Vaccination Policy and Laws - Overview

Vaccinations are an allopathic means to prevent certain diseases. According to allopathic philosophy, minute amounts of weakened, sometimes genetically-engineered germs, injected into a person helps the body build an immunity from that particular disease. Federal policy encourages universal immunization of all children and all states have laws regarding vaccination for school age children. However, many natural healing arts practitioners believe that contracting diseases, particularly those associated with childhood, is a more natural means of helping the body develop a healthy immune system noting that once a child has had certain childhood diseases, he or she is immune for life. Some religious groups object to vaccination on religious grounds. Some consumers, in concert with medical experts, believe that vaccines may actually increase health risk and want to hold both the drug companies and public health officials accountable to provide accurate information about these risks.

Health Freedom Action Network members do not agree that compulsory vaccination laws are appropriate. We advocate a multi-model public health policy regarding infectious diseases and that public health departments should be in the business of disseminating information to help the public stay healthy regardless of what model of care they select.

In 1996, a group of citizens met with state health department officials to inquire about how vaccination policy and law was created. This meeting was prompted by the addition of Hepatitis B being added to the list of compulsory vaccines for school children. A letter outlining the list of concerns as well as questions about how a multi-model system could be created was provided to these officials. What was learned during the meeting was that there is no law against a multi-model system and that, based on Oklahoma's open meeting laws, it is entirely possible for the public to attend policy meetings where decisions are made regarding adding vaccines to the compulsory list. While no action was taken at that time to press for a multi-model infectious disease policy, the idea remains an important one for those who support health freedom. Why not have chiropractors, homeopaths, naturopaths, Chinese doctors and others participate with allopaths and osteopaths in framing how state officials address infectious diseases?

Letter Presented to Health Department -