Do we need a law to address parents who refuse to vaccinate their children?

Question

Unvaccinated children cost us in two ways:
1) When they get sick, they visit tax-subsidised hospitals
2) When an epidemic breaks out, un-vaccinated people continue to spread the disease to the rest of us.

The issue of mercury in vaccines has been scientifically studied and found to be a fantasy. Regretfully, many parents will believe anything when they are worried about their children, regardless of the lack of scientific proof.

There has been enough time to consider the extremely remote possibility of vaccines possessing bad side-effects - now let's act before we suffer the consequences of ignoring science.

What type of law should we create to resolve the issue?

Kent and Jim - If you refuse to vaccinate your children, do you think *I* should pay my tax dollars to fix-up your kids when they get sick?

That is what I call an abuse of government power, i.e. taxing responsible citizens to pay for irresponsible ones.

As for religious beliefs, show me where, in the Bible, Koran or other holy tome, it says anything about vaccinations.

Meghan - If you have some so-called "proof" that vaccinations cause autism, you should provide a link to your quackery site so we all can argue based on the facts, not your prejudices.

John - there are many ways to address irresponsible parents other than sending them to jail. That is why I phrased my question the way I did, i.e. asking what form such a law should take.

Obviously, I would not advocate a law that would cost me more.

One good form for such a law would require parents who refuse vaccinations to pay additional taxes to cover the anticipated costs of hospitals and plagues.

That way, you could be as irresponsible as you want and you will bear the costs, not the public at large.

"Poof" - if you think your point is so obvious, maybe you could provide some sort of evidence to support it.

Oh, I forgot, your crowd likes anecdotes, not evidence and rationalism. Never mind.

Karley - thanks for your vote of support. It is a scary world out there - I hope you and I are not in the minority.

Maybe we need some sort of laws addressing the sorry state of science education in America while we're at it - poor understanding of science probably explains the other responses here.

goz111 - I will reiterate: where in any holy book does it say that vaccinations are wrong? There is no way this is a religious issue.

As far as court precedents, if there really is such a decision, why don't you provide a reference? Because I think it exists in your imagination.

Suggestion: try studying a little grammar. That way you can disguise the impression you create, i.e. that your opinions are totally unencumbered by any type of education.

When you make an effort to phrase your opinions so that other people can understand what you are saying, you are showing that you actually thought about what you are trying to say.

Sherral - thanks for your response :-)

"Proof" - as everything in this world, there is no 100% proof of anything.

With regard to vaccinations, it is certain that some will be harmed, but what is more important is that the benefits greatly outweigh the side effects. Just like any other medicine.

With regard to my neutrality, I do not pretend to be neutral about whether vaccines are beneficial. My question is how we should best deal with irresponsible people.

As far as people already vaccinated being 100% safe from plagues, that is not correct. Most vaccines wear off eventually, such as my polio vaccination, which happened so long ago that it is no longer effective.

With regard to personal choice, I am all for it, so long as you bear the full responsibilities for any negative consequences. That should include paying for any burdens you might place on the rest of us, such as taxes that support preventable trips to the hospital.

And thanks for vaccinating *your* children!

Answer 1

I would think that parents who love their children should make sure that they have received all vaccinations. These parents who don't think enough of their own child, wow, put them up for adoption if you can't take care of them any better than that. Go to your County Health Department and they are free or the cost is low. And another question? How are they attending school without their shot records? Email your State Rep., or Senate. This is the best question I've read today!

Answer 2

It isn't *proven* that vaccines are 100% safe for everyone. That's like saying the majority of people can take penicillin, therefore it is proven safe.

However, because children are so young when they start receiving them, it is impossible to prove that the vaccine caused any problem, such as autism.

If people don't vaccinate and their children get sick, those who are vaccinated shouldn't be able to contract the disease. That's the whole point of the vaccine.

Generally, people who claim "religious" reasons for not vaccinating are not looking at the Holy Bible, but at their *church organization's* doctrine.

No, the government shouldn't pay for their treatment. Just because a child isn't vaccinated, doesn't mean that the family is poor. Anyone in the "epidemic" who contracts the disease obviously wasn't vaccinated.

Yes, I do vaccinate my children. My choice as it should be.

Judging by the additions to your question, it isn't really a question because you think you already know the answer and everyone else is wrong.

Answer 3

the courts when dealing with religious issues and how a parent under religious issue may bring up a child the court must use a strict scrutiny test weighing the parents 1st amendment protection versus the needs of the state,

In this case its seems the state which has the burden has not shown action to vaccinate is necessary to achieve a compelling interest, you may feel its a compelling interest but the courts have found not


Ouch Mr. Big shot try this one
Forty-eight states allow religious exemptions (all but Mississippi and West Virginia), and 15 (California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin) permit philosophic exemptionsSee footnote 29. (RH Snyder, National Immunization Program [NIP], CDC, personal communication). The criteria for allowing these exemptions vary greatly. Some states require membership in a recognized religion,See footnote e. whereas others merely require an affirmation of religious (or philosophic) opposition. Nationwide, fewer than 1% of school entrants have medical, religious, or philosophic exemptions to mandatory vaccination. Seven states had more than 1% with exemptions in the 1997–1998 school year (Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia [those with philosophic exemptions are italicized]). Michigan had the highest level of exemption at 2.3% (RH Snyder, NIP, CDC, personal communication.). However, in some communities, the levels of exemptors may be as high as 5%. In 1995, 84% of California schools had fewer than 1% of students with exemptions, but 4% of schools had 5% or more with exemptions (NA Smith, Immunization Program, California Department of Public Health, personal communication).

And as to where it says it in the BIble try this case
United states vs. Ballard, 322 us 78: Courts may not find a religious beliefs to be false

Answer 4

As far as i'm concerned vaccinations for children is a matter of parental perogative and the law has no business interfereing with that.
Do you honestly think creating laws resolves situations? One of your arguments is that sick children go to tax-subsidised hospitals. I guess you haven't calculated the cost of keeping millions of Americans in jail, and it would be good to room and board more people for not vaccinating? how would you enforce this law, and at what cost?

Answer 5

I would not like to see a law, but I would prefer that school systems control the people who attend and require documentation. As my children near school age, I am checking school policies on this issue as part of my research. Unfortunately there is so much propaganda out there (from both sides) it is difficult for many people to make decisions regarding this.

Answer 6

many vaccines have been proven to be a link for autistic children. it should be up to a parent to wait until a child is of school age to get them vaccinated, but all in all, everyone that lives in the USA or plans to visit or move to the USA should be vaccinated

Answer 7

I was told that my son had to get current vaccinations in order to be in a Minnesota public school...I call that mandatory vaccinations---he even had to have 3 hepatitis shots---I am glad he's immunized, but i think that was excessive use of government power

Answer 8

Vaccines are not something that can be addressed by law, religious, and personal beliefs should be respected and protected at all costs. When our forefathers and fathers died for freedom they didn't mean freedom to be told how to live.

Answer 9

Absolutely not.

PLEASE RESEARCH!! This is a most comprehensive list of resources, articles, and studies. There are many people here who spend countless hours, months, years, researching this stuff and would gladly help you navigate if you seriously want to inform yourself.

If you have children, or are expecting, please go here!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=47

There are also subforums dedicated to individual vaccines, etc.

Answer 10

NO, WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW IS IT'S MEDICAL IMPORTANCE.