Government and medical bodies routinely suggest that those
choosing not to vaccinate are a fringe minority who take delight
in frightening the community with extreme and unfounded claims.
Ironically, it is the same establishments that have conducted
their own surveys into the reasons why some do not vaccinate and
concluded the following: "In general, such parents tend to be
well educated, older, female and of Anglo-Saxon background.
Qualitative data suggest that conscientious objectors fear
possible but unknown, especially long term, adverse effects of
vaccines, believe that lifestyle measures to improve general
immunity are viable alternatives to protection from vaccines,
and often mistrust the motives of healthcare providers. This
limits the ability of healthcare professionals to present
pertinent counterarguments. Indeed, there is some evidence that
parents philosophically opposed to vaccination may have their
objections reinforced by factual information about risks and
benefits, because these facts do not