Why don’t some people immunise their children?

The majority of the parents who have chosen not to immunize genuinely believe that they are doing the best thing for their children. The main arguments they use for not vaccinating are associated with the procedure of vaccination and its effectiveness.

Critics of the immunization program believe that doctors are incorrect in asserting that receiving a vaccination is like having a mild dose of the disease. This, they say, is because the vaccination is administered through the skin, which is an abnormal route for a virus. Normally, a virus enters the body by the mouth or nose and therefore sets off a natural immune response. This natural immune response doesn’t occur if a virus enters the body through the skin, say critics. They claim it results in a confused immune system, which results in asthma and allergies.

Critics assert that vaccines are made of ‘toxic substances’, citing ingredients such as formaldehyde, mercury products, and animal and bird products. They account for the decline in infectious diseases by looking to better living conditions, nutrition and clean water, and believe immunization has merely coincided with better general health. Critics also point the finger at pharmaceutical companies, which profit from the vaccines they produce.

To compare both sides of the story, log onto the Think Twice Global Vaccine Institute (www.thinktwice.com) and then get the accepted line on immunization from the Centers for Disease Control’s National Immunization Program (www.cdc.gov/vaccines).

Did you decide to immunize your baby? Post a message on our chat forum to tell us whether you did or you didn't immunize your child.

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