Spring 2010 101 Research: Vaccinations

Worries About Child Vaccinations

Gary Null and Martin Feldman. "Some Worries About Childhood Vaccinations Are Legitimate." At Issue: Should Vaccinations be Mandatory?. Ed. Noël Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 25 Mar. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010616203&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&version=1.0>.

People engaged in the fight against government-mandated vaccines share their concerns here about several vaccination issues. Some of these issues include the provocation of disease, the temporary immunity of vaccines, the economic/legal issues, state laws, and the freedom to choose.

Joanna Raustein

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Mandatory Vaccinations Threaten Religious Freedom

Mathew D. Staver. "Mandatory Vaccinations Threaten Religious Freedom." At Issue: Should Vaccinations be Mandatory?. Ed. Noël Merino. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 25 Mar. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010616208&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&version=1.0>.

Many people object to mandatory vaccinations for religious reasons. One reason people oppose certain vaccines is because some vaccines are made from aborted fetal tissue. People who hold religious beliefs against abortion oppose these vaccines for the same reasons they oppose abortion. Other people have deeply held religious beliefs against vaccinating in general. Unvaccinated children must not be prevented from attending school because of mandatory vaccination laws—such laws violate the right to religious freedom.

Joanna Raustein

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The Safety of Vaccines

Phillips, Alan. "Vaccines Are Unsafe and Ineffective." Opposing Viewpoints: Epidemics. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 25 Mar. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010133220&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=

Alan Phillips is the director of Citizens for Healthcare Freedom, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals to make informed vaccination decisions. In the following viewpoint, taken from his report "Dispelling Vaccine Myths," Phillips argues that vaccines are not safe and effective. They frequently cause adverse reactions, he claims, including death and long-term health problems. Furthermore, he asserts, no real proof exists to demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing disease.

Joanna Raustein

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Vaccines Are Safe and Effective." Opposing Viewpoints: Epidemics. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. INLAN - Gonzaga University Library. 25 Mar. 2010 <http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T010&prodId=OVRC&docId=EJ3010133221&source=gale&srcprod=OVRC&userGroupName=gonzagaufoley&version=1.0>.

The following viewpoint is taken from a Center for Disease Control publication written for doctors and other health professionals to help them respond to parents' concerns about the safety and effectiveness of child vaccines. The CDC contends that vaccines are carefully monitored for safety and that failing to vaccinate a child increases his or her risk of injury or death due to disease.

Joanna Raustein