1.) Understand the diseases that for which we have vaccines for.
It is better to research each individual disease,
than to take someone's word for it. The best most reliable source of
information would be an official source, like the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control (CDC).
The CDC's Pink Book is an up do date record of infectious diseases and can be found here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html#chapters
In the CDC's own words:
"The Pink Book provides physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners,
physician assistants, pharmacists, and others with the most
comprehensive information on vaccine-preventable diseases.
Typical chapters include a description of the disease, pathogenesis,
clinical features, laboratory diagnosis, medical management,
epidemiology, risk factors, trends in the United States, vaccine
details, vaccination
schedule and use, contraindications and precautions to vaccination,
adverse reactions following vaccination, vaccine storage and handling,
and reference or publications.
The appendices are a wealth of reference materials including: minimum
age and interval table, current and discontinued vaccines, ingredients
tables, vaccine administration guide, etc.
2.) Know and understand what adverse events are associated and reported after vaccinations.
Parents who choose to vaccinate
should know what to do in the case of an adverse event, severe
reaction, and the like. Physicians are required to report adverse
events to VAERS (The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System), however
the CDC and FDA "the keepers" of the VAERS database estimate that only
10% to 15% of adverse reactions are ever reported at all.
Parents may, and (even after reporting the reaction to your child's
doctor), file a report with VAERS. When accessing the VAERS database,
if there were 5,485 reports associated with the MMR vaccine, the CDC
and FDA suggest that you can multiply that number by 10-15 for a more
accurate count. 5,485 x 10 is 54,485.
An exerpt from the VAERS
database:
"Underreporting" is one of the main limitations of passive
surveillance systems, including VAERS. The term, underreporting refers
to the fact that VAERS receives reports for only a small fraction of
actual adverse events. The degree of underreporting varies widely. As an
example, a great many of the millions of vaccinations administered each
year by injection cause soreness, but relatively few of these episodes
lead to a VAERS report. Physicians and patients understand that minor
side effects of vaccinations often include this kind of discomfort, as
well as low fevers. On the other hand, more serious and unexpected
medical events are probably more likely to be reported than minor ones,
especially when they occur soon after vaccination, even if they may be
coincidental and related to other causes. "
Many parents who do vaccinate have never been told about VAERS at all. Know that it exists.
3) Understand the vaccination laws where you live.
Many parents are led to believe that immunizations are mandatory for
school admission. All states have exemptions. And all states but two
allow exemptions for philosophical or religious reasons. Mississippi
and West Virgina are currently the only two which only allow a medical
exemption.
4) Read the package inserts for each and every vaccine you are considering for you or your children.
Often doctors will hand out information sheets to you in advance of
the next appointment. Do not mistake the one sided, often inflammatory
accounts of the infectious diseases for the package inserts written by
the vaccine manufacturers and included with the actual vaccines.
Package inserts will give you information like studies and outcomes,
contraindications, and adverse reactions associated with the vaccine.
All admitted and written by the manufacturer.
5) Know the ingredients in each vaccine.
Vaccine ingredients are often not studied at all, let alone studied
for long term effects, or how they work (or do not) in conjunction with
one another. Research this topic in depth. Twenty-three vaccines on the
market currently contain aborted fetal tissue, which contains human
DNA.
It is important that every parent has a thorough understanding of the
diseases that they are trying to prevent. Vaccines do not necessarily
make anyone immune, and the manufacturers will tell you on the package
inserts that the vaccine is not 100% effective, if even 80% effective.
All the "immunity" you may have received from vaccines eventually wears
off making the need for booster shots.
credit to source : http://www.examiner.com/article/what-every-parent-should-know-before-choosing-to-vaccinate
