Vaccination decisions are difficult
by Joy Fasick, Gardners, Pa.
I usually find the Miscellany section of The Mennonite an enlightening way to stay abreast of world news that needs to be connected to our faith. However, the November piece, "We're All Connected and Therefore All Potentially Infected," fails to include several crucial points. When considering Dr. Offit’s statements regarding the necessity of vaccines, it's important to take into account his numerous ties to the vaccine industry—including those documented in a 2000 U.S. Congressional Report, among other sources. Likewise, it is appropriate to balance the tragic stories cited in the article by also recognizing the tens of thousands of tragedies documented in VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) reports.
We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made, and God’s awe-inspiring handiwork includes an amazing immune system that is unique to each individual. While some vaccines may be a safe and important prevention strategy for many people, not all vaccines are safe for all individuals. Those of us who make the difficult and sometimes heart-wrenching decisions about which vaccines are and are not right for our children—and when and how they might be given—are not rebelling against an obligation by our government, as Gordon Houser suggests. (In fact, neither the U.S. government nor public school systems actually mandate vaccinations.) Rather, we are simply trying to protect the special children God has blessed us with.
Associated Issue: The journey of John Powell - November 2011
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