Readers React: Anti-vaxxers are a public-health threat

To the editor: I recently visited a chiropractor in West Los Angeles. To my shock, the practitioner told me with pride that he was “adjusting” children from birth on up and advising that these procedures are better than vaccinations, which he actively discourages. In addition, in his waiting room were prominently displayed, slick brochures suggesting that vaccinations produce negative results and that unvaccinated children are healthier. (“Never mind SARS or MERS, worry about measles,” Op-Ed, July 8)

It seems that all health providers are required to obtain licenses and are examined for competence. Given that the first tenet of medicine is “First, do no harm,” I wonder if licensing examinations should include providers’ agreements to recommend vaccination or, at the least, not to discourage this means of preventing disease.

This is not a matter of personal preference; it’s a matter of public health.

Barbara H. Bergen, Los Angeles