Rise in Vaccine Exemptors Leads to Outbreaks of Deadly,
Preventable Diseases
January 27, 2009 (WASHINGTON, DC): The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) announced last week that five
children in Minnesota have been infected with the bacterial
infection Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) resulting in the
death of one and serious complications for the remaining four.
Parents chose not to vaccinate three of the infected children,
including the child who died. One was too young to have
completed the full series and the fifth infant received his
primary vaccinations but suffered from an immune disorder which
would have qualified him for a booster dose at twelve to fifteen
months. The family was unaware of the child's condition and, due
to a Hib vaccine shortage, physicians have been asked to defer
the booster dose for non-risk children. The CDC still recommends
Hib vaccines for all children at two, four and six months of
age.
"It is completely unacceptable that a child has died from a
vaccine-preventable disease," said Amy Pisani, executive
director of Every Child By Two. "How many children must die
before parents realize that there are consequences to not
immunizing their children? Misinformation about the safety of
vaccines, particularly an alleged link to autism, has scared
many parents into believing their children are at risk from
vaccines. Children are left vulnerable to deadly diseases when
not vaccinated on time."
Pediatrician and author Dr. Ari Brown expressed concern over the
outbreaks, "These five cases of very serious Hib disease in
Minnesota remind us that these diseases are very real and very
dangerous," said the author of the popular Baby 411 parenting
guides, "It is a reminder that the CDC recommended vaccination
schedule protects infants and young children as soon as it is
safe to do so. Delaying or staggering vaccines in an
'alternative' schedule leaves the most vulnerable at risk."
"Yet another recent study published in the journal Pediatrics
confirmed there is no link between vaccines and autism," said
Dr. Deborah Wexler, executive director of the Minnesota-based
Immunization Action Coalition. Twelve studies have been
conducted worldwide confirming that MMR vaccine does not cause
autism and six large studies have demonstrated there is no link
between the preservative thimerosal, a preservative formerly
used in some vaccines, and autism. "Parents need to trust in the
scientific evidence that vaccines are safe, effective, and very
necessary we can't afford to lose one more child due to
misguided beliefs about vaccines."
In recent months, officials have also reported outbreaks in
cases of measles and pertussis.
Danielle Romaguera, a mother who lost her one month old infant
Gabrielle to pertussis, expressed her sadness at the current Hib
outbreak, "It's very difficult for my husband and me to learn
that another family is suffering because of a preventable
disease," she said. Infants too young to be vaccinated like
Gabrielle depend on the community for protection to keep the
disease at bay. "It is my greatest fear that parents who
believe false information about vaccine safety won't immunize
their babies and will experience the heartache of having to
watch their babies suffer the way Gabrielle did."
Every Child By Two, the Rosalynn Carter/Betty Bumpers
Organization for Early Childhood Immunization, works to ensure
that all children receive timely immunizations and continues to
seek methods to institutionalize vaccine delivery and ensure
access to vaccines for all children. For more information, visit
http://www.ecbt.org and http://www.vaccinateyourbaby.org
