The Harm of Vaccinations on Living Things and Natural Rights

Location: UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library- Special Collections

Amongst the many interesting works housed in UCLA’s biomedical special collections, I found a fascinating piece in the rare book room on vaccinations, which is a topic quite relevant to biotechnology. Vaccinations are biological preparations to develop immunity against certain diseases.  The earliest forms of vaccinations were inoculations; the most famous of these were for smallpox. In modern times, advancement in biotechnology have made it possible to knock out key genes in viruses and weakens them, remove portions of either the virus or bacteria, or inactive a virus, so that they can be used as vaccines.

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(Photos: by me)

In the rare book room in the Special Collections, I came across Elizabeth Blackwell’s pamphlet published in 1881, titled Medicine and Morality. Elizabeth Blackwell is widely recognized as the first woman to received a medical degree and influential on topics regarding women in medicine, social and moral reform. In her work, Medicine and Morality, Blackwell addresses ethicality in medical practices, of which vaccinations was an important debate. Firstly, she brings into question the methodology physicians and scientists take to develop vaccines. Sheep and other domestic animals are “inoculate[d] and re-inocculate[d]” (Blackwell 11) for multiple diseases which have led to tens of thousands of animals dying. The debate on the use of animals in scientific research is not something from the modern era. It is one that has been around for a while, but perhaps not truly exposed to the public till more recent times.

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Secondly, Blackwell questions the fundamental principle of natural right. For many doctors and scientists, the motivation behind vaccination is the eventual eradication of harmful diseases. This is typically accomplished by mandating certain compulsory vaccinations. However, Blackwell questions the boundaries between “social precaution and tyranny”. To what limit can a governing force cut off an individual’s freedom to make informed choices? According to Blackwell, force should not be imposed on people who object to vaccinations because people should have a freedom to make choices.

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Although Blackwell’s work is well written and points out the necessity for a fine balance between benefits and moral principles in vaccine use, it is important to also consider the benefits of vaccine. Deborah Kelly’s photo titled Lucy finely underscores how the HPV vaccine can change a young girl’s life.  According to the CDC, there are over 40 different types of the human papilloma virus. Teenagers are administered with 3 doses of the HPV vaccine which can prevent against the most common types of HPV. Lucy, healthy and of age to be vaccinated, is encircled by a crown of dancing figures. The picture stresses the importance to protect young girls from HPV so that they will be free to pursue their passions, which is embodied by the crown of dancing figures. The HPV vaccine will allow Lucy to shake off (or overcome) the lizards (which I saw as a representation of HPV) hold on her life (depicted by the strategic location of them on her neck as if to choke Lucy). 

 

biomed.jpg (At the Bio Med Special Collections) 

Work Cited/References: 

Blackwell, Elizabeth. Medicine and Morality. London: W.Speaight & Sons, 1881. Print. UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library- Special Collections-Rare Books

"How Are Vaccines Made?" Vaccine Education Center. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.

Kelly, Deborah. Lucy. Digital image. N.p., 2014. Web. <http://www.takepart.com/photos/vaccines/lucy-deborah-kelly>.

Vaccine yes or No? Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://lifeinthegump.com/vaccine-week-recently-ended-what-does-the-future-hold-a-must-read/>.

Wells, Ken R. Vaccines. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2007. Print.