July 4, 2012, by Jennifer Stella
As a coalition of over 1,500 citizens, we worked hard to defeat S199 – the bill to eliminate VT’s philosophical exemption from vaccines. Although many believe this is about pro-vaxxers and anti-vaxxers, it really is more about individual liberty than anything else.
We have the right to choose what we put into our bodies. And in an environment when all of the nation’s vaccine suppliers have pled guilty to fraud at least once in the last 3 years, our trust in the pharma-model of health care is dissolving rapidly. At the same time, medical politics is getting more intense. And Pharma Fraud continues unchecked, because a $3 billion fine is simply affordable when you are a drug giant.
Just this week, Glaxo pled guilty and will use cash to pay $3 billion in fines – the largest case of drug fraud in world history. They are supplier of many of our nations vaccines. This comes on the heels of the last breaking news on Merck – with a whistleblower lawsuit pending on fraudulent vaccine claims and falsification of data. A more complete document outlining the fraudulent behavior of the same companies who claim our vaccines are safe and effective can be found here. Why does our government continue to let them manufacture, supply and make claims on vaccines, without a closer look?
The outcome of the vaccine bill was not to our liking, but we took it as a win to at least have the exemption kept; with the understanding that more opportunity for public dialog and comment would be during Rules making for the Act (157). We had lingering concerns but were assured this would shake out during the Rules Making process.
Unfortunately, we were shocked to learn recently that the VT Health Dept. (VDH) under Health Commissioner Harry Chen has skipped that part of the process and has either allowed or directed rule changes with no rules making process at all. Is he serious? In an election season for Shumlin (Harry Chen is Shumlin’s appointee)? This is totally unacceptable.
After reading what they have put out, we have more questions than ever before, and as far as we know, there has been no legal review the material. It seems that this is no longer an issue over whether vaccines should be compulsory or not – it is now a matter of potentially free speech and the exercise of a Vermonter’s religious rights and legal rights (since an exemption is legal). How many are willing to let this medical political nightmare now open the door to compel a person to read, sign and believe, or else? This is more than whether or not your child is vaxxed to schedule.
One major red flag for us is that the evidence-based educational material that was called for in the act, has now turned into “Required Parent Education,” had no public review, appears to be coercive and is not at all scientific in nature. Here is the two-page document so you may read the “educational material” for yourself:
After reading this “educational” material, a parent sending their child to daycare or school, is then expected to sign a form. After reading a bunch of material you do not agree with for whatever reason, you now must sign a form. Does this form violate the first amendment to the United States constitution by requiring compelled speech? It is a good question, one that we all should be asking and one for which we should be seeking legal advice. See if you can spot the compelling speech:
Here it is again, maybe a bit easier to read:
• I have reviewed and understand the Required Parent Education Information developed by the Vermont Department of Health.
• I understand that failure to complete the required vaccination schedule increases the risk to my child and others of contracting, carrying or spreading a vaccine-preventable infectious disease.
• I understand that there are people with special health needs in schools and child care facilities who are unable to be vaccinated, or who are at heightened risk of contracting a vaccine- preventable communicable disease, and for whom such a disease could be life-threatening.
So here we now have a situation where the VDH has skipped public input, and is now proposing that you read an unscientific and coercive two-page document, then to sign a form with language that you do not agree with. What about a Vermonters’ right to the free exercise of philosophical and religious beliefs? The law (and our fundamental human right) allows us vaccine to use exemptions. If we refuse to sign a The Form, the “or else” here is the potential for your child to be thrown from the school you pay taxes for.
VDH now claims – after skipping public comment, skipping rules making – that any adulterated form will not be allowable for a child to remain at school if they are missing even one vaccine. Has any of this passed any sort of legal review? I wonder. They are no doubt planning to rely upon individual schools for enforcement. Things will fall to the school nurse first, and from there it could take many avenues. The way the law is written – parents are required to sign this statement and school boards will not be able to oppose the form if the law is not amended.
Will YOU read, sign and believe, or else? My bet is NO WAY. Things are about to get a lot more interesting.
Happy Independence Day!
