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Contrasting Research Sources
(Viewpoint 1) Vaccines: A Necessity for a Healthy Society
by Tom Cotterman
Parents have a lot to be concerned about today. They carefully supervise time spent in front of the television or at the computer and shuttle children between school and extracurricular activities. One thing parents should not be worried about is vaccinating their kids; still, the debate rages on.
A growing number of parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children. While there are legitimate reasons not to vaccinate, including certain medical conditions that compromise immune systems, many parents are objecting to vaccination shots for philosophical reasons. The real culprit undermining the public’s safety is a baseless claim that vaccinations lead to autism.
Autism is a complex developmental disorder with no known cause or cure. Symptoms usually present themselves before the age of three. Proponents of the autism-vaccine link argue that the fact that many autism diagnoses occur during the time many toddlers receive their first immunizations is more than just coincidence. The Centers for Disease Control found that there is no link between vaccines and autism. The recent rise in autism is scary, but blaming vaccines shifts the focus away from finding the true cause of this disease.
Parents put their children in serious danger by not immunizing. The diseases we immunize against are not gone and they are still deadly. Even chicken pox, a seemingly innocent disease, can kill. Choosing not to immunize endangers sick children and infants who cannot receive shots. It also undermines the community immunity. Unvaccinated individuals make it easier for diseases to spread.
Vaccination should not be a choice, but more states are passing laws that allow parents to send their children to school without their shots. Vaccines are not perfect; there is always some risk. But the risk is negligible when we consider the threat an unvaccinated society presents to us all.
(Viewpoint 2) Vaccines: A Parent’s Right to Choose
by: Janice Rowker
Deciding whether or not to vaccinate your children is a very personal and difficult decision. This is the reason more states are allowing exemptions from vaccinations. While no one questions that vaccines have saved countless lives, the alarming rise of diseases like autism and asthma over the past several decades have forced parents to examine what goes into their children’s bodies.
The ingredients in vaccines are shocking. Besides the bacteria that supposedly build up a child’s immunity to disease, many vaccines also contain aluminum, monosodium glutamate or MSG, and formaldehyde. That last ingredient is a known carcinogen. Can you imagine injecting a healthy newborn with a known cancer-causing agent?
Most people received vaccinations as children and led healthy lives, so they do not understand how their children could be in danger. The truth is children today receive more vaccine doses than we did when we were young. Do you remember getting the chicken pox? Today, we vaccinate kids against this common childhood disease. While the chicken pox is not fun, there is no reason to immunize a child against it. After having the chicken pox, your body builds up a natural immunity to it. As a parent, I know that I do not want unnatural chemicals in my children’s bodies.
Physicians and government officials argue that parents who don’t vaccinate are putting their communities at risk. They attempt to scare us into conforming by reminding us of the polio outbreaks of the 1900s. The chances of a child contracting polio are slim, but the Centers for Disease Control reported that doctors diagnose 1 in 150 children with autism each year. This is a gamble many parents aren’t willing to take. Though we care about our communities, our children’s health and safety will and must always come first.
Question 1
Which sentence best expresses the points of view in both these two passages?
Responses
A Both of the passages present powerful arguments in favor of vaccinations.Both of the passages present powerful arguments in favor of vaccinations.
B Both of the passages present powerful arguments against the use of vaccinations.Both of the passages present powerful arguments against the use of vaccinations.
C The first passage is anti-vaccination, while the second passage is pro-vaccination.The first passage is anti-vaccination, while the second passage is pro-vaccination.
D The first passage is pro-vaccination, while the second passage is anti-vaccination.The first passage is pro-vaccination, while the second passage is anti-vaccination.
Question 2
Which two statements contain details on which the two passages disagree?
Responses
A Rowker believes that vaccinations are a cause of the rise of autism, while Cotterman does not.Rowker believes that vaccinations are a cause of the rise of autism, while Cotterman does not.
B Cotterman believes that people who do not vaccinate do so for philosophical reasons rather than biological ones.Cotterman believes that people who do not vaccinate do so for philosophical reasons rather than biological ones.
C Cotterman believes that the ingredients in vaccinations should be changed, while Rowker believes the ingredients are harmless.Cotterman believes that the ingredients in vaccinations should be changed, while Rowker believes the ingredients are harmless.
D Rowker believes that vaccinations should be done at a later age, while Cotterman believes vaccinations should not be given at all.Rowker believes that vaccinations should be done at a later age, while Cotterman believes vaccinations should not be given at all.
E Rowker believes that immunity increases if vaccinations increase, while Cotterman believes that vaccinations have no effect on immunity.Rowker believes that immunity increases if vaccinations increase, while Cotterman believes that vaccinations have no effect on immunity.
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Question 1: D The first passage is pro-vaccination, while the second passage is anti-vaccination.
Question 2: A Rowker believes that vaccinations are a cause of the rise of autism, while Cotterman does not.