Before You Become Pro-Vaccine or Against-Vaccine, Become Pro-Education

The January 8th, 2012 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot-News published a commentary by columnist Anne McGraw Reeves entitled "Protect herd immunity:  Get kids vaccinated" 

I submitted an editorial in response to this column the following day which was accepted to be published and appeared in the Thursday January 12th newspaper as well as online. 

Personally, I have my own beliefs about the vaccine debate, but that is not the point of this discussion.  Professionally, I am neither Pro-Vaccine nor am I Against Vaccine.  I consider myself professionally as Pro-Education. 

It has been my experience in 10 years of private practice that 99% of my patients, when challenged to discuss the topic of vaccines, are woefully ignorant on the subject.  If you fall in this category I do not consider this your fault. 

This strongly suggests that 99% of the public is also woefully ignorant, as evidenced by some of the comments to my editorial online.  Aside from the personal attacks you will read from the commentors of my editorial,  you will notice that I respond simply by discrediting their statements via the current peer-reviewed literature on the subject.  

You have been given a lopsided, one dimensional view of what vaccines are, what they do, and how they are good for humankind.  Who supplies you this data?  The multinational multibillion dollar vaccine industry does. of course through the liaison known as "your doctor". 

Do you see how that is a problem?

One of my professional goals is to create a more educated population; a more savvy group of people who wil not be cornered and forced to accept one side or another.  Rather, have the understanding to make truly informed decisions for themselves.  The only way to accomplish this is to become transparent, and allow yourself to understand both sides of the vaccine argument.  This involves some work though.  Some of you may be lazy.  You don't have time to do this research.  You will simply decide that your doctor knows best;  you will trust their "good judgment." 

For the others, I strongly recommend beginning your endeavour by visiting the National Vaccine Informational Center http://www.nvic.org/  The NVIC is an educational non-profit organization advocationg vaccine safety and informed consent protections in the public health system.