Ron Paul and the The Dangers of the Anti-Vaccine Movement by Gregory Hilton

Ron Paul and his anti-vaccine supporters are wrong. Vaccinations save millions of lives every year. People no longer die of cholera, smallpox, scarlet fever, and dozens of other diseases which were once endemic to the United States. Your child should be immunized. A very small number of people have had adverse reactions, but there is no reason to stop these programs.
The benefits far outweigh the risks. We cannot return to the days when thousands of children were in iron lungs or walking on crutches because of polio. When Ron Paul was in high school he had friends and neighbors who died of polio. He admits it is an effective vaccine, but does not approve of any mandatory medical treatment, and says it is a violation of the 14th amendment. Paul says government “should never have the power to require immunizations or vaccinations.”
The Congressman was asked “If a dangerous disease was spreading like wildfire would you change your view and require immunization in a dire situation?” Paul responded “No, I wouldn’t do it, because the person who doesn’t take the shot is the one at risk.”
Once a community’s population dips below a certain vaccine threshold (about 85-95%, depending on a variety of factors), it’s very easy for the diseases to reappear. The parents who will not accept a small and unproven risk are being selfish. Furthermore, vaccines do not cause autism. It is more likely a congenital defect or a genetic disorder, as some families have more than one autistic child and there are many children who have never been immunized who have an autistic disability. The link below is from Time magazine: The Dangers of the Anti-Vaccine Movement
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2053517,00.html