Smart Choices
by Luke Pamer with Morag Miller, RPh
History & Benefits Of Vaccinations
T
he names of serious diseases
like diphtheria, smallpox,
polio, rubella, whooping
cough, and measles used to
be frightening words to hear in America, due to the suffering these diseases
could cause. Now most of us don’t even
know the symptoms of these diseases
or anyone who has suffered with one
of these potentially life-threatening
diseases. The reason we are not
afraid for ourselves or our children?
Vaccinations.
Prior to the 1950’s, hundreds of
thousands of people came down yearly
with measles, mumps, diphtheria, and
pertussis. Tens of thousands developed smallpox, rubella and polio. After
almost sixty years of vaccinations, in
2008, there were actually zero cases
of diphtheria, smallpox, and polio in
the United States. The other disease
incidences had been reduced by 93%
to 99.9%, all because of vaccinations,
according to the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The use of widespread vaccines
have unquestionably saved untold
amounts of human suffering, human
life and direct medical costs to society,
protecting those we love from some
of the most debilitating and deadly
diseases of this past century. Imagine
living even in the 1960’s being one of
20,000 mothers who gave birth to a
child born deaf, blind, or with other
birth defects because that mother
became infected with the rubella virus
during pregnancy. Today
because of vaccinaSponsored by
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tions, there is virtually no threat to
the children of expectant mothers
from this disease, according to David
Satcher, M.D, PH.D, from U.S Public
Health Service.
We know without a doubt that
vaccines have reduced dramatically the
number of infectious diseases along
with the human suffering these diseases can cause. Yet history shows that
when there is low incidence of disease,
the attention shifts from the proven
benefits of vaccines to the risks.
Just as with the taking of any
medicine, there are slight risks associated with vaccines. Although vaccines
are among the safest drug interventions available, with only a very small
percentage of those immunized having
serious side effects. There is a push
in some areas today, from well meaning people, to stop giving children
vaccinations because of the potential
risk. Unfortunately, these infectious
diseases have not gone away. So, when
the vaccination rate lowers as it did
in 1989, the occurrence of a disease
like measles increases as it did then to
55,000 cases in the U.S with 136 cases
associated deaths. With increased vaccination rates the incidence once again
decreased by 2008 to only 55 cases,
according to the National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Because vaccines protect against
disease which one person passes on
to another, laws have been made to
protect gathering of people, especially
children in our schools. In order to
attend public schools, children have
to have up-to-date immunizations. A
recent vaccine for chicken pox has been
around since 1995.
It is a choice to receive vaccines for
ourselves or our children. Knowing the
facts will help you protect your family’s
health and the health of others in our
communities.
The Hometown Treasure · February ‘13 · pg 25