Moms Who Vax and Voices for Vaccines

[prosciencemum]

Over at the "Moms who Vax" blog, an article about a new parent advocacy group for those who research vaccines and come to the decision they are safe and effective - "Voices for Vaccines". MDC members posting in "Mindful Vaccination" may find it interesting. 

http://momswhovax.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/its-about-time-voices-for-vaccines.html

[Minerva23]

Some links on that site don't work anymore or at least not for me.
 

[prosciencemum]

Still working fine for me. Not sure what the problem is. They say they at just launching - so the website is not completely finished perhaps.

[IdentityCrisisMama]

It is true that MDC does not endorse or welcome the discussion of mandatory vaccinations, however, we are not going to vet content that is hosted on other sites. I have removed the last two posts because they certainly invite discussion of mandatory vaccinations, which is not a welcome topic on any of the Vax forums. 

Please be reminded that this is the Mindful Vax board. If you are not vaccinating or seriously considering that choice for your family, please post on the Vax Discussion and Debate forum or the support forum for members who choose not to vaccinate (INV).  Thanks! 

[prosciencemum]

There's more about the organizational structure of Voices for Vaccines here:  http://www.voicesforvaccines.org/about/

Here's the mission statement of the organization. 

Quote:

Voices for Vaccines is a parent-led organization that supports and advocates for on-time vaccination and the reduction of vaccine-preventable disease. Although the majority of parents choose to immunize their children against disease, most of us do not speak out about our decisions because it seems to us common sense. Unfortunately, increasing numbers of parents are choosing not to immunize or to under-immunize their children, which has led to increasing rates of vaccine-preventable diseases and needless suffering.

At Voices for Vaccines, our mission is to provide families three crucial tools:

• Evidence-based information about the safety and importance of immunization
• A vibrant community of parents who are passionate about preventing disease, disability, and death by supporting and encouraging sound vaccine policies and practices at both the state and national levels
• An opportunity to join the discussion and to actively advocate for on-time immunization

[IdentityCrisisMama]

On the topic of advocating for on-time schedule...

One of the things I think is interesting, PSM, is that we both had a baby born in the States and then lived in Europe (I have since moved back to the States).  I was already a bit vax skeptical when I left for Europe but a reinforcer for me was the different schedule and even options (at the time) for vaccinations in Europe. 

So, while I'll never be one to say what another parent should do in regards to vaccinations, I wonder how the concept of "on time" is influenced somewhat by where you live, the current developments in vaccinations and personal circumstances. I know that even some of our most vax-supportive parents here deviate from the schedule slightly and the schedule in the UK seems more approachable to me. 

I don't know...

I think that advocating for vaccinations is one thing but advocating for on-time seems a bit extreme. I guess that, to me, it removes some of the personal considerations that seems so valuable to the choice to MV. 

[rachelsmama]

Hmmmm...it sounds like they don't take a very scientific approach to vaccination.  Vaccination isn't about common sense, it's about science, and the evidence can very well lead a person to selective or delay or not vaccinate depending on their location and situation, and many of the disease resurgences are the result of adaptation, increased diagnosis, or vaccine failure, and have nothing to do with non-vaccinators.  So, based on their mission statement, I'm not impressed.