Public Health Risks of Not Vaccinating Children

Abstract

In 67% of the cases of measles in vaccinated children, the exposure source was unknown. It seems likely that many of these cases were related to importation, since most cases of measles are now traced to importation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pink Book. 2 The article implies that exemptors are causing injury to vaccinated individuals. In fact, the risk of serious permanent harm from contact with exemptors is minuscule (less than 1 in 1 billion, if the incidence of serious complications of measles is about 1 in 1000) and is not even estimated by the authors. Moreover, any risk imposed by exemptors on others is at least 2 orders of magnitude less than the risk they willingly assume themselves. Everyone imposes much greater risk on others in many other ways, such as by driving a car rather than using public transportation. Should society therefore forbid automobiles? The final decision concerning children’s medical care should be made by parents with the advice of their own physicians. This article provides no justification for abridging the right of parents and patients to decline giving informed consent to measles-mumps-rubella or pertussis vaccines.