Mandatory Vaccination

1. Mandatory Vaccination Pat Corelli http://www.steadyhealth.com/131009/Image/newborn_vaccine.jpg

2. History of Mandatory Vaccination • In 1796, Dr. Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine, for smallpox • In the early 19th century, European Countries began mandatory vaccination programs • In 1818, the King of Wittenburg required all children entering school to be vaccinated for smallpox. • Thomas Jefferson was the first major American vaccine supporter, directing vaccine programs in the south http://cheekyonetwo.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/cool-cows4.jpg

3. History of Mandatory Vaccination • In 1802, the governor of Louisiana enacted a compulsory vaccine program to fight a smallpox epidemic • In 1827, Boston began to require that all children attending school be vaccinated. Many other cities and states followed. • Even at this time, some saw vaccination programs as an overreach of government powers. • In many cases, vaccination laws were loosely enforced

4. Jacobson vs. Massachusetts • Throughout the 1800s, many state courts ruled on mandatory vaccination, with differing results • In 1905, the Supreme Court took up the case of Jacobson vs. Massachusetts • Henning Jacobson had flouted a Massachusetts vaccination law, was convicted and fined. He then sued. • Jacobson argued that the state did not have the constitutional authority to enforce vaccinations.

5. Jacobson vs. Massachusetts • The court ruled that mandatory vaccination was an acceptable usage of “police power” in public health, as long as: • Vaccinations are necessary for public health • The methods used for vaccination must be reasonable • The vaccination program must be proportional to the threat • The vaccine can not cause undue harm to the subject • This case is the legal basis of current vaccination laws

6. “Mandatory” Vaccinations today • All states “require” children attending public schools to be vaccinated • Most states mandate vaccinations for diphtheria, measles, rumps, rubella, and polio • States usually also have to power to force mandatory vaccinations in public health emergencies

7. “Mandatory” • Mandatory vaccinations are really not “Mandatory” • All states have exemptions for people whose religions do not permit vaccination • All states also exempt people for whom vaccination could be harmful, such as people who are allergic to the vaccination • Some states allow “Philosophical Objections,” where people who don’t want to get vaccinated… don’t have to get vaccinated.

8. The Pro-Vaccine Argument • Supporters of Mandatory vaccinations point to the success of previous vaccination programs fighting diseases like smallpox • Supporters also point to the inherent benefit of getting vaccinated • While vaccinations do have rare side effects, these side effects are statistically insignificant from a public health perspective

9. The Anti-Vaccine Argument • Many people have religious objections to being vaccinated • Some also believe that the government lacks the constitutional authority to enforce mandatory vaccinations, despite the Jacobson v. Massachusettsdecision • In 1976, a swine flu scare caused the federal government to order millions of people to get vaccinated for swine flu. The epidemic never came, and the vaccine was linked to causing a type of paralysis known as GBS

10. Republicans vs. Democrats • In general, Mandatory Vaccination is a non-controversial issue enjoying wide public support • Many Republicans believeMandatory Vaccination is anoverreach of Government • Mandatory Vaccinations are usually controlled at the state level, which appeases many Republicans http://www.diseaseproof.com/DiseaseProof.com%20-%20Vaccination%20-%204.28.08.jpg

11. The HPV vaccine • HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. The vaccines for HPV, Gardasil and Cervarix, are at the center of a controversy over their status as mandatory vaccines.

12. Rick Perry • In 2007, as Governor of Texas, Perry issued an executive order requiring girls entering 6th grade to be vaccinated for HPV • The Texas Legislature quickly passes legislation nullifying Perry’s executive order • Many believe that Perry was doing a favor for his former chief of staff, who was the chief lobbyist for Merck at the time. • Perry has said that he stands by the decision, although he says he should have gone through the legislature http://www.speroforum.com/site/article_images/samplegardasil.jpg

13. Michele Bachmann http://www.therichest.org/celebnetworth/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/michele-bachmann.jpg • During the most recent Republican debate, Bachmann criticized Perry over the HPV vaccine • Bachmann referred to the vaccine as ““innocent little twelve year old girls being forced to have a government injection” • The next day, Bachmann suggested that the vaccine could cause “mental retardation” • She was quickly pounced on by the medical community, who stated that there was no evidence the vaccince caused mental retardation.

14. Ron Paul http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4d483d7b4bd7c88a6d320000/ron-paul.jpg • Ron Paul is also critical of the HPV vaccine • A physician himself, Paul said “It's not good social policy and therefore I think this is very bad to do this” In reference to the vaccine. • Back in 2008, Paul stated his opposition to all mandatory vaccinations. • "I don't think anything should be forced on us by the government, [and] immunization is one thing that we're pressured and forced into"