The administration of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, where I graduated medical school, is currently weighing a crucial decision of whether or not to mandate vaccination for its student body. The side effects of this decision will undoubtedly ripple through generations of the profession. I have already had conversations with students who were planning to attend the school but are now having second thoughts. They were supposed to announce their intent yesterday, but it seems as though that decision has been delayed again.

I took some time this morning and sent an email to the school administration expressing my concerns. Below is my message.

Hello,

As a graduate of SCNM and a member of its extended family, I am writing to voice my opinion and concern over the decision currently being weighed whether to mandate vaccination for the student body.

An assumption and claim that is made for vaccination is that vaccines are safe and effective. The matter of safety is an ongoing concern (see https://openvaers.com). The matter of efficacy is a tricky one. We know that the current arsenal of vaccinations was studied for their efficacy at preventing COVID-19, the symptomatic presentation of SARS-COV-2 infection. When we were told that they were "+90% effective", this means that they were effective at preventing serious illness. The vaccines are not, however, "+90% effective" at preventing the vaccinated person from infection, nor are they effective at preventing a vaccinated person from asymptomatic spread of infection. We are seeing this play out in countries such as Israel, where the vast majority of their adult population is vaccinated, the 3rd-dose booster is being implemented in everyone 12 yo+, and they are experiencing their highest spikes in cases ever.

A condition of emergency-use-authorization for these vaccines is that there are no other viable alternatives for treatment and therapy. This is false. One such example of early outpatient treatment of SARS-COV-2 infection is outlined in an article published in the January 2021 American Journal of Medicine by Dr. Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, et al. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.07.003). This review article lays out a therapeutic approach and treatment algorithm that has been shown to be effective at blocking virus replication and reducing the risk of hospitalization and death. This approach uses common-sense approaches (such as increasing exposure to sunlight and fresh circulating air), nutrients (such as zinc - which stops viral replication), and inexpensive repurposed medications which have been shown to: 1) drive zinc into the cells, allowing them to further inhibit viral replication, 2) reduce inflammation 3) reduce viral shedding.

During my pediatric courses at SCNM, we were taught of the benefits of Vitamin D in the setting of upper respiratory infection. Acute doses of Vitamin D (5000 IU per 20 lbs body weight for 7 days) were recommended to us as a first-line treatment for pediatric cases of upper respiratory infection. Vitamin D status certainly plays a role in the outcome of SARS-COV-2 infection. In January 2021, Ghasemian et al reported in the International Journal of Clinical Practice (https://dx.doi.org/10.1111%2Fijcp.14675) that "The chance of developing severe COVID‐19 is about five times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency."

Another assumption of vaccination is that vaccine-induced immunity is somehow superior to natural immunity. Indeed, we have seen that even the World Health Organization has changed the definition of "herd immunity" on their website. Prior to November 2020, herd immunity was defined by them as a phenomenon of either natural infection or vaccination or a combination of the two. This has since been updated to be defined as strictly a phenomenon of vaccination.

A thorough and detailed assessment of immunity from natural infection and vaccine-induced immunity was published just this morning by investigational reporter, Sharyl Attkisson: https://sharylattkisson.com/2021/09/covid-19-natural-immunity-compared-to-vaccine-induced-immunity-the-definitive-summary/.

Mandating a medical treatment flies in the face of informed consent and medical freedom. It violates bodily autonomy. It goes against principles of naturopathic medicine and medicine in general. Ignoring the value of natural immunity is a violation of the laws of nature, and cannot be tolerated. I respectfully request that this decision err on the side of freedom of choice rather than the intimidation of news media and the pharmaceutical industry. There are effective and inexpensive treatments available. As my mentor and fellow naturopathic physician, Dr. James Sensenig, brilliantly said: "There is no cure for the common cold, because the cold is the cure."

Thank you,

Dr. Alan Bradford, ND, ADS

I feel for these students. They are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They are eager to learn natural medicine. They were drawn to the school and profession to be able to learn something different than what is preached by mainstream medicine. It’s as if Dolores Umbridge is walking the halls and rapidly adding decrees to the wall. I pray that things work out and that the administration will honor personal choice.