Vaccines undergo extensive testing

The argument

Every vaccination must first undergo rigorous testing to assess its effectiveness and safety before it can be placed on the market. Once released, there are also extensive monitoring mechanisms that assess the continued efficacy and safety of the inoculation. Western countries all have robust reporting mechanism for identifying side effects. These show minimal side effects from immunisation (e.g. a sore arm at injection site). These tests prevent unsafe vaccinations coming to market and protect the population at large. Very occasionally a faulty or defective batch of vaccines can reach the general public, however, these are individually tainted products of a vaccine that has already been proven to be safe to use.

Context

For accurate information on the efficiency of vaccines, consult the WHO website.

Premises

Counter-arguments

Ultimately, the nation’s business interests are put before safety. Vaccines generate US$25 billion in annual sales. At any one time, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has 271 new vaccines under development. With this sum of money at stake, it is in the national economic interest to approve as many vaccines for sale as possible. In an environment where companies put profits ahead of patient safety, this leads to unsafe vaccinations reaching the market. There are examples of pharmaceutical companies manipulating testing to get their products to market early. Stephen A. Krahling and Joan A. Wlochowski, two former Merk virologists, came forward and alleged that the firm faked efficacy tests for its measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Those that carry out the tests have a financial interest in the results. [Rejecting P2] This can sometimes lead to unsafe vaccines entering the market