found that people who were vaccinated were three times more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease, three times more likely to...
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...the fist vaccines up until now, thousands of lives have been saved. Contagious diseases speared so rapidly and the effects can be devastating and sometimes irreversible. Infectious diseases spread quickly in communities; in the past some of these diseases effected large...
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...In 2011, there were 19,454 reported cases of vaccine preventable diseases in the United States alone (Rouch 2011). Most of these cases could have been prevented simply by getting a vaccination for certain diseases. There has been much discussion in recent years over whether or not parents should have their children vaccinated. Parents hear a great deal of information in the medi about the effectiveness and side effects of vaccinations. After hearing all sorts of negative things about vaccinations, it is easy to see why parents would be reluctant to have their children injected with all sorts of chemicals. In the end, the reason that children are not required to be vaccinated is that it is illegal to force someone to be vaccinated, but is it right to send unvaccinated children to school with other children? The fact of the matter, is that immunizations do their job and all children who attend public schools should be vaccinated and protected from preventable diseases. Some people assume that because certain diseases like Polio have been eradicated from the United States it is now unnecessary to be required to receive the vaccination. This assumption could not be any farther from the truth. Polio is still a huge problem in other regions across the globe (WHO 2007). If it were re-introduced into disease free places, the results could be devastating for those unprotected from such viruses. In 2008, an unvaccinated 7 year old contracted measles while he and his family were traveling...
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...Student’s name Teacher’s name Course name Date The impact of immunization on the development of autism In recent years, a worldwide concern over immunization and its schedule has increased dramatically. The vaccine-autism hypothesis belongs to the most extensively debated theories related to the origins of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Critics of dangerous ingredients contained in vaccines designate that such preservatives may contribute to, or cause, a range of cognitive disorders in children. When administered at early age, immunization may seriously affect neurological and not completely developed immune systems. In contrast, both biological and epidemiological studies tend to contradict the vaccine-autism theory. Given this fact, it is of vital importance to thoroughly examine both sides of the coin and come to a reasonable conclusion. PECULIARITIES OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER Autism, or, more broadly, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), includes a number of complex cognitive and communicational disorders. According to Richard Lathe, the molecular biologist, autism is difficult to define (20). However, there exists a range of distinctive peculiarities, by which one can recognize ASD. Repetitive patterns of behavior, a withdrawal from social relatedness and interaction, and specific movement patterns characterize autism. The symptoms occur from early childhood, usually at age of 2-3 years, and affect daily functioning (Lathe 32). The diagnosis of ASD incorporates the evaluation...
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...In the article reviewed the aim was to examine which of the three vaccines is the most appropriate against acute bacterial meningitis. The three vaccines are: Hemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Streptococcus pneumonia (S. pneumoniae) and Neisseria meningitides (N. meningitidis). The study under review took place in Turkey from 2005-2012. Acute bacterial meningitis is one of the most severe infectious diseases, which causes physical and neurological problems and even mortality [1, 2]. This disease occurs most often among infants and young children but also may be observed in older children. The percentage of mortality from bacterial meningitis is 2-30%, which is relatively high [3, 4]. 10-20% of survivors suffer from epilepsy, mental retardation, or sensorineural deafness...
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...Testing Anthrax Vaccine on Children Ethical? On May 10, 2012 the Presidential Commission of the Study of Bioethical Issues started their deliberations regarding a very important matter: Testing vaccinations and treatments on children. The ethical question is whether or not to begin pediatric studies to determine the effectiveness of Anthrax vaccines and other treatments to be used in the event of a bio terror attack. Upon reading an article in the Washington Post the debate was made clear to me as a reader and me as a parent. The largest debated issue related to the testing of vaccines on children is the overall safety of the children. It has been set forth by the government that studies only be considered in cases where the child will directly benefit from studies or if there are not enough results from adult testing and only if the affects are minimal for the pediatric participant (Associated Press, 2012). There are a great many tools to fight against some of the threats that worry defense experts but none of these outline the proper use on a child. Will these treatments in fact work for children as efficiently as they will work in adults? The National Bio defense Safety Board (which offers advice to the government) suggests that testing of the anthrax vaccine be done only if ethical experts deemed the testing to be appropriate. While this vaccine will not aid in a current need or requirement it will provide the answers to questions regarding the safety of children and the necessary...
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...Immunisation is the process of protecting the body against disease by means of vaccines or serums which contain antibodies. Antibodies defend the body in several ways, one of which removes the bodies body’s natural resistantresistance. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine) is an attenuated live virus, which helps the body produce antibodies and build immunity against the virus in case it comes into contract with it again. Since the introduction of the MMR vaccine there have been reported links that this vaccine causes autism and neurodevelopment disorders and affects the nervous system. It has been highlighted in the media that there is a possible connection between the MMR vaccinating vaccination and the formation if autism...
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...to the doctor and get immunizations or vaccines. People get vaccines to protect themselves from harmful diseases like polio, smallpox, and the measles. Now parents are starting not to vaccinate their children because they fear the vaccines. When vaccines were first introduced people went to get them right away because they knew the terrible results those diseases can bring. Now those diseases are gone, and parents do not know what they can do to a child. Although some may argue that vaccinating babies and young children is a bad idea, it is actually good because it protects others, prevents outbreaks, and they are not harmful to most children. Vaccines have been around for a while. The word vaccine...
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...scientists in Italy and India. There is no malaria vaccine that has been proven to be effective and researchers all over the world are working to find a vaccine that will eventually eliminate malaria. Despite the obstacles, they are optimistic that a vaccine is in reach. Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium and it is transmitted by certain types of mosquitos. Once bitten, the parasite targets liver cells and then proceeds to target red blood cells (RBCs). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), “Because the malaria parasite is found in RBCs, malaria can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, organ transplant, or the shared use of needles or syringes contaminated with blood. Malaria also may be transmitted from a mother to her fetus before or during delivery” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 12). Malaria is very uncommon in the United States; however, it is still widespread in tropical and subtropical countries. It is mainly a problem in Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Indo-Pacific regions. According to Dr. Ananya Mandal: In 2010, according to the World Health Organization, there were 216 million episodes of malaria and 655,000 deaths worldwide. Of these deaths around 91% were seen in the African Region, followed by the South-East Asian Region (6%), Brown 2 and the Eastern Mediterranean Region (3%). About 86% of deaths globally were in children. The healthcare system in these regions is familiar...
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...process where a person is injected with a substance to make them immune to a disease. Diseases that can make you sick, disabled or even kill you. Most vaccines contain the disease that it is trying to protect you from by building up your immune system to help you fight it if you ever come across the real thing. Many parents of an autistic child blame the condition on vaccines being the direct and only cause. Often, many of those parents have no real concrete evidence to support their claim. Those parents usually are just reading blogs of parents who are facing the same issue. Over the past decade many parents face the hard decision on whether they want to vaccine their child or not. Jenny McCarthy said, “If you ask...
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...and the MMR vaccine appears in all the articles. Dr. Andrew Wakefield appears to be the driving force behind the concept. In the articles, suggestions by Dr. Andrew Wakefield that there might be an association between autism and MMR vaccine are recurring. Wakefield’s ideas have also been labeled as fraud with intent to commit deliberate fraud. Wakefield’s studies have also been withdrawn and we can see further that he is later denied the right to practice medicine in England. This is evident in the various articles. In the article by Michael Wilrich (2011), “how the pox incident changed vaccination rules,” we see that Dr. Wakefield’s report in the medical journal, The lancet, which suggested on the possibility between the MMR and vaccination, was discredited and debunked. According to Wilrich, (2009), “The Lancet withdrew the study in 2010. Later in 2011, the study was labeled a deliberate fraud (Wilrich, 2011). In the article, anatomy of scare, Begley, (2009), Dr. Wakefield is still adamant about the relationship between the vaccine and autism. Suggesting that the vaccine damaged the intestines allowing harmful proteins to leak into the blood system where they caused neurons damage. Wakefield was adamant, “it is a resolved.” In the articles much is talked about on the relationship between vaccine and autism but it has not been scientifically proven to substantiate the claims. Parents are weary of the threat posed by use of the vaccine and are afraid of the vaccine. In anatomy...
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...18-24 months. By this time most vaccines required for young children have taken place, one of the main reasons parents think vaccines cause autism. Developmental specialist usually pick up on the signs at younger ages, before the parents begin to notice anything out of the ordinary. There are measurable differences in the brain function and structure of children with and without autism. “Starting in the first six months of life, many autistic...
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...agendas that brushed aside a generation of children. Notwithstanding all the evidence, one in four Americans still believes that vaccines cause autism (Gross, 2009). Because of this lack of trust in vaccinations, the US saw the largest outbreak of measles in 2008, a disease that was declared eliminated in 2000, due to decreased rates of vaccinations (Ratzan, 2010). Mumps and whooping cough also made a comeback. By 2007, over 5,000 parents of children with autism had sued for compensation. One case in November of 2007 solidified beliefs that vaccines cause autism. The Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged that vaccines had aggravated a preexisting disorder in a baby girl, which caused “regressive encephalopathy with features of...
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