Rob Port's column on vaccination published April 3 does nothing to advance the conversation. When we restate the mainstream boilerplate message of the drug companies without examining any of the reasoning for vaccination concerns, all we do is help perpetuate a serious mistake.

Drug companies do their own vaccination studies, crafting them to produce positive results. And they're tested in isolation from other vaccines – understandably perhaps, but vaccines aren't given in isolation. They're just one of 70 vaccinations currently prescribed for children. The accumulated effect has not been government or vaccine company tested, but independent surveys show alarming problems with neurological issues, asthma, auto-immunity and more.

Any experienced teacher can tell you about the growth of behavioral problems in children. There has even been a proposal to build a separate school for such children in West Fargo.

Before accepting the drug company claims at face value, examine the arguments by those who are waving a red flag. There are dozens of good books, countless articles and many peer-reviewed studies.

The complexities involving human health are many, and contenting oneself with the simple claims of the drug companies is irresponsible. Be open minded. Question.

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We have been programmed to fear an illness like measles, which is very mild in children, with a fatality rate the World Health Organization acknowledges to be so low as to be clinically insignificant. Measles in childhood provides lifelong immunity, and actually bestows other health benefits, as several studies have shown. Vaccination on the other hand, wears off and leaves the adult vulnerable at an age when measles is much more likely to have serious consequences, creating a demand for another round of vaccination.

Interestingly, it's people with higher education that have concerns about vaccines. The concern is also higher within the medical community. It's not the tin-hat crowd as many people suggest. It's an informed segment of our population that has come to learn that a heavily-vaccinated population suffers from worse health. We need a more judicious attitude toward vaccines. If I step on a rusty nail, sure, I'll get a tetanus shot. If I'm going to the jungles of Brazil, I'll get the yellow fever shot. But I'll pass on the drug company hype that promotes routine vaccination. You know they'll be find more for us. And they'll do a good job of selling it.