New York Bill Would Strip Parental Consent for Vaccinating Children
Story Highlights Informed consent to medical treatment is a foundation of ethical medical practice today, giving adult patients and parents of minor children the right to make voluntary decisions based on full disclosure of the benefits and risks involved in a proposed medical intervention. Historically, medical intervention for children (usually defined as those under age […]
Government Should Not Force Parents to Vaccinate Children Says Kentucky Governor
In a recent interview, Kentucky’s Governor Matt Bevin said that he supports parents who decide to vaccinate their children but also supports the right of parents to opt against vaccinating their children. He said he believes that such a decision should be left up to parents and not the government.1 2 “This is America. The […]
Richard Smith, MD on How Most Doctors are Not Scientists
Some doctors are scientists—just as some politicians are scientists—but most are not. As medical students they were filled full with information on biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, and other sciences, but information does not a scientist make—otherwise, you could become a scientist by watching the Discovery channel. A scientist is somebody who constantly questions, generates falsifiable hypotheses, […]
Oregon Bill Calls for “Universal In-Home Visits” to Families with Newborns
Story Highlights A new bill (SB 526) has been introduced in the Oregon legislature directing the Oregon Health Authority to study and recommend legislation for a nurse home visiting program that offers up to three home visits by a licensed health care provider for parents and families with newborns. The Governor of Oregon plans to […]
Taking No Prisoners in the Vaccine Culture War | Barbara Loe Fisher
On a cold winter morning in November 2007, I watched hundreds of parents line up with their children in front of a Maryland county courthouse. The children had been kicked out of school by state officials and were truant. The mothers and fathers were holding letters threatening them with imprisonment or fines of $50 a […]
Combination Vaccines and Febrile Seizures: Should Parents be Concerned?
The childhood immunization schedule recommended by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calls for 50 doses of 14 vaccines by a child’s 6th birthday.1 These vaccines are delivered in a series of shots, some of which are multiple vaccines combined into one injection. In the U.S., there is an ongoing trend to increase the […]