Hannah Poling, a 19-month-old girl, was diagnosed with autism shortly after receiving five vaccinations in one day . Before receiving these vaccines, Hannah was a healthy child, without any features of autism. The Polings, believing that vaccines were the cause of his change, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services and won. The courts ruled that the vaccines she received were responsible for her condition (Healy). This story is just one example of parents' growing fear and opposition to vaccines. Likewise, the verdict handed down by the courts sparked an outcry from vaccine promoters, fearing the negative effects that this decision could have on public health. On one hand, some argue that the state should be allowed to impose mandatory vaccinations because it is in the best interest of our children. On the other side of the debate, parents should have the right to decide what is injected into their child's body, especially when the substance could cause permanent damage or death. Strong arguments have been presented to support both sides, and some of these arguments will be examined in detail. There are no federal laws mandating vaccines; nevertheless, each state has its own mandatory laws. All 50 states allow a medical exemption from the vaccine and some states allow religious or philosophical exemptions. It has been reported that since the 1990s, states allowing religious and philosophical exemptions have seen a 250% increase in non-medical exemptions. This drastic increase worries vaccine supporters. They argue that these types of exemptions should be more difficult to obtain, because failing to vaccinate all children who can be safely vaccinated leads to serious negative consequences. They...... middle of paper ...... Only now are we more aware of autism and more cases are being reported. Experts believe that not vaccinating your child based on unfounded and inconclusive reports will only lead to an increase in infectious diseases. This fear is reflected in a statement made by some of the most respected health professionals; “Using an unsubstantiated hypothesis to question the safety of vaccination. . . could lead to widespread rejection of vaccines and an inevitable increase in serious infectious diseases” (qtd. in Allen 411). Some studies have found that in places where vaccines have been linked to autism, vaccinations decrease and, as a result, certain diseases resurface or increase in number (Autism and Vaccines). Overall, although vaccinations carry risks, they are also the best defense against the development of many deadly infectious diseases in our children (Meadows).