In the past, most parents accepted standardized childhood immunization as a rite of passage. In the 1970s, most parents did not question the necessity of vaccination and were happy to have their children vaccinated. In fact, most parents did not even realize that a choice existed for parents to decline vaccination. The childhood immunization program was perceived as a public mandate, and it was one's civic duty to protect children and the community from infectious diseases.

Today's parents play a much more active role in making medical decisions for their children. After all, you are the most trusted advocate for your child. In the past, parents relied on their trust in the medical profession in delivering the best preventative and curative options, but today's parents are much savvier. The relationship between the parents and the pediatrician has evolved into a collaborative effort that focuses on the best interest of the children.

Unfortunately, a rift has recently opened in this collaboration. Many parents no longer trust the medical establishment or the scientific community. They view doctors as either greedy or ignorant pawns of the pharmaceutical industry and vaccination as carried out not to protect children but to intentionally harm babies so that the medical community can profit from their suffering.

Many factors have contributed to this rift, including the rising tide of autism, inability of parents to have their own doctors, and the easy access to the Internet and inaccurate or obsolete information. Since parents think they can no longer trust their doctors to provide reliable information, they have no choice but to become their own advocate and form their own coalitions to exchange ideas and information. This certainly is a new and empowering experience for many parents.

However, many online communities formed by parents do not have any input from doctors or scientists. Doctors trained in conventional medicine rarely interact with these new parental online communities. What makes matters worse is that these communities often face an angry response from the medical community, therefore further widening the existing gap. Besides the angry exchange of words, there is little actual communication between the parents and doctors in these settings. What is sorely needed is for both sides to stop lashing out at each other and listen to each other's perspective to sort out the misunderstanding. Many medical professionals are often impatient and unwilling to hear what the parents have to say. It's easy to understand why so many parents turn to these resources instead of their doctors for information because at least they can get a sympathetic ear when communicating with other parents.

If you read information on vaccines on the Internet, you should always keep in mind that there is no way to tell who is writing the information and whether they have ulterior motives for the information. The only information that is trustworthy is from a doctor with whom you have developed an ongoing relationship. If your doctor is unwilling or unable to spend the time to answer your questions, it is time to look for a new doctor for your child.