On the left, a doctor. On the right, Christ, Scientist
At the special plenary session of the 47th annual meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America, Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and chief of infectious disease at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, offered compelling arguments against those who seek religious or philosophical exemptions from being vaccinated. Dr. Offit is not a stranger to the topic of vaccines. He helped develop the current rotavirus vaccine from Merck, RotaTeq. He also wrote "Autism's False Prophets", a book that caused quite a backlash against him from the anti-vaccine groups. Some people with that line of thinking went as far as to deliver threats against him.
In his speech, Dr. Offit spoke of the "birth" of the anti-vaccine movement, stating that the movement began on April 19, 1982, after a televised report titled "DPT: Vaccine Roulette". In it, parents of children with chronic conditions were interviewed. Without much supporting evidence, the report concluded that the DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) vaccine caused neurological damage to those receiving it. From that report and the conclusions that people drew from it, Dr. Offit stated that the National Vaccine Information Center was born. The center is now a main lobbying group against vaccines.
Dr. Offit asked the audience if any of them believed in a Constitutional right to refuse being vaccinated. He followed his inquiry with supporting law evidence of cases that do not support a Constitutional right to refuse vaccines. In "Jacobson vs. Massachusetts", the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that there is no Constitutional right to endanger the public by refusing to take vaccines. "Jacobson" in the case was refusing to take the smallpox vaccine at the time of a smallpox epidemic in Massachusetts. In "Zucht vs. King", the Court ruled that States have the right to impose health regulations as part of their "police powers" for guarding public health. Then, in "Prince vs. Massachusetts", the Court ruled that religious freedom does not include the freedom to expose the public to dangerous infections.
Religious exemptions from vaccination requirements, according to Dr. Offit, came about when the New York State Legislature was pressured into allowing exemptions for Christian Scientists. The Church of Christ, Scientist, founded in 1879, is based on the belief that diseases have no physical cause. Christian Scientists believe that spiritual weakness is the true cause of diseases; that there are no bacteria or viruses to cause illness. The Christian Scientists in New York wanted to be exempt of the polio vaccine, and they got their wish. A few years later, in 1972, the Daycroft School in Connecticut was the site of a polio epidemic the likes of which had not been seen in the United States for decades. The Daycroft School was affiliated with Christian Scientists, and none of the students were immunized against polio. A total of 11 students were permanently paralyzed by a virus that, according to the beliefs of those running the school, did not exist.
Since the New York State Legislature allowed exemptions from vaccines due to religious beliefs, 47 other States in the nation have followed suit. Exemptions are now allowed for philosophical or religious reasons. As a result, diseases like measles and pertussis (whooping cough) have emerged as outbreaks. These diseases were believed to be erradicated in the United States because of the widespread availability of vaccines. With several outbreaks as early as this year, the diseases are still around.
Dr. Offit closed his speech by pointing out that the issue of whether or not to allow exemptions is one of the rights of the individual versus the right of society to be safe and healthy. He put forward as an example the recent protests in New York from health care workers who refused to take the H1N1 influenza vaccine. Health care workers work with some very vulnerable people who cannot be vaccinated because of weakened immune systems, yet they absolutely refuse to be compelled to take the flu vaccine, though they are perfectly fine with taking the Hepatitis B vaccine. Dr. Offit also spoke of parents of children who are fearful to send their children to schools where vaccine rates are low. And he closed his examples about this by speaking about physicians who refused to see non-immunized patients for fear of those patients infecting others in their waiting rooms.
Comments
Dude, the picture of Jesus is awesome... He can really do everything, can't He?
US unique in avoiding adjuvants in H1N1 vaccine.
The Wall Street Journal (10/28, A6, Whalen, McKay) reports that the US is avoiding using adjuvants in the H1N1 vaccine, even though it would allow shots to be produced more quickly. While adjuvants have been used in European countries for years, the US has yet to use the ingredients for want of safety data. Jesse Goodman, chief scientist at the FDA, said, "When you give products to millions of healthy people, you want to have as much data as you can available." The Journal notes that some Americans are very skeptical of the safety of adjuvants. HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response Dr. Nicole Lurie said, "I can't imagine what we would be up against," in regard to convincing the skeptics.
Former FDA official says vaccine policies hurting H1N1 response. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (10/28), Dr. Scott Gottlieb, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former deputy commissioner of the FDA
Former FDA official says vaccine policies hurting H1N1 response. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (10/28), Dr. Scott Gottlieb, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former deputy commissioner of the FDA, writes that the Obama Administration blames the shortages of H1N1 vaccine on manufacturing delays, but also to blame is the nation's overly cautious policies in regard to vaccines. Adjuvants would allow for four times the number vaccine doses than we currently have. And, policies that allow for cell-based vaccine facilities in the US will allow for large amounts of vaccine to be made more quickly. Gottlieb concludes that while the Administration made some good decisions in the lead up to the H1N1 pandemic, blaming manufacturers for the current state of vaccine distribution is disingenuous.
I guess Dr. Offit doesn't really think vaccinations work since if you choose to get them and they actually work for EVERYONE then those who have had them would not have to worry about those who haven't had them. Therefore, it becomes an individual's inalienable right to decide if they want to inject any foreign substance into their body. When the govt can decide that for you then we have lost the basic rights that our country was built on.
@Rights4all... Yeah, I have a reply: what? You do know that not everyone can be vaccinated due to preexisting conditions, their age, or other factors. So what right do you have to place them at risk by not being immunized? What right to parents have to place their children at risk by not immunizing them? Sounds like child abuse to me.
problem is the more COMPULSORY vaccination is, the more people who shouldn't be vaccinated are. They're vaccinated during illness, while on antibiotics, after having had a serious reaction with the first vaccination etc etc and no one has been struck off for that kind of mis-practice. But when people who question vaccinations point out this happened, it seems to be the parents that are blamed -- even when they informed the doctor. If someone would rather be quarantined during an outbreak - then good on them. If they actually researched the topic rather than simply believe the scary rhetoric and they make a decision - the state should not be able to FORCIBLY make them do anything. Maybe CONVINCING us with rational argument? Is that too much to ask - or do we have to see misleading pictures and scare stories. I'll make it simple - there's no point giving us a vaccine that'll stop us being run over by a red bus - and ensures we'll only be run over by a bike - if the area only has yellow buses. P.S. you get hit by enough bikes, or you're unlucky and...
I'm just curious why we all have to believe everything that scientists tell us. These are same people who refuse to accept that God had anything to do with the creation of the universe. They also refuse to accept that people can be scientists and believe in God for the most part. Then to top it off, they force global warming down everyone's throats. I'll let you serve as the Guinnie Pig's for the H1N1 vaccination. Sorry I don't buy into everything the gov't or scientists tell me.
@JM - You have to believe evidence. Truth does not negate truth. If evidence of God appeared and could be verified, no scientist in their right mind would deny it. Likewise, why deny the fact that diseases drop off the charts with vaccines? Why is that so hard to understand? And why the need to mix religion and science, from both sides? Why do you only listen to what makes you feel comfortable? Why does anyone? Why? Why?
I listen to everything and understand they usually work. Just don't like side effects of certain vaccines/medicines or the fact that if it can't be proven to be a problem, it isn't a problem logic.
Religion is in the article and nothing is black and white. Everyone has an agenda. Just don't like people telling me what is right or wrong for me based on their ideas. I can't go around and telling people to stop driving cause they don't know how, so don't try and mandate any medical action on me.
There is a word for what Dr. Nazi is describing (placing the interests of the state above the individual. It's called FASCIM!!!
Hitler would have loved this guy
How dare the courts and the government tell us what is right and wrong? If I see someone walking down the street randomly shooting at people, I don't want anyone to stop him. Isn't it his right to kill as many as he wishes? If the State stops him, then the State is being fascist. Same if the bullets were HIV or flu. We should all be free to do as we see fit... Anarchy rules!
James Longfellow, where did the doctor speak about the so-called "state"? I read the thing a couple of times, and I didn't see a single thing about the state. I did read about the state protecting people from idiots. Isn't that the only form of government, one that protects its people? Sounds anything but fascist to me. Oh, I get it, you're a Glenn Beck fan.
Offit or Mr. Proffit works for Pharma. He is a Fascist drug pusher, ready to take your rights away.
OneVoice, there are NO rights to take away. Under the US Constitution, the one you and I agreed to live by through the fact that we're still in the States, individuals are not free to kill others through infectious diseases. The rights of the many outweigh the whacko beliefs of the few.
***spoke of the "birth" of the anti-vaccine movement, stating that the movement began on April 19, 1982, after a televised report titled "DPT: Vaccine Roulette"***
Was Dr Proffit in a coma all the years before, when Marge Grant and a whole group of people who also had vaccine damaged children, worked tirelessly to get philo exemption in Wisconsin in 1974?
Yes, Dr. Proffit was in a comma. We're sorry to inform you that he didn't make it out. Dr. Offit, on the other hand, was probably already saving lives.
This man is just despicable. First he bribes the FDA to approve this vaccine that hasn't even been tested for safety or shown to prevent any disease, yet is laced with poison... then now he wants the government to force people to take it?? Good lord, talk about loss of freedom, loss of health, all so some corrupt greed hungry man can get rich.
sorry - what you're stating is pretty much standard practice. Should we be surprised? I'm waiting for the vaccine against werewolves. Since we have so many of them, they're so dangerous, and BTW the vaccine will only make you slightly hairy.
In all seriousness how can anyone make it compulsory to undergo a medical procedure? It's despicable. If they want people to take vaccinations -- fewer deaths and fewer complications would be a start. Why should so many mums I speak to talk about their kid suffering side effects within hours of a shot, and not only does it not hit the vaccination register - but they are advised to take the next shot.
Baa.
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