by D'Nar Nya

Created on: May 18, 2008

There are unfortunately many children in America who lack the proper vaccinations. The problem appears to exist on both sides of the Atlantic with a prominent British MP recently proposing tough measures to address the issue. Unvaccinated children fall into one of several categories.

The first of these categories is by far the largest and represents the group for which one can feel the least sympathy for parents. These are children who's parents are simply too lazy to ensure proper vaccinations at the appropriate times. One recent case in Maryland provided a good example of this universe of parents. Even when given two different opportunities for free vaccinations most failed to show up. Only threat of severe fines prompted the majority to finally find the time to protect their child's health.

The second group of parents acts out of misinformation as opposed to apathy. There is much debate, especially on the Internet, about potential adverse consequences claimed to arise from common vaccinations. The evidence clearly shows otherwise. There is no medical treatment completely devoid of risk. As with much of life there exists a cost versus benefit analysis. The cost of childhood disease is well documented in the history books. One needs to research them in a library, not in the newspapers, because most have been defeated by effective vaccination programs.

However, many well meaning parents expose their children to significant danger of disease out of misplaced fear. Many of these children are surely skateboarding, riding their bicycles and engaging in other normal activities which entail far more risk than even the most pessimistic attach to vaccinations. Just think if every parent adopted this philosophy. The term "iron lung" might rapidly find its way back into common vernacular.

The final group in this analysis is the most difficult to address. These are parents who refuse vaccinations based upon religious belief. Part of America's greatness is its tolerance of people of all belief systems. Our law attempts to accommodate even some egregious behaviors if it stems from a sincerely held spiritual belief. The intersection of child welfare and religious freedom presents a true quandary. Balancing these two very important competing interests is a tall task. However, the scales are tipped by the fact that unvaccinated children do not only present a risk to themselves, but they also put at risk other children around them at school and on the playground. Religious freedom, however important, must be curtailed when it puts innocent young bystanders in harm's way.

If it can be agreed that all children need to be vaccinated, the salient question becomes how to facilitate it. Imprisoning parents who do not comply is not a viable option. Barring unvaccinated children from school similarly is not a wise course. Depriving a child of an education is not an effective remedy. Creative solutions imparting proper motivation to parents can be devised.

One possibility would be a special assessment on health insurance rates for families with unvaccinated children. This assessment could then be used to subsidize coverage for the poor. The prospect of even higher health insurance premiums would spur many to comply. Those without health insurance would need to provide proof of vaccination in order to receive any government benefits.

Many different levers can be used to prompt parents to do the right thing. It is a sensitive issue which elicits an emotional response from many. Education and assuaging misguided fears are the paramount in facilitating universal vaccination. Hopefully the country will move forward rapidly addressing the problem before innocent children have to pay with their lives.

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