The impending law requiring flu vaccines for children entering preschools or day-cares is reigniting interest and debate on the increasing list of vaccines being imposed on young bodies throughout the nation. The new law will be the first of its type in the nation, and many parents in New Jersey are expressing both concern and outrage.
The recent rally in NJ’s capitol was marketed not as an “ant-vaccine” protest, but as one requesting freedom of choice for parents. There is no mandatory vaccination required in the United States, and school requirements in most states allow for exemptions. Almost twenty states allow for a conscientious, informed exemption by parents who prefer not to have their children vaccinated, and only West Virginia and Mississippi do not provide the religious exemptions provided by the other states.
Mandatory vaccines have periodically become a subject of news articles as opposing arguments either debunk or defend links to the increase in autism, Alzheimer’s, and Type I diabetes. Many autism activists believe there is a link between vaccines and the syndrome which is expected to effect 1 out of every 94 children in the state of NJ. The Georgia Supreme Court just recently allowed an Atlanta couple’s lawsuit against a vaccine manufacturer to go forward, upholding a first-of-a-kind ruling by an appellate court. They said a 1986 federal law that has been used to block other lawsuits against vaccine companies was unclear and did not supersede state law.
There have been no definitive studies linking any of the above mentioned diseases to vaccines; but, recent research has shown viral components possibly being the underlying cause for both Type I, also known as Juvenile Diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. The dramatic increase in both Alzheimer’s and autism have led many to believe that there is an environmental trigger, and anything from preservatives in food to medical vaccines are considered suspect. The linkage with regards to autism is usually targeted towards thermisol. This preservative, which has been in use for decades, has been removed from most vaccines except for the majority of flu shots. Finding a product that is thermisol free has become difficult, as the government has set its own standard as to what the term “free” implies with regards to trace amounts of the preservative.
The rally in NJ was to pressure the state legislature to add NJ to the list of states allowing for a conscientious objection. Although the law does not require membership in any organized religion, many believe that seeking an exemption under the guise of religion would be hypocritical. It is also more administratively time consuming as the state can request proof of the religious objection. Their argument is that this is an unnecessary burden when the law will protect anyone meeting the broad definition offered by the United States Supreme Court which defined the standard as, “sincere religious beliefs which are based upon a power or being, or upon a faith to which all else is subordinate or upon which all else is ultimately dependent.”
Being a member of an organized religion that does not specifically prohibit vaccinations is no barrier either. The Roman Catholic church in America has advised that they do not prohibit the vaccination of children as a matter of faith, but they qualify the statement by clarifying that their religion requires the individual to adhere to her/his own conscious and behave accordingly. In New York State, it was a Jewish family with children in the Yeshiva who made great strides in defending the rights of parents to make informed decisions with regards to the health of their dependents.
Other protesters applied a comparison that appeared extreme on the surface. Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk, R-Westwood, gave voice to some activists who believe the mandate violates the Nuremberg Code which was instituted in response to Nazi experiments on humans. They claim that inadequate research makes the mandated vaccine a de facto medical experiment which cannot be forced on unwilling individuals. Many agree in principal saying that too many vaccines have been added too quickly, and more research would help parents make informed decisions. The introduction of the Hepatitis B vaccine, used to treat a disease associated with drug addicts and unsafe sexual practices, was another topic that had previously caught the public’s attention.
In 1985, children were vaccinated for seven diseases; that number is now 16. Altogether, children endure about 37 separate vaccination encounters. With such a significant increase, the medical society might feel overwhelmed in trying to educate the general public as to the benefits of vaccinations, but such an effort is even more imperative with a population that rightfully refuses to offer a blind faith in government mandates. The difficulty in producing a flu vaccine that is effective against the varied strains of the virus makes this particular vaccine mandate particularly troubling to many parents.
Children enrolled in kindergarten or daycare have until December 31st to comply with the law or submit a letter of exemption.
Great article. People need to be informed to make educated and personal decisions about their children’s health. Here is a great website that let’s people know what will actually be injected into their childrens’ body: http://www.rense.com/general59/vvac.htm. Many don’t know that tissue from aborted babies are used in the vaccines for Chicken Pox, MMR, M-R-Vax, Hep-A-Havrix and others.