The loony left "NAZI" are at it again!
- From: "MCP" <gf010w5035@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 06:40:16 +0430
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7392510.stm
Call for vaccine opt-out penalty
Tough sanctions are being proposed for parents who refuse routine vaccinations,
such as MMR.
In an article for the Fabian Society, leading public health expert Sir Sandy
Macara called for child benefit to be linked with vaccination uptake.
And Labour MP Mary Creagh said children should have to prove they are vaccinated
before they start school to improve uptake of MMR.
The Department of Health said vaccination was voluntary.
Public confidence in vaccination, and in MMR particularly, fell after research
raised the possibility that the jab may be linked to an increased risk of
autism.
The research has since been debunked, and a string of studies have concluded
that the triple vaccine - which protects against rubella and mumps as well as
measles - is perfectly safe.
But immunisation rates are still well below the 95% needed for herd immunity and
are particularly low in London.
As a result there have been several outbreaks of measles.
'Blasé'
Sir Sandy Macara, ex-chairman of the British Medical Association, said in many
developing countries immunisation rates were higher than in the UK even though
they had poorer access to healthcare.
"People here have become a bit blasé and they worry more about rare possible
risks of vaccination rather than the diseases they prevent.
"One ought to recognise that mothers have a responsibility for ensuring their
children are protected."
He said linking vaccination to child benefit would ensure full vaccine coverage
and make the argument that it was being done for the public good rather than for
the benefit of individuals.
"Politicians are much more anxious than they would admit about 'nanny state'
accusations but they should be more worried about being accused of negligence,"
he said.
Ms Creagh said proof of vaccination before school attendance had been used in
the US.
"The MMR vaccination rate is at 85% and the target figure is 95% so it's about
catching children who may have moved or lost contact with their health visitor
but also saying to parents your child has a right to live free from vaccine
preventable diseases."
She said there would be exceptions where children could not be vaccinated for
medical or religious reasons.
"In lots of cities now they are offering catch up MMR for five-year olds and
there's a high take-up - a lot of anxiety has gone away and it offers parents
another opportunity."
But Jackie Fletcher of pressure group Jabs was against both proposals.
"It's only six months since a big public consultation by the Nuffield Council on
Bioethics which we contributed to and they concluded there was no reason to
change the voluntary system.
"At the same time as this was published in the UK there was a huge furore in the
US as parents were threatened with hefty fines and jail unless they vaccinated
their children before entry into school.
"Is this really the direction we want to go in," she said.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said they wanted to see a continued
improvement in the uptake of the MMR vaccine.
"Vaccination in this country is voluntary.
"PCTs need to identify what approaches will work best to meet the need of their
communities in order to ensure that all children and at-risk groups can benefit
from vaccines."
.
- Prev by Date: Feminists sharply divided between Clinton, Obama
- Next by Date: Bill amendment could force clinics to bar women who cannot 'name father'
- Previous by thread: Feminists sharply divided between Clinton, Obama
- Next by thread: Bill amendment could force clinics to bar women who cannot 'name father'
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
Loading
