5 Things to Know About the Vaccine Debate
With the recent measles outbreak in the United States, Americans are once again debating whether or not children should be vaccinated to stop the spread illness and disease. Below, in no particular order, are some things that you should know about the vaccine debate, including official positions of medical groups, surveys on vaccination opinion, and more.
1. Major medical groups support vaccinations for children
Major medical organizations in the United States support vaccinations in general and especially their use in protecting children from various diseases.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly supports the use of vaccines, and outlines the major misconceptions about vaccinations on its website.
The CDC notes that "a child is far more likely to be seriously injured by" various diseases than any of the vaccines they receive.
"While any serious injury or death caused by vaccines is too many, it is also clear that the benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the slight risk, and that many, many more injuries and deaths would occur without vaccinations," reads the Introduction to the CDC page.
"In fact, to have a medical intervention as effective as vaccination in preventing disease and not use it would be unconscionable."
The major medical website WebMD has also noted the benevolence of vaccinations. Regarding the measles vaccine, Robert Preidt reported earlier this month that the vaccine in question was vindicated by a 12-year study.
"In total, the researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center in California looked at almost 125,000 MMRV doses and nearly 600,000 MMR + V doses," wrote Preidt. "The vaccines didn't increase children's risk of seven types of neurological, blood or immune system disorders. No other safety concerns were identified with either vaccine, according to the researchers."
2. The political divide is complicated
The debate over vaccinating children continues to have a political dimension.
Josh Feldman of Mediate noted that while both the Democratic and Republican parties had clear majorities supporting mandatory vaccinations, there was a shift in the trend.
"Clear majorities of Democrats and Republicans support mandatory vaccines, but the numbers have shifted. Back in 2009, 71 percent of Democrats and 71 percent of Republicans saw eye-to-eye on this," reported Feldman.
"Today, 76 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of Republicans agree. And if you're curious about independents, only 65 of them believe in mandatory vaccines too."
Journalist Seth Mnookin, author of a book about a vaccine scare years back that was based on a debunked 1998 study, concluded that affluent liberals tended to be anti-vaccine.
"I think it taps into the organic natural movement in a lot of ways. … It's those communities with the Prius driving, composting, organic food-eating people," Mnookin told ScienceInsider.
"I talked to a public health official and asked him what's the best way to anticipate where there might be higher than normal rates of vaccine noncompliance, and he said take a map and put a pin wherever there's a Whole Foods."
Recently Republican presidential candidate hopeful Sen. Rand Paul gained mass attention after he purportedly endorsed the anti-vaccine movement due to concerns over possible linkage to illnesses.
An ophthalmologist, Paul issued a statement Tuesday backtracking his comments and explained that he has his children immunized.
"He adds that he believes vaccines have saved lives and should be administered to children," reported The Associated Press.
"He also tweeted a photograph of himself receiving a booster vaccination Tuesday for the immunizations he received last year."
3. There's no confirmed autism – vaccine link
The anti-vaccine movement has claimed at various times that there's a link to child vaccination and autism.
This fear was enhanced when a study published in 1998 by Andrew Wakefield noted a link between vaccines and autism.
In 2008, then presidential candidate Barack Obama implied that the link might be valid, according to a speech he made in Pennsylvania.
"There are some people who are suspicious that it's connected to vaccines and triggers, but — this person included," said Obama. "The science right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it."
By 2011, however, the Wakefield study had lost much of its support, with many concluding that it was fraudulent, as noted by Daniel J. DeNoon of WebMD Health News.
"The man behind the 1998 study, Andrew Wakefield, continues to defend it. But 10 of his co-authors have repudiated it. Last year it was formally retracted by The Lancet," reported DeNoon.
"And after a months-long hearing, Wakefield and his senior research advisor had their medical licenses revoked for unethical treatment of patients."
4. Few religious groups hold objections
In addition to those who may quote anti-vaccine literature like the Wakefield study, there are those who hold more religious objections to vaccinations.
Religious sects like the First Church of Christ, Scientist and smaller faith-healing centric Protestant churches object on religious grounds to having vaccinations for themselves or their children.
Dr. Vincent Iannelli, a pediatrics expert, wrote an article for pediatrics.about.com arguing that oftentimes epidemics of diseases for which vaccines exist occur in small religious communities.
"For many of these people, even though they are clustered in a church or religious group, it is simply a fear over vaccine safety that drives them to avoid vaccines and not any real religious doctrine," wrote Iannelli.
"So instead of a true religious exemption, these become more of a personal belief exemption. The main problem is that these groups of unvaccinated people become clustered together at church and other activities, helping to fuel large outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases."
Iannelli added that while "many of the large outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are occurring among religious groups" fact is "few religions actually oppose vaccines."
"Instead, most actively encourage their members to get vaccinated and prevent the harm from vaccine-preventable diseases," concluded Iannelli.
Furthermore, outspoken atheist Bill Maher has, on multiple occasions, declared his opposition to having people vaccinated.
5. There are divides in opinion along scientific and generational lines
Support for vaccination can be found to have varying levels depending on one's generation or extent of professional scientific background.
A survey by Pew Research Center published late last month found that members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science were more likely than the general population to believe that childhood vaccinations should be required.
In a sample space including U.S. adults taken in August 2014 and of AAAS members taken September to October 2014, 86 percent of AAAS scientists supported mandatory vaccinations including for measles versus 68 percent of U.S. adults in general.
"Opinion about childhood vaccines among both the public and scientists is about the same as in 2009. Scientists are a bit more likely to say that vaccines should be required (up from 82 percent to 86 percent today)," noted Pew.
"Thus, the divide between public and scientists' views has ticked up from 13 to 18 percentage points today."
There is also somewhat of a generation gap, with Washington Post reporter Mark Berman writing that younger adults were more likely to believe that vaccinations should be a choice.
"It turns out that people between the ages of 18 and 29 are more likely than the American public to think parents should get to decide what to do with vaccinations," wrote Berman.
"Four out of 10 Americans in this age group feel that way (41 percent), compared to three out of 10 Americans nationally (30 percent)."
