Time to End Exemptions from Vaccinations

An outbreak of measles struck San Diego last month. 12 children fell ill; nine of them had not been inoculated against the virus because their parents objected, and the other three were too young to receive vaccines. Apparently a group of parents elected not to have their children vaccinated out of personal conviction.

To say the least, the behavior of these luddites deserves immediate action. These people are terribly misinformed not only about the risks of vaccination but also about the dangers of such stupid behavior.

Measles vaccines are only 95% effective. People have the right to jeopardize their own children’s lives they do not have the right to jeopardize other peoples lives.

As more and more simpletons elect to exercise their right to avoid vaccination, we risk approaching a tipping point that could jeopardize the nation's herd immunity to highly infectious communicable diseases. With open borders and a lack of quarantine program, it is almost a certainty we will be visited by a massive outbreak of a communicable disease. Unless your local medical community has practiced extensively on the edges of the third world, it will not be prepared to deal with the task.

The objection that a vaccine preservative Thimerisal (contains mercury) induces autism and various other conditions is unfounded. Note: Thimerisal is no longer utilized in the United States as vaccine perservative. Even if you don’t trust the FDA, real scientists in other countries such as Denmark (not noted for being unduly influenced by Big Pharma) has shown no causal link between vaccination and the incidence of autism.

People who have never studied anything more than high school biology read faulty medical studies or simple opinions (usually on the Internet) unpublished in reputable peer-reviewed journals and then elect to jeopardize the community. Many of the so-called studies are published by either charlatans or well-intentioned but scientifically challenged practitioners.

I realize our political system is filled with people guided more by nonsense than science, but this is simple to understand. No medcial procedure in history has been more effective clinically or economically than mass vaccination. The success of vaccine programs for the last three generations has allowed politicians to behave irresponsibly. It allows elected officials to cowtow to extraordinary strange bedfellows: religous zealots and back to nature conspiracy theory hippies. Once we have a major outbreak all the hand wringing will begin. A call to action will come.

Before an vaccination exemption should be granted, parents should have to be educated regarding the risks they are taking, prove mental competency and sign an obligation. The obligation, one, Gary Becker, Nobel Laureate Economist at University of Chicago would approve of, would charge those parents who are exempters for costs of an outbreak enhanced by treble damages. I would be curious how many parents would opt-out if their McMansions and Mercedes were at risk and not the community health.

Much of this nonsense has been precipitated by parents groping for explanations for illnesses presented in their children such as neurological disorders, asthma and autism. While I feel for these parents, children are not all born perfect. It is a toss of the dice. What truly concerns me, it that precious medical and research resources are diverted from curing autism and instead to testing hypotheses put forward but such notable authorities as actress Jenny McCarthy. Pasteur, Salk, Sabin are rolling in their respective graves.

For more information, see this article published in the New York Times of March 21, 2008.

I will publish follow-on posts about obtain free childhood vaccinations and HPV vaccinations.