There are few decisions in life as important- or controversial – as whether or not to vaccinate, especially for parents of a new baby. With so much conflicting information at our fingertips, separating fact from fiction is no simple task. The only possible way people can make a wise and informed decision on this crucial matter is to arm themselves with all the available information, but with mainstream media backing the status quo and attacking renegade scientists who dare to dissent, are we really hearing both sides of the argument?

As we reported recently, many pro-choice or anti-vaccination campaigners are being silenced and censored by Governments, under pressure from lobbyists in Big Pharma. A recent study showed that a lack of trust in the Government is a key reason for choosing not to vaccinate, and we doubt very much that a bizarre new scheme by McDonald’s in Texas- it plans to offer free shots with its burger meals- will restore faith among parents who are already suspicious of a political system whose strings are pulled by American corporations. With that in mind, politicians would be wise to allow mature adults the opportunity to hear both sides of the vaccination debate.

The Pro-Vaccination Argument

On the one hand, there is no denying that childhood diseases in the developed world have largely been eradicated in the last century, and there is no reason to believe that vaccination isn’t the reason for this achievement by modern science. Few would disagree with this point in principle. But the sheer number of vaccinations we are expected to administer to our children is a topic of hot debate, as are the ingredients of these shots and the potential risks caused by them.

By the age of two, the average American toddler will have received around 24 vaccinations, increasing to 29 by the age of six. Depending on location and additional booster shots, this number could increase to as many as 36 vaccinations before a child has reached five years old. Things are more or less the same across the developed world: Britain, Australia, Canada and most European countries insist on an incredible number of vaccinations at a stage when the immune system is not fully developed. Are all of these shots really necessary? Why are more vaccines being added to the list year on year? Why have so many parents taken the federal government to court, blaming their child’s autism on vaccines?

Evidence or Coincidence?

And it’s not just Autism. Vaccination has also been linked to SIDS (commonly known as cot death) ADHD and Alzheimer’s, among other medical conditions. ADHD-type symptoms have also been expressed by pets who have been vaccinated, as detailed in this fascinating presentation by a leading veterinary doctor. Whether we accept these links as coincidence or a valid reason not to take the risk is a decision for each individual, but the starting point for all difficult choices must involve freedom of information. Unfortunately, many countries and states do not wish for parents to have access to studies which demonstrate that vaccines can (and do) cause death, brain damage, or the illnesses they were supposed to protect against.

Mob Rule, Nanny State?

Meanwhile, the backlash against the anti-vaccination movement continues to grow, with a Time magazine op-ed calling for non-vaccinated children to be ‘named and shamed’. Those in favor of shots repeat time and time again that the only reason non-vaccinated children don’t get sick is because they are protected by those who are. The argument goes that if we all stopped vaccinating tomorrow, there would be an outbreak of various epidemics, something which writer and father Joe Matthews got so angry about he demanded to know the names and addresses of non-vaccinated kids in his neighborhood, in much the same way he might treat a local pedophile. Meanwhile, airlines are considering to deny passengers who haven’t been vaccinated, and some doctors want to refuse treatment to patients who haven’t had their shots. One woman was so enraged by her son contracting measles that she went on a crazy viral (excuse the pun) Facebook rant at those who choose not to.

Toxic Chemicals

On the opposite side of the fence are the voices of dissenting scientists, whose claims are just as convincing but inevitably less publicized. They include cardiologist Jack Wolfson, who wrote a damning article on vaccination which we reported on recently here. One of Wolfson’s points was to express how crazy it is how we don’t actually know what is in these shots. He cleared that up for us: “aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, aborted fetal tissue, animal proteins, polysorbate 80, antibiotics, and other chemicals”. Wait, what? Aborted fetal tissue? Could this be true? We sincerely hope not. Again, the internet is awash with differing opinions, but one thing is for sure: we could start by asking tough questions ourselves.

As Wolfson pointed out angrily in his op-ed, “Be angry with yourself for not opening your eyes to the snow job and brainwashing which have taken over your mind. You NEVER asked the doctor any questions. You NEVER asked what is in the vaccines. You NEVER learned about these benign infections. Let’s face it, you don’t really give a crap what your children eat. You don’t care about chemicals in their life. You don’t care if they sit around all day watching the TV or playing video games.”

Dr Bernadine Healy is another maverick medic who urges us not to dismiss the links between vaccination and serious medical disorders, especially the growing body of evidence that shots can cause autism. Is it simply a coincidence that America’s Autism rate in 2011 was 1 in every 91 person, but other countries that administer fewer vaccines in childhood can boast of a significantly lower rate, such as Cuba (11 shots before age five, with an Autism rate of 1 in 60,000)? On a similar topic, MIT Doctor Stephanie Seneff gave a very convincing presentation of evidence relating to Monsanto‘s glyphosate in a video we published earlier this year, with a shocking prediction that half of all American children will be autistic by 2050 due to these toxic chemicals.

One thing is certain: the shocking number of toxic chemicals in vaccinations (the afore-mentioned aluminum, thimersol (mercury-based), formaldehyde and other chemicals which Dr Wolfson wrote about) surely can’t be doing our children any good. So is there a middle ground here?

It seems sensible, in light of all the above, that we keep essential vaccinations to a minimum, give parents all the necessary information about their ingredients and the potential risks caused by them, limit vaccinations for those who are more vulnerable, stagger shots rather than pumping a cocktail of various toxins into our children all at once, allow parents to listen to differing opinions from experts, and make sure the system is transparent enough to address genuine claims rather than simply throw money at suffering families in the hope they will keep quiet about their adverse experiences.

Knowledge is power. As parents, we deserve that much for the sake of our children.

This is an opinion piece by staff journalist Sophie McAdam, a mother who chose to vaccinate her child 11 years ago and now wishes she was armed with all the available information about the issues raised in this article. Please feel free to leave your own opinions in the comments section below, or contact me directly with any personal stories here.