It is probably safe to assume that most doctors did not become doctors so that they could intentionally harm and kill children. You have to trust that doctors would not endorse and administer vaccines to children if they believe vaccination is inherently detrimental to your child's health. What would doctors gain by intentionally making your child sick? Why would doctors allow their own children to be vaccinated if they believe the procedure is inherently harmful?

Finding a Trusted Source

When it comes down to it, your doctor is the only source of information you can trust. That being said, if you do not feel comfortable with your doctor or do not trust her 100 percent, it is time to look for a new doctor.

Each vaccine has its unique risk and benefit. Instead of relying on information from the Internet, talk to a doctor you can trust. A good doctor should spend the time necessary to explain all of your concerns about each vaccine and answer all of your questions. If your doctor will not or cannot do that, switch to another provider. Your child's life is at stake here, and you need the most knowledgeable and compassionate advocate on your side. Arming yourself with the most reliable information and making an informed decision based on that information is the best gift you can give to your child.

Reconciliation and Cooperation

People involved in the fray of vaccine controversy often forget that the two sides of the vaccine battle really should be working together instead of fighting each other. What is most difficult to achieve for both sides is for each to listen dispassionately to the other side and temporarily put one's own agenda aside. After all, it is important to remember that the two sides of the camp are really after one common goal — the well-being of children.

Doctors need to listen to the parents without being condescending or impatient. In addition, they must not take it personally when parents decline their recommended vaccine schedule. Medical professionals must understand that these parents are not disparaging them but are only doing what they believe is best for the most important people in their lives. Many physicians today dismiss patients from their practice if the parents decline vaccination for their children, but the practice of “firing” parents from practices must stop. These are not parents who neglect or abuse their children, and their wish to look after the best interest for their children must be encouraged and supported.

On the other hand, well-intentioned parents must remember that pediatricians are not merely pawns of the pharmaceutical industry. There is nothing for doctors to gain by knowingly recommending something that is harmful to children. The lifelong mission for all pediatricians is to protect the welfare of children and be their most steadfast advocate. If you have second thoughts about trusting your pediatrician, you should find another doctor that you can completely trust.

Finally, doctors are trained to question the established way of doing things. Medical advances depend on medical personnel challenging the authority and considering better alternatives. If it weren't for the inquisitive minds of many brilliant doctors, modern medicine would be no different from the way medicine was practiced hundreds of years ago. The fact that the immunization schedule has been changed almost yearly testifies to this sentiment.

In the best of all possible worlds, galvanized parents and compassionate physicians would work together to find better ways to prevent sickness and suffering in children. Whether this should be done by the current immunization standard or other alternatives should be continuously investigated as the epidemics of infection changes. An open mind with a relentless drive is the only path to victory in the constant battle between humanity and germs.