A topic of hot debate is vaccinations and immunizations. In the Jan/Feb issue of Alaska Wellness, Dr. Robert Wheeler refers to them as the "myth of modern times" and exposes the other side of the issue not reported by mainstream health professionals. The following conclusions were made after his many years of research into the subject:

We're under the impression that infectious diseases around the world such as smallpox, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and tuberculosis have been virtually curtailed since the use of vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) is thought of as a humanitarian effort bringing vaccines into developing countries to eradicate these possibly fatal diseases. In the United States, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) continually encourages us to have our children immunized, claiming the effectiveness of vaccines and the decrease in mortality rates since their inception. Drug companies are developing new vaccines all the time and are now offering inoculations against the common cold and flu.

Dr. Wheeler's research shows that many infectious diseases actually decreased before vaccines were developed. Small pox dramatically increased after the use of mandatory vaccines, before its natural decline. As Wheeler notes, the decrease in death rate from scarlet fever and bubonic plague is "due to better sanitation, improved nutrition, less overcrowding and better forms of treatment, not immunizations."

If vaccines are so effective and necessary, why is it that a high percentage of those who contract these diseases today have been immunized in the past? Wheeler questions the risks associated with these vaccines that outweigh the dangers of the diseases that they're suppose to protect against. The CDC and WHO claim victory, yet people are developing a myriad of other conditions after being immunized. Vaccines expose the body to foreign antigens and most often lower the immune system, thus making people susceptible to any number of diseases. Most often, there's no link made between these other conditions that appear after being immunized and the use of vaccines. It makes one question the sudden explosion of the AIDS virus and the associated immune deficiency diseases that are now of global proportion.

I find it disturbing that our school system attempts to mandate that all students be vaccinated, thus leaving parents with little choice in the matter. Some schools imply that vaccinations are required and threaten to keep out children not current with their shots.

Many schools ask parents to sign a form giving permission for their child to be immunized/vaccinated at school. The form also includes the clause, however, that by signing you agree to not hold the school responsible for any possible side effects that might result. First you are led to believe that the shot is mandatory; then you are informed that the school is not responsible for what's being given to your child. For any school to imply that you are required to sign on the dotted line is coercion, and it's illegal.

The following is a quote from Dr. Nick Begich, who ran as a gubernatorial candidate in the 1998 Alaskan election. "When you get your child vaccinated, you have to sign a full release with the state that no one's responsible if a problem occurs. Statistics show there are more problems with the side effects from vaccines than there is in modern society. These are private decisions that people should be able to make or if the state insists, then let the state be liable. The state doesn't want the liability. They can't force you to do something and not be liable; that just fundamentally violates every principle of reason and law."

When I worked within the mental health system, I had a position with a program that presented a positive approach to working with families and their newborn babies. The goals were to educate families and increase family functioning, for it was shown that when families were supported in such ways, incidents of child abuse and neglect decreased and the health of children increased. Initially, this seemed like an empowering approach to working with families.

As I read the literature and attended the trainings, however, it became apparent to me that the underlying goal of the program was to promote immunizations. Because workers would come to the home, direct contact with parents was established to discuss this subject. It was often even arranged through the public health system to have babies vaccinated. Within my particular program site, if parents chose not to vaccinate, that was acceptable. I believe that this was the exception to the rule, as there was a general consensus within the program literature that parents were being neglectful if they didn't immunize their babies. This ideology was evident throughout the program model. For example, one of the criteria for families to advance to the next level within the program was that their babies be current with their shots.

This model really isn't educating and empowering people. Instead, it's telling them to accept an ideology that fails to present all sides of the issue. It negates individual choice and dismisses the possibilities of alternative ways of promoting health.

I believe it is up to each individual, parent and family to decide what's best for them. A pediatrician recently told me that he felt that not vaccinating his child would be the equivalent to child abuse. If you believe in the effectiveness of vaccines, then do what you feel is best. It's not anyone's place to say what's right for someone else.

I suggest that every parent read the literature and look at the research that the mainstream media refuses to report. Ask questions, seek your own answers, then make an informed decision.

As we learn to honor ourselves - mind, body, and soul - we'll naturally find ways to restore balance and bring our systems into harmony. Explore alternative ways to stay healthy and to boost your immune system. When we become healthful, we may find that our immune systems provide us with more support than vaccines ever could. Most importantly, it's each person's right to do with his or her body as they so please. Jackie Rahm has recently relocated from Alaska to Santa Cruz, California, where she is starting a Holistic Counseling practice. She continues to work on her book entitled "Return To The Universal Mind."