Writing a vax paper for college - give me topic ideas! *Update post 19*

[minkajane]

I'm taking medical terminology class. The teacher offered bonus points to anyone who would get the flu vax - seasonal and/or H1N1. Myself and one other person weren't getting them and she said we could each write a 3-4 page paper for the extra credit. I have about 3 weeks to do it. Give me some topic ideas! I'm thinking things like the probability of contracting a disease vs being damaged by a vax, problematic ingredients in vaccines, efficacy studies, religious discrimination in MS and WV (no religious exemption), or the problems with the push for Gardasil and its misleading advertising.

Would any of these make decent papers? Any other ideas? Whether we agree or not, I'd like to at least make her think more in depth about pushing vaxes for extra credit.

[Fyrestorm]

What about a paper on the rush to pass the H1N1 vax through and all the exemptions from testing that it was given and the reasons that you won't get it?

[minkajane]

That's interesting - I hadn't heard anything about it being given exemptions from testing. Do you have any links I could use for references?

[tanyalynn]

Can the paper be on any topic vaccine related? I'd choose either Hep A, and the reasoning (citing ACIP minutes) for including on the childhood schedule, or the chicken pox vaccine, and data on long-term immunity, rates of complications for CP contracted among adults, review the data on shingles rates (is there enough data to say it's going up in kids?), and the economic reasons for adding it to the childhood schedule (again citing the ACIP meeting minutes for that part).

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by minkajane

That's interesting - I hadn't heard anything about it being given exemptions from testing. Do you have any links I could use for references?

Gary Null was discussing it in the latest video. He was comparing it to the experimental anthrax vax and the experimental botulism vax that were given to soldiers after having testing waved.

[womenswisdom]

Since the extra credit was being offered for getting a seasonal flu or H1N1 vax, I would HAVE to write my paper on that *insert evil emoticon here*. Have you read this recent article from Atlantic Monthly? Maybe it'll give you some idears:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200911/brownlee-h1n1

[KJoy]

How about the topic of informed consent and right-to-refuse? Maybe use the NY health care workers situation as a focus and discuss why the mandate that they take the shot or lose their job did not hold up in court.

That's a pretty heavy-hitting topic for 3-4pgs, but it's timely and hopefully would be some real food-for-thought for your instructor.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by minkajane

The teacher offered bonus points to anyone who would get the flu vax - seasonal and/or H1N1.

How about addressing how deep the corruption runs from big pharma in brainwashing the public to the point that a teacher who has obviously done NO research on a brand new vaccine would give credit to young healthy students to inject themselves. What a sham.

Isn't what s/he is doing somehow illegal? Sleeping with big pharma. Talk about "education". Wow, just wow!

[ema-adama]

Wow, did I understand that correctly? Students are being given academic credit for getting the swine flu vaccine? What on earth does getting a vaccine have to do with academic achievement?

I think that is more than enough for a paper in itself. The reasons why people are getting the vaccine and informed consent. Obviously getting a vaccine for academic credit is problematic.

Not directly related, but maybe it will offer some inspiration.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200911/brownlee-h1n1

ETA: I see a PP already posted the article. It well worth reading

[Crafty]

Wow, did I understand that correctly? Students are being given academic credit for getting the swine flu vaccine? What on earth does getting a vaccine have to do with academic achievement?

I think that is more than enough for a paper in itself. The reasons why people are getting the vaccine and informed consent. Obviously getting a vaccine for academic credit is problematic.

She said it's extra credit, bonus points. It's not mandatory. One of my professors offered extra credit to anyone who went and voted. He didn't say, "Vote or get an F." It's just extra credit. Students are free to do it or not, their choice.

[ema-adama]

Originally Posted by Crafty

She said it's extra credit, bonus points. It's not mandatory. One of my professors offered extra credit to anyone who went and voted. He didn't say, "Vote or get an F." It's just extra credit. Students are free to do it or not, their choice.

I didn't understand that students would be penalised for not getting a vaccine as in a paper worth an A gets and F. I understood that the points would be an extra. But those are still academic points for going and getting a vaccine. Which is in no way academic.

TBH, I would not be wildly crazy about getting people out to vote by coercing them with academic credit. It kind of defeats the purpose of voting, IMO, if the only thing that gets you out is if there is something directly in it for you, ie bonus academic points.

I think it is rather problematic to coerce students into a cerain behavior in order to gain academic points. Of course you are free to not take the extra credit and you can choose to forfiet it if you don't want to do whatever is being put on offer. I would have been unhappy to forfeit academic credit for not conforming to a standard of behavior. But that is me. It seems this is acceptable for some people.

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by Crafty

She said it's extra credit, bonus points. It's not mandatory. One of my professors offered extra credit to anyone who went and voted. He didn't say, "Vote or get an F." It's just extra credit. Students are free to do it or not, their choice.

The funny thing about extra credit is that I can get my students to do ANYthing by giving them extra credit. It's the most amazing "tool" in college. Students don't always want to learn, go to an extra lecture, read that extra article, participate in that experiment, but put an extra credit point on it and *BAM* - they're right there doing it!

I'm not saying I would give extra credit for getting a vaccine, but I wanted to point out the (irrational) power of extra credit.

[caned & able]

Actually, the vaccine is being tested for safety and effectiveness.

It is called post marketing surveillance. You are the guinea pig in this situation. So much for double blind, scientific testing.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by minkajane

I'm taking medical terminology class. The teacher offered bonus points to anyone who would get the flu vax - seasonal and/or H1N1.

Originally Posted by Crafty

She said it's extra credit, bonus points. It's not mandatory.

Who are we talking to here? Are you two the same person? Just getting a bit confused.

btw, I know someone who passed a class because of extra credit, otherwise he would have failed. I bet he would have injected himself with a lot of things, and voted, and and...

[minkajane]

Originally Posted by Gitti

Who are we talking to here? Are you two the same person? Just getting a bit confused.

Not sure what you mean. When Crafty said SHE said, she was talking about me. We're two different people.

[Marnica]

That is totally bogus....unethical I think as well. It's one thing to offer x-tra credit fro voting. It another story when you are offering extra credit to put a drug in other human being's body....disgusting. Id write the paper about that!

[SuburbanHippie]

Wow, that is so messed up. I would focus my paper on how my teacher using me as big pharma's guinea pig is unethical. I am just shocked to be quite honest.

[minkajane]

If this were a final paper, I would totally call her on it, but to be honest, I don't want to piss her off when I still have half the term left to go. KWIM? Maybe at least I can get her to think before she gets the flu vax next year.

[minkajane]

Update

Just wanted to give a little update. I've decided to write my paper on the ethical implications of forced medical procedures. I'm going to talk about court-ordered Cesareans, kids being taken by CPS because they and/or their parents refused medical treatment, forced vaxes, and whatever other examples I can think of. I have NO clue where to start for references, so if anybody has any ideas, I'd appreciate the help!

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by minkajane

When Crafty said SHE said, she was talking about me. We're two different people.

Oh, I thought SHE meant the instructer....ok. back to topic.

I will post some help as soon as I get to my computer at home.