We must vaccinate kids

[Guest guest]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-autism29apr29,0,2127432

story

We must vaccinate kids

Vaccines protect us all. We can't allow the fears of a few parents to

endanger society.

April 29, 2008

Score one for the anti-vaccine parents: The federal government recently

concluded, in response to a claim, that vaccines may have triggered one

young girl's autism. Score many more for the doctors: Study after study has

shown inoculation to be an infinitesimal part of a vast and complex syndrome

Yet the number of California parents seeking exemptions from vaccination,

based on their personal beliefs, is rising and in various counties ranges

from 5% to 15% -- high enough to endanger vaccinated children as well. This

month, Los Angeles County reported its first measles case in two years -- an

unvaccinated toddler. What we don't want is a return to 1989-91, when

complacency about vaccines led to more than 6,000 cases in the county.

A small but vocal group of parents clings to the belief that vaccines cause

autism. They particularly target thimerosal, a vaccine preservative

containing ethyl mercury. Perhaps the strongest evidence against the

thimerosal theory is that after the preservative was taken out of vaccines a

few years ago, autism rates stayed steady or perhaps even increased.

The case of Hannah Poling refueled the anti-vaccine argument. In March, the

9-year-old's parents won a concession from the government in their claim

that inoculations triggered Hannah's autism. But Hannah has a

cell-metabolism disorder and, because she was late on her vaccinations, had

several at once. Her story might fit with research findings that certain

genetic mutations predispose some children toward autism, which might then

be set off by something in the environment. In rare cases, doctors think,

that " something " might be a vaccine. But if the child weren't inoculated,

something else might trigger the condition -- perhaps even an illness the

child gets by not being protected.

California health officials must not allow parental anxieties to roll back

the clock on vaccinations. Public health is guarded by so-called herd

immunity, in which the vaccination of most children protects the few for

whom vaccines are less effective. Herd immunity is lost when 5% to 15% of

children go unvaccinated. Though state law requires that all children be up

to date on their shots before entering kindergarten, there are liberal

exemptions for medical, religious or " personal belief " reasons. In Los

Angeles County, personal exemptions have crept up in recent years but still

account for less than 1% of children. In Mendocino County, though, such

exemptions now are at 5.3%, and in Nevada County, 14.4%. Parents cannot be

allowed to endanger other people's children. The Legislature should revisit

the " personal belief " exemption.