TOW #15- Vaccine Outbreak

Just within this past year, there have been over 40 outbreaks of measles on the east coast alone. This wouldn't be all that strange, except every child in the united states is vaccinated  against the disease. Frank Bruni addresses this issue in his recent op ed in the New York Times: The Vaccine Lunacy. He begins his argument by addressing the sheer idiocy of the anti vaccine movement.He provides raw scientific data that goes against the notion that there is any link between measles and autism.  Or that anyone could suddenly get autism from a vaccine designed to prevent a person from coming down with measles.  In fact the only effect vaccines seem to have on those who receive them, remarkably to some, is the prevention of disease. There is a direct correlation between an increase in vaccines and a decrease in disease.

Bruni then proceeds to address where these beliefs come from.  One area he cites as a possible foul for the anti vaccine movement is the television medical industry.Dr. Oz, who Bruni points out has been proven wrong on many occasions, presents many quack products on his program.  He does so with a legitimate medical degree, and so people accept his advice as equally legitimate.  Often he does present solid advice, which makes his missteps more dangerous.  If intelligent adults go to the television for information rather than actual doctors they are more likely to believe quack science like the anti vaccine movement. The question that remains on many people's minds is who, if anyone, should be held accountable for the measles outbreak?