Vaccines – A Proven Lifesaver
Vaccines are back in the news and not in a good way. The Administration just issued an executive order that narrowed the standing recommendations for immunizations for children. Seniors Speak Out issued a statement that warned of the serious impact this change could have, not only on the health of our nation’s youth but also on the health of America’s seniors. Older people rely on the health of their communities to protect them from preventable diseases but that’s not the whole story. I think I’m qualified to say that the most important impact of this change to the immunization recommendations will be on our grandchildren. It’s one of those universal truths that grandparents abide by . . . don’t do anything that hurts my grandchildren, and this new executive order does just that.
This change increases the risk of disease in two ways. First, by not allowing multiple vaccines to be administered in one inoculation it forces the children to return for multiple appointments. Once again, this especially punishes the rural families who must travel longer distances to obtain their healthcare. This increased travel requirement has a cost, and it is paid directly by the child’s family. Delaying or missing these vaccines put the children at risk. Secondly, this change impacts the effectiveness of the herd effect, the process of lowering the number of people that contract a certain disease, thus lowering and, in some cases, eliminating the disease altogether. The recent outbreak of measle cases in the U.S. is directly connected to the reduction of people, mostly children, failing to be immunized against the disease. In both cases, the proposed change will increase the risk of illness for our children.
Why change a decades long program that has proven how effective vaccines have been for children, even when there are multiple vaccines in a single inoculation? For instance, after the executive order was released, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) shared a post that outlined how important vaccines are. He referenced a peer reviewed article that said, “Since 1974, vaccination has averted 154 million deaths, including 146 million among children younger than 5 years of whom 101 million were infants younger than 1 year.” He also said, “For every death averted, 66 years of full health were gained on average, translating to 10·2 billion years of full health gained.” He noted that vaccinations have accounted for 40 percent of the decline in global infant mortality with a 52 percent reduction in the African region.
From an economic aspect the numbers are also compelling. Routine childhood immunizations among children born from 1994 through 2023 are estimated to have prevented approximately 508 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.13 million deaths, producing about $540 billion in direct medical savings and $2.7 trillion in societal savings. Every dollar spent on childhood immunization returned roughly $11. That’s a huge impact on our cost of healthcare to say nothing of the number of lives saved. If the administration wants to make this change, they should be required to prove that the existing approach no longer produces sufficient benefit, not simply to point to a shorter list in some other country. Why change something that has proven to be safe and efficient?
The administration often points out other countries recommend fewer vaccinations than the U.S. They have different transmission patterns, burdens of disease, and access to care, which all factor into their vaccine strategies. You can’t just count how many vaccines other countries recommend, note that the United States recommends more, and treat the difference as evidence that the American schedule must be excessive. It seems to me just another instance of importing another country’s specific healthcare process without the backing of scientific study.
I’ve always been a fan of giving us choices as we guide our own healthcare. I also believe that we are not alone in this journey. I’ve seen Americans rally around those in need during a disaster, showing that we believe we are part of a community that is willing to help each other in time of need. The choice of rather to get our children vaccinated not only is good for their health but also strengthens the herd immunity of our community by lowering the risk of disease for others. I think many of us see this fact as enough reason to get vaccinated. These vaccines have been proven safe over the years, any link to autism has been disproven over and over. The measle outbreak is evidence of the impact of losing even a little of this herd immunity protection.
I’m always leery of an executive order, especially one that seeks to change a proven preventative measure that saves lives and money. Our country’s faith in our government’s healthcare institutions has plummeted. A sudden change in a proven process with no scientific backing is a bad idea. Our government should be prepared to show that its alternative will produce better outcomes.
Best, Thair