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Are Vaccines Harming Our Children? Facts, Faith, and Debate

Are Vaccines Harming Our Children? Facts, Faith, and Debate

Last updated on: September 30, 2026 at 10:09 am by Dennis McIntyre

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Are Vaccines Harming Our Children? Facts, Faith, and Debate 2026-09-30T10:09:18-04:00 Dennis McIntyre

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Are vaccines harming our children? The number of mandated vaccinations is growing, as is chronic illness among our children – image courtesy of Vecteezy.com.

Few topics create more passionate debate than childhood vaccines. Parents naturally want to protect their children from harm, whether that harm comes from infectious diseases or from potential medical side effects. Over the last several decades, vaccination programs have helped reduce or eliminate many deadly diseases. Still, growing questions about vaccine schedules, safety testing, and increasing rates of autism have led many families to ask difficult questions.

Supporters argue that vaccines represent one of the greatest public health achievements in history. Critics argue that government agencies and pharmaceutical companies have not done enough to address safety concerns or answer every question about the expanding childhood vaccine schedule. COVID-19 vaccinations have significantly contributed to vaccine concerns. As public trust in institutions continues to decline, many parents are looking beyond political talking points to find facts, transparency, and honest discussion. Let’s look at the issue through a faith lens.

A Brief History of Vaccinations

Smallpox was one of the greatest threats to George Washington’s army. In February 1777, Washington decided to have his troops inoculated with the smallpox virus itself. The National Park Service describes Washington’s action as America’s first medical mandate. Washington ordered Continental troops to undergo inoculation and arranged for soldiers to be isolated while they recovered.

Vaccinations using cowpox began in 1796 when English physician Edward Jenner demonstrated that exposure to cowpox could protect people from smallpox. His discovery laid the foundation for modern immunology and disease prevention. In the decades that followed, scientists developed vaccines against diseases such as rabies, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. Governments around the world adopted vaccination programs because these diseases once killed or permanently disabled millions of people.

One of the most celebrated achievements occurred in 1980 when the World Health Organization declared smallpox eradicated worldwide. Polio also declined dramatically in many regions due to widespread vaccination campaigns.

The childhood vaccine schedule expanded significantly during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Children who once received only a few vaccinations now receive protection against many more diseases. Supporters view this expansion as progress. Critics question whether long-term studies have adequately evaluated the cumulative effects of the growing schedule. Both sides offer valid arguments in this debate.

The Controversies Surrounding Childhood Vaccinations

Most vaccine controversy does not center on whether vaccines prevent disease. Instead, debate often focuses on safety monitoring, informed consent, pharmaceutical influence, government mandates, and the increasing number of recommended childhood vaccines.

September 9, 2025 – Senate Hearing on Vaccine Safety

Critics argue that safety testing should be more extensive and more transparent. They often call for long-term studies comparing fully vaccinated and completely unvaccinated populations. The Senate convened a hearing on September 9, 2025, titled “How the Corruption of Science Has Impacted Public Perception and Policies Regarding Vaccines.” The hearing is available as a YouTube video (3 hours and 23 minutes) and is very informative. It is worth the time, as it presents significant data on vaccines’ impact on chronic diseases in children.

The problem is that there isn’t much testing data to validate rising health concerns about our children, mainly because very few tests compare vaccinated and unvaccinated children, and virtually no testing examines how these vaccines interact. Remember, school districts across the country require kids to receive these vaccines to attend school, even though no testing has evaluated potential interactions among them.

Who Testified At the Hearing?

Three witnesses testified at the hearing:
- Dr. Jake Scott, a clinical associate professor of infectious diseases at the Stanford University School of Medicine, serves as a medical expert witness to provide a mainstream clinical perspective. Dr. Scott testified that vaccines are safe.
- Dr. Toby Rogers: A researcher and fellow at the Brownstone Institute who frequently writes and critiques public health policies, economic impacts, and regulatory structures related to vaccines. According to Dr. Rogers’s testimony, officials did not inform the public about known vaccine issues.
- Aaron Siri: Managing partner of Siri & Glimstad LLP, a law firm that handles a high volume of vaccine-related litigation, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests against federal health agencies, and cases tied to vaccine exemptions. Mr. Siri has litigated many vaccine-related cases.

What Were The Major Points?

Dr. Marcos Zervos, Division Head of Infectious Disease at Henry Ford Health, led a study to determine whether vaccinations were linked to chronic illness, especially in children. The study was conducted, but the results were never published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Mr. Siri believes it wasn’t published because it showed a link between vaccinations and chronic illness. Henry Ford Health characterized the study as “rejected science.” When studies or alternative claims that challenge established medical consensus are labeled “rejected science” or fail initial internal reviews, they rarely undergo formal external peer review by reputable medical journals.
Critics and supporting lawmakers argued that federal health agencies (such as the CDC and FDA) suffer from structural conflicts of interest because they simultaneously promote vaccination programs and regulate their safety. They argued that these dynamics lead to downplaying adverse events and resistance to independent external re-evaluations.
The hearing presented several metrics. Still, one finding stood out. It combined all the metrics into a cumulative chronic health index. The draft data projected a notable difference between the two groups. The estimated 10-year probability of remaining completely free of any chronic condition was 43% for the vaccinated group. For the unvaccinated group, the estimated probability was 83%. This requires additional analysis.
Dr. Scott co-led 661 trials to promote vaccine safety. This led to a contentious discussion about how the studies were conducted. Critics argued that many trials used active comparators (another vaccine) or placebos containing chemical additives, aluminum-based compounds, or buffers, so they weren’t truly comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated.

What Does It All Mean?

For parents, it’s hard to understand what has truly been tested and validated for vaccine safety. The data on chronic illness is a major concern. We must hold the medical community accountable and provide clear and concise information so parents can make the best decisions for their children.

The Rise of Autism Diagnoses

Autism spectrum disorder diagnoses have increased dramatically over the past several decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism prevalence in children has risen significantly since public tracking began. This increase has led many parents to wonder whether environmental factors, medical interventions, genetics, lifestyle changes, or some combination of factors could be contributing.

Researchers have proposed several explanations for the rise. These include broader diagnostic criteria, increased awareness, improved screening, greater access to services, environmental influences, and possible biological factors that are still under investigation. The question that receives the most public attention is whether vaccines contribute to autism. Large studies involving millions of children have reportedly found no evidence that routine childhood vaccines or the MMR vaccine cause autism. Major health organizations, including the CDC, World Health Organization, and numerous medical associations, continue to state that available evidence does not support a causal link. Considering that the rates of autism were roughly 1 in 2,000 children decades ago, to modern CDC tracking showing roughly 1 in 31 children, autism is one of the most studied phenomena in public health.

Nevertheless, many parents remain unconvinced. Some point to the timing of autism diagnoses, which often become noticeable during the same developmental period when children receive multiple vaccinations. Others argue that more research should examine complex interactions among genetics, environment, immune responses, and vaccine schedules. As a result, autism remains at the center of ongoing public debate despite a broad scientific consensus rejecting a direct causal connection between vaccines and autism. Parents need clear, concise answers about why the rate has increased so drastically, whether vaccine-related or not.

The Catholic View

The debate over vaccines and chronic illness continues with a lack of comprehensive testing of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated kids – image courtesy of Vecteezy.com.

Jesus consistently demonstrated compassion for the vulnerable, healed the sick, and instructed His followers to care for others. He emphasized truth, humility, wisdom, and love of neighbor. Vaccines have clearly helped millions of Americans and their communities stay healthy and safe from dangerous diseases. The problem is that there are so many vaccines right now, and there has been virtually little to no testing of potential interactions between them.

Those who question vaccine policies often cite Catholic principles of informed consent, personal responsibility, and stewardship of the body. They argue that parents have a God-given responsibility to carefully evaluate medical decisions affecting their children. Jesus’ teachings encourage us to seek truth, show compassion, avoid fear, and treat others with love and respect even when disagreements arise. The problem is, as Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Vaccine safety has been a contentious issue, with people on both sides of the issue showing conflicting data. One thing is very clear: chronic illnesses among our children are on the rise; some, like autism, are rising drastically. Parents need clear answers, and we don’t need a medical degree to understand the results.

The Final Word

The question, “Are vaccines harming our children?” does not have a simple answer. Vaccines have undeniably reduced the burden of many infectious diseases and remain widely supported by scientific and public health organizations. Autism diagnoses are rising, while concerns about safety testing and debates during recent Senate hearings have gained attention. These concerns have convinced many parents that greater transparency and additional research are needed. We need experts who tell the truth, demonstrate compassion, and seek the welfare of every child entrusted to our care. Let’s pray that Congress and the medical community work together to provide parents with clear and concise data. Parents need reliable information to make the best decisions for their children.

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About Dennis McIntyre

In my early years, I was a member of the Methodist church, where I was baptized as a child and eventually became a lector. I always felt very faith-filled, but something was missing. My wife is Catholic, and my children were baptized as Catholics, which helped me find what I was looking for. I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself, walking with Jesus. I was welcomed into the Catholic faith and received the sacraments as a full member of the Catholic Church in 2004. I am a Spiritual Director and commissioned to lead directees through the 19th Annotation. I am very active in ministry, serving as a Lector and Eucharistic Minister and providing spiritual direction. I have worked with the sick and terminally ill in local hospitals and hospice care centers, and I have found these ministries challenging and extremely rewarding. In addition to publishing articles on Patheos, I have also published articles on Beliefnet.com. You can read more about the author here.

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