Protect Children By Vaccinating Them

With the development of vaccines, many diseases have become extremely rare in the United States. Did you know there are now 13 vaccine-preventable diseases? And the number of children who contract these diseases is down 99% since the 1970s.

Those numbers are remarkable. But still, as you’ll see in this week’s Health Politics program, some parents are reluctant to vaccinate their children. Others completely refuse to do it. Why? These parents are misinformed.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I don’t blame parents for wanting to protect their children. But not vaccinating them is not the way to go about it. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. As soon as vaccination rates drop, we know from experience that preventable diseases rapidly reappear.

To get the truth about other myths and misconceptions about childhood vaccines, watch this week’s program. To get a discussion going, click on the "Comments" link below and enter your thoughts, concerns or questions.