|
Freedom of Choice vs. Mandatory Vaccination
Karin Schumacher (VIA)
 This article is written in light of the media blitz that has ascended upon the nation pushing immunizations. Ostensibly the issue is vaccinations; however, the real issue is Freedom Of Choice. However, along with that freedom comes the responsibility to question, research, and decide if vaccinations are prudent for your own child.
For some vaccines may be the choice, for others that may not be. Nonetheless, it must be the right of each individual parent to make that choice, not a government entity that has no children. What I contest here is the "herd" mentality foisted upon us by the medical community, health department, pharmaceutical companies and the government. Vaccinations must be determined on an individual basis, depending on the history and health of each child and only after a parent is fully informed about the risks of the disease vs. the risks of vaccines. When I brought my daughter into have her first series of vaccinations at 2, 4 and 6 months, I blindly believed that vaccinations were supposed to protect her.  When she had a severe reaction (inconsolable crying for more than 3 hours, a 6 week long knot at the injection site and high fever) to her second set, I was patted on the head by the pediatrician and told pedantically that these reactions were normal and expected.
I believed what the doctor said without question and like a dutiful parent took her in for the third shot. I even remember taking her in for her MMR and thinking rather sanctimoniously to myself how could anyone not vaccinate his/her child?
It wasn't until I read How To Raise A Healthy Child In Spite Of Your Doctor, by Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, that I discovered the existence of risks and dangers of vaccines. I have since researched and investigated several other books and articles written by a courageous few who have spoken out against vaccinations. I am a concerned parent who has investigated with an open mind the various facets of vaccinations and have discovered many important facts. A National Vaccine Injury Fund (PL 99-660) was set up in 1986 to compensate those injured by vaccines. So far over $1,000,000,000 has been paid out. (See Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).)
There must be better medical screening for children who may react to a vaccine. (The package insert for the DPT vaccine says: HYPERSENSITIVITY TO ANY COMPONENT OF THE VACCINE INCLUDING THIMEROSAL, A MERCURY DERIVATIVE, IS A CONTRAINDICATION.) In July 1999, the Thimerosal issue was finally addressed and the newborn requirement for the Hepatitis B vaccine was rescinded until the vaccine manufacturers offer a Thimerosal-free vaccine. In addition, all vaccines must be made Thimerosal-free. According to one vaccine manufacturer, this should have occurred in September 1999.
A fact sheet given out by CDC asks if the recipient is allergic to neomycin, streptomycin or polymycin B (antibiotics), as that might be a contraindication to the polio vaccine. A parent can't know this if the infant hasn't had these antibiotics. A Dallas study concluded that apnea may be a hazard of immunization for preterm infants. A prospective study of nearly 100 2-month old premature infants showed that 19% had either new or increased episodes of apnea in the 24-48 hours following vaccination with the DPT and HiB conjugate vaccines as found by Dr. Pablo Sanchez. A child with the MMR vaccine can still get measles according to the Texas Department of Health. This happened in 1987 where 96% of the cases were considered non-preventable, i.e. they were fully vaccinated, had a religious or medical exemption or were born before 1957. This occurred in 1989 where 72% of the cases were considered non-preventable, i.e. they were fully vaccinated, had a religious or medical exemption or were born before 1957.
Children vaccinated against Pertussis still contract the disease. (The Chicago Department of Health noted that of 186 confirmed Pertussis cases in Chicago, fall 1993 "74% were as up to date as possible on their immunizations for their age.") Reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, July 7, 1994. In October/November 1990, clinical mumps developed in 54 students. Fifty-three out of those 54 were fully vaccinated! Reported in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, July 1995,149(7)774-778.
An infant is subjected to the Hepatitis B vaccine when it supposed to protect against intravenous drug addicts who share non-sterilized needles or sexually active people. According to the Public Health Department, the length of the immunity will not be known for years, so a not at risk infant is expected to accept this vaccine with no guarantee that they will be protected at adolescence when it may be necessary.
 Carcinogenic toxins (Formaldehyde and Thimerosal) are being injected into newborns, two, four and six-month old infants whose immune system is not fully developed. Tylenol is given to infants and children when the shot is administered to mask a fever that show there might be a problem with the vaccine.
Informed consent means the parent is given time to read, understand and research the information about the risks and dangers of vaccines; it does not mean getting that information at the same time the shot is administered. Studies show vaccine links to ADD, PDD, AIDS, SIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Autoimmune Disorders, Diabetes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Cancer, Guillaine Barre Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, and Vaccine Induced Polio.
The Chickenpox vaccine split the medical community. Many pediatricians are questioning the value of vaccinating for a relatively benign disease. Especially when doing so would put the risk of acquiring the disease at as an adult when it is much more severe.
Vaccinations do not need to be mandated if they are so professedly beneficial to the public as a whole. In perspective, Texas does not have more serious medical outbreaks of diseases when there is a less than 60% vaccination rate of children under 5 years old. During 1985 through 1995, in Texas there were 11,351 cases of measles and 26 deaths. Also during the past 10 years in Texas there were 1,768 cases of Pertussis and 10 deaths.
The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) receives about 12,000 to 14,000 reports of adverse events following vaccination with over 700 deaths. In addition, the FDA has conceded that only 10-15% of all adverse reactions are ever reported because the physicians refuse to believe they are vaccine related.  VAERS says that the parent can and should report the event, if the doctor refuses. However, the vast majority of the public doesn't know this. The FDA refuses to pull any vaccines off the market in over 15 years even though nearly 700 deaths have been reported to the FDA. Moreover, since the FDA approved the acellular pertussis vaccine for every child, there are still private and public healthcare providers still administering it.
A medline search from 1990 to 1994 using keywords immunizations, vaccinations and adverse reactions produced 148 citations that fit that criteria. Health Departments use scare tactics to promote vaccines. Images like the bogeyman, car accidents, empty play grounds and cradles, and gun racks. In addition, Health Departments state one main reason they want early vaccination is purely logistical: it is easier to get infants and kids vaccinated. Parents are afraid to encounter a relatively minor disease like mumps, measles and rubella which when experienced will confer life-long immunity. Moreover, many schools while they correctly state that vaccines are required, rarely add the information that medical exemptions exist in all 50 states, religious exemptions are allowed in 48 states and philosophical exemptions are accepted in 17 states. This leaves a parent with the impression that their child will not be allowed into school unless the required immunizations are completed.
An infant receives the exact dose of a vaccine that a 5-year-old receives. Jonas Salk, the inventor of the IPV, injected polio vaccine, testified before a Senate sub-committee that nearly all polio occurrences since the vaccine and not the wild virus caused 1961. More physicians who know of the links between vaccines and long term detrimental effects need to speak out. A larger public outcry to this mass vaccination program that is infringing on our Freedom Of Choice and that may be doing more harm than good, must occur.
Parents need to be empowered to question their doctors on the dangers and risks of vaccines. Too many parents are vaccinating their children without question. Because of my research I started:
Vaccine Information and Awareness (VIA) has national and international members and is a large presence on the Internet. Since the website started in 1995, there have been over 78,000 visits to the VIA website. Parents who have researched and decided not to vaccinate their children are afraid of the legal ramifications of publicly announcing that decision. Many parents have children who endured severe vaccine reactions and have been compensated by the government. Tragically, many more have not.
Parents voice outrage at not knowing any of the risks or having had the risks downplayed by the medical community, government and public health departments. More media investigations must be conducted to fully explore the vaccination issue. However, the media is responding. Recently, Money Magazine, Boston Globe, Gannett News Service, Washington Post Magazine and numerous newspapers across the nation have presented information on immunizations and their inherent risks. In addition, television media such as NOW, 20/20, American Journal and Crusaders have done shows on the dangers and risks of vaccines.
We also need concerned people to contact their Congressman and Senators, both state and federal to voice their convictions and to demand accountability from the pharmaceutical companies, public and private health sector and the medical community.
Congress is now starting to listen. In March and April 1999 there were congressional hearings on the controversial Anthrax vaccine that 2.4 million military troops are required to take. In May 1999, there was a Hepatitis B vaccine hearing. In August 1999, there was a Vaccine Safety Hearing. These hearings and public information outreach has been accomplished because of parents and advocacy groups such as NVIC and VIA. There is much work to be done. Parents need to take charge of their child's health care.
Once again, VIA is not anti-vaccination, we are pro-information and pro-choice. We need to get this information out to the public and let them know there is another side to this issue.
| Next |
Printed with permission from Karin Schumacher, Vaccine Information & Awareness (VIA), original 8/99. The above information is presented for educational purposes only, and it is not a substitute for informed advice or training. Please do not use this information to diagnose or treat any problems without consulting a qualified professional.
|
