Homeopathy Papers

Shana’s Vaccination Exemption Letter

Shana writing vaccination letter
Written by Elaine Lewis

One person’s successful effort to enter college with no proof of vaccination.

I’m always asked how to deal with the schools.  Parents tell me, “If I don’t get my child vaccinated, she won’t be able to attend school.”  Most states have exemptions written into their vaccination law!  Below is an example of the Pennsylvania law and the exemptions that most people seem to be unaware of.  You can be sure it’s the same in your state–at least for the time being.  Do a Google search for “Vaccination exemptions for [your state]”.

Recently, when asked by a parent how to legally avoid vaccinations, I was reminded of Shana’s exemption letter that was requested by her University.  I think everyone would benefit by reading it.  (I deleted private, irrelevant information, like names and addresses.)  

People think that to get an exemption you have to hire a lawyer.  No, that is not necessary!  Here’s what you do:  On the medical form from the school, on the vaccination page, draw a line through it and write “EXEMPT: see attached sheet”.  The attached sheet should be a letter from you stating the following (use your own words):

“To whom it may concern: We, the parents of _________ object to vaccinations based on religious and/or philosophical grounds as per the following exemption provided in the Vaccination Law of the state of ______________ which states, and I quote: [quote the law, you can find it online by doing a search].  The law does not require us to explain or justify our beliefs, but rather simply to state our objection and on what grounds, which we are hereby doing, in compliance with the law.  Respectfully, _____________”  

Now, have your letter notarized.  Any auto-tag store will notarize for a small fee of roughly $5.00.  You will need a form of identification like a driver’s license.   Try to have more than one original made.  Then make copies.  This is what you attach every time you are asked by the school to hand in the “medical form”.  Of course, all other parts of the medical form can be filled in by the child’s doctor.

When the child is 18, the vaccination letter for college will have to be written over again accordingly.  Remember: line through Vaccination page, write EXEMPT (see attached sheet).  Attach notarized letter. 

Here then is Shana’s Vaccination Exemption Letter written one year ago. (Shana is shown above at her high school graduation. That’s me standing next to her, looking exhausted!) — Elaine Lewis

 

***

College Health Administrative Services

Medical Records Manager

June 14, 2011

Re: Philosophical or Religious Objections to Immunizations

Dear Ms. __________:

This letter is in reference to the following Pennsylvania law:

28 Pa. Code. § 23.84 (2007)

§ 23.84. Exemption from immunization.

(a) Medical exemption. Children need not be immunized if a physician or the physician’s designee provides a written statement that immunization may be detrimental to the health of the child. When the physician determines that immunization is no longer detrimental to the health of the child, the child shall be immunized according to this subchapter.

(b) Religious exemption. Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief.

As per exemption (b) above, I, Shana D. Lewis, decline to be vaccinated based on a deeply held philosophical, moral and ethical conviction as I shall describe as instructed in your letter which stated: “The request should indicate how long and deeply the person has been guided by these principles.  Other reasons also should be briefly explained.”

All my life I have received ONLY natural medicine, no drugs whatsoever except for the Hepatitis B vaccine which I received the day after I was born.  My mother says she regrets giving permission for that now; but, she had no way of knowing at the time that the only way a person can contract Hepatitis B is through unprotected sex and needle-sharing! Obviously, the vaccination was all risk and no benefit!  The same is true for the polio vaccine.  According to Jonas Salk himself, all cases of polio since 1961 have been caused by the oral polio vaccine (Washington Post, September 24, 1976). Again, all risk, no benefit!

All my life, I have eaten food that is mostly all natural/organic.  We rarely buy packaged food, mostly everything we eat is made from scratch.  We shop at either Whole Foods or the farmer’s market.  We do not shop at regular supermarkets.  We buy household products that are friendly to the environment.  We wear cotton clothing, no synthetic fibers.  We try to avoid buying from companies that abuse animals.

There is a lot of animal abuse in the making of vaccines.  The viruses used to make the vaccines are grown on animal tissue.  This is not only bad for the animals (because they are sacrificed) but the vaccine inevitably picks up animal viruses (simian viruses, bovine viruses, etc.) in the process and transfers them to humans.  It is not normal or natural to have the cells and viruses of other species in your bloodstream.

My mother is a homeopath.  Homeopathy is a kind of “alternative medicine” founded by Samuel Hahnemann, M.D. in Germany in 1810 and widely practiced in Europe and India.  Homeopathic remedies are safe and effective and available in health food stores and Whole Foods Market as well as certain drugstores like Rite Aid.  When I am sick, I get a homeopathic remedy.  I have never had an antibiotic, an Advil nor even an aspirin in my life.  The only times I’ve ever needed to see a doctor, the doctor I saw was a homeopath.  Other times, I’ve seen a Reiki practitioner with the same good results.

I actually had what we think were the measles when I was 2 or 3 years old.  As soon as my mother saw the rash, she gave me a homeopathic remedy and before she even had a chance to call the doctor to make an appointment to get a diagnosis, the rash was gone!  It was gone the next day!

Dr. Mehmet Oz, cardiac surgeon, Vice Chairman of Surgery at Columbia University and frequent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, tells his show audience that his wife takes care of their children with homeopathic remedies before even telling him that they’re sick! (http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/Alternative-Pain-Treatments-Pt-1) This method of treatment is going mainstream fast.

We eat no junk food at our house.

People accept vaccines on faith.  They don’t know what’s in them and they don’t care.  It might surprise most people to know that there’s mercury in the vaccines (there is no level of mercury that is considered safe); plus, MSG, formaldehyde, aluminum, calf serum, animal viruses, aborted human fetal tissue, polysorbate 80 and other questionable ingredients. (http://www.vaccine-tlc.org/)  I think people imagine that vaccines are sterile; but, you can’t grow viruses in a sterile environment!

There are those who would argue that we shouldn’t care what’s in the vaccines so long as they do the job.  Actually, there has never been a single large-scale double blind study to determine if vaccines are either safe or effective! )  There has not been a single study where half the group was unvaccinated and the other half received all the vaccinations required and then both groups were followed for years and compared for the status of their health.  There has never been a study where a group was vaccinated, then exposed to the disease it was inoculated against to see if the vaccine protected them.  This has never been done; so, there is actually no proof that this practice is either safe or “does the job”.

On the other hand, there is plenty of speculation that the skyrocketing rate of autism (roughly 1 in 50 children) is being caused by vaccinations.  Here’s an interesting quote for you:

Significantly, the first cases of autism were described in the US shortly after the vaccines for whooping cough were introduced in the 1940s.
Dispatches From the War Zone of Environmental Healthby Helke Ferrie

“But the epidemic diseases are gone, so, obviously, vaccinations work,” some might say.  Here’s the fallacy in that argument:

1. Measles: not gone, Whooping Cough: not gone, German Measles: not gone, Influenza: not gone, Chickenpox: not gone…. If vaccines work so well, then why are these diseases still here?

2. If the absence of disease is proof that vaccinations work, then how is it that the plague, scarlet fever, yellow fever, the Spanish flu and other such diseases disappeared without a vaccination program?  Why did Polio disappear in European countries that had no vaccination program?

I have no cavities, no allergies, never had acne; in fact, I have no medical conditions whatsoever.  (See my recently-submitted physical exam.)  I will stack my good health up against any fully vaccinated person my age.  Common sense would suggest that I should just keep doing what I’m doing and not change anything since it’s working so well.

According to Pennsylvania law, all I have to do to exempt myself from immunizations is state my opposition in writing on moral and ethical grounds, which I believe I have done; but, you asked for more information so I am trying to comply.  I could go on, but I feel I have adequately shown that refusing vaccinations fits in with my overall lifestyle of respecting my body, respecting the environment and respecting animals.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Shana D. Lewis

 

About the author

Elaine Lewis

Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.
Elaine is a passionate homeopath, helping people offline as well as online. Contact her at [email protected]
Elaine is a graduate of Robin Murphy's Hahnemann Academy of North America and author of many articles on homeopathy including her monthly feature in the Hpathy ezine, "The Quiz". Visit her website at:
https://elainelewis.hpathy.com/ and TheSilhouettes.org

46 Comments

  • Wonderful! I’ve never heard it expressed better. That is definitely the voice of someone self empowered.

  • What a wonderful letter! It should be forwarded to every doctor and school. Informed consent can only come with freedom of speech.

  • Excellent letter Elaine and Shana. This letter should reach as many people as possible.
    I request everyone to share this on Facebook and Twitter so that this letter goes viral!

  • Wonderful Elaine and Shana. Infact I too believe in no vaccination. I am a staunch homeo lover and in the philosophy of homeopathy. I have had very minimal vaccination for one of my kid. I guess , introducing lots of virus’es in the name of vaccination is the root cause of the so called “Auto Immume diseases ” which are very prevelant. Lots of viruses kill the host itself…….( which also works well in computer parlance “)……I hope , as said above by Manish..we should share it across …in social network sites…………Thanks once again for this eyeopening article……:))

  • Wonderful!

    Ever the neurotic editor (arghh) I would only have added, where she said “homeopathy is … widely practiced in Europe,” that it is … widely practiced in Europe and India, the two most medically advanced cultures with non-violent and healthy populations on the planet.”

  • This letter came in a timely manner. Being a health care provider, I just received a mandate from my employer, a large hospital system, that all employees must be vaccinated for flu this year. I plan on fighting against it. The letter has given me a framework to work with.

  • I really feel thrilled by learning so much of facts regarding Vaccination in children … in fact, it conforms to my long standing conviction that injecting so much of virus in child’s body is illogical and harmful. Though, I am not qualified doctor, but an engineer by degree, and keep studing varity of subjects close to philosophy of life which, according to me, also includes Science of Homeopathy and Astorlogy. Having little bit of knowledge of homeopathy principles, I used to think that hpathy medicine might also create the similar effects as that of vaccination because both woks on the same basic lines, only explanations or theories are different. One way, it is same like Biochemic vrs Hpathy wherein both works on the principle of similia. Only question or differance is in medium and doses-potency, frequency etc. I also did not allow my children to take vaccines follow up after few months of birth. Vaccinations has become a big business, it has already crossed a level, soon people understand that they are being cheated in the name of cure.

  • Well done! That is very true. Testing just showed me that my chronic mercury poisoning started from my vaccinations about 50 yrs ago, and that they initiated many lifelong problems such as stunted bone growth, poor respiration, and slight autism. The tests suggested the isode “Mercury 200C” to clear it. It seems to be working as I could feel toxins come out.

  • A most wonderful letter, Shana! You have learned well from your equally awesome mom, who has always refreshingly told things as they are, no mincing of words 🙂
    Now, I am most curious–what was their response?

  • It was joy to read your letter. It’s wonderful, compelling and straight to the point. It requires guts to stand up for yourself and say NO to hearsay. We have always felt education in better than medication and on this level i.e. of vaccination many need to be educated. Elaine and Shana your commitment is praiseworthy especially your care for animals and the environment. Apart from you not been vaccinated it is your diet (organic food) and regimen, so prominently emphasized by Dr. Hahnemann, that has seen you through with good health. Hope many will learn from this and will not overlook this important aspect of living in their usual casual way !!
    Request your permission to share this with our group ‘Homoeopathy First’ on Face Book.

    Dr. Prasad and Dr. Falguni

  • Hello Elaine and Shana. Thank you so much for the excellent and spirited letter for vaccination exemption. It is a wonderful response, and also extremely informative for those who are vacillating about vaccinations. This is an opportunity to thank you also for the many articles that have been so helpful and encouraging. I am a homeopath and have found them invaluable.
    Best wishes.

  • The only moral or religious excuse that I see here is about animal rights. How can a non-vegetarian vouch for animal rights? This smacks of hypocrasy. See PETA site.

  • Most awesome!! I’ve advocated and educated about
    Non vaccinating for decades and I only wish that someone would do something so we can have an exemption choice for our non human animal companions!!!!! We should have the same rights to choose for their healthcare as we do ourselves and our human kids! If anyone is aware of anything happening on this issue re: our animals, please let me know! Thanks! The only immunity is natural immunity! Peace, Jai

    • Dear Jai,
      The only vaccination you absolutely have to give your pets is the rabies vaccine, am I right? And I would give Ledum before and after, plus, I might give a dose of Lyssin as well.

  • A letter is sufficiently written to enable attendance at education establishments…sadly a Real letter needs to be written to ensure that It is not a requirement if the Terms and Conditions of Real Medicine was adhered to. All of US have been affected by its Creation.

    Elaine and Shana it is Great you have Family understanding and took your stance to ensure that your understanding helps you in life, sadly for a lot of Families this is lacking as we get shot in the dark; and thus the horrors of vaccinations is increasing at such magnitudes which is leaving us all in dark, sombre situations.

    One day soon Change is Imminent…

  • Well done on granting your own wish. It should be your choice but surely there should be a law that if you contract and thusly spread diseases that governance and medicine has tried so hard to cure you should be charged with assault.

    Also you criticise the lack of double blind testing but for a vaccine to be considered it has to go through years of rigourous testing which includes double blind studies.

    Isn’t it a bit hypocritical to then criticise the efficacy of vaccinations yet most studies of homeopathic ‘medicine’ places it next to the placebo effect.

    It would appear you truly believe this which is your right but don’t try and scientifically back up your argument when any scientist in the area of vaccine medicine could easily retort them.

    Also on a macro point the scientific method has been applied to the science of vaccination unlike the pseudo science of homeopathy. If you believe the scientific method is faulty in this case how come you’re using a computer as the scientific method was used to create the components inside your computer.

    • Have you completely lost your mind? As a homeopath, I’ve seen the brain damage to children resulting from these shots! How come that doesn’t concern you in the least? Why aren’t you saying to doctors, “You should be charged with assault for what your toxic drugs and vaccinations, which contain neurotoxins, are doing to children–ruining not only their lives but the lives of their care-givers!” But no, instead you hurl a warning at me in the event of a hypothetical scenario wherein I, an unvaccinated person, contract a disease and then pass it on to someone, which has NOT happened; but what HAS happened, in spades, all the children–1 in 68– with autism and seizure disorder, does not bother you in the least! In 1975, that number was 1 in 5,000. Shame on you!

    • Well said, Ross! I come from a developing nation where vaccines are heavily promoted not only by government but also NGOs, social welfare activists etc. We have managed to bring down Polio to zero; while our sanitation and hygene standards are still pathetic (lots of cases of malaria, cholera and other infections). I do not see people dying on the roads due to the supposed mercury in their head. I myself was heavily vaccinated and all my family members (coming to more than a few thousand), and there are no cases of autism or other supposed vaccine damage that I can recall. Marry young, have children at a young age (women <24, men<28-30), and there will be no autism disorders.

  • Also, leading homeopaths in my country (who are now practising for more than 4 generations); who see cases the numbers totalling in a month what Elaine may see in her whole lifetime, do not object to vaccines, but rather promote it (I have seen sponsored vaccine programes in their clinics). I will take their word than Elaines, solely because they have much, much more clinical experience rather than some bookish knowledge or Mercola type website knowledge–trying to sell their own pharmacy products and useless vitamin supplements.

  • Dexter, just so it’s clear, I don’t sell anything. I definitely have a number of clients with vaccine damage, and their lives are ruined and so are the lives of their parents. Do you really expect to see vaccine-damaged children on the side of the road? And I have to ask you, if vaccines work (they got rid of polio, according to you), why do we still have the flu? Why do we still have the measles? Why do we still have Chickenpox?

    • Elaine, I cannot comment on the situation in USA as I dont live there. Here, vaccines for flu, measles & chickenpox were only introduced recently, and are quite expensive for a middle-class person to afford. I dont have any personal experience to comment on it. What we do have is the UIP (Universal Immunization programme) that covers importantly measles and polio. Out of my 2000+ relatives and friends I interact frequently, I have not seen a single case of both of these diseases as well as Autism. There was one case of TB I know of; he contracted it while travelling to Europe.

  • One of my vaccine damage cases is from India, and I really don’t feel like arguing with you anymore Dexter. I wish you and all your 2,000 friends and relatives all the best.

  • To Dexter and the others who’re commenting without really going into details of the vaccine issue –

    regarding the eradication of polio from India and maybe other developing countries where hygiene standards are still not top-class, do you know that India had 47,500 cases of Non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) in 2011 seen in children who had been vaccinated for polio? Changing the terminology and name of a disease does not truly eradicate it. NPAFP is believed to be brought on by the polio vaccinations and is much more dangerous than wild polio.

    Do you think 47,500 cases is a small number?

    A recent report published in the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics (IJME) explains that, clinically, NPAFP is indistinguishable from polio paralysis. But according to the Office of Medical & Scientific Justice (OMSJ), NPAFP is twice as deadly as polio paralysis, and yet was not even an issue in India prior to the rollout of the massive polio vaccine campaigns.

    Similarly, cases of vaccine-associated polio paralysis (VAPP), a condition in which paralytic symptoms similar or identical to those caused by wild-type polio manifest themselves following the administration of polio vaccines, are also on the rise. Not only are the paralysis symptoms associated with NPAFP and VAPP typically far worse than those brought about by wild-type polio, but they can also accompany other negative side effects including neurological damage.

    Far from being a success, in other words, India’s polio vaccine campaign appears to have induced a new epidemic of a much worse type of polio-related paralysis that is even more deadly than the first one. And based on the figures, overall rates of NPAFP in particular are now 12 times higher in India following the polio vaccine campaigns, with some areas of the country reporting rates as elevated as 35 times higher.

    People who are anti-vaccine are usually individuals who have done a lot of reading and inquiry into the matter and have then come to conclusions – we don’t just spout the words given to us by the media and Pharma companies. We have seen vaccine damaged individuals and have gone through detailed study reports published in mainstream medical journals (not just Mercola type web articles as you call them) that show the hazards of modern day vaccines with their load of neurotoxic ingredients.

    I suggest you start your own referencing before attacking Elaine or others. May you see the light!

    • Ah yes, the old “change the name of the disease” strategy! That’s what they did in the ’50’s! After the polio vaccine program got underway, cases previously designated as polio were now being called “Meningitis”. And apparently nothing has changed!

  • Thanks Elaine! That’s a great letter!!
    Just what I was looking for, for my son who will be a junior in HS and planning on attending college in a few years.

    • Thanks, Renee. Let’s hope in a few years the exemptions will still exist! California has actually done away with them and now vaccination is mandatory in that state. Horrifying.

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