From Today's Health News (e-newsletter), March 12, 2008

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(More on Professor : http://directory.manchester.ac.uk/advanced.php?dn=cn%3D+%2Bumanroleid%3D2056%2Cou%3DAcademics%2Cou%3DSchool+of+Law%2Cou%3DFaculty+of+Humanities%2Cou%3DPeople%2Co%3DUniversity+of+Manchester%2Cc%3DGB & action=read & form_input=Submit or http://tinyurl.com/2ufopn) Belgian Parents Face Jail Over Polio Vaccine Fight Belgian authorities are using prison sentences to force parents to have their children vaccinated against polio. Recently, two sets of parents were given five-month prison terms

for failing to have their children vaccinated against the disease. In addition, each parent was slapped with a fine of $4,100 euros ($8,000 U.S). But the parents' prison sentences have been delayed to give them a chance to have their children vaccinated, the Associated Press reported. Due to privacy laws, Belgian officials did not discuss specifics about the cases, such as why the parents refused to have their children vaccinated or how long the parents have before they're sent to prison. Belgium and France are the only countries where polio vaccinations are mandated by law. In the United States, polio is one of the diseases

children must be vaccinated against, but most states allow exceptions in cases of religious or philosophical objections. Polio is highly infectious and the hard line taken by Belgian officials is supported by some experts. "Nobody has the right to unfettered liberty, and people do not have the right to endanger their kids," , a professor of bioethics at the University of Manchester in Great Britain, told the AP. "The

parents in this case do not have any rights they can appeal to. They have obligations they are not fulfilling."

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