Citation

Caplan A. Hum. Vaccin. Immunother. 2013; 9(12): 2666-2667.

Affiliation

Division of Medical Ethics; New York University Langone Medical Center; New York, NY USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

24013297

Abstract

"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." J.S. Mill On Liberty   "Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else" Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen "The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." Oliver Wendell Holmes David Ropiek in his useful essay on how society should respond to the risks created by those who choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children does a very useful job of identifying the enormous costs in money and health that non-vaccinators create. ( 1) He also pinpoints the many factors that drive vaccine resistance locating them not in a misunderstanding of the facts but, in fears and negative emotions. ( 1) It is important to pay attention to his message since frequently those who want to try to reduce vaccine hesitation or outright non-vaccination behavior put their faith in education and resort to an invocation of the facts about the value of vaccines when it is fear and emotions that must be addressed. ( 2).

Language: en