Statehouse Holds Hearings About Bills Against Vaccinations

PROVIDENCE, RI—Should parents' "personal or philosophical" opinion about vaccinations allow them to not vaccinate their children, potentially putting other children at risk for measles, chicken pox, whooping cough and other diseases ? A group organized as #NOHPVmandateRI says so, and its members are testifying Tuesday afternoon before the Health, Education and Welfare Committee at the Statehouse.

The state Department of Health opposes their stance on vaccinations. Here is the health department's statement:

Several recent outbreaks of measles, pertussis, and varicella (chickenpox) in the United States have been traced to pockets of unvaccinated children in states that allow personal belief exemptions. More unvaccinated children will increase the likelihood of children and adults contracting vaccine preventable diseases, including potential outbreaks, which are both costly to the individual, families and the community. Rhode Island regulations allow for a medical exemption signed by a licensed practitioner and religious exemption signed by the parent or guardian.

The group started in opposition to the vaccination to prevent HPV, which is sexually transmitted. But it is now also supporting other bills which impact vaccinations against polio and childhood diseases. Under current state law, children are required to be immunized before they attend school, although there is a religious exemption and a medical exemption.

#NOHPVmandateRI is backing two Senate bills (S2405 and S2744) and Resolution 2670. S2405 would allow parents to opt out of the HPV vaccination. S2744 would add a personal and/or philosophical exemption to the existing medical and religious exemptions. Resolution 2670 reintroduces debunked claims about a connection between vaccinations and autism and encourages a change in the law to allow parents to sue for damages. The group opposes S2530, which would establish a vaccination registry for adults.