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Electronic Letters to:

Patients' experience:
Judith Gellatly, Chris McVittie, and Niko Tiliopoulos
Predicting parents' decisions on MMR immunisation: a mixed method investigation
Fam. Pract. 2005; 22: 658-662 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
*E-letters: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

[Read eLetter] Good enough reasons?
Alan Challoner   (28 November 2005)

Good enough reasons? 28 November 2005
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Alan Challoner,
Retired
LL71 7DL

Send e-letter to journal:
Re: Good enough reasons?

It may seem to be logical, pragmatic and prudent to advise parents, who are considering whether or not to have their children vaccinated, of the importance of eradicating the disease and pointing them to the positive research findings.

However, this is a naïve approach in a much as it discounts the fact that adverse reactions may occur (severe or not) and that it is not the right approach to persuade parents into vaccinating their child on the pretext that it is helping others. Also, there is some scientific research that is negative towards some vaccinations.

This naivety is evident when a severe adverse reaction occurs. Those parents of children who may have been helped are now unaware of this event and therefore are distanced from any moral responsibility towards the injured child. Is helping another’s child at the risk of harming your own a good enough reason?

oakwoodbank.ac@virgin.net

Conflict of Interest:

Father of a vaccine-damaged daughter.