While its certainly true that vaccines have saved countless lives, the side effects from some may have also caused greater harm. This blog will explore both sides of the current vaccine controversy.
How They Work
Webster’s Dictionary defines a vaccine as a preparation that is administered (as by injection) to stimulate the body’s immune response against a specific infectious agent or disease. In traditional vaccines a part of the disease is killed or altered and given orally or injected into the arm, thigh or buttocks. The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines used a new genetic messaging approach to activate the immune response.
In addition, an irritant of some sort is added to the vaccines to cause a brief local reaction that will attract white blood cells to the area. Those cells will encounter the disease particle. Miraculously, as part of God’s creation, antibody cells soon develop and remember that disease. If seen again, they will destroy it.
The History of Vaccine Development
The smallpox vaccine was developed by Edward Jenner in the 1770’s. A small, live portion from a diseased cow or individual was scratched into the skin. The scratching was the irritant that attracted the white blood cells to develop antibodies. The challenge was to provide a scratch that would attract an immune reaction but not too much to overwhelm and cause the disease. In the 1980’s it was determined that smallpox had been irradicated and that vaccination program ended.
In the 1880’s Louis Pasteur developed a vaccine for anthrax, rabies and cholera. The diphtheria and tetanus vaccines were rolled out in the 1920’s with pertussis following in the 1940’s. Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin developed the polio vaccine in the 1950’s. Measles, rubella and mumps were released in the 1960’s. Other vaccines followed with the most recent COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 to name a few.
The Potential Connection to Autism
In the 1960’s the autism rate was 1 in 10,000 children. In 2000 it increased to 1 in 150. By 2016 it escalated to 1 in 54 and is now 1 in 36. Questions must be raised to evaluate this dramatic increase. Some argue that better criteria for diagnosing autism explains the dramatic increase while others argue that it may be something in the vaccines, the timeline for administration, the number given at any one time, the age of the child vaccinated or something in the food or the environment.
The increase in prevalence has been too rapid and dramatic to be ignored! Reasonable people can agree that it’s imperative to ascertain the answers to these questions…no matter where it leads. However, it’s very expensive to do rigorous accurate studies thus very little incentives remain to get them done.
Pharmaceutical Concerns
In 1986 President Ronald Reagan signed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. It was designed to promote vaccine development but essentially allowed pharmaceutical companies to escape significant liabilities for potential harms incurred from their vaccines. Parents have found it extremely difficult to get compensation for vaccine injuries.
It’s important to remember that other drugs and over-the-counter medications that come on the market undergo rigorous research to ensure short and long-term safety. Motivation is high to conduct expensive studies to ensure safety to avoid harm and lawsuits.
However, despite the well-meaning intention of the 1986 act, it has led to an anemic approach to conducting longer term safety research concerning vaccine safety. As an example, in the rush to roll out the COVID-19 vaccines, long term safety research wasn’t done. It’s not known how this new genetic vaccine will play out over time. The questions need answered.
President Trump’s Recent Position Statement on Vaccines
On August 10, 2026, President Trump signed a controversial executive order regarding the US vaccination program called the Gold Standard Vaccine Recommendations for Americans. Key statements:
—The United States currently recommends more childhood vaccines than any peer nation, including more than twice as many vaccine doses as some European nations.
—Most peer nations maintain high childhood vaccination rates through public trust and education. In the United States, by contrast, individual States set mandatory vaccination requirements that children must meet to attend school.
—Core childhood vaccine recommendations should be aligned with scientific evidence and best practices from peer, developed countries while preserving access to vaccines currently available to Americans.
—Support maximal parental choice over childhood vaccines, consistent with the Federal Government’s constitutional and statutory obligations and the fundamental principles of personal autonomy and informed consent.
—Immunizations recommended for all children: measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus, and varicella.
—The Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations also recognize that the combined measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine should be administered in three separate single-disease shots once such products are domestically available and that, to the maximum extent feasible, all childhood immunizations should be administered at separate medical visits.
The Controversy
Basically, those who oppose this executive order cite that studies support that childhood vaccines are safe, and this order isn’t needed.
While those who support Trump’s executive order argue that better long-term studies are needed to answer the following questions. Is the potentially toxic irritant such as (Mercury in Thimerosal, Aluminum, Acetone, Formaldehyde, DNA, etc.) used to attract the white blood cells to the vaccination the cause of autism? Are the vaccines being given too close together or too many at one time? Does the age of the child matter? These questions remain unanswered.
Complicating the issue is the heavy pharmaceutical financial support given to a variety of politicians and healthcare organization groups that resist any investigations into further research to answer these difficult questions.
On A Personal Note
I’ve been following this debate for many years now. We vaccinated our children following the guidelines as recommended in the early 1980’s. While not one developed autism…food allergies and other autoimmune problems surfaced.
I had serious questions and reservations regarding the COVID-19 vaccines. They were rushed into use too quickly and didn’t undergo the longer-term rigorous safety testing medications generally require. What shocked me the most was that any question regarding the efficacy and safety of this new type of vaccine was ridiculed and silenced. Respected scientists who raised thoughtful legitimate concerns were treated as lunatics.
Further, patient autonomy was completely thrown out the window! A doctor may give a patient advice to take a certain treatment or medication, but the patient has the right or autonomy to say yes or no. Americans were told to be quiet and obey our governmental mandates to protect fellow citizens from a COVID infection. However, shockingly Janine Small CEO of Pfizer Pharmaceutical admitted that they never tested their vaccine to examine if it even prevented the spread of the disease.
Tragically many vaccines including these new genetically engineered ones use abortive fetal tissue and cell lines in the research and manufacturing process. It was also a moral issue for me and many other Christians. Thousands of first line responders and soldiers were fired for their personal moral objectives.
However, questions remain. Hopefully both sides will be open to looking for those answers wherever they may land. What is most important is to have an open mind and question the efficacy of the recommendations that patients are being offered by their government and healthcare providers. I know I certainly am now.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold (Proverbs: 3: 13-14).Amen.
Living for a Healthy Heart, LLC
Jennie E. Johnson RN, PhD
September 1, 2026
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold (Proverbs: 3: 13-14).
I’m a Christian nurse who helps people navigate the murky waters of healthcare.
References:
“Webster’s Dictionary, Vaccines,” Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (2026). https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaccine.
“A Long and Short History of Vaccines: Significant Events in the Development of Our Best Defense Against Infectious Disease,” Emory Health Digest, (Winter 2026). https://news.emory.edu/features/2026/01/long-and-short-history-vaccines.
“Autism Over Time: Tracking Prevalence, Rates and Trends Through the Decades,” NeuroLaunch, (August 16, 2026). https://neurolaunch.com/autism-over-time/.
Barbara Fisher, “1986 The National Vaccine Injury Act: Myth vs Facts,” National Vaccine Information Center (January 4, 2024). https://www.nvic.org/newsletter/jan-2024/1986-myths-vs-facts
- Trump, “Delivering Gold Standard Childhood Vaccine Recommendations for Americans,” The White House (August 10, 2026). https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/08/delivering-gold-standard-childhood-vaccine-recommendations-for-americans/.
“Autism and Vaccines,” CDC Vaccine Safety (July 22, 2026). https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/about/autism.html
“Excipients in Vaccines Not Routinely Recommended,” John Hopkins Institute for Vaccine Safety (March 14, 2025). https://www.vaccinesafety.edu/excipients-in-vaccines-not-routine/
Goldin & A. Fischer, “Posts Mislead on Pfizer’s COVID Vaccine’s Impact on Transmission,” Associated Press (October 13, 2022). https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-pfizer-transmission-european-parliament-950413863226.
Demasi, “What the ‘Godfather of Vaccines’ Said Under Oath— And Why It Matters Even More Today,” The Defender Children’s Defense Fund News and Views (November 13, 2925). https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/godfather-of-vaccines-said-under-oath-why-it-matters-even-more-today/
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