CHICAGO – (Jan. 16, 2013) Today’s
report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) should reassure parents that the
recommended childhood immunization schedule is safe and provides the best
protection for children from infectious diseases, according to the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
“The panel looked at all the scientific
evidence on the entire childhood immunization schedule, and concluded it is
safe,” said Thomas K. McInerny, MD, FAAP, president of the AAP. “Parents should
know that immunizing their children on time significantly reduces their risk of
potentially dangerous infectious diseases, including measles, whooping cough
and influenza.”
Under the current childhood
immunization schedule, children may receive as many as 24 immunizations by
their second birthday, and may receive up to five injections during a single
doctor’s visit, says the report. Technological advances have reduced the number
of antigens (inactivated or dead viruses and bacteria, or altered bacterial
toxins) in vaccines, and new vaccines undergo rigorous testing prior to
approval, but like all medicines vaccines carry some risk. Concerns from
parents about vaccine side effects and the number of vaccines recommended for
children prompted the Department of Health and Human Services to ask the IOM to
conduct a comprehensive review of the evidence.
The IOM found no evidence the
U.S. childhood immunization schedule is linked to autoimmune diseases, asthma,
hypersensitivity, seizures, child developmental disorders, learning or
developmental disorders, or attention deficit or disruptive disorders. In its
summary, the committee wrote, “rather than exposing children to harm, following
the complete childhood immunization schedule is strongly associated with
reducing vaccine-preventable diseases.”
The committee also called for
continued study of the immunization schedule using data systems like the
Vaccine Safety Datalink, a collaborative effort between the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention and nine managed care organizations that monitors
vaccine side effects.
“This report is unique in
that it is the first attempt to examine the entire childhood immunization schedule
as it exists today. The IOM committee found no evidence of major safety
concerns when following the schedule, and in fact confirmed that following the
schedule strongly reduces the risk of disease. We hope this report will help
pediatricians in their conversations with parents about vaccines,” Dr. McInerny
said. “Pediatricians and parents have the same goal of giving children the best
start in life, and vaccines play an essential role in protecting children from
harm.”
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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary
care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical
specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants,
children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.