Survey: Over 10% Of Parents Reject Vaccine Recommendations

The AP (10/4) reports that according to a new survey, the results of which were published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, found that "more than 1 in 10 parents reject" government recommendations that "children should have vaccinations against 14 diseases, in at least two dozen separate doses," by age six. "Worries about vaccine safety were common even among parents whose kids were fully vaccinated: 1 in 5 among that group said they think delaying shots is safer than the recommended schedule. The results suggest that more than 2 million infants and young children may not be fully protected against preventable diseases, including some that can be deadly or disabling." Reuters (10/4, Pittman) also covers this story, noting that researchers are voicing concerns that such objections and refusals could lead to a resurgence of such diseases as measles and whooping cough.