A vaccine, also called immunization, consists of a weakened or dead form of a bacteria or virus that helps the body acquire immunity to it, preventing the spread of disease. The process of introducing the vaccine into a person’s body is called vaccination. Vaccines can be taken orally or via injections or nasal sprays.

Vaccines have been around for thousands of years. The Chinese developed inoculations against smallpox as early as 1000 B.C. The practice of immunization was also common across Asia and Africa. However, ever since the late 1990s when research emerged linking vaccination to the development of diseases such as autism, they have become quite controversial.

What Do Different Experts Think?

1- Vaccines can save people's lives:

Most healthcare experts believe that vaccines are important to people’s overall health. Vaccines are designed to prevent people from catching deadly diseases and infections and keep them healthy. Proponents of vaccinations point out that vaccines have helped eradicate deadly diseases like rubella (German measles) and polio which killed thousands of people, especially children, each year. They prolong and save children’s lives and protect vulnerable people in the community safe from infection.

Numerous studies show that vaccines are effective measures to prevent the spread of disease. Contrary to a growing popular opinion, many experts believe that vaccines are safe and do not cause other illnesses.

One study, “Measles-Mumps-Rubella and Other Measles-Containing Vaccines Do Not Increase the Risk for Inflammatory Bowel Disease,” showed that the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine did not increase children’s risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

Despite the concerns about vaccines causing autism and arthritis, studies have shown that vaccines do not cause these conditions. The study about the MMR vaccine causing autism has since been retracted.

2- Vaccines are bad for people's health:

In recent years, many experts have become critical of vaccinations and believe that they do more harm than good. They claim that vaccines aren’t as safe as pharmaceutical companies make them out to be.

They argue that the additives in vaccines are toxic to our bodies. They are particularly concerned about the amounts of thimerosal or ethyl mercury in the vaccines. Thimerosal is an organic compound added to vaccines as a preservative. High levels of thimerosal exposure can cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and speech or language delay.

In addition, some experts believe that vaccines cause a variety of different diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Recent research has shown that different types of vaccines are linked to the development of rheumatoid arthritis later in life. One study, “Rheumatoid Arthritis and Swine Influenza Vaccine: A Case Report,” indicates that the MMR, HBV, and influenza vaccines can be associated with arthritis.

Given the growing mistrust of the pharmaceutical industry, scientists are conducting more research to determine whether or not some vaccines are safe to try and protect their children from the potentially dangerous side effects of vaccines.

What Do You Think?

Share your thoughts on this topic is in the forum below. Vote “YES” if you think vaccines are safe for your health or “NO” if you think they are harmful.