United States Senator Rand Paul opened a debate on whether the state would give parents a choice in getting their children vaccinated. Paul cited children who ended up suffering from "profound mental disorders" following an immunization, particularly for measles and Hepatitis B.
"We sometimes give five or six vaccines all at one time," Paul talked about how newborns had to get such vaccinations for Hepatitis B.
"I chose to have mine delayed. Do I think it's ultimately a good idea? Yeah. So I had mine staggered over several months. I've heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children, who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," he told the press.
Paul, however, reiterated that he is not against having children vaccinated. He also said that vaccines are one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history, but since there are apparent side effects, such as mental disorders, parents should have an input whether they would get their child vaccinated.
The Kentucky senator also pointed out that many children had been affected, but the concern has "not been substantiated" even if scientists were hard at work researching on it.
In 2012, former Minnesota representative Michele Bachman had argued about a vaccination topic, but it was about the HPV vaccine, which according to reports, can do permanent damage to young women.
Paul's debate sparked some arguments, and one of those who opposed his proposal was 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
"The science is clear: The earth is round, the sky is blue, and #vaccineswork. Let's protect all our kids. #GrandmothersKnowBest," Clinton tweeted.
A poll conducted by the Pew Research Center last year showed that 30% to 68% of Americans wanted all kids to get a vaccination, and that it should be required by the state. The research showed that Americans younger than 30 years old are quite skeptical about getting their children vaccinated.
