Opting Out of Vaccines Could Get Easier

[Guest guest]

If vaccines work so well, why are parents of vaccinated kids

concerned if others decide not to vaccinate their kids? Things that

make you go, hmmmmmm...

Other comments?

Misty L. Trepke

http://www..com

 

Opting out of vaccines could get easier

 

Medical Correspondent

Published 11/13/2003 6:42 PM

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20031113-062535-3536r

 

 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- More states next year probably will

follow the example of Texas and Arkansas and pass legislation making

it easier for parents to exempt their children from mandatory

vaccine requirements, health experts told United Press International.

 

This trend concerns those experts because the more kids that go

unvaccinated the more likely it is for an outbreak to occur. There

already are indications more parents are applying for exemptions in

Texas and Arkansas as a result of the new laws.

 

The Texas and Arkansas laws -- driven largely by groups arguing that

vaccines carry too many risks -- passed earlier this year. The laws

allow parents to have their child exempted from the immunizations

states require for school enrollment, such as measles, whooping

cough and polio.

 

Nearly every state offers exemptions for medical, religious or

philosophical reasons but most require parents to provide

documentation proving their requests are legitimate. The new Texas

and Arkansas laws differ, however. They do not require parents to

provide a reason for deciding not to vaccinate their children.

 

More than 1,400 parents in Texas have applied for the exemption and

the number of parents getting exemptions in Arkansas is expected to

double from the previous level.

 

Along with Arkansas and Texas, 11 other states introduced similar

legislation this year, Jo Donlin, program manager at the National

Conference of State Legislatures in Washington, told UPI. The

legislation did not pass in the other states, including Connecticut,

Missouri, New York and West Virginia.

 

Nonetheless, this represents nearly a doubling from last year, when

only seven states introduced such bills, and more states probably

will introduce similar legislation next year, Donlin said.

 

" It definitely will be on the legislative agenda of states, " Donlin

said. " This is an issue that continues to be on the radar screen. "

 

Suzette Chutze, executive director of the Arkansas chapter of the

American Academy of Pediatrics in Little Rock, said her group is

concerned about the effect the law will have in their state.

 

The AAP probably will prepare information their members can give to

concerned parents to inform them about the importance of getting

required inoculations for their children, Chutze said.

 

" The bottom line is nobody really knows how many exemptions will be

given and it will end up taking somebody getting hurt or dying

before it changes, " she said.

 

The legislatures of Texas and Arkansas do not meet next year so the

earliest the laws could be rescinded would be 2005.

 

-- Steve Mitchell

 

2001-2003 United Press International