Immunizations Are for the Greatest Good Essay Example

ensure compliance with manufacturing guidelines.

The CDC's Immunization Safety Office has four primary activities to guarantee vaccine safety, including the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project, and Emergency Preparedness for Vaccine Safety ("Parents | Making the Vaccine Decision | CDC," n.d.). VAERS functions as an early alert system, allowing the CDC and FDA to monitor post-vaccination concerns. The VSD is a partnership between the CDC and healthcare organizations that enables ongoing monitoring and proactive searches of vaccine-related data.

CISA, a collaboration between CDC and various medical centers, conducts clinical research on vaccine-related health risks in specific populations. Furthermore, CDC participates in emergency preparedness activities during disease outbreaks to guarantee vaccine safety. Despite concerns, studies have confirmed that there is no connection between receiving vaccines and the occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published a report in 2011 declaring that the majority of vaccines given to children and adults are generally safe, except for a few. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2013 supported this conclusion, as it discovered no link between vaccines and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Taylor LE, Swerdfeger AL, Eslick GD 2014). The research focused on analyzing the quantity of antigens found in vaccines that stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies during the first two years of life.

A study conducted by Taylor, Swerdfeger, and Eslick (2014) discovered that the antigen content in vaccines is similar for both children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those without ASD. Thimerosal, a preservative found in multi-dose vaccines to prevent contamination, has been extensively

studied as a specific vaccine component due to its mercury content.

Multiple studies have consistently found no evidence to support the claim that thimerosal causes Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Institute of Medicine conducted a thorough scientific review in 2004 and concluded that there is no causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has financed and executed nine studies since 2003, all confirming that there is no connection between thimerosal-containing vaccines and ASD. These studies also found no link between the MMR vaccine and ASD in children (Madsen KM, Hviid A, Vestergaard M, Schendel D, Wohlfahrt J, et al 2002). Between 1999 and 2001, all childhood vaccines except certain flu vaccines had either removed or significantly reduced thimerosal.

A nationwide campaign was initiated to decrease mercury exposure in children due to concerns about the safety of thimerosal. Thimerosal is only found in flu vaccines that come in multidose vials for childhood immunizations. However, alternative flu vaccines without thimerosal are also accessible.

Concerns have been raised about other vaccine ingredients in relation to ASD. However, there have been no links found between any vaccine ingredients and ASD (Ball L, Ball R, Pratt RD 2001). In addition to preventing 426 million cases of illness and averting 6. 4 million deaths over the next ten years, improving coverage of childhood immunization would have significant economic benefits for both families and governments ("Estimated Economic Benefits During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines’ Include Treatment Savings, Gains In Labor Productivity," n. . ).

Expanding childhood immunization rates in the world's 72 poorest countries over the next decade would lead to estimated savings of $151 billion in treatment and

productivity (During the ‘Decade of Vaccines,’ The Lives of 6.4 Million Children Valued At $231 Billion Could be saved," n.d.). Averting the costs of disease treatment in the short term saves $6.2 billion, while avoiding the lost productivity of caretakers saves $1. billion. Additionally, by preventing long-term economic costs from lost productivity due to disability and death, it would yield savings of $144 billion ("Estimated Economic Benefits During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines’ Include Treatment Savings, Gains In Labor Productivity," n.d.). Vaccines against pneumonia alone contribute to $68 billion (45%) of the total estimated savings in treatment costs and productivity losses, and they account for 42% of the 6.4 million lives saved (During the ‘Decade Of Vaccines,’ The Lives Of 6. Million Children Valued At $231 Billion Could Be Saved," n.d.).

During the 'Decade of Vaccines', it is estimated that improving vaccine coverage can save 6.4 million lives, with a value of $231 billion in at-risk countries (source: "During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines,’ The Lives Of 6.4 Million Children Valued At $231 Billion Could Be Saved," n.d.). By analyzing the five countries where the majority of these saved lives occur, it is projected that the economic value of the vaccination program is estimated to be 3 to 18 times the cost of purchasing the vaccines (source: "Estimated Economic Benefits During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines’ Include Treatment Savings, Gains In Labor Productivity," n.d.).

In January 2010, the Bill ; Melinda Gates Foundation made a commitment to spend $10 billion over the next decade to support vaccine research and delivery in the world's poorest countries. This commitment aims not only to reduce illness and death in low-income countries but also

to generate support from other organizations and governments of middle- and high-income countries to actively participate in immunization efforts.

If developing countries can improve access to life-saving vaccines and increase vaccination rates, there could be significant health benefits ("Estimated Economic Benefits During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines’ Include Treatment Savings, Gains In Labor Productivity," n. d.). Moreover, the effort to expand vaccine access may bring substantial economic advantages to both families and governments by preventing illness and reducing deaths.

According to the Lives Saved Tool, a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the World Health Organization, and the Futures Institute, it is estimated that by increasing the distribution of five life-saving vaccines and implementing a successful malaria vaccine in seventy-two of the poorest countries, approximately 6. million children’s deaths could be prevented from 2011 to 2020 ("Estimated Economic Benefits During The ‘Decade Of Vaccines’ Include Treatment Savings, Gains In Labor Productivity," n. d.). However, in 2011, 49 states in the US failed to meet the 92-94% herd immunity threshold for pertussis (whooping cough). Consequently, an outbreak occurred in 2012, infecting 42,000 individuals and becoming the largest outbreak since 1955 (Mark Fishetti 2013).

According to Steven F. Hirsch (2007), an Amish girl who was 18 months old contracted polio in 2005 and spread it to four other unvaccinated children in her community. Fortunately, because the community had reached its herd immunity threshold, there was no widespread outbreak of polio. The US Department of Health and Human Services defines herd immunity as the percentage of vaccinated individuals necessary to protect the entire population.

According to Steven L. Weinreb (2011), individuals who are unable to receive vaccines, including children

and adults due to age or poor health conditions, rely on herd immunity for protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. In January 2008, an outbreak of measles took place in San Diego, CA resulting in the quarantine of 48 children. David Surgerman (2008) noted that since these children were not old enough to be vaccinated, they lacked the safeguard offered by herd immunity.

The following and their contents provide references to a webpage on healthaffairs.org. The webpage can be accessed through the given URL links.