The War Guided Viewing Worksheet

SURVEY: Before we watch the program, please answer the following questions. Question 1: How do you balance the overall risks and benefits of vaccinations that most infants and children receive in the U.S.?

Risks far outweigh benefits Risks and benefits are equally balanced Benefits far outweigh risks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 2: How do you feel about this statement: So long as a disease is rare where I live, my family and I should avoid getting vaccinated because of the risk of adverse reactions.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 3: How do you feel about this statement: Even though there's some risk of adverse reactions to , my family and I should be vaccinated, because if we aren't we put the health of others at risk.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 4: Currently, all 50 states have school immunization laws requiring that children receive vaccinations, although different states may have somewhat different requirements and potential religious or philosophical exemptions. How do you feel about schools requiring vaccines?

Strongly opposed Strongly in support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 5: Parents should have sole decision-making power about immunizing their children, in contrast to external regulations or requirements.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This survey was copied from the Frontline website, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/

DIRECTIONS: Today we are watching “The Vaccine War”. This program aired on the PBS Magazine “Frontline” in April of 2010. Please pay close attention to the program and fill out this guided viewing worksheet.

1. How many inoculations can a child receive in the first six years of life? 2. Name two diseases that have been eradicated in the through the use of vaccines.

3. According to Dr. Melinda Wharton on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, how many diseases are preventable for children by vaccination?

4. What percent of the children in Ashland Oregon are lacking some or all of the CDC recommended vaccines?

5. In 2008 there was an outbreak of the in an under vaccinated region of ,CA.

6. How many individuals were exposed to the during the 2008 outbreak?

7. How many individuals actually contracted the measles?

8. Explain what Dr. Arthur Caplan means by the statement “The bitter irony of vaccinations is that is carries with it the problems of its own success.”

9. What proportion of Americans worry about the rare but serious vaccine side effects?

Generation Rescue 10. Generation Rescue is a parent organization that raises concerns over the possible link between and Vaccinations. A. What evidence does J.B. Handley of Generation Rescue site to support the claim that vaccines cause autism?

B. Which vaccine was most often blamed for the onset of autism in J.B. Handley’s evidence?

C. What correlation is he drawing? Based on his evidence is this a reasonable association to make?

D. What is the explanatory variable? What is the response variable in his argument? 11. The Lancet, a British medical journal, published the first study that proposed a possible link between vaccinations and autism. It was conducted by a Dr. Wakefield. A. What was the sample size of the study? How many subjects developed autism? B. What vaccine was being investigated in the study?

C. What this an experiment, a survey or observational study? Explain.

D. Based on how he collected his data, what inferences can be made?

E. Wakefield’s theory proposed an association between autism and vaccines. Describe a confounding variable that is explained in the program that may effect have affected Wakefield’s data.

F. Using your knowledge of inference, how can results of Wakefield’s study be generalized?

G. Can we conclude there is a cause and effect relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism? Why or why not?

H. Why were Wakefield’s findings retracted by the Lancet?

The Danish Study 12. In November of 2002, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a study conducted in Denmark called “A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccinations and Autism”.

A. Was this an experiment, an observational study or survey? Explain.

B. What were the populations of interest of this study?

C. What was the “sample” size for this study?

D. What did the researchers conclude based on the results of the study?

Japanese Study 13. The program references a study done in 2006 in Japan called the “Japanese Autism Concerning Routine Childhood Immunization History.”

A. In the Japanese study, what was the characteristic of interest of the groups studied?

B. What were the results of the study?

14. In a second study published in 2004, Danish researchers investigated a possible link between the preservative Thimerosal and the incidence rate of Autism in children.

A. What conclusions were reached in this study conducted by Danish epidemiologists?

B. Was this only study of its kind? Were the results consistent?

15. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program was established in 1988. Through the program, known as the "vaccine court," people who believe they suffered injury as a result of compulsory childhood vaccines may petition the federal government for monetary damages. The claims are decided by the Office of Special Masters, a part of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. What effect did these studies have on the question of where or not vaccines cause autism for vaccine court? In the court of public opinion?

16. How many epidemiological studies have concluded that there is no association between MMR vaccination and autism?

17. What are the two types of knowledge that compete for public attention?

H1N1 Vaccine 18. What is your opinion of the Flu Vaccine for H1N1. Had you seen the video of the cheerleader’s reaction? Does that influence your perception of the safety of getting a flue shot?

19. What were some of the reasons stated for not vaccinating children in the interview between the mothers and Ashland’s Pubic Health Officer?

20. Did the mothers have any sense that their decision not to vaccinate their child might have an impact on the community at large? How do they benefit from herd immunity?

21. Summarize the arguments made by the anti-vaccination groups and the scientific community as presented in the program “The Vaccine War”.

22. Do you feel that both sides of the argument in the Vaccine War were fairly and equitably presented? Why or Why not.

POST SURVEY: Now that you have watched the program, please take the survey again.

Question 1: How do you balance the overall risks and benefits of vaccinations that most infants and children receive in the U.S.? Risks far outweigh benefits Risks and benefits are equally balanced Benefits far outweigh risks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 2: How do you feel about this statement: So long as a disease is rare where I live, my family and I should avoid getting vaccinated because of the risk of adverse reactions.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 3: How do you feel about this statement: Even though there's some risk of adverse reactions to vaccines, my family and I should be vaccinated, because if we aren't we put the health of others at risk.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 4: Currently, all 50 states have school immunization laws requiring that children receive vaccinations, although different states may have somewhat different requirements and potential religious or philosophical exemptions.

How do you feel about schools requiring vaccines?

Strongly opposed Strongly in support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Question 5: Parents should have sole decision-making power about immunizing their children, in contrast to external regulations or requirements.

Strongly disagree Strongly agree 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This survey was copied from the Frontline website, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/vaccines/