On the other hand, the state should be allowed to tell a parent what drugs to give their child, especially when vaccines are known to contain substances harmful chemicals. While it is possible to obtain a vaccination exemption, this is easier said than done, according to MD Kurt Link, “fewer than two percent of people who request a vaccination exemption get one” (qtd. in Null and Feldman). While all states allow medical exemptions, this process is time-consuming and not always an option. To illustrate, under government guidelines, one way a child could receive a medical exemption is if they had a severe or life-threatening reaction to a certain vaccine. However, most children would never have been exposed to the chemicals in vaccines, so it would be impossible for parents to know in advance whether their child would react badly to the vaccine. However, to prove that your child would have a severe reaction to vaccines, the child would first have to receive it to demonstrate that he or she reacted badly. Therefore, this process somewhat defeats the purpose and can lead to irreversible consequences. Additional disadvantages to receiving the exemption are that parents may have difficulty getting their children to attend some schools, and pediatricians have been known to deny treatment to an unvaccinated child (Null and Feldman). One argument in support of vaccines is that once received, the child's immune system is strengthened and the next time the child comes into contact with that particular disease he will be able to fight it off. However, studies have shown that outbreaks still occur in fully vaccinated areas. Dr. William Atkinson, a CDC epidemiologist, examining a large measles epidemic, admits halfway through the paper to this potentially risky decision after weighing the pros and cons. It is the parents, not the state, who have to live with the consequences of this decision. On the other side of the debate, vaccine advocates contribute to the success of diseases that are at their lowest ebb through mandatory vaccinations. Furthermore, they believe that if vaccines were no longer mandatory, many deadly diseases would reappear. They attest that although serious side effects can occur from vaccinations, this likelihood is so rare that it outweighs the risks. Overall, the state cannot assure a parent that vaccinating their child is no different than playing Russian roulette; all they can assure you is that the chances of your child being the one who takes the bullet are rare. Perhaps there is wisdom in the words of Albert Einstein: “Never do anything against conscience, even if the State requires it”..