Introduction
Problems in social interaction and communication can arise from autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a brain development issue that affects a person’s perception of and interactions with others. Also, there are restricted and recurring behavioral patterns associated with the disease. “Spectrum” describes the broad range of symptoms and intensity associated with autism spectrum disorder. There has been a debate over the past decades on whether vaccines have a relation with causing autism. The vast majority of scientists deny the veracity of the purported association between autism and vaccinations. Many investigations carried out over many years have continually been unable to produce any reliable evidence in favor of this connection. In many communities, vaccination rates have dropped as a result of the extensive transmission of false information about immunizations and autism, which has led to outbreaks of diseases that could have been prevented. When assessing the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, it is crucial to rely on reliable scientific data and professional consensus. Vaccinations continue to be among the most successful public health initiatives, averting millions of illnesses and deaths annually on a global scale.
Examination of the link between Vaccinations and Autism
Over the past 20 years, there has been a sharp increase in the prevalence of autism. Approximately 1 in 54 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as of the 2020 CDC report, based on estimates from the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network (Gabis et al., 2022). In the past, autism was thought to affect just around 1 in 10,000 persons, and it was mostly linked to seriously disturbed individuals (Plotkins et al., 2009). Many expectant parents are deeply concerned about the sharp rise from 1 in 150 children in 2007 to the current 1 in 54 (Plotkins et al., 2009). The controversy started in 1998 when a study led by British scientists claimed that autism was caused by the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (Yacoub et al., 2021). Even though England’s General Medical Counsel later officially declared the document to be a “fraud,” it nevertheless started a heated discussion about the vaccine’s safety that is still going strong today (Yacoub et al., 2021). Although the study only included 12 kids, it garnered a lot of media attention because the number of young people receiving diagnoses for the illness was rising quickly at the same time. The results of the report prompted other medical professionals to investigate the possible connection between autism and the MMR vaccine. Twelve or more follow-up studies were conducted and none discovered any proof that the vaccination caused autism (Yacoub et al., 2021). An additional study demonstrating that immunizations do not cause ASD was released by the CDC in 2013 (Gabis et al., 2022). The quantity of antigens administered during the first two years of life was the main focus of the investigation (Gabis et al., 2022). Vaccines contain chemicals called antigens that trigger the body’s immune system to make antibodies that fight disease (Mohammed et al., 2022). The findings demonstrated that children with ASD and those without ASD received the same total quantity of antigen from immunizations. The data offered validates the thesis by showing that, despite public concern and continuous discussion, the purported association between vaccinations and autism lacks biological or scientific basis.
Thimerosal is one vaccine component that has undergone particular research. Multidose vaccine vials are kept sterile by the use of thimerosal, a preservative based on mercury, which keeps bacteria and fungi out of the vaccine jars (Plotkins et al., 2009). Thimerosal does not cause ASD, according to research. An IOM scientific assessment from 2004 found that the evidence was in support of rejecting the idea that vaccines containing thimerosal cause autism (Plotkins et al., 2009). A report on the subject was also released in 2004 by the Institute of Medicine’s Immunization Safety Review Committee. The team reviewed all published and unpublished research on vaccinations and autism. It published a 200-page report declaring that there was insufficient data to establish a connection between autism and vaccinations (Plotkins et al., 2009). The exposure to thimerosal in kids vaccines has been restricted globally due to concerns about adverse effects, even though research has indicated no risk for ASD from thimerosal. Still, this worry feeds the fallacy, with terms like mercury/thimerosal and ASD frequently used in anti-vaccine campaigns including the COVID-19 vaccines which do not contain thimerosal (Brondino et al., 2021). The thesis is strengthened by the discussion of thimerosal and its lack of correlation with autism, which draws attention to the discrepancy between the public’s sense of vaccine safety and scientific data.
Even now, there is widespread public concern about the link between the MMR vaccine and autism spectrum disorders. Many parents throughout the world have chosen not to vaccinate their children against the MMR vaccine due to the perceived causality of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from the vaccine (Yacoub et al., 2021). To ascertain whether there is a connection between the MMR vaccine and ASD, a case-control study in Poland was carried out. This study covered the age range of two to fifteen years old (Gabis et al., 2022). Every case of autism was identified by a child psychiatrist and documented in the medical records of general practitioners. There were 192 controls and 96 cases in the population that was included in the research (Gabis et al., 2022). There was a 7.5-year age difference (Gabis et al., 2022). There were 19.8% girls and 81.2% boys among the children (Gabis et al., 2022). When compared to women who delivered kids without ASD, the percentage of 35-year-old mothers who delivered babies with ASD was 12.9% (Gabis et al., 2022). By the time they were 12 to 18 months old, most of the kids had received their vaccinations (64% of cases and 76.6 of controls) (Gabis et al., 2022). Nine kids in each group did not receive a measles vaccination. 44.3% of vaccinated cases and 55% of vaccinated controls received the MMR vaccine (Gabis et al., 2022). The study computed the chances ratio between the diagnosis of autism and the vaccination status and type. All relative risks were less than one, suggesting that children who have received vaccinations—particularly the MMR vaccine—had a lower chance of developing autism (Gabis et al., 2022). The results of the Polish case-control study bolster the thesis by offering factual data that disproves the theory that the MMR vaccine causes autism spectrum disorders. This study broadens the body of evidence supporting vaccine safety and effectiveness in preventing illnesses without producing autism.
Conclusion
The MMR vaccine debate, the thimerosal controversy, and the results of empirical research all point to the scientific falsity of the purported association between immunizations and autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). Comprehensive scientific studies continually disprove any causal link between vaccinations and ASD, despite considerable public anxiety and ongoing disinformation. One notable example is the case-control research carried out in Poland, which showed that children who received immunizations, including the MMR vaccine, actually had a decreased chance of developing autism. This empirical data refutes the widely held belief and emphasizes how crucial it is to base public health decisions on thorough scientific study. The body of evidence supporting the thesis, which examines the biological and scientific plausibility of the purported association between vaccines and autism, is strong. To combat vaccine hesitancy and guarantee that vaccination programs continue to be successful in protecting the public’s health, it emphasizes the vital need for accurate information transmission, evidence-based policymaking, and public education.
References
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Yacoub, A., Mughal, S., & El-Khatib, M. (2021). The MMR Vaccine and the Emergence of Disease. The MMR Vaccine and the Emergence of Disease (researchgate.net)
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