Letter to the editor: Question 1 is not an attack on ‘Big Pharma’

Please vote “no” on Question 1 on March 3 in order to say “no” to overturning our new public health law.

There is nothing more important than the health and safety of our children and of all Mainers. Because Maine’s vaccination opt-out rate for non-medical reasons has been especially high, the Legislature passed a new law to end non-medical vaccination opt-outs in order to reduce risks of infection and improve public health.

The new law continues to allow opt-outs for medical reasons. That is the right balance. Now there is an effort to overturn this public health law thereby putting our schoolchildren, and all of us, at an increased risk of contracting serious illnesses. Those trying to overturn the law are now trying to spin this as being about “rejecting Big Pharma.” This is absolutely not about “Big Pharma.”

The new law was sponsored by Orono state Rep. Ryan Tipping-Spitz and was not pushed by “Big Pharma.” It is very evident that there are other personal motives among many of those trying to overturn this law, and those personal motives should not be putting the rest of us at risk. There are many other ways to deal with “Big Pharma.” This law is about protecting public health and safety.

Ron Bilancia

Brewer