Pro-Vaccination: The Case for Childhood Immunization

Introduction

In recent decades, the number of recommended vaccinations has increased markedly as more vaccines have been developed in an effort to combat various diseases. Accompanying this increase has been growing parental concern regarding the relevance and safety of these vaccines. In addition to parents, various anti-vaccine proponents have presented numerous and diverse arguments against immunization. It should be noted, however, that these concerns and arguments have been consistently countered by medical professionals who maintain that the relevance of vaccines cannot be overstated when it comes to averting vaccine-preventable diseases. This paper revisits that debate in an attempt to highlight not only the need for vaccines, but also their significance and value.

Vaccines Prevent Disease and Save Lives

Developments in medicine and medical science have made it possible to prevent serious illnesses through the administration of appropriate vaccines. It is for this reason that Guidolin and Meglei (104) describe vaccines as among "the greatest medical advances in history." Vaccine-preventable diseases today include, but are not limited to, whooping cough, mumps, and measles. These diseases still pose a significant threat, and deaths continue to be reported from them every year. Any child who has not been vaccinated against these diseases remains at risk of infection.

Over the years, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in the United States. However, some of these diseases remain common in other parts of the world. International travelers could easily bring such diseases back to the U.S. As Guidolin and Meglei (107) point out, vaccines are essential for curtailing the spread of infectious diseases that could potentially jeopardize the health and wellbeing of entire populations. There is therefore a clear need to vaccinate all children against vaccine-preventable diseases in order to avoid infection. According to Whitney, Zhou, Singleton, and Schuchat (356), it is estimated that "among children born during 1994–2013, vaccination will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations, and 732,000 deaths over the course of their lifetimes."

Economic Benefits of Vaccination

Vaccines also save a great deal of money and time for both parents and the broader public sector. When compared to the cost of treating a vaccine-preventable infectious disease, the cost of vaccines is considerably lower. Parents are also likely to spend significant time tending to a child suffering from a preventable illness. As Whitney, Zhou, Singleton, and Schuchat (357) point out, vaccination of children born during 1994–2013 is projected to result in "a net saving of $295 billion in direct costs and $1.38 trillion in total societal costs" over their lifetimes.

A concrete example illustrates these costs. Sugerman, Barskey, Delea, and Ortega-Sanchez (749) document that in 2008, a seven-year-old boy who had intentionally not been vaccinated against measles caused a serious outbreak of the disease in San Diego, California, after returning from Switzerland. As a consequence, eleven children who had not yet been vaccinated against measles contracted the disease. This incident resulted in "a net public-sector cost of $10,376 per case" (Sugerman, Barskey, Delea, and Ortega-Sanchez 750). One could therefore argue that vaccines generate immense economic benefits for society as a whole — particularly when factors such as early death and disability, and their relationship to lost productivity, are taken into account.

Conclusion

It is clear from the discussion above that the relevance of vaccinations cannot be overstated. In addition to being effective, vaccines are safe. Thanks to vaccines, the United States has seen a drastic decline in the incidence of a wide range of infectious diseases, including whooping cough, mumps, and measles. There is a clear need to ensure that parents are educated about the importance of vaccines, and the safety of vaccines must be continually emphasized. This is especially important given that vaccines are subjected to rigorous review by the federal government, physicians, and scientists in order to further enhance their safety. When large numbers of parents fail to ensure that their children are vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases, outbreaks of such diseases become significantly more likely.

Works Cited

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Guidolin, Keegan, and Gaby Meglei. "The Role of Vaccination in Global Health." UWOMJ 83.2 (2014): 17–19.

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Sugerman, David, et al. "Measles Outbreak in a Highly Vaccinated Population, San Diego, 2008: Role of the Intentionally Undervaccinated." Pediatrics 125.4: 747–55.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration – FDA. Common Ingredients in U.S. Licensed Vaccines. March 2018. Web. 12 Dec. 2018.

Whitney, Cynthia, et al. "Benefits from Immunization During the Vaccines for Children Program Era — United States, 1994–2013." Weekly 63.16 (2014): 352–355.