Health choices are a basic human right and must be the foundation of any system of medical care. Choice works at two levels; the freedom from mandates and coercive influences, and the right of all recipients of medical intervention to exercise informed consent in advance of any procedure. Freedom from mandates requires the right of citizens and parents to exempt themselves and family members from undesired procedures, including vaccination. Informed consent requires that unbiased information regarding potential risks and benefits of the procedure be provided to consumers. Society as a whole benefits from the cumulative impact of such free and informed healthcare choices. Anything less risks subjecting human populations to uncontrolled experimentation, financial self-dealing and the tyranny of medical bureaucracy all in the name of a poorly defined “greater good.” The only legitimate locus for determination of what is good for individual health is the informed choice of individual citizens.
