To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? Get educated!

With another flu season upon us, people get concerned about what their options are.  Over the last few weeks we have received even more inquires about vaccine risks and alternative options.  Perhaps you are concerned with the side effects or the efficacy of a vaccine for yourself or your children.  Below is a list of valuable sites that will help educate you about those concerns and provide you a forum to learn about your options.  Information will be available for types of vaccinations.  These links are not intended to take the place or replace professional medical advice or instruction.  Always consult your doctor prior to trying anything.

Vaccination Risk Awareness Network (http://vran.org/): is a not-for-profit educational society. Formed in response to growing parental concern regarding the safety of current vaccination programs in Canada, VRAN serves as a public information and resource group, and is committed to protecting children from the known risks of vaccines currently in use and those being developed for future use in Canada by informing parents of the components of vaccines, side effects, and possible long-term health effects.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting (https://vaers.hhs.gov/index): is a national vaccine safety surveillance program co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). VAERS is a post-marketing safety surveillance program, collecting information about adverse events (possible side effects) that occur after the administration of vaccines licensed for use in the United States.

Vaccination Information Network (http://www.vaccinationinformationnetwork.com/): Vaccination Information Network (VINE) originally started as a Facebook page, where it grew into arguably Facebook’s most popular source of reliable vaccination information. As with many other unbiased vaccination organisations, VINE has also been under attack from Big Pharma, with censorship restrictions occasionally being enforced by Facebook. The VINE website has been created in order to allow the public unrestricted access to the full range of vaccination information, including articles, videos, and photographs.

Canadian Consumers Centre for Homeopathy (http://www.homeocentre.ca/): Information found here will help you understand what homeopathy is about, how it works and accessibility in Canada.

National Center for Homeopathy (http://www.nationalcenterforhomeopathy.org/): Founded in 1974, the National Center for Homeopathy (NCH) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health through homeopathy by advancing the use and practice of homeopathy. NCH supports education in, awareness of, and increased access to homeopathy. We have the largest, most diverse membership in the homeopathic community and we are the national go-to resource for all who are interested in learning about homeopathy.

National Vaccine Information Center (http://www.nvic.org/): The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is a national charitable, non-profit educational organization founded in 1982. NVIC launched the vaccine safety and informed consent movement in America in the early 1980’s and is the oldest and largest consumer led organization advocating for the institution of vaccine safety and informed consent protections in the public health system.