Although the vaccine debate [1] is often a point of contention among parents, a mom and nurse named Megan Doodle made her stance crystal clear in a now-viral Facebook post [2]. She explained that while parents should be allowed to choose whether or not to get their children immunized [3], the people who opt out shouldn't be allowed to go to the doctor's office [4] when they get sick.
"I think that people who don't want to vaccinate should have the freedom to do so," wrote Megan. "If they think that 'big pharma' is just trying to turn a profit or poison us all . . . they should be allowed to believe that. But the caveat to that is this: Then they should NOT be allowed go to the doctor or the hospital when they get sick, looking for treatment."
Megan explained that if moms and dads point to the pharmaceutical industry as their reason for not vaccinating, then by default they should also forgo other medical interventions:
Big pharma makes those antibiotics we are going to pump you full of when you are about to die from sepsis. The steroids and Epi[Pen] we might give you to save your life from your anaphylaxis? Yep, big pharma is behind that too. That inhaler you need to treat your kids asthma? Better pass on that as well because, you guessed it, brought to you by Big P. Having a heart attack? Better break out your essential oils and get your affairs in order, because the only thing we have to offer you is medicine and procedures brought to you by the very same people who are responsible for those vaccines you insist are evil.
The mom was also quick to point out that everything in life has risks. And while vaccine injuries certainly do happen, they're exceedingly rare [6].
"Everything has risks. Everything has side effects. Medicine is not perfect."
"Everything has risks. Everything has side effects. Medicine is not perfect," said Megan. "We advocate for vaccinating your children and yourself because science has PROVEN it's the most effective method of controlling the spread of disease and giving you and everyone around you the best chance of NOT DYING from something preventable. Believe me when I say that not vaccinating yourself or your children because you believe that big pharma only cares about profit or that the scientific medical community has been duped, is 100 percent insanity."
As a nurse, Megan said that she "takes offence" to anyone who would suggest she — or any other medical professional, for that matter — would ever knowingly give kids shots that would harm them. Furthermore, she emphasized that vaccines aren't only meant to protect the healthy citizens.
"People always fire back with something like, 'Well, if you are vaccinated, why do you care that I'm not? If you are so sure your vaccines work, It's not like you can catch it.' You are 100 percent right," said Megan.
She added that: "I will probably be just fine. It's my newborn baby who is too young to be vaccinated that I'm worried about, it's my friend who is going through chemo, it's a neighbour that is immune compromised, it's my cousin who is allergic and can't receive the vaccine. Yes, we tell you to get vaccinated to protect yourself, but it's so much bigger than that. Vaccinate. Because it's not just about YOU."