It’s common to have the vaccine proponents refer to those of us urging caution as “anti-vaccine.”

However, I am in favor vaccines — as long as those recommending the medications can demonstrate a very high degree of safety, which they have not been able to do.

The very fact that proponents are spending so much effort covering up the medical literature on complications and attacking reasonable scientists who are asking critical questions says a lot.

Likewise, the fact that so much money is being spent promoting widespread use of vaccines known to have little effectiveness or even need (chickenpox, tetanus, herpes zoster, meningiococcus, influenza) does not inspire confidence.

Unfortunately, many scientists who are aware of the dangers inherent to vaccination programs are afraid to speak out because of the concerted attacks on their reputations and the risk of a loss of employment.

Yet when I meet the mothers and fathers of vaccine-injured children and see the despair and anguish on the parents’ faces, I am deeply moved.

When I hear of how their lives have been disrupted by a child damaged by vaccines — a child that now is a danger to other children, a child that may have no hope of a decent future — it is gut-wrenching.

Many of these parents also tell terrible tales of watching helplessly as their beautiful children lose both their personalities and their abilities to learn.

Those who say that we should force all children to be vaccinated in order to protect the unvaccinated children never consider this important question: Would they be willing to exchange their own child’s future, health, and happiness for a remote chance that it will save another child?