Wall Street Journal Health Blog

[Guest guest]

July 28, 2008, 2:34 pm

Vaccine

Proponents Not Immunized From Criticism

Posted by Mundy

Many

parents, concerned about risks from childhood vaccines, are putting the kibosh

on shots for their kids despite advice from government officials, the medical

establishment and academics.

Gaps in immunization are

starting to show. A lack of vaccination against measles was known or suspected

in 63 of 64 U.S. cases of the disease in the first third of the year, according to

a report

from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles

was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, after decades of vaccination.

Still,

consumers’ suspicion of vaccine advocates runs deep. On Friday, the CBS

Evening News took a look at the financial ties between advocates of vaccines

and makers of the shots. The CBS report came in the wake of the network

news’ ongoing stories on vaccines and autism.