If your friend convinces another friend not to vaccinate, should they take responsibility along with parents?

I am pro-vaccine. I work in public health and have a master's of public health as well as years of experience with a vaccination program. All three of my kids are vaccinated. I often do webinars and host lectures about vaccination and immunity.

I am friends with A, who does not trust vaccines. She had a bad fever post vaccine as a child and her parents decided no more vaccines. She doesn't trust them and echoes RFK rhetoric constantly.

A convinced our friend, B, not to vaccinate her child. B asked me about the different vaccines her child would get and I explained the benefit of vaccines. I always said she needed to make this decision for herself and that I cannot convince her or take responsibility for her choices. I sent along some great resources and showed her how vaccines work, but she ultimately decided that the risks of vaccination were too great.

B just got back from being in Texas visiting family. I told her prior to her visit that since her three year old is unvaccinated, and her family is in a measles hot spot, she really should hold off for now or else consider vaccinating her child. B decided to go anyway because she is taking vitamin A and A told her measles is a normal childhood illness.

B's 3 year old tested positive for measles a week ago and is not doing well. B is now very upset at A over this whole thing saying that she downplayed the risks of measles and overplayed the risks of vaccination. A says "No healthy child has ever had an issue with measles." She claims that B's 3 year old must have an "underlying illness".

I told them both that I am staying out of this. I said from the get go that they need to make these choices for themselves and that they need to take full responsibility for their choices and actions.

Do you think that if someone convinced a parent not to vaccinate their child, they should have some part in the responsibility of that decision?