Immunization from disease is so commonplace that most people in first-world countries don't even question the practice. If you travel or are otherwise exposed to infectious diseases, most doctors would tell you that you need to be properly immunized. If you have children, you may be required to immunize them in order to enter them into public or private schools. Why should you immunize? Further, what are reasons you might not want to immunize yourself or your children? This is the topic I wish to explore this week.
Immunization is simply the process of administering fragments of or weakened disease organisms into the bloodstream so that the immune system can develop the antibodies to fight a particular disease. The administered substance is called a vaccine, and is usually injected. While immunizations don't necessarily prevent the disease in question, they typically do prevent it for years or for life, or at least reduce the severity of symptoms if and when you contract the disease later in life.
Immunizations are generally administered at a young age, when the immune system is just beginning to develop and when the child is likely to soon become exposed to a variety of diseases by spending more time interacting with more people. In the first year of life, children are naturally protected against many diseases by antibodies from the mother's body, but these become ineffective and soon the child's immune system must be able to stand alone. Once the child is old enough to reasonably weather the side effects, the immunization process begins; this typically starts between 18 and 24 months of age. Some immunizations are only given in adolescence or adulthood and in many cases are only given if the person is likely to be exposed to certain diseases (I, for instance, was nearly vaccinated for bubonic plague prior to a trip to Pakistan during military service; the trip was canceled, so I never received the vaccination).
Generally, immunizations are specific to a country (such as the United States) or a region (such as western Europe). Some vaccines, however, are for diseases that are globally prevalent, such as tetanus or the various strains of hepatitis.
Why immunize? Immunizing a person reduces the incidence or severity of disease in that person. In theory, immunizing a group of people can completely eliminate a disease from the planet. Certainly there is a strong argument that large-scale populations have been instrumental in fighting some epidemics and pandemics such as the plague. The cost of an vaccine is much less than the cost of treating the disease being immunized against. Immunizations are believed by many to save both individual lives and entire cultures from the effects of dangerous infectious diseases.
Well, then, why NOT immunize? Actually, there are several arguments for not immunizing. While most public health forums convey very one-sided arguments for immunization, many doctors and scientists believe immunization may not provide all the benefits proclaimed, and further suggest the damage done my the immunization process on individuals is not worth the apparent benefits. The most common counter-arguments are related to the side-effects of the vaccines themselves, which all have serious (though rare) potential side effects. Some immunizations are believed by some to actually increase the risk of contracting similar diseases to the one being immunized against. For further exploration, read Vaccination Myths and follow-up on the references in that article.
To immunize or not immunize? The verdict is out. The best you can do is make an informed choice, and that means exploring both sides of the issue. Read the papers and studies before deciding what course is right for you.
Resources:
- Immunizations [www.webmd.com]
- Ten Things You Need to Know about Immunizations [www.cdc.gov]
- Multiple Vaccines and the Immune System [www.cdc.gov]
- Vaccination Myths [www.relfe.com]
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From the editor
Today you are probably re-living all the unidentifiable stuff you consumed during the Superbowl yesterday. You're probably saying to yourself, "Why, oh why, did I ever drink that, um, whatever it was?" And you're probably wondering just how fun it must have been to be one of the half-time performers during torrential rain.
Or maybe you spent the day enjoying the fact that the malls, theaters, beaches, and parks were all empty for a few hours?
In either case, the single largest marketing event of 2007 has come and gone, and we're truly in the depths of winter. I know it's cold out, but a walk in frigid air can be invigorating! Better yet, make Sunday your day to learn to make some new healthy food or spend an hour at the gym!
In any case, I hope you are having a good winter, I hope your team won, and I especially hope you are making each day count!
Healthy thoughts,
Jeff
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