The whole essay is wonderful, but here is just a snippet:
"We must then ask–Should people be forced to have an experimental surgical procedure because if successful, it will benefit many? Should they be forced to take experimental medications?
This principle of mandatory medical procedures could also apply to experimental brain surgery, such as the infamous frontal lobotomy. After all, at the time, it was thought to greatly benefit thousands and was used to treat sadness, depression, unruly behavior in children and anxiety. Sure, the effects were irreversible, but so is the neurological damage caused by vaccine reactions.
The history of medicine should have taught us that excitement over a treatment or procedure can often turn to disaster down the road. Thalidomide was considered to be a very safe tranquilizer–no one knew at the time if given to pregnant mothers, the child would be born with crippling limb deformities. What if taking thalidomide had been mandatory at the time–millions would have been crippled."
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