Could they ever make us vaccinate?

[stayo22]

I'm still relatively new to this whole vax/not vax situation. My daughter is only 12 weeks old and she has had no vaccines. With this presidential election coming up and all the media hype lately over vaccines and bad mouthing of non-vaxers do you think they(the gov) could ever make us vax? Like take away religious exemption or something? I know I am just being paranoid but I already feel like the world is against me so I am just wondering if it might get difficult for us non-vaxers in the future?! Do you all wonder about this too?
And who knows .... maybe it will go in the other direction...with all this media attention maybe it will come to light how questionable vaccines really are!!

[Kaycon]

Good question. I think only time will tell. I don't know if they would take religious exemption away only because it would cause an uproar w/us, but they could make it harder to get a religious exemption. Crack down on the ones using it as an excuse to not vaccinate.

[angie7]

Originally Posted by Kaycon

Good question. I think only time will tell. I don't know if they would take religious exemption away only because it would cause an uproar w/us, but they could make it harder to get a religious exemption. Crack down on the ones using it as an excuse to not vaccinate.

: not sure if they would take the waiver away, but may make it EXTREMELY hard to get one.

[grniys]

I absolutely think they would take the religious exemptions away. Two states (I think) already don't offer them. IMO, it's a matter of time. But I think that time is several years away.

But no one will ever, ever force me to vax my kids. If it means I homeschool, then I'll homeschool.

[MsLondon]

Yes I wander about this also. DD is only 13 months and I know how quickly 3 years is going to go by and before I know it, I will have to start the process of getting r. exemp.

OK, This is a rather risque question:
What exactly do schools require as proof of vaccinations? I do have one of those yellow immunization record cards. Is that it or do they check some sort of register as well. If thats all they require then HYPOTHETICALLY, one could forge this right?

[sillygrl]

At our school, they have a form to take to the doctor, who fills it out and signs it. That same form has the space where the parent can sign claiming religious exemption, but if they take that away, you will need to have it signed by a doctor.

[Ophelia]

This might help, you can look up by state:

http://www.publichealthlaw.net/Resou...LegisTrack.pdf

For example, my state says this passed:
"Relates to provisions for isolation and quarantine of persons exposed to or infected with a communicable disease; provides that a peace officer may use force if a person resists and act upon telephone, facsimile, or other electronic notification of a quarantine order; provides for notification and hearings; provides exemption from liability for vaccinations."

Generally from what I've read, I don't think they can hold you down and force vaccinate, but if you refuse they can quarantine. I don't think they are specifics as to how long a quarantine would be, so there's a little loophole there (who gets to decide, for how long??). I don't know if this is the same kind of thing passed in Homeland Security or not.

Article about religious exempt: http://ffitz.com/nyvic/law/filenbam.htm

I don't think this is quite what you are looking for, but it's for state and fed legislation:

http://www.astho.org/pubs/2008Immuni...ationFinal.pdf

[Turquesa]

Here is what CDC rep and vaccine apologist/profiteer Paul Offit has to say on the issue:

Given the increasing number of states allowing philosophical exemptions to vaccines, at some point we are going to be forced to decide whether it is our inalienable right to catch and transmit potentially fatal infections.

So yes, there are those out there who wish to strip away parental and familial self-determination. Either Offit is alone in this, or there is a well-funded army behind him. :

[Peony]

I personally choose to use a religious exemption instead of a philosophical one even though my state offers one. My thinking is that the philosophical one would probably be the first one to go, and I am definitely not the poster child for religious exemptions.

[mermaidmama]

IMHO.... Yes.
http://www.nmaseminars.com/Coalition...datoryVax.html

[ckumelos]

It depends on how much money and power the pharmeceutical companies throw at the politicians. It depends on whether the doctors will back them up. There is a big movement towards alternative medicine, so if we as american voters start to push the issue of licensing these alt med practitioners as legitimate doctors, then their voices will count too.

For now you can avoid vaccinations by homeschooling, but how long before use of public roads and sidewalks requires a vaccination?

[pantufla]

My own mother thinks that exemptions should be taken away "for the good of society". And she's college educated, highly intelligent, quite liberal... However, I did get her to "admit" that vaccines can and do cause autism. But she still thinks everyone should vaccinate.

[ZoeyZoo]

Originally Posted by ckumelos

It depends on how much money and power the pharmeceutical companies throw at the politicians. It depends on whether the doctors will back them up. There is a big movement towards alternative medicine, so if we as american voters start to push the issue of licensing these alt med practitioners as legitimate doctors, then their voices will count too.

For now you can avoid vaccinations by homeschooling, but how long before use of public roads and sidewalks requires a vaccination?

I personally don't think the alternative medical care will get very far in this issue. Canada was trying to fastrack a bill (C51) to move health food supplements into the same category and regulation as rx drugs. Australia actually passed a bill that made many health food store empty their supplements aisles (and luckily this was everturned in the courts). There is talk the US is trying to follow suit.

I honestly don't think our exemptions will be too far behind but I will do whatever I can to keep my personaly medical decisions made by me.

There is also a big push from the pharma industry to stop this anti-vax talk. I read this morning that supposedly they are trying to push for ratings on internet sites to stop the anti-vax talk. I don't know how much truth to it there is (wasn't the best source) but I wouldn't doubt that they are at least behind the scare mongering articles that have been popping up a lot lately.

[paquerette]

Originally Posted by pantufla

My own mother thinks that exemptions should be taken away "for the good of society". And she's college educated, highly intelligent, quite liberal... However, I did get her to "admit" that vaccines can and do cause autism. But she still thinks everyone should vaccinate.

It seems like more liberals than conservatives are in favor of mandatory vaxes. Liberals tend to be more about the common good, conservatives about individual freedom, so it makes sense from that perspective. I'm not sure how much either candidate has expressed an opinion about the issue, but then again they don't exactly fit the lib/con typical profiles anyway.

On the homeschooling thing, do any other states besides PA require an exemption for homeschooling as well? Or are we just special here? :

[momofmine]

I would move to the middle of the deep woods before I would allow anyone to make me vax. I have several Christian Science friends, and they just do everything without blinking an eye. They send their kids to public school, do sports, camps, etc, and don't even worry about it. They don't worry about this stuff at all. They don't even think about it. I am going to think like that I guess! Just assume it is my right and no one will take it away. I guess the CS religion also has pretty strong lobbyists watching the govt too, so that helps.

[stayo22]

Ok, so I'm not crazy in worrying about this....seems like others are concerned too.
If they do take our rights away I've already told hubby to pack his bags because we are moving. ha!

[LotusBirthMama]

Originally Posted by pantufla

My own mother thinks that exemptions should be taken away "for the good of society". And she's college educated, highly intelligent, quite liberal... However, I did get her to "admit" that vaccines can and do cause autism. But she still thinks everyone should vaccinate.

But, that hasn't been proven...so how can she admit to it?

[MoonWillow]

Its my understanding that NY is trying to pull the reigns in on the religious exemptions. I don't know how recent this is, but its news to me.

http://schoolhealthservices.org/laws....cfm?subpage=4

If, after review of the parental/guardian statement, questions remain about the existence of a sincerely held religious belief, Department of Health regulation [10 NYCRR, Section 66-1.3(d)] permits the principal to request supporting documents.

[nicoliani]

Forced Vaccination

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Vj0EX_STU

[stayo22]

So last night on our local news there was story how a middle school suspended children who weren't up to date on vax's! I'm not even sure that is legal???!!! They said it was due to many children not having DTAP and an outbreak of the whooping cough. If you had religious exemption - would it not be illegal for them to suspend you?