Opposition to bill is misinformed

Ohio House Bill 193 is hardly an “anti-flu-vaccine bill” as The Dispatch so categorically liked to call it in its Tuesday editorial “New bill is bad medicine.” Using that type of inflammatory language only sensationalizes the issue and creates more division in society.

To clarify, H.B. 193 has never infringed upon an employer’s right to institute annual flu vaccination programs in their workplace, and some employers already afford employees the option to decline for any reason without being punished or fired, and those reasonable employers, who respect the informed-medical-consent rights of their employees, will not be affected by this legislation.

However, a growing number of employers are incorporating unreasonable ultimatums, denying employees’ personal physician exemptions, withholding equal pay from hard-working Ohioans and discriminating against those of minority religious beliefs, and have unjustly stolen their employees’ medical power of attorney rights. Those employers have crossed the line and now infringe upon the civil liberties of both employees and contracted nonemployees who have no patient contact whatsoever.

Other states had the foresight to protect an individual’s right to bodily autonomy and prevent these unjust labor practices, ahead of over-reaching federal plans like “Healthy People 2020” and the “National Adult Immunization Plan,” but unfortunately Ohio law remains silent. This is what H.B. 193 is about.

The Dispatch can continue to misinform the public and pit supposedly “pro-vaccine” against “anti-vaccine” all it wants, but the bill was put forth to keep medical decision-making in the hand of the individual, and I applaud state Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Alliance, for her attempt to bring reason and common sense to the Ohio legislature. More legislators need to follow her lead.

Tina M. Wise Pediatric hospital pharmacist Uniontown