As a parent, I am very concerned over L.D. 798, a bill before the Maine Legislature that undermines parental choice in using a vaccine exemption for religious or philosophical reasons. Not every child has the same needs, and this bill undermines a natural God-given right.

All parents have a practical duty to protect their child’s unique needs. Unfortunately, proponents of 100 percent compliance in vaccinations do not respect the needs of immunocompromised children or their parents.

In 2017, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program compensated 706 parties with $252,245,932.78 for injuries and death. U.S. law  regards vaccines as “unavoidably unsafe” and says that pharmaceutical companies cannot be held liable.

As the parent of a child with a rare food allergy, I witnessed my son’s developmental regression after having a bad vaccine reaction. Vaccine ingredients like mercury, formaldehyde, egg proteins, and aborted fetal cells can cause severe or life-threatening allergic reactions.

As a parent, I have to live with the consequences of legislation. Forcing 100 percent compliance on immunocompromised children is unethical and unsafe. As a parent of a child damaged by vaccines, I implore my fellow Mainers to oppose L.D. 798 and preserve the rights of parents.

 

Jonathan Smith

Levant


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