Toulmin Essay Vaccines

Travis Mason

English 112

Mrs. O’brien

2 October 2017

                                        Our Greatest Defense

         Within the realm of sports, it is often said that “the best offense is a great defense” this too applies in the world of health. Vaccination is now humanities most effective way to defend and protect the populous from disease, by taking the initiative to prevent diseases from occurring rather than trying to treat them later. The earliest known example of vaccination was of Edward Jenner’s creation of a smallpox vaccine in the 1790’s (Stern and Markel). According to The American Journal of Nursing written by Ruth Vail and Mary C. Lincoln, human beings owe their ability to become immune to their blood (Vail, Lincoln 109). The blood of human beings can do more than kill foreign entities it can “engulf and digest bacteria” (Vail, Lincoln 109). Often thought of only occurring only through a medical professional’s office vaccination is practiced throughout the west with chicken pox to prevent more deadly versions of the virus showing up later in life. Chicken Pox while perhaps the most commonly dealt with illness thanks to vaccination isn’t the only disease to be affected by the treatment; smallpox has virtually been wiped out in the modern world thanks to vaccination. Vaccinations are the most significant reason for debilitating and potentially fatal diseases being extinguished in much of the world today, and that is why vaccines for diseases should be mandatory.

    Those who do not vaccinate can become liabilities to not only those around them but society as a whole. In 2015 an outbreak of the measles virus was found on the west coast of the United States. The outbreak was traced to Disneyland (CDC). Children of all ages prominently visit  Disneyland. The age range of four to six is significant because this is the period children are to receive full immunization of measles. This means very likely that many children who are in the process of being given the vaccine for this disease could have been exposed before the vaccination. In fact, the Center for Disease Control reported on several children older than four to six who were not vaccinated being contracting measles. The outbreak was spread further out due to a lack of immunization of which a reported 76% were intentionally unvaccinated (CDC). A citizen's choice to not get vaccinated or to not vaccinate their children can be extremely costly. Not only does the decision to forgo vaccination affect their family but it can also harm the public. The CDC reports the cost of hospitalization for treating measles after contracting said illness ranged at between $4,032-46,060 (CDC). This expense weighs over anyone and everyone who doesn’t vaccinate and families with children who have yet to be vaccinated. Some opposed to vaccines would say the individual's liberty needs to be taken into account when making statements like “vaccinations for diseases should be mandatory.” However, a retort to that statement would be accounting for how frequently society impacts the individual. Most people who do not receive immunizations likely rely far more on society than they contribute to said society. Proponents of immunization may concede on the point of personal freedom but only in the circumstance of someone being very secluded and not relying on the public and private services given by a society. Unfortunately, many who argue against immunization rely on others every day by taking their children to Disney land, enrolling their children in public school, or even going to a restaurant. Ironically much of the opposition to vaccines is only afforded the luxury of living without fear of diseases like measles because the herd immunity of the United States is strong. But if the herd immunity in humans weakens due to a lack of vaccinations, the economic impact of not vaccinating will be felt by many in the United States.

Vaccines are often only spoken on in the context of human vaccinations but this topic has a larger range other than just ‘what shot will be given today.’ Beyond the financial problems, someone may suffer from not vaccinating, there exist other risks to ending vaccines heavily involving what we consume. In “The Role of Vaccines and Vaccination” author C.W. Beard writes about the poultry industries "use of vaccines for the prevention and control of disease” (Beard 293). The poultry industry within the United States is one of the single largest economic entities in the nation, and in 2014 the value of sales from broilers, eggs, turkeys, and chickens was 48.3 billion dollars (usda.gov). The livestock of America can’t afford to be left unvaccinated because of the enormous economic impact of the food industries have in the country. Aside from the animals Americans put inside their mouths; vaccines can also play a role in the vegetation humans consume as well. Often people usually talk about biocontrol agents as it pertains to crops and their protection. Biocontrol agents often sold as “biopesticides” according to Simon Whitby author of Crop Agents, Phytopathology and Ethical Review are “Bio-control agents are living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, insects, mites or weeds, or microorganisms that are used in the control of microbes or other organisms” (Whitby 68).  These pesticides can often be harmful to the product they are trying to protect and cannot be used to protect fruit like bananas from diseases. Bananas are huge, produce for the United States consumers, however; this fruit is at risk of being wiped out by the Panama Disease. The Panama Disease is a lethal soil disease that blocks the flow of water and nutrients to throughout the fruit killing it (promusa.org). One of the proposed methods of saving the banana and improving the defenses of foliage aside from pesticides around the world is vaccinations. Researcher John Herlihy believes that if scientists could introduce a vaccine to protect bananas and other fruits, they could end the current treatments for diseases or pesticides (theconversation.com). Much like C.W. Beard, Herlihy’s proposal could have a large and very positive impact on the food industry as well as the American populous because of their “prevention and control” approach.

    While the desires of the individual should be accounted for, the needs of the community take precedence over the needs of the few in society. Vaccines exist not just protect humans from the financial burden of fighting diseases but to protect society at large. Vaccines much like many pieces of innovation such as the car, television, the internet or even nontangible things such as ideology were made to improve aspects of life as humans. Unfortunately, vaccines like many pieces of technology can be thought of as detrimental due to an unintended consequence of their use. In the book On the Dual Uses of Science and Ethics author Seumas Miller writes about the “dual-use dilemma,” an issue surrounding scientific research being undertaken for good reasons while having the potential to be used for harm (Miller 185). An example of the dual-use dilemma is ‘nuclear power’ having the capacity to supply large communities with seemingly boundless amounts of energy while also being used in atomic warheads.   This dilemma can be extrapolated upon vaccines because they require exposure to entities with harmful effects to the human body. However, the CDC reports that the allergic reactions that may occur from vaccinations have a risk in one per million (CDC). To contrast, the CDC also reports that an estimated 730,000 American children lives were saved from diseases and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses have been prevented between 1994 and 2014 (CDC). There is a humungous difference in the risk versus reward when it pertains to vaccinations. Some opposition to vaccines will often make claims to autism being caused by certain diseases do dissuade people from vaccinating. However, the theory of autism being caused by vaccines is based primarily on correlation currently has no data as of 2017 supporting causation. Proponents of vaccines would also contend that vaccines while being largely for groups benefits for strengthening the individuals within a said community. Vaccination is an invention still being improved upon, and while there do exist risks, the net gain given to society far outweighs the minuscule chance of harm for most individuals.