Mandatory Immunizations
A CRS report(1) for Congress (dated January 18, 2005) provided a summary
about Mandatory Vaccinations: Precedent and Current Laws.
Historically, the preservation of public health has been the
responsibility of state and local governments. The states do use the
schedule of immunizations from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention as a guide, which includes vaccines for diphtheria, measles,
rubella and polio. Many states provide for exemptions from receiving
vaccinations for medical, religious and philosophical reasons. However,
if a person refuses to be vaccinated, they may be quarantined during a
public health emergency.
There is a Public Health Service Act which grants authority to the
Federal Secretary of Health and Human Services to make and enforce
regulations related to the spread of communicable diseases coming from
foreign countries. Another federal agency, the Food and Drug
Administration, through the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research
(CBER) (2) is directed to ensure the safety, purity, potency and
effectiveness of vaccines.
From the citizens perspective, there are concerns about the safety
of vaccines; quality and impact of ingredients to a persons health.
There are a number of organizations that act as watchdogs on the
pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines and the agencies that
administer them. A couple are referenced below. From the Vaccine
Risk Awareness website, "It can
reasonably be assumed that some vaccines do cause damage to children
or we would not have the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979. The
list of diseases to which this act applies includes measles and
rubella as well as diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough."
On February 22,
2011 the U.S. Supreme Court shielded drug companies from all
liability for harm caused by vaccines mandated by government when
companies could have made a safer vaccine.
(4)
Here are more questions as food for thought. Do vaccines
provide a sense of health security to the individual and, collectively,
to the U.S. public? How often is the necessity of vaccinations
reassessed? Can individuals be tested for existence of antibodies
before a vaccination is automatically administered? Are parents of
infants or adults informed about the risks of vaccines so they can make
an informed decision? What should the role of physicians and
pharmaceutical companies be? If it is profitable, they have a financial
incentive (5) to administer vaccinations. Is this in the best interest
of the individual?
The closer the decision-making is to the individual person, the more
tailored the decision will be that individual's needs. Mandatory
vaccinations for the entire population is very costly, may not be
necessary and can be damaging.
We believe in personal sovereignty
and your and your child's freedom to not be immunized, as well we
believe that if it can be proven you pose a health risk to the public
the State or local governments should have a right to quarantine you for
the good of the public.
Sources:
(1) This five page report provides history and
precedent, school vaccination requirements, vaccination orders during a
public health emergency, and the role of the Federal Government relating
to mandatory vaccination. There are extensive references within the
report for further reading. Web location: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RS21414.pdf
(2) Web location: http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/default
(3) http://www.vaccineriskawareness.com, http://www.nvic.org
(4) http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/March-2011/No-Pharma-Liability--No-Vaccine-Mandates-.aspx
(5) http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/11/30/vaccine_revolution.ART_ART_11-30-09_A10_7NFQQE7.html
