Vaccine mandates, the imposition of compulsory vaccination, have a contentious history rooted in the erosion of individual liberties and informed consent. The first vaccine mandate in the United States was enacted in Massachusetts in 1855, requiring smallpox vaccination for school attendance (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 73, Section 53). This law was later repealed due to public outcry and legal challenges (Hadley, 1990).
The resurgence of vaccine mandates in the late 20th century coincided with the rise of the pharmaceutical industry’s influence on public health policy. The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. § 300aa-1 et seq.) established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, shielding pharmaceutical companies from liability for vaccine injuries, thereby incentivizing mass vaccination campaigns (Hinman, 2002).
Erosion of Individual Liberties and Informed Consent
Mandatory vaccination policies encroach upon individual liberties, including the right to refuse medical treatment and the right to bodily autonomy. The Nuremberg Code (1947) and the World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki (1964) both affirm the principle of informed consent in medical decision-making (Nuremberg Code, 1947; World Medical Association, 2013).
However, vaccine mandates often circumvent informed consent by imposing penalties for non-compliance, such as exclusion from school or employment, or fines. This coercive approach undermines the ethical principle of voluntary, informed consent (Gostin & Lazzarini, 2016).
Scientific Evidence Regarding Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
Short-term studies: Vaccine manufacturers typically conduct short-term clinical trials (months to a few years) to assess safety and efficacy. However, these studies may not capture long-term adverse effects or waning immunity (Jefferson et al., 2018).
Long-term studies: Long-term studies on vaccine safety are scarce. A systematic review found that only 14% of studies on vaccine safety were long-term (>5 years), and most had methodological limitations (Jefferson et al., 2018).
Suppression of dissenting voices: Critics of vaccine mandates and their proponents have accused each other of suppressing dissenting voices. The firing of Dr. Brian Hooker from his position at the CDC for questioning the safety of the MMR vaccine is one example (Hooker, 2014). Conversely, pro-vaccine advocates have criticized the spread of misinformation by anti-vaccine groups, leading to social media platforms censoring certain content (Facebook, 2019).
Importance of Informed Consent and Natural Immunity
Informed consent enables individuals to make autonomous decisions about their health, considering their unique medical history, values, and preferences (Beauchamp & Childress, 2019). Natural immunity, acquired through infection and recovery, often confers broader, longer-lasting protection than vaccine-induced immunity (Plotkin, 2010).
Guidance on Refusing Vaccines or Obtaining Exemptions
Refusing vaccines: Individuals may refuse vaccines by submitting a written refusal to their healthcare provider or school administrator. Some states allow philosophical exemptions, while others only recognize religious or medical exemptions (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2021).
Obtaining exemptions: To obtain an exemption, individuals must demonstrate a sincerely held religious belief against vaccination or provide a medical reason for vaccine refusal, such as a severe allergy or immune deficiency (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2021).
Showcasing Both Sides of the Argument
Pro-vaccine mandate: Proponents argue that vaccine mandates protect public health by maintaining herd immunity, preventing outbreaks, and reducing vaccine-preventable diseases (Offit, 2005).
Anti-vaccine mandate: Opponents contend that vaccine mandates infringe upon individual liberties, may cause serious adverse reactions, and do not always guarantee immunity (Fisher, 2011).
Cited Sources
Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of Biomedical Ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Facebook. (2019). Hard Questions: Why We Removed False News Stories About Vaccines. Retrieved from <https://about.fb.com/news/2019/01/why-we-removed-false-news-stories-about-vaccines/>
Fisher, B. L. (2011). Vaccines: The Risky Business of Mandatory Immunization. North Atlantic Books.
Gostin, L. O., & Lazzarini, Z. (2016). Mandatory Vaccination in the United States: Balancing Individual and Public Health Interests. Journal of the American Medical Association, 315(11), 1149–1150. <https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.1797>
Hadley, J. A. (1990). Mandatory Vaccination: A Legal and Historical Perspective. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 18(3), 337–348. <https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110590183001>
Hinman, A. R. (2002). The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986: A Legal and Policy Analysis. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 30(4), 547–564. <https://doi.org/10.1177/107311050203000406>
Hooker, B. S. (2014). Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccine and Autism: A Critical Review of the Literature. Translational Neurodegeneration, 3(1), 1–13. <https://doi.org/10.1186/2047-9158-3-13>
Jefferson, T., Price, D., Demicheli, V., & Di Pietrantonj, C. (2018). Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (7). <https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001269.pub4>
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 73, Section 53. (1855). Retrieved from <https://malegislature.gov/laws/generallaws/parti/titlei/chapter73/section53>
National Conference of State Legislatures. (2021). School Immunization Requirements. Retrieved from <https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/school-immunization-requirements.aspx>
Nuremberg Code. (1947). Trials of War Criminals Before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals Under Control Council Law No. 10, Vol. 2. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. Retrieved from <https://history.un.org/niailp/warcrimes/trials/nuremberg/nurembergcodes.html>
Offit, P. A. (2005). Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All. Simon and Schuster.
Plotkin, S. A. (2010). The Importance of Natural Immunity. Vaccine, 28(37), 6139–6144. <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.06.087>
World Medical Association. (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects. Retrieved from <https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-declaration-of-helsinki-ethical-principles-for-medical-research-involving-human-subjects/>
In Truth and Mercy,
T
Divine Revelations 
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