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Science
Friday > Archives
> 1999
> July
> July 23, 1999:
Hour One: Pediatric Vaccines
| As parents of school-age children know well, most states require that children be vaccinated against a host of diseases before enrolling in school. Most school-age children are painfully aware of the requirements as well -- because multiple doses of various vaccines means a lot of shots. But not everyone thinks the mandatory vaccination policies are a good idea. Some parents and doctors are questioning the vaccine requirements, saying that they believe the vaccination program could be putting their children's health at risk. |  | Vaccine requirements are regulated at the state level, generally following guidelines made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and polio are commonly required -- but some states require other vaccines as well. Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that physicians temporarily suspend use of a vaccine for rotavirus, the most common cause of diarrhea in children and infants, after the CDC reported that the vaccine could be responsible for a type of bowel obstruction. Some parents are also concerned about the widespread use of Hepatitis B vaccine, claiming that the vaccine may cause a variety of serious symptoms -- even death. Other advocates of restraint are concerned about additives used in some vaccines as stabilizers. One, called thimerosal, has received the bulk of the attention. Officials at the CDC and FDA, however, respond that pediatric vaccines are both safe and effective.
What are the risks of mandatory vaccination programs - and do the benefits to public health outweigh those risks? And who should decide: parents, physicians, or politicians? Join guest host Paul Raeburn to talk about it during this hour of Science Friday.
Guests:
Dr. Louis Cooper
Director
New York Chapter
American Academy of Pediatrics
New York, New York
Barbara Fisher
President, Co-Founder
National Vaccine Information Center
Washington, D.C.
Books/Articles Discussed:
Related Links:
National Vaccine Information Center
National Immunization Program
American Academy of Pediatrics
FDA Consumer Reprint--Kids' Vaccinations
ABCNEWS.com : Is Hepatitis B Vaccine Safe for Kids?
Every Child By Two
- This segment produced by:
Annette Heist
Web producer:
Charles Bergquist
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