Opting Out of Vaccines Could Get Easier

[Guest guest]

Good Point Misty...I hear those parents crying all the time. Shouldn't

their kid be protected?

 

Shawn

 

-

" Misty L. Trepke " <mistytrepke

 

Saturday, November 15, 2003 1:07 PM

[s-A] [NatFamLife] Opting Out of Vaccines Could Get Easier

 

 

> 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

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