Editor’s note: This op-ed is by Jennifer Stella, a member of the Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice.
“Universal immunization.” It sounds so smooth. Rolls off the tongue.
But seriously, the only immunity in today’s vaccine policy is the legal immunity given to those who manufacture and administer vaccines. How many of you have young children? If you do not, consider putting yourself in the shoes of a parent who does when faced with today’s “universal immunization” programs.
Firstly, consider the fact that since 1988, liability-free vaccine products have gone from bust to absolute boon for the pharma industry, which is worried about their off-patent drug portfolio. The cooperation of governments with their mandates and investors around the world through Gates Foundation/GAVI Alliance enhances the profit and makes the 1 percent feel good about their 20 percent return on investments. And the under U.S. vaccine policy, “The Schedule” continues to grow unabated. If it were not for those darned parents messing things up in the USA, particularly Vermont.
Here is the official 2013 U.S. vaccine policy:
• Four vaccines (given in two shots) in-utero age 0
• 48 vaccines (given in 34 shots) beginning at newborn through age 6
• 19 vaccines (given in 17 shots) for age 7-18
• 14 vaccines (given in 10 shots) for age 19-65+
As you can see, the parents are expected to buy into a lifetime of vaccines, as Merck likes to advertise … and there are 300 more vaccines in development.
Nowadays if parents hesitate or deviate from the “schedule” in any way they are vilified by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which has a strict policy on following the schedule.
In order to make the best possible decision they can for their child(ren), parents are reading labels and science, vaccine by vaccine — as they should do. Sadly, they do not get much support from health officials, who for some inexcusable reason, dismiss their concerns. But these parents are most certainly not interested in slowly poisoning or otherwise putting their children in harm’s way, and even doctors usually accept that mother knows best.
Except, in this case, with vaccines. You see, nowadays if parents hesitate or deviate from the “schedule” in any way they are vilified by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which has a strict policy on following the schedule. For example, in some states, children may not deviate from the schedule by more than one to four days or their child(ren) must be re-vaccinated to attend school.
To make matters worse, here in Vermont, members or fellows of the AAP made up a large portion of Vermont’s recent working group that made a report to the Legislature in January.
Currently there are exemptions only for children. Adults do not enjoy such lavish accommodation, although their right to informed consent is (for now) respected, unless your employer decides to mandate, as more are doing. New bills (H.114 and H.138 — introduced last week in Vermont and waiting in the wings — may change that, too).
My friend Charlotte Gilruth quoted Henry Gadsen, former Merck CEO, in an op-ed she wrote last year: “I want to sell drugs to everyone. I want to sell drugs to healthy people. I want drugs to sell like chewing gum.”
I would say that with the 2013 schedule and another push here in Vermont by the AAP, the Health Department and lawmakers, we are very much close to realizing Gadsen’s goal.
What will YOU do about it?
