Good morning and thank you for the pleasure of speaking to this wonderful group of women. Dr. Whittaker addressed the sacred cow of medicare and I am going to address another medical sacred cow: Vaccination.

Vaccination is a topic discussed in our personal lives and vaccines are a large part of every state's annual budget.  We have been told by State and Federal authorities that vaccines are safe, effective and necessary for health. This promotion is costly on many levels. In 2007, nearly 32% of the CDC's  $8.2 billion budget went toward the purchase and distribution of vaccines. How much of your state budget is allocated toward vaccination? Is this the best use of limited state funds?

Are the children in your state more - or less - healthy than they were 10 years ago?  Of course, some health problems are from environmental pollution, unhealthy food, lack of exercise and not enough sleep. But could some of their health problems be attributed to the large number of shots given today? 

If all approved vaccines are administered, children will be injected with 69 vaccine antigens (and 15 shots) by the time they are 6 months of age. By the time they enter kindergarten, they receive 113 vaccine antigens (and up to 30 shots).  Can that be beneficial for all children?

Vaccines may be important, but they can - and do - cause harm, leading to large healthcare costs. For example, the chickenpox vaccine came into use in 1995. Without chickenpox in the general circulation, adult long term immunity is beginning to fail and shingles, a painful skin rash, is projected to become an epidemic. 

A new study released this month documents that since the introduction of the chickenpox vaccine, hospitalization costs for complications of shingles have increased by more than $700 million annually for those over 60 years old. Now, a new Shingles vaccine is being promoted as an antidote. Are we are creating vaccines to address problems caused by vaccines?

Vaccines can cause autism in at least some children. In March, 2008, the Court of Federal Claims, commonly called "the Vaccine Court," agreed to a settlement for Hannah Poling, a girl who received 5 shots on the same day when she was 19-months old and within hours, she regressed into autism. This case is evidence that at least some children can be seriously harmed by vaccines.

VACCINATIONS:  Information You Need To KnowDisclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Sherri Tenpenny unless otherwise noted. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Sherri Tenpenny. You are encouraged to make decisions about your health and the health care of your family based upon your personal research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

Government statistics report more than 272,000 children have been diagnosed with autism. How much does YOUR state pay for the additional educational costs required for these children? How is the economic health of your constituents affected since they must pay for most medical services out of pocket? Who will pay for care of these children when they get older?

The latest addition is Gardasil, the vaccine given to pre-teen girls to prevent cervical cancer, a disease of middle-aged women. State legislatures across the country are considering funding this expensive vaccine - at $120 per dose -- even though serious, costly side effects and deaths have occurred within 24 hours of this vaccination.

There is so much more to the story. Generally, my vaccine information workshops are three hours long! That is why I have donated a copy of my book, Saying No To Vaccines: A Resource Guide For All Ages, which includes a 75 minute DVD, to each congresswomen. You are all mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts. I am here to help you make fully informed decisions about vaccines for your state and your personal lives. I will be available for book signing and questions right outside after this morning's presentations.

Thank you.