Bowel obstructions from vaccines

[Guest guest]

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School bells or jail cells?

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http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24191

 

© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com

 

 

Will it be school bells or jail cells for back-to-school this year? That all

depends on an important decision you'll be making in the next few weeks and

whether some public-health official decides to yank your child from school,

stick them in a foster home and charge you with neglect if you make the

wrong one.

 

Your crime?

 

You refuse to subject your child to an unnecessary medical treatment.

 

It has happened in Hillary's Village and will again if some officials repeat

previous threats. Last fall, a school superintendent in Westfield, N.Y.,

threatened to take a 7th grader into state custody because her mom refused

to have her immunized against Hepatitis B - a disease usually spread by drug

users and the sexually promiscuous. The girl had a history of bad vaccine

reactions, but the superintendent refused to grant a waiver. The story was

repeated with 77 middle school children in Utica, N.Y. Television ads and

school posters exhort us to " Be wise - Immunize. " But some public health and

school authorities are behaving as if educating kids is less important than

forcing mandatory shots on students and their families.

 

Maybe the motivation is big bucks from a 1993 federal " Immunization

Initiative " that gives states more than $400 million in vaccine incentives

and a $100 bounty for each child vaccinated with the shots the federal

government decided are must-haves. So just how " wise " are you to immunize?

How do you decide and what do you do if you defy the school rules?

 

Quackwatch warning: We'll say up front, once again, as we did in January in

" Shots in the dark? " - vaccines can and do save lives. And we'll have to say

it again later because too many have an " all or none " approach to the

vaccine question. They seem to think that all vaccines are created equal and

equally effective and therefore equally desirable.

 

As with all medicine, vaccines are not perfect. Some vaccinated people still

come down with chickenpox despite the vaccination, although not as high a

percentage as those who aren't immunized. All vaccines cause reactions, some

good and some bad. The good and desired reaction results in immunity from

the disease. But there's no absolute guarantee against a bad reaction, such

as an allergic reaction or even death. In other words, there are always

trade-offs.

 

Some vaccines are too risky for even the manufacturers. For example, the

rotavirus vaccine, originally recommended by federal government officials,

causes too many bowel obstructions and has been pulled from the market.

 

More than $1.1 billion in claims, averaging almost a million dollars each,

has been paid out by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. All

of these claims had to fit in the program's tight definitions and prove

significant damage from one of the vaccines covered by the program.

 

Again, vaccines do prevent illness and save lives. What we're against is

requiring such medical treatment as a prerequisite for going to school.

 

Most parents will likely find that the benefits of some of the standard

vaccines, such as for diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus, are worth the

time, effort and risk involved. But many parents find some of the new

vaccines, such as for Hepatitis B, to be too risky for their children. Other

vaccines, such as for chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella have enough

benefits and risks to require thoughtful consideration of the trade-offs,

especially if your child isn't perfectly healthy when " shot day " arrives.

 

Your school may have sent you some forms about " free " vaccinations and

outlined some of the benefits and risks. But, at the same time, they demand

that children have their shots. Yet when challenged about the requirement,

school and government officials use the very fact that they aren't doctors

to slither out of liability. They shouldn't have it both ways. In the end,

physicians are legally and ethically responsible for informing patients

about the risks, and you as parents are the ultimate decision makers.

 

As we said above and are saying for the third time, " Vaccines can and do

save lives. "

 

Some people are willing to have as many vaccinations as possible because of

the unpredictability and severity of possible disease. Others are more

comfortable having as few vaccinations as possible because of the possible

complications or because of religious objections.

 

So what's a parent to do when faced with those official school vaccination

forms? First talk to your doctor to help you decide what is right for your

child. As with many other decisions in medicine or in life, the value of

each vaccine should be evaluated for that person. If you need help asking

your doctor the right questions, we recommend National Vaccine Information

Center's common sense guidelines.

 

So what do you do if you decide that a vaccination, such as Hepatitis B,

isn't right for your child but the school requires it?

 

Despite the federal bounty programs, not all states have mandatory shot

laws. Essentially all the other states have philosophical, medical or

religious exemptions. Each state has different wording that may be required

for an exemption or waiver request. Your state representative should be able

to provide you with the laws for your state. The laws are also available

online.

 

If a medical problem or medical history puts you or your child at greater

risk for a bad vaccine reaction, a written statement from a medical

professional may be required. If your application for waiver is based on

philosophical or religious grounds, a written request describing your

reasons in some detail should be sent to the officials demanding the shots.

 

If the information on vaccines you received was incomplete and you change

your mind based on new information, the written consent you gave on the

basis of incomplete information is invalid. For example, if you weren't told

that the likelihood of a severe reaction from the Hepatitis B vaccine is

three times greater than the likelihood that your child will contract the

disease, you might well change your mind about the desirability of that

vaccine.

 

Following your state's procedures will usually work. But if they don't,

notarized letters by certified mail to your doctor, the local health

department, and the vaccine manufacturer might be needed. You could inform

them that you would consent to the shots if they will accept full

responsibility for any bad reaction to the shots.

 

Yes, it takes a lot of work to get all the information you need to make a

truly informed decision. And if you want a waiver, it may take some

persistence. But don't let school scare tactics intimidate you into a

vaccination decision that's not right for your family. You'll probably take

some heat, but isn't your child worth it?

 

 

 

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Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., of Newport Beach, Calif., writes extensively on

medical, legal, disability and mental health reform. Robert J. Cihak, M.D.,

of Aberdeen, Wash., is president of the Association of American Physicians

and Surgeons. Both doctors are Harvard trained diagnostic radiologists.

Collaborating as The Medicine Men, they write a weekly column for

WorldNetDaily as well as numerous articles and editorials for newspapers,

newsletters, magazines and journals nationally and internationally.