Physicians Report More Parents Questioning Vaccines

Pediatricians and family physicians on the "front lines" of the nation's childhood vaccine delivery system are being asked more questions by parents about the safety and effectiveness of routine childhood vaccinations.

Gary Freed Photo: Marcia Ledford

According to a recent national survey, 69 percent of 743 physicians reported a substantial increase in the number of parents' questions or concerns about childhood vaccines. Ninety-three percent of pediatricians and 60 percent of family physicians responding to the survey reported that a parent had refused a vaccination for his or her child.

Many of the concerns reported in the survey involved known short-term effects from vaccines, such as pain and fever. But other concerns were about unproven, or disproved, allegations that childhood vaccines can cause everything from autism to diabetes.

The study was directed by Gary Freed, M.D., M.P.H., the Percy and Mary Murphy Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health Delivery in the U-M Medical School , and his colleagues in the U-M Health System's Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit.

"It's important for physicians to respond with sensitivity to parents' concerns about vaccine safety and be prepared to provide up-to-date, accurate information about side effects and complications, as well as the benefits of vaccination," says Freed.

-KG

For an expanded version of this story:
www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/vaccineconcerns.htm

U-M Health System's vaccine safety resource page for parents: www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2003/vaccinefacts.htm