Question

History Bookmarks People Tab Window Help ity X Mail-baronna.simfeya - Outlo X Week 2 Assignment: Making To X + structure.com/courses/65727/assignments/2072662?module_item_id=8737720 Maps Instructions For this assignment, you will compare/contrast a controversial topic in lifespan development - the immunization controversy in the medical profession. Be certain that your answers are cogent, well-formed, and supported by outside research rather than based on personal opinion. Write about the immunization controversy in the medical profession. Be sure to address why people delay immunizations and why some refuse all immunizations for their children. As a medical professional, how might you educate these caregivers about their child's health and development concerning this issue? What is your role in this process/situation? How can you best respect the caregiver's wishes and provide the best healthcare in this situation? Writing Requirements (APA format) Length: 1.5-2 pages (not including title page or references page) • 1-inch margins • Double spaced 12-point Times New Roman font page • In-text citations Title • References page (minimum of 2 outside scholarly sources in addition to course text 14 A MacBook Air

Answer 1

Although strong evidence exists that the benefits of vaccination by far outweigh potential adverse events, controversy still exists (Elizabeth Miller). This has led opponents of vaccination to question its safety, efficacy and necessity. Controversies regarding vaccine components and side effects have misled parents to believe that vaccines might be harmful based on inaccurate data from the Internet, celebrities, as well as misinterpreted and frankly bad science. This belief of vaccines being harmful has led to fear and decreased immunization rates in spite of sound scientific evidence supporting the safety of vaccines and their lack of association with autism, developmental disabilities or other medical disorders. Some parents also believe in alternative ways to avoid disease, often adhering to practices that have little foundation in the best of empiric science. It is not a coincidence that recent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles and pertussis (whooping cough), have occurred in areas where vaccination has declined largely due to exemptors .

A vaccine is a dead, or weakened version, or part of the germ that causes the disease in question. When children are exposed to a disease in vaccine form, their immune system, which is the body's germ-fighting machine, is able to build up antibodies that protect them from contracting the disease if and when they are exposed to the actual disease.

Over the years, vaccines have generated some controversy over safety, but no convincing evidence of harm has been found. And although children can have a reaction to any vaccine, the important thing to know is that the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the possible side effects.

The CDC recommends that children be vaccinated against 14 diseases before they are 2 years old. This amounts to anywhere from 24 to 26 different vaccine products being injected into a toddler. Some parents are concerned that this is too much at once, or that their child’s immune system will not be able to handle the strain.

Children are given vaccines at a very young age because they are at the highest risk of getting sick and/or dying if they contract the diseases vaccines prevent. Newborn babies are immune to some diseases, due to maternal antibodies, but this immunity only lasts a few months. Most babies do not get any maternal protection against diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, hepatitis B, or Hib.

CONTROVERSIES AROUND VARIOUS VACCINES-

1998-United States (MMR). The suggestion that MMR vaccine might cause autism was first raised in a report in The Lancet in 1998. Although the article was ultimately retracted by the journal because of improprieties in subject recruitment and financial conflicts of interest, the doubts it raised have lingered. The article was a descriptive report of the clinical features of 12 children who had a history of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD; 9 had autism) and intestinal abnormalities. The only suggested link with MMR vaccination was that a parent or physician reported worsening of the child’s behavioral problems shortly after receipt of MMR vaccine in 8 of the children. Despite its limitations, the article generated intense media and public attention resulting in decreased MMR vaccination coverage, particularly in the United Kingdom, with resultant re-emergence of measles disease and deaths.

2013 – ?: United States (measles). Endemic measles was declared eliminated from the United States in the year 2000 once all internal transmission had been stopped for one year. All ensuing measles cases were found to be due to importation.

In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the three biggest outbreaks of measles were attributed to clusters of unvaccinated people (due to philosophical or religious beliefs) in New York City, North Carolina, and Texas. These pockets of outbreak contributed to 64% of the 159 measles cases reported among 16 states that year.

United States (tetanus). Most cases of pediatric tetanus in the US occur in unvaccinated children. In 2019, an un-vaccinated child in Oregon almost died of the disease, and had to spend over a month in the hospital (more than half of that time in the Intensive Care Unit).

2019: United States (mumps). In March, 2019, Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania reported an outbreak of mumps cases on campus. Over 100 people had either a confirmed or probable case, and officials expected that number to increase.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element, of which there are two distinct species: methylmercury and ethylmercury. Methylmercury is the type of mercury found in certain types of fish (salmon). High exposure levels of methylmercury can be toxic.  Federal guidelines keep as much methylmercury out of the environment and food as possible, but everyone is exposed over a lifetime.

Thimerosal is added to multi-dose vials of vaccine during the manufacturing process to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi that can occur when needles pierce a vial’s sanitary cap multiple times. Contamination of a vaccine could cause severe local reactions, illness, or death.

Aluminum is an adjuvant in several vaccines to improve the immune response (hepatitis A & B, DTap/Tdap, Hib, HPV, and pneumococcal vaccines). It is also present in water, air, and food. As an adjuvant, Aluminum allows for lesser quantities of the vaccine particles, and fewer doses. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, in the first 6 months of life, a baby will receive about 4 mg of Aluminum from vaccines, 10 mg from breastmilk, 40 mg from infant formula, and/or 120 mg from soy-based formula.

References-

Brown KF, Kroll JS, Hudson MJ, Ramsay M, Green J, Long SJ, et al. Factors underlying parental decisions about combination childhood vaccinations including MMR: a systematic review. Vaccine. 2010;28:4235–48.

Carrillo-Marqez, M. (2013). Current controversies in childhood vaccination. S D Med. 2013;Spec no:46-51.

Farrington CP, Nash J, Miller E. Case series analysis of adverse reactions to vaccines: a comparative evaluation. Am J Epidemiol. 1996;143:1165–73.

Miller, E. Controversies and challenges of vaccination: an interview with Elizabeth Miller. BMC Med 13, 267 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0508-z.

Smith, T., C. (2017). Vaccine Rejection and Hesitancy: A Review and Call to Action.  doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofx146.

Temte, J., L.(2006). The 2006 Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule: reflections at the 50th anniversary of the polio vaccine. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Jan 1;73(1):37, 40.