Herding Immunity: Can U.S. Public Health Fight Off Disease Using Canada's Voluntary Vaccination System?

Authors

• Tara Sheoran, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Abstract

The note advocates for the adoption of uniform federal vaccination laws in the United States, allowing only medical exemptions, to effectively protect public health. It references the Jacobson v. Massachusetts case, which upheld states' authority to mandate vaccinations, and contrasts the U.S. system with Canada's voluntary approach. The author argues that cultural differences in the U.S. make a voluntary system infeasible and emphasizes the need to balance individual rights with collective safety to prevent disease resurgence and maintain herd immunity.

Disciplines

Health Law and Policy | Law

Recommended Citation

Tara Sheoran, Herding Immunity: Can U.S. Public Health Fight Off Disease Using Canada's Voluntary Vaccination System?, 20 Cardozo J. Int'l & Comp. L. 785 (2012).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cjicl/vol20/iss3/7