The Right of Choice
Does Forced Vaccination Trump Civil Liberties?
Reasons in favor Vaccination
- It gives children an increased chance of fighting off illnesses.
- Improves Public health
- Vaccine-preventable diseases are dangerous. If we have the means why not erradicate them.
- Major medical organizations state that vaccines are safe
- Adverse reactions to vaccines are rare (1 in 1M)
- Vaccines save children and their parents time and money. They cost less in time and money to obtain than infectious diseases cost in time off of work to care for a sick child, potential long-term disability care, and medical costs.
CNN Interviews
- http://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2015/02/05/exp-wolf-measles-cdc.cnn
Reasons against Vaccinations
Disney Measles Outbreak
- Distrust of Pharmacutical companies
- Protection From Civil Liabillites
- Potential negative effects on health
- Vaccines can contain harmful ingredients
- Some diseases that vaccines target are harmless and easily treatable - Chickenpox, Measles
- Belief the government should not intervene in personal medical choices
- "I shouldn't have to sacrifice the health child to protect others"
- Religion
- An outbreak of measles occurred in Disneyland.
- It is suspected the infected person caught the disease overseas, and brought it to the U.S.
CNN Interviews
- http://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2015/02/04/ac-dnt-tuchman-why-we-dont-vaccinate.cnn
- http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/05/health/anti-vaccine-doctor-jack-wolfson/index.html
Real Life situations
- 'No jab, no pay:' Australia cuts benefits for parents who don't vaccinate kids
- Pakistani parents arrested over polio vaccine
The Vaccination Debate and Politics
Should unvaccinated children be allowed to attend public school/daycare?
Generally speaking, both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are in favor of vaccinations.
- 8 of 10 Americans believe parents should be required to vaccinate their healthy children against preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and polio.
- If the children are not vaccinated, most agree the child should not be allowed to attend public school or day care.
- When it comes to private schools, Americans are split: 51% say they should be allowed; 48% say they should not.
- Dr. Vivek Murthy-CNN interview
- Ben Carson
The Major Conflict
There is a growing concern and evidence that vaccinations may actually be causing chronic health problems, with all 50 states requiring vaccination for children entering public schools conflict surrounding civil liberties have also surfaced.
Sacramento, California SB 277