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NJ Parent Organization Urges Legislation for Informed Vaccination Choice
Growing Number of State Legislators Sponsor Conscientious Exemption Bill
(insert local town for local newspapers), Caldwell, NJ, (insert date), 2008: New Jersey’s Public Health Council, a voluntary seven member panel appointed by the governor, recently voted to mandate four new vaccines to the childhood vaccination schedule. Mandating more vaccines than any other state, NJ will now require children to receive 35 doses of 13 different vaccines. New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice (NJCVC), an emerging network of parents, physicians, holistic organizations and autism support groups, is concerned with the overwhelming number of mandated vaccinations, and is urging legislators to support the Conscientious Exemption to Mandatory Vaccinations bill A260/S1071, as well as repeal the new vaccine mandates. Twenty other states currently have a similar Conscientious vaccine exemption.
Since 1983, there has been a 260% increase in vaccine mandates for NJ children. NJCVC and other organizations are voicing opposition to the disturbing trend. “Parents, along with their physicians, should have the right to make educated health decisions regarding vaccinations for their children, just as we do with any medical procedure,” says (insert “local” parent name for local newspapers), a (insert town) resident, concerned parent and member of NJCVC. “We should not be forced to comply with a one-size-fits-all vaccine policy that doesn’t allow for the unique nature of each child.” Dr. Lawrence Rosen, a board certified pediatrician notes, “There are risks associated with all medical practices, including vaccines, so it is important for parents, along with their doctors, to evaluate an individual child’s medical history and health, including genetic predispositions and allergies, to determine what is appropriate. Informed consent is a key ethical principle in medical practice.” According to package inserts created by vaccine manufacturers, vaccine side effects include Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs), encephalitis, seizures, paralysis, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and anaphylactic shock.
If the new mandates take effect in September, NJ will become the first state to mandate Flu vaccines for preschool/daycare aged children and Meningococcal vaccines for sixth-graders, setting a nationwide precedent. The new mandates require the Flu vaccine be administered annually for children 6 to 59 months; one Pneumococcal (Prevnar) series (three doses) for ages 2 to 59 months; and Meningococcal and DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) boosters will be required for six graders.
Of greatest concern to parents and physicians are New Jersey’s soaring autism rates: 1 in 60 boys; 1 in 94 children. Recently, the first of 4,900 autism cases in Federal “Vaccine Court” involving an Atlanta child, was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, confirming a causal link between vaccines and neurological disorders, like autism.
“The fundamental issue we are addressing is allowing parents the rights to make educated health decisions for our own children; this is not a debate over vaccines themselves,” says (insert a second parent’s name), a xx resident and NJCVC member. Currently parents may claim a religious or medical exemption, but these exemptions may be difficult to obtain. To date, eighteen NJ Assembly people and four Senators have signed on as sponsors of NJ’s Conscientious Exemption to Vaccination bill. (Insert names), our district senator/assemblyman is/is not a co-sponsor; we (thank them for co-sponsoring or call upon them to co-sponsor) this important bill. For further details and updates on the Conscientious Exemption to Vaccination and NJCVC, please visit: www.njvaccinationchoice.org.
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