Rick Hillenbrand
On a scale of “Strongly Agree” (5) to “Strongly Disagree,” (1) rank your position on the following statements:
Vaccines are safe: 2
Vaccines are effective at preventing disease: 3
Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility: 3
What is your position on West Virginia’s current school vaccine requirements (which allow only medical exemptions)?
Add both religious and philosophical exemptions
In your view, what role should the state play in ensuring access to vaccines—especially in rural or underserved communities?
The state should help ensure that vaccines are reasonably accessible, particularly in rural and underserved areas, primarily through local health departments and existing healthcare providers. Free or reduced-cost vaccines should be available to those who demonstrate financial need. The state’s role should be to ensure access and provide accurate information—not to coerce vaccination or unnecessarily replace private healthcare providers.
Which of the following best reflects your understanding?
I support maintaining requirements for long-established, thoroughly tested vaccines such as Tdap, while preserving clear and accessible medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions. I believe strongly in individual liberty, parental rights, informed consent, and personal responsibility. Those who choose an exemption should accept reasonable consequences arising from that choice, but government should not force a person to undergo a medical procedure against his or her will simply to potentially protect others.
If a preventable disease outbreak (such as measles) occurred in your district, what actions—if any—would you take as a policymaker (e.g., make a statement regarding safety, coordinate with public health officials, take policy actions, encourage vaccination, etc.
I would work with public health officials to ensure that accurate, timely information is available to the public, encourage individuals and parents to consult their healthcare providers and make informed decisions, and support voluntary vaccination with long-established, thoroughly tested vaccines. I would also support reasonable, targeted measures to protect those at greatest risk, while respecting individual liberty, parental rights, informed consent, and constitutionally protected exemptions. Public health officials should inform, educate, and assist—not use an outbreak as justification for unnecessarily broad government mandates.
Is there anything else you would like West Virginia voters to know about your approach to public health, community wellbeing, and/or vaccines?
My approach to public health is grounded in individual liberty, parental rights, informed consent, personal responsibility, and respect for sound science. Government has an important role in providing accurate information, ensuring access to healthcare and proven vaccines, and responding effectively to genuine public health threats. However, public trust is best earned through transparency and honest communication—not coercion. I believe we can protect community wellbeing while respecting the fundamental rights of individuals and parents to make informed healthcare decisions for themselves and their families.
