As a health professional, as I was taught vaccines are “safe and effective”.  The phrase has been repeated so many times it has become a truism so “self-evident”, based on the ubiquitous nature of their use, most parents don’t question the claim. 

It is imperative parents question this claim.  It is the central question that MUST be asked in order for regulators AND parents to carefully consider the current childhood vaccination schedule.  The question must be asked and accurately answered in order for health professionals to meet the vitally important act of providing informed consent.

To that end, I suggest the Governor’s office assign staff to read and summarize the recent book on vaccines “Turtles All the Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth”.  Until the concepts in this book are clearly understood by all parties considering regulatory change, the state of being fully informed is impossible. 

Any change in regulations should flow easily once the information is received and shared.  There should be few, if any, gaps in knowledge that drive the discussions around the issue of informed consent of parents.