“Vaccines are the most cost-effective healthcare interventions there are. A dollar spent on a childhood vaccination not only helps save a life but greatly reduces spending on healthcare.”

– Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel

As I’ve alluded to several times throughout this blog, living a Holistic lifestyle has not only become a regime for me but a requirement. The reason why is because there are a lot of things I find extremely problematic about Western society, especially when it comes to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s already been proven that capitalism is the vehicle that drives the country, so providing whole foods that won’t harm the population has now become an anomaly; if we’re healthy someone doesn’t get paid. But an aspect of healthcare that I feel doesn’t get enough attention until once a year are vaccines.

Do we need them? Are they safe? Let’s talk about it.

According to Vaccines.gov, vaccines keep us healthy and protect us from serious, sometimes deadly, diseases like Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB) and the measles. Every licensed and recommended vaccine goes through years of safety testing, which include evaluating the vaccine before it’s licensed by the Food and Drug Administration or recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and by monitoring the vaccine’s safety after being recommended to infants, children, and adults. The vaccine is made from very small amounts of weak or dead germs that may cause diseases, the vaccination is the actual act of getting the vaccine (usually a shot), and immunization is the process of becoming immune or protected against future diseases. In regards to the ingredients, they serve a specific purpose: Antigens and Adjuvants provide immunity, Preservatives (Thimerosal) and Stabilizers (Sugar or Gelatin) keep the vaccines safe and long lasting, and Cell Culture (Growth) Materials, Inactivating (Germ-killing) Ingredients, and Antibiotics are used during the production of the vaccine.

This all sounds good, but the issue for me comes in when getting the vaccine is no longer an option. ProCon.org stated that there aren’t any US Federal Laws that mandate vaccination, but all 50 states are requiring that children get certain vaccines before entering public schools. Proponents have argued that vaccines allegedly prevent illnesses such as Rubella, Diphtheria, Smallpox, Polio, and Whooping Cough. But opponents say that vaccines may cause side effects like Seizures, Paralysis, Autism, ADHD, Diabetes, or even death. Some of the in-depth pros and cons that were advised are as follows:

PROs

• Vaccines can save children’s lives: The American Academy of Pediatrics states most childhood vaccines are 90% – 99% effective in preventing diseases.
• The ingredients in the vaccines are safe in the amount used.
• Major medical organizations say that vaccines are safe: CDC, FDA, Institute of Medicine (IOM), American Medical Association (AMA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and etc.
• Adverse reactions to vaccines are extremely rare.
• Vaccines protect the herd: Herd immunity means community immunity.
• Vaccines save children and their parents time and money: Vaccines cost less in time and money to obtain than infectious diseases cost in time off of work to care for a sick child, potential long-term disability care, and medical costs.
• Vaccines protect future generations.
• Vaccines eradicated Smallpox and have nearly eradicated other diseases such as Polio.
• Vaccine-preventable diseases have not disappeared so vaccination is still necessary.
• Vaccines provide economic benefits for society.

CONs

• Vaccines can cause serious and sometimes fatal side effects.
• Vaccines contain harmful ingredients: Physicians believe that thimerosal, a mercury compound, is linked to autism.
• The government should not intervene in personal medical choices: Medical decisions for children should be left to parents and caregivers.
• Mandatory vaccines infringe upon constitutionally protected religious freedoms.
• Vaccines contain ingredients some people consider immoral or otherwise objectionable.
• Vaccines are unnatural, and natural immunity is more effective than vaccination.
• The pharmaceutical companies, FDA, and CDC should not be trusted to make and regulate safe vaccines.
• Diseases that vaccines target have essentially disappeared: There’s no reason to vaccinate against diseases that no longer occur in the United States.
• Most diseases that vaccines target are relatively harmless in many cases, thus making vaccines unnecessary.

Dr. Llaila Afrika advised that if vaccines were so healthy we could put it on a spoon and eat it, and I’m inclined to agree with him. Yes, there may be some benefits like preventing or slowing down serious diseases. But based off of my own personal experiences, I don’t trust them; the same way I don’t trust Western medicine, science, or food. We live in a genetically modified society that’s sustained off of the money from sick people, and the fact that many of us no longer have a choice in getting vaccinated—whether it be in the public school system or places of employment—raises so many red flags.

If you’re knowledgeable on this topic, feel free to share your thoughts below.

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children? (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2018, from https://vaccines.procon.org

Vaccine Basics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2018, from https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/index.html