Evidence To Support The Use Of Vaccines - Free Essay Example

While the discovery of vaccines were widely considered a medical breakthrough at the time, today, they are ridiculed, questioned and feared. What is the truth? Vaccines are used by health professionals all over the world to try and prevent serious illness and complications. It is well known that in 1796, Edward Jenner created the vaccine for smallpox, which happened to be the very first vaccine ever. According to ?The Columbia Encyclopedia , Jenner used his first vaccine on a child and discovered that ?cowpox provided immunity against smallpox. He has also been said to have ?laid the foundations for modern immunology. From the first smallpox vaccine, to a vaccine that targets a cause of cancer, vaccines have changed history and brought about much controversy in the modern world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The following vaccines have illustrated the timeline of important medicines and treatments to cure disease and extend human life. ?In 1796 the first smallpox vaccine was created by Edward Jenner. In 1927 the first vaccine for Tetanus and Tuberculosis were created. In 1945 the first Influenza vaccine was created. In 1952, Jonas Salk created the first vaccine against Polio. While there is opposition and controversy surrounding vaccines, it must be noted that between two and three million lives are saved each year. Vaccines have evolved immensely throughout time and each day we get closer and closer to finding cures and new vaccines for diseases that are currently untreatable. For instance, smallpox was around for a very long time before Edward Jenner created the vaccine for it, and in 1980 it was completely eradicated! Vaccinations have been in the spotlight for many years with parents concerned about their childrens health. Many speculations have formed about vaccinations being linked to diseases, Illness, and even death. The main argument is that getting your child vaccinated may cause them to get autism. Some parents simply dont vaccinate their kids because of their ?civil liberties..   There are also a large number of people who think that vaccines were created by the government to poison the communities slowly to try and influence their thoughts and ideas. The amount of opposition towards vaccinations is mindblowing and it serves to show that there is so much more research that needs to be done in order to ease the minds of those in doubt. In conclusion, while the rate of non-vaccinating parents may continue to increase, there is more and more evidence to support the use of vaccines.   There is more research and many more studies available to parents now which should ease their minds but in reality, the focus is still on the unknown and the failure to link Autism to vaccine use only stokes parents fears.   In the end, the use of vaccines is a personal choice.   You can choose to use these life-saving medicines or you can take a risk, a gamble and choose not to.   What is the risk?   What is the reward?   What is the ultimate price.   The big pharma companies will continue to develop breakthrough medicines and make them available for the masses.   Personal   choice and ones own beliefs will guide your decision.   The weight of the evidence demonstrates that these vaccines are safe and provide the lifesaving defenses our bodies need to combat some of the worlds most feared and devastating diseases. Is it worth the risk NOT to vaccinate?   That is a question you must ask yourself.