Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie are both considered potential picks for the Republican party's 2016 nominee for president. And they are both dead wrong about the need to require childhood vaccinations.
In the midst of a major measles outbreak, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie both say that vaccinations should be at parents' discretion.
As a scientist, I know that childhood vaccines are very safe and carry far less risk than contracting diseases such as measles. I also know that studies purporting to link vaccinations to "mental disorders" are based on flawed data and have been repeatedly debunked by rigorous medical research. This is a fact.
And as parent to a child under the age of one, I depend on the public to keep my baby safe from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
Our country needs leaders who stand behind science and will champion public health policies that support childhood vaccinations. Not doing so is irresponsible and puts the lives of children at risk, including the life of my child.
Let Rand Paul and Chris Christie know that their words have consequences and that you'll be watching as the 2016 race for the presidency heats up. Sign my petition telling them to apologize for downplaying the importance and safety of vaccinations and to use their megaphones to encourage childhood vaccinations!
