Should vaccines be mandatory?

• Author: Kubert, Mark
• Position: Letters - Letter to the editor

reason's catch phrase may be "Free Minds and Free Markets," but I didn't see much about how the market might have an influence in Ronald Bailey's entry in "Should Vaccines be Mandatory?" (April).

If insurance companies were allowed to discriminate, they could charge the "unhealthy" employees higher premiums or refuse to provide them with coverage when they showed up with a disease for which a vaccine was available. Airlines might not let you fly and your neighborhood health club wouldn't let you join until you had been immunized. Your doctor might refuse you as a patient when he sees that you don't get immunized, to protect himself.

If a child suffers problems because of neglectful care by his or her parents, the parents can be punished for not meeting their parental duties...