LEADING Port Macquarie health professionals have added their voices to the national debate about vaccination.
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In recent weeks the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called for tighter regulation of groups who promote scepticism about vaccination.
AMA president Steve Hambleton has called for children who have not been vaccinated to be banned from schools and childcare centres.
Dr Hambleton also said children who have not been vaccinated against diseases like polio, diphtheria and measles were a danger to other children.
The AMA’s edict came as the National Health Performance Authority reported vaccination rates in some parts of Australia fell below 85 per cent.
The lowest rates of vaccination for children in NSW were in economically disparate areas.
Sydney’s northern and eastern suburbs recorded rates below 85 per cent; similar rates were recorded in the Macleay and Nambucca valleys.
Port Macquarie paediatrician David McDonald noted that it was a regular occurrence for him to meet and treat children from throughout the Hastings who have not been vaccinated.
“There are normally two reasons why people do not get their children vaccinated,” Dr McDonald said.
“The first is that people simply get too busy and can’t get around to it.
“As a society we can get very complacent about serious illnesses.
“People may not have seen measles or polio lately, but these diseases are still very deadly.”
The specialist referred to the second group as those who are philosophically opposed to vaccination.
“The second group are using bad science to justify their stance – it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“They have misinterpreted what the science tells us, and are unable to see the beneficial effects of vaccination.
“Vaccinating your child is an incredibly safe intervention against disease.”
Naturopath Melanie Robinson offers advice and treatment to a number of patients who have concerns about vaccinating their children.
“Most of the people I see and communicate with are intelligent and educated people, who hold reasonable concerns for the wellbeing of their family and children,” Mrs Robinson said.
The natural health professional identified a number of different reasons why parents choose not to vaccinate.
“Adverse reactions, long term complications associated with vaccinations, a history of a negative reaction they had to a vaccination are all reasons I hear in my clinic,” she said.
“Many parents also want to know more about the additives and other active ingredients used to stablise and preserve vaccines.”
Robinson expressed her willingness to work with other health professionals to ease the concerns many parents hold about vaccination.
“As a professional I do not see it as my role to persuade people either way,” she said.
“My role is to support where needed – vaccination is a subject I would prefer GP’s manage, but [the reality is] people are turning away.”
Both professionals are in accord that the AMA’s recent calls to ban non vaccinated children from schools are extreme.
“This is a contentious and emotive issue,” Robinson said.
“The latest remarks from the AMA have only served to segregate children and inflame the issue.
“A child’s education should not be used as leverage ... and their right to education not held to ransom over the choices their parents have made.”
“I think the solution is to use reasonable persuasion, rather than coercion,” Dr McDonald said.
“We are all entitled to hold our respective beliefs.”
