We have always felt that our job was to teach patients what chiropractic is and not discuss non- chiropractic approaches to health. Over the years many patients have asked us how we felt about vaccines.  

Our answer was that we strongly felt that each patient and/or parent should have the right to be informed about the benefits and possible dangers of vaccines. As Americans, they should also have the right to choose what they want to do. This decision should be based on their knowledge or lack of knowledge and not by what someone else may feel is best for them. 

We love chiropractic and its philosophy of life. We feel that every person from birth on should have their spine checked by a chiropractor to catch problems as they develop. We also feel that it would be wrong to pass laws making it mandatory for everyone to do so based on what we felt was best for them. 

Forced medication is against our "basic beliefs" as Americans. Parents have a right to know that what their children receive will not do them more harm than good. 

Probably the main reason for vaccination is fear; fear of the disease. We have always told our patients that if they fear the disease more than the effects of the vaccine, that they should say, "Yes" to vaccines. On the other hand, if they fear the effects of the vaccine more than the disease, they should have the right to say "No". 

Artificial immunization is against the“ personal beliefs” of most chiropractors. Our philosophy teaches us that our bodies were created by all the wisdom of the universe to live in a world that contains both bacteria and virus. Our own natural (in-born) immune system becomes stronger as it adapts and fights off these and other toxins that exist in our normal environment.  Our bodies however, were not made to have bacteria and virus (dead or alive) injected or orally ingested into the blood stream.

 For these reasons (and only these reasons at first) we decided not to have our children vaccinated.

 In the early 1960's the main two vaccines were for smallpox and polio. These were two very dreaded diseases. There was not much data available to suggest that these vaccines might be harmful to the immune system. Few people would ever question their safety.

 In those days if you even suggested that you might not like to have your children vaccinated, you were looked upon as some type of heretic. You were not allowed to question any possible harm as the result of the vaccines. Your children were often ridiculed and harassed at school. You had to have very strong philosophical beliefs and be totally committed to say no to vaccines.

 Much has changed since the 1960's. In 1999, the average American child was being injected with a total of 33 doses of 10 different viral and bacterial vaccines by the age of five. Many of these vaccines were for much less serious diseases than smallpox or polio.  As the number of vaccines increased, so did the reports of problems.

 At first, the press and scientific community of other countries seem to address these problems more readily than their American counter parts.

For example in the 1980’s, the "London Times" reported on their front page a possible link between a massive vaccination program in Africa with the explosion of AIDS in the hetero-sexual population of that country. This was never reported in the American press. 

The French government suspended hepatitis B vaccinations of school children, citing fears that the vaccines were causing multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders.

 In Australia, Viera Scheibner, Ph.D., and Leif Karlsson developed the Cotwatch in 1985.  The Cotwatch is a breathing monitor used for babies thought to be at risk of crib death or SIDS. They were surprised to find that a babies breathing was affected for a period of from 40 to 65 days following DPT injections. 

Further research has shown that when vaccination rates in Australia dropped by nearly 50% when they became non-mandatory (as it is becoming in many European countries) SIDS dropped by nearly 50%. When Japan moved the vaccination age to two years, crib death and infantile convulsions virtually disappeared.   

 John O'Leary, Ph.D., a world-class researcher and molecular biologist from Ireland found measles virus in the gut of 96% of autistic children compared to 6.6% percent of normal children. He states that the virus was from the measles vaccine.

 Andrew Wakefield, M.D., a researcher from the United Kingdom, noted a strong connection between the large increase in autism and the MMR vaccine. 

Hugh Fudenberg, M.D., the worlds leading immunogeneticist from Germany connects the gradual build-up of mercury and aluminum in the brain from flu shots to an increase in Alzheimer's. 

Things however, have definitely started to change in the United States over recent months.

 There was a six -hour taping of a U.S. Congressional investigation into the relationship between vaccines and autism among American children on C-SPAN in April 2000. A somewhat watered down version was also shown on 60 minutes in November. 

In a statement released on July 8, 2000, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), an independent organization representing more than 4,000 doctors, recommended an immediate moratorium on mandatory hepatitis B vaccinations for school children.

 The September 2000 issue of "Redbook" magazine featured an article titled "Was It Murder Or Bad Vaccine". The article sites several cases in which parents were falsely accused of "shaking baby syndrome" when the death of their child was later found to be from the DPT vaccination.

 Less than a year after going on the market, the Centers for Disease Control recommended that the administration of the oral rotavirus vaccine be stopped. This comes after the CDC's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System received many reports of painful and life-threatening bowel obstruction that occurred in some infants shortly after ingesting the vaccine.

 NOTE: The CDC and FDA's Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) tracts all  reports of adverse reactions to vaccines. If your child exhibits unusual symptoms after  receiving a vaccination, you can file a report with VAERS, by calling 800-822-7967.

 The materials offered in our web site concerning vaccines are from just a few of the many articles that have appeared in scientific journals in recent months. Just a few short years ago articles of this nature were never seen in the American press. This indicates the start of a trend toward greater awareness of the potential dangers of vaccinations.

 We do not in any way want to tell you what to do or not to do in making this important decision about your health and the health of your family. On the contrary, chiropractors have always taught that each person should have the right to choose their own method of health care.  This material is only to help you make a more informed decision.  We ask that you read it with this in mind.

 If you should desire any further information, or an explanation of any of the enclosed, please feel free to ask us or contact The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) at 1-800-909-SHOT or http://www.909shot.com. The National Vaccine Information Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and to protecting the informed consent rights of all health care consumers.