The anti-vaccination ideology has taken off in recent years due to a fraudulent medical study and some very influential public figures. Celebrities have encouraged worried parents the nation over to abandon the tried-and-true inoculations in favor of a “natural” upbringing; despite the fact that vaccines have been saving lives for over 300 years (and many lives, at that), many parents have hitched their post to the completely disproven idea that vaccines — specifically the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine — can cause autism. Although this argument continues to rage, we’re going to focus on a more nuanced concept: the debate over whether or not vegans should vaccinate because vaccines are made using animal products.
Vegan Lifestyles
The number of vegans in the U.S. has increased by a startling 600% in the last three years. The lifestyle focuses exclusively on living a life free of any and all animal products, from leather clothing to cheese. Many vegans have defined their choice as more of a religion than a diet as it requires a complete and total change in thinking, especially when the decision to become vegan was made for ethical and moral reasons. However, vaccines do contain animal-derived products; as a result, the choice to vaccinate has split vegans right down the middle.
Vaccine Manufacturing
Before we take a look at either stance, let’s examine why animal products need to be present in vaccines at all. Vaccines work by exposing your body’s immune system to a killed or weakened form of disease-causing bacteria or virus; after this initial exposure, your body is able to develop a more robust response, which can protect you from getting sick the next time you encounter the bacteria or virus.
In order to manufacture vaccines, these dangerous bacteria and viruses need to be grown. Scientists need to mimic as closely as possible the environment in an infected person’s tissues by using solutions containing sugars, salts, and various meat extracts to make “growth media.” These can most easily be obtained through animals; synthetic media have been developed, but certain nutrients (such as serum and blood) are still necessary.
Why It Matters
The debate stems from confusion over what being vegan actually means. Though some are absolutely rigid in their interpretation — no animal products of any kind, including the necessary evils of vaccines –, others turn to the definition provided by The Vegan Society:
“Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”
This understanding allows vegans some leeway in order to ensure they are still able to protect themselves and their loved ones from diseases that can do an incredible amount of harm. Although no clear end seems to be in sight for those vegans that do and do not support vaccine use, we can hope that more people come to realize how extremely important vaccination use is — both for themselves and our society as a whole.
