What Are the Charges Leveled Against Immunizations?
Some people claim that childhood immunizations are no longer needed because the diseases that they prevent have become uncommon in the U.S. Concerns have also been raised about the possibility that some immunizations may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), autism, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or other disorders. Recent changes in immunization recommendations (i.e., those pertaining to rotavirus vaccine and the use of the vaccine preservative thimerosal) have also prompted some people to question the safety of vaccines. What Are the Facts? Need for immunizations. Although most of the diseases that can be prevented by routine childhood immunization are now rare, immunization is still essential. The viruses and bacteria that cause these diseases still exist. If immunization rates are allowed to decrease, the diseases can come back. Decreases in immunization rates have led to disease outbreaks in several industrialized countries in recent decades. During the late 198
