Massachusetts Citizens for Vaccination Choice

A Shot in the Dark. Harris Coulter & Barbara Loe Fisher: Avery Publishing, 1991.

Adverse Effects of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines. Institute of Medicine: National Academies Press, 1991.

Adverse Events Associated with Childhood Vaccines: Evidence Bearing on Causality. Institute of Medicine: National Academy Press, 1994.

Evidence of Harm: Mercury Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic. David Kirby: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2006.

How to Raise a Healthy Child...In Spite of Your Doctor. Robert S. Mendelsohn, MD: Ballantine Books, 1987.

Immunization: The Reality Behind the Myth. Walene James: Bergin & Garvey, revised & updated, 1995.

The Immunization Resource Guide. Diane Rozario: Patter Publications, updated periodically.

Multiple Immunizations and Immune Dysfunction. Institute of Medicine: National Academies Press, 2002.

The Parent’s Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations. Lauren Feder, MD: Hatherleigh Press, 2007.

Vaccination: A Thoughtful Parent’s Guide. Aviva Jill Romm: Healing Arts Press, 2001.

Vaccination: The Issue of Our Times. Peggy O’Mara: Mothering Magagzine, 1997.

The Vaccine Book. Robert Sears, MD: Little, Brown & Co., 2007.

The Vaccine Guide: Risks and Benefits for Children and Adults. Randall Neustaedter, OMD: North Atlantic Books: revised 2002.

Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? Neil Miller: New Atlantean Press, revised & updated, 2002.

What Every Parent Should Know About Childhood Immunization. Jamie Murphy: Earth Healing Products, 1993.

When Your Doctor is Wrong: Hepatitis B Vaccine and Autism. Judy Converse, MPH: Xlibris Corp., 2002.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Children’s Vaccinations. Stephanie Cave, MD: Grand Central Publishing, 2001.

Pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection that can cause serious illness, including inflammation of the brain, blood infections and pneumonia. Most children and adults harbor pneumoccocal organisms in their noses and throats. It is not clear why some individuals will go on to develop severe pneumococcal disease and others do not, although those with weakened immune systems are at risk.

There are currently two pneumococcal vaccines in use in Massachusetts. Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine 7-Valent (PCV7) is being recommended (though not required) by the DPH for all children from 2-23 months of age and older children in certain high risk groups. Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine 23-Valent (PPV23) is being recommended for all people 65 and over and others in high risk groups.

For further information on the pneumococcal vaccine being recommended for children (PCV7), visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s pneumococcal webpage.

Is Vaccinechoice.org “anti-vaccine”?
No, we are proponents of unbiased vaccine information and the right of parents and individuals to make their own decisions regarding vaccination, regardless of what those decisions are and without coercion from others.

Must my newborn receive the hepatitis B vaccine in order to be released from the hospital?
No, absolutely not. But if hospital officials contend otherwise, request to see the state law that requires it (there is none).

What exemptions are available in Massachusetts?
Medical and religious exemptions are honored in the Commonwealth. Medical exemptions are granted by doctors on a vaccine-by-vaccine basis and reviewed annually. The religious exemption is extended to members of any tradition, even to those not following the orthodox teachings of their tradition. While some states offer philosophical exemption (Maine and Vermont being the two closest), Massachusetts does not.

Is there a standard form that I need to sign for the religious exemption?
No, not in Massachusetts. Parents need to write and send their own letters, including the language, “I am exempting my child from vaccination because it conflicts with my sincerely held religious beliefs.” We recommend that you incorporate into your letter the full text of the state law that established the religious exemption (refer to our ‘Laws & Rights’ section for the text associated with your child’s level of schooling).

Do I need the signature of a clergy member when claiming a religious exemption?
No.  While some school districts suggest that you do, your letter and signature are sufficient.

Do I need my letter notarized? No, your signature is sufficient.

What can I do if a school official tells me something I don’t think is accurate?
When in doubt, ask them for the law that supports the request they’re making.

Now that I’ve started vaccination, am I required to continue?
You are always free to reevaluate, reconsider and, if you choose, discontinue, at least until a later date when you’ve had your questions answered adequately. In the meantime, however, such a decision may effect your child’s eligibility to attend daycare or school.

What if we had some vaccines given to our child already but now want to claim a religious exemption?
We humans are graced with the capacity to change our beliefs over time. So as long as you can in good conscience sign your name to the statement, “I am exempting my child from vaccination because it conflicts with my sincerely held religious beliefs,” there is no reason why you can’t claim a religious exemption, now or in the future.

My doctor said that she won’t treat my baby unless he’s fully vaccinated. 1) Can she refuse to treat my child?  2) Am I legally required to have my child vaccinated?
Firstly, yes, we have heard of a number of doctors refusing to accept or keep children as patients because of the parents’ vaccination decisions (though we don’t know if such a refusal has ever been challenged in court). 
Secondly, vaccines are not required for babies, though some are currently recommended by the Department of Public Health. They become requirements only when children enter daycare or school, at which point medical and religious exemptions are honored if appropriate.
Beyond that, if your doctor refuses to treat your child, it might be time to find a new doctor (refer to the previous Q&A).

I think my child has had a reaction to a vaccine, but my doctor said it was nothing. What can I do?
Your doctor is required by law to report all adverse events that occur within 30 days after vaccination to federal health authorities. If your doctor refuses, or if you want to add your own report, you have the right to do so. Click here for further information on reporting adverse reactions. And to find a doctor who may be more open to your concerns and the whole health of your child, visit our MDs & Others page.

Donate books from our reading list to your local library.

Tell others about us: parents-to-be, family members, neighbors, co-workers and, well, friends. Help expand the dialogue and let people know we’re here to be a resource for them.

If your doctor supports your vaccination decisions, fill out our physician referral form; it may be of help to others in the future. (Note: This information will never be used on our website. Rather, we will dispense it appropriately on a location basis when we speak with interested parents seeking open-minded doctors.)

Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, particularly during National Vaccination Week (during April), National Immunization Awareness Month (August) and around the beginning of the school year each September. Highlight vaccination as a question mark, not an exclamation point.

Print out our downloadable poster and post it in heavily parent-traveled places.

This information is being updated. Please check back soon or, in the interim, visit the website of the National Vaccine Information Center. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

This information is being updated. Please check back soon or, in the interim, visit the website of the National Vaccine Information Center. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

Influenza, or ‘the flu,’ is a disease of greatest risk to the elderly and/or those with compromised immune systems. The vaccine prepared prior to each flu season is an educated guess, based on the previous year’s prevalent strains. Its effectiveness, based as it is on a prediction, varies each year.

Not currently required for school admission in the Commonwealth, public health officials nevertheless recommend the influenza vaccine for a number of populations (including all children 6-23 months of age), primarily for the reduction of lost school or work time it might effect.

For further information, visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s influenza webpage.

Thimerosal is an ethylmercury-based preservative that has been used in many vaccines since the early 1930s. Because ethylmercury is a known neurotoxin, thimerosal has more recently come under attack as a potential factor in the explosion of autism our country has seen, particularly since the 1990s (when more vaccines were added to the recommended schedule).

Acting on this concern, almost every vaccine used for children is now produced in a thimerosal-free form. In fact, according to the medical director of the immunization program at the state Department of Public Health, all state-made vaccines are thimerosal-free. However, because other manufacturers may continue to use trace amounts of thimerosal, you would do well to ask your doctor for the thimerosal-free versions. For the sake of surity, you might also request to see the package insert and the vial that contains the vaccine. 

Click here to view the Institute for Vaccine Safety’s webpage listing the thimerosal content in some U.S. licensed vaccines.

To calculate how much mercury your child has cumulatively received via vaccination, visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s mercury calculator.

Thimerosal in the News
Deadly Immunity: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. investigates the government cover-up of a mercury/autism scandal
Rolling Stone; June 30, 2005

It is not the intention of Vaccinechoice.org to argue the medical wisdom of the state Department of Public Health’s recommended vaccination schedule. What we question is the appropriateness of compelling everyone to conform to it, as we feel that such decisions should ultimately rest with individuals or their families.

That being said, here, as a point of departure for those interested, is the recommended vaccine schedule established by the state DPH.

New 5-in-1 vaccine hailed as pain-saver.

Parents have been asking us how we feel about the new Pediarix vaccine, which combines diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and polio vaccines all in one shot.

As directors of an organization whose mission it is to support the right to choose surrounding issues of vaccination, we are bound to accept the existence of this vaccine as long as it is not universally mandated, which it is currently not.

As parents, however, we can’t help but feel that this is a triumph of marketing over healthcare. Not only would five antigens in one vaccine logically place additonal stress on a child’s developing immune system, but should the child actually experience an adverse reaction, it would make it virtually impossible to target any one antigen as responsible. We personally feel that, rather than progress, this is a major step backward in the effort to secure true health for our children, our communities and future generations.

Not surprisingly, “Are there any support groups in my area?” is one of the questions we are asked most frequently. Regrettably, the short answer is “no,” at least not to our knowledge.

The hopeful news, however, is that in significant ways, the people who have sought us out to ask questions and seek the camaraderie of those with a similar perspective on vaccination have become a community of sorts. We have therefore in the past sent out queries for parents looking to get together with other like-minded people in their immediate areas. We have asked members to recommend doctors for interested parents. And we’ve sent out requests on behalf of parents--content to communicate via email--simply looking to discuss the issue with other parents across the state who have traveled the same path. 

So, are there support groups up and running in Amherst or Provincetown or Springfield? Probably not. Are there folks in the state who might be able to help with your particular concern or question? Yes; let us know and we’ll do our best to help. Alternatively, are you interested in establishing a group in your town or region? If so, we might be able to help you network.

Questioning vaccine mandates is not a mainstream pastime. So we’re all in the position--enviable if arduous--of seeking out and building our own communities of support.

Massachusetts Citizens for Vaccination Choice began its work in 1995, with a mission to provide encouragement, information and resources in an effort to help individuals make informed vaccination decisions, regardless of what those decisions are.

Vaccination as it relates to international travel is admittedly something we know very little about. But because we’ve received queries on this subject, we offer these sites as a starting point for disease alerts in foreign countries and vaccine recommendations for international travelers.

Centers for Disease Control

The Travel Doctor

Because vaccination is to many a rite of passage, it infrequently becomes an issue of debate. So one of our missions is to effectively place a question mark after ‘vaccination,’ clarifying that whatever a person’s ultimate decision, it should be considered first and foremost as one among a constellation of health options.

Our downloadable poster is one tool we’ve created to help underscore the question mark. If you feel inclined, we invite you to print out copies and place them in parent-traveled places around your community--the local coffee shop, the midwife’s office, perhaps the toy store and children’s consignment shop. And others. Maybe they’ll move a few people to become, rather than passive on-lookers, active participants in the vaccination discussion.

Click here for the Vaccinechoice.org downloadable poster
MS Word Format (20 KB)

There are no bumper stickers available at this time.