Childhood immunizations and informed consent - a farce

The issue is one I’ve been passionate about for 13 years – since I was pregnant - childhood vaccines and the challenge of informed consent.

I spent several years trying to get a documentary film about the issue funded. In the end, after two broadcasters agreed to support the film, their legal departments intervened and killed the deals. So I let the idea go, believing it was not meant to be. But almost four years have passed, the landscape around this issue has changed, and my thinking has evolved.

My goal in 2009 is to launch a website that provides balanced information without any fear-mongering either about the diseases that vaccines are said to protect kids from, or the vaccines themselves. Informed consent is impossible in an environment of fear.

And, since doctors and nurses who administer the shots receive, on average 4 hours of immunization-related training in their course work, they can hardly be considered to be providing enough information to parents to make a truly informed decision... that and the fact that the medical community is biased toward recommending all of the shots that Health Canada tells them to.

So, Step One is to create an advisory committee with folks who have some credibility and interest in childhood immunizations and the legal side of informed consent.

I can do the vaccine and disease research on my own, my advisors can vet the content for tone and balance, but then I need to find some money to hire somoene to build the website. That's Step Two.

Giving myself a week to get my team in place. Anyone interested in participating is welcome to be touch! donna@donnabarker.com