Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Quiz March 24

1. What does Paul Offit find laughable?

2. How much revenue did the rotavirus vaccine and Lipitor generate, respectively?

3. What did a Nashville woman sell for $50?

4. What did Jacobsen v. Massachussetts (1905) uphold?

5. What 20th century political philosopher does Biss's sister mention, in criticizing "Dr.Bob's" counsel of silence?

6. What paradoxical emotional state does Biss say is induced by citizenship in this country?

DQ:
  • Do we have too many childhood vaccines, administered too soon (regardless of however many a child could "theoretically handle")? 110, 113
  • Are there any "vaccine profiteers"? 111 Do you agree that medical researchers (as distinct from pharmaceutical companies, or their Boards and stockholders) are not in it for personal profit? 112  Do you think many private practitioners rejected a life of research mainly for personal-financial reasons? What considerations will guide your own medical-vocational choices?
  • Are people who want their children to get chicken pox "idiots"? 115
  • Should we respect the "conscientious objections" of anti-vaxxers? Does it matter that they "honestly believe" unfounded, unreasonable claims about the hazards of immunization? 119
  • We owe the existence of this nation in part to George Washington's campaign of compulsory smallpox  inoculation, but also "owe some of its present character to resistance" to compulsion. 120 Have we achieved a proper balance between individual rights and the common good? Is balance a reasonable goal? Or would you defend tilting one way (individualism) or the other (the "general will")?
  •  Is conscience easily confused with any other feeling? 122
  • If "the body is such a ready metaphor for the nation," is it best conceived as an independent individual or as part of & dependent on a collective and community?
  • "We have sunshine in us!" 132 Should we be more optimistic about our future health prospects?
  • Is there anything wrong with understanding immune system as reflecting not only immunology but also environmentalism, alternative health, and New Age msyticism? 133
==
I was a bit surprised by the vehemence of our milk discussion last time. Guess I wouldn't have been, if I'd Googled "milk ethics" -

The ethics of drinking milk | Ethical Vegan - Compassion for ...

ethicalvegan.net/read/the-ethics-of-drinking-milk

Regular beatings, stabbings, hangings and repeated rape are all in a days work for your average dairy cow. And let's face it, if you drink milk, you're literally ...

What about Humanely Raised Milk and Dairy Products?

freefromharm.org › Farm Animal Welfare

May 3, 2011 - A mother cow's milk is perfectly formulated by nature to provide the essential nutrients and ..... Preventing Ex-Vegans: The Power of Ethics  ...

Cow's Milk: A Cruel and Unhealthy Product | Animals Used ...

www.peta.org/.../cows-milk-...

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
PETA People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ... While cows suffer on factory farms, humans who drink their milk increase their chances of developing heart  ...

Science Friday (@scifri)
Is MSG actually bad for your health? (Spoiler: No) scifri.me/ng93mx #SciFriArchivepic.twitter.com/SCNOeYcwgk

29 comments:

  1. An interesting article on Chicken Pox:
    http://www.parents.com/health/vaccines/chicken-pox/chickenpox-parties/

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  2. In a group discussion, we intertained the theory that universities have been more influenced in research than educating students. It is possible to see that some institutions would rather employ highly skilled researchers in their department to create revenue than to hire highly skilled teachers for our future generations. Here is an article on the subject at hand: http://arstechnica.com/science/2010/04/scientific-research-and-science-education-a-zero-sum-game/

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  4. Here is an article on the chicken pox lollipops. There was an entire Facebook group where moms could find "infected" items and even set up Pox Parties!

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mailing-chickenpox-lollipops-called-illegal-risky/

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  5. Quiz Question:

    Where did Nadja Durbach say variolation remained popular because people preferred "the real thing"?

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  6. Quiz Question:
    How do the number of immunological components compare between a single bacterium and the smallpox vaccine? 111

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  7. This is a video that explains that research backs up the idea of herd immunity.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuiHFg_nfnE

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  8. DQ: Do we have too many childhood vaccines, administered too soon?

    I think that the timing of administering vaccines is appropriate because it is established by scientific inquiry, but the numerous vaccines administered over a short period of time is irrational. It does make sense to space out the timing for administering vaccines even though they are given.

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    Replies
    1. I heavily support the current frequency at which vaccines are administered. They are spaced out as needed and on a schedule (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 months) that is necessary given the nature of each vaccine.
      For example, one follow up vaccine is administered alone. Im unsure of what and when; I believe it is one for hepatitis administered at 18 months. Due to it being administered alone out of sync with other vaccines, many individuals fail to show up and get the follow up shot. If the relatively new shot could be somehow integrated into the normal schedule, it would be to the public benefit.
      Personally, as a uncle that sometimes has to bring my niece to the doctor for this, I like getting it done and saving time for more enjoyable activities.

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  9. Quiz question: As Dracula states, “the drive towards capital is inherently inhumane. We are justified in feeling threatened by_____, and we are justified in fearing _____.”

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  10. Attached is the link to a GMA segment discussing the importance of receiving the chicken pox vaccine.

    http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/barbara-walters-chicken-pox-diagnosis-18342804

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  11. DQ: Are people who want their children to get chicken pox "idiots"?
    Answer: When it comes to the challenges of vaccination, it goes unsaid that there are many aspects that parents must research into before making their final decisions on how to proceed with the health of their child(ren). However, parents have their reasons as to why or why they should not vaccinate their children, so I do not feel that it is appropriate to refer to these individuals as “idiots” without first understanding their reasoning for such idea. Despite how it may appear on the surface, people who want their children to get chicken pox likely have a reason for doing so. By allowing for earlier child exposure to the virus, child vaccines would likely be administered—sooner rather than later—thus preventing future potential contractions. Additionally, annual cases of 30,000 adults contracting chicken pox would be reduced notably.

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  12. DQ: Should vaccines be mandatory even if there is a small chance of contracting disease from the vaccine?

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  13. link to article talking about connection between chicken pox vaccine and Shingles later in life (spoiler there is a negative connection) http://www.livescience.com/45804-chickenpox-vaccine-cause-shingles.html

    Also FYI Varicella Zoster Vaccine is a live weakened vaccine so there is a TINY chance of ever contracting disease from it

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  14. Quiz question: The term "conscientious objector" originally referred to what law?

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    Replies
    1. “Britain’s Compulsory Vaccination Act of 1853”

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  15. Quiz question: What is Biss's sisters job? pg 121

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  16. Are people who want their children to get chicken pox "idiots"?

    Not entirely. I can see the thought process behind it(at least I think i do) the basic idea is that there really isnt much you can do to prevent the chicken pox virus so if there is a chance of contracting it the "sooner rather than later" approach seems to be what these parents are practicing. Chicken pox is both non lethal and a one-trick pony so controlling it rather than being surprised by it would be better.

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  17. Found a video showing quick facts about the rotavirus and its vaccine
    https://youtu.be/HTYQ4JlEP1M

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  18. By the time Coca-Cola marketed their slogan "It's the Real Thing" what ingredient did it no longer contain?

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  19. Are people who want their children to get chicken pox "idiots"?

    I do not think that people who want to infect their children with a strain of chicken pox are completely "idiotic." However, I do feel that it should be regarded as something that should allow nature to take its toll on the recipient as opposed to inducing a medical condition onto a child without respect for their own autonomy. Needless to say, I am sure that parents do this in the hope of protecting their children from acquiring this condition at an untimely manner; but, as summed up by the old phrase "if it ain't broke don't fix it."

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  20. Here is a link about the vaccination schedules that the CDC and most doctors use right now. It's always changing and in my opinion I think the timing of the vaccinations is what needs to be changed to eliminate the rumors about vaccinations causing autism. I think the timing of so many vaccinations at once are what I think is the issue and should be changed.

    https://youtu.be/RPqu6SUF7hU

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  21. Here is an interesting article about how an adult man contracted a severe case of chicken pox which probably could have been lessened/avoided had he been introduced to the chicken pox strain during his childhood years.

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/close-up-footage-man-severe-case-5591281

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  22. DQ:

    Do you think rather than trying to get rid of vaccinations all together we should reform the time in which they are given?

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  23. Addison, Sarah, and Heather talked about how we don't feel like the parents are idiots for wanting to let their children get chicken pox. Some of our oarents didn't try to get us to get chicken pox when a sibling was infected, but they didn't put forth the effort to prevent it like they would with the flu.

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  24. Shonda, Madison, and Chris discussed an array of issues involving the moral ethics behind receiving the chicken pox vaccination, pharmaceutical companies, and research. Is it alright for parents to deny their child(ren) the right of being vaccinated and as a result bring risk to the greater public? This issue is a very touchy one that offers solutions that are easier said than done. During the group's discussion today, issues involving autism and other conditions that misinformed parents feel stem from vaccinations were also mentioned heavily during the conversation.

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  25. Kayleah, Bell, and Shivan discussed reasons why parents search for "natural", and sometimes unreasonable, alternatives to vaccinations. Most people hear something from the news or read something on the internet and believe that rather than actually doing the research. News reporters aren't scientists and they usually only read the abstract of a scientific paper and make conclusions based on that. We said this issue could be solved if people were more educated, but it can be costly and the citizens have to be willing to listen and learn.

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