Mandatory Vaccinations: Eleanor and Vania

For our final project in Biomedical Innovations, we will be presenting a case in which we will debate against another team about the ethics of mandatory vaccinations, specifically the SB 277 bill recently passed on June 30, 2015 in California requiring school children to receive vaccinations or face expulsion, requiring homeschooling. The only exemption for not getting the vaccine is if the child had allergies or other health risks that the vaccine would affect. We are on the supporting side of the debate, believing this bill is ethical and in the best interest of the public, as well as believing that this bill should be passed in more states to improve public health even more.

Since the creation of vaccines, there has been widespread improvement of public health due to the fact that these vaccines prevent many different illnesses and epidemics that have been devastating in the past, such as polio, measles, malaria, etc.. They have prolonged the life of many and will continue to due so. However, many parents are still refusing to vaccinate their children based on ludicrous theories with no scientific evidence that claim vaccines are harmful and can lead to conditions such as autism and down syndrome, genetic disorders with no outside causes.

Our goal is to argue these claims and show the benefits of children required to be vaccinated against viral and bacterial pathogens. Personal belief is important, but when it comes to public health and safety, it is in everyone’s better interest to prevent these epidemics with a simple treatment. Scientific evidence has proven the outcome of vaccination to be positive and beneficial economically as well as removing some pathogens almost entirely. Religious belief should be respected, but so should the health of your child.

If states around the country were to pass bills similar to those of SB 277, medical expenses would be vastly reduced for treatment of these preventable diseases, as well as improving the general health of the public. Elementary schools are cesspools of  bacteria and germs, mandating the vaccination of these children can prevent mass outbreaks like the measles outbreak at Disneyworld.