Crosstalk: July 8, 2015

Jim began this edition of Crosstalk by reminding listeners that earlier this year an outbreak of measles occurred at Disneyland. States and politicians responded by attempting to enact mandatory vaccinations. Then last week, California governor Jerry Brown signed legislation that denies parents the legal right to file a personal belief exemption to vaccinations for religious and conscientious reasons. Joining Jim to discuss this issue was Barbara Loe Fisher. She is president of the National Vaccine Information Center which she co-founded with parents of DPT vaccine injured children in 1983. For the past three decades she led a national, grassroots movement and public information campaign to institute vaccine safety reforms and informed consent protections in the public health systems. She is co-author of the 'DPT: A Shot in the Dark'; author of 'The Consumer's Guide to Childhood Vaccines'; 'Vaccines, Autism & Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic' and 'Reforming Vaccine Policy & Law: A Guide.' According to Barbara, the California vaccination bill is a forced bill. She sees it, '...as a violation of the human right to informed consent to medical risk-taking which parents do on behalf of their minor children in order for children to exercise a civil right to a school education.'