Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2013 Sep 16;9(12). [Epub ahead of print]
Why money will not cure under-immunization.
Source
Professor of Pediatrics; University of Missouri-Kansas City; Kansas City, MO USA; Director; Children's Mercy Hospital Bioethics Center; Kansas City, MO USA.
Abstract
Societal attitudes about immunization are complex. Attitudes about the finances of immunization are, in some ways, even more complex.
"Unfortunately, I think that the solution to under-immunization of children in the United States is not a simple economic one. Instead, under-immunization always exists in a semi-stable equilibrium with outbreaks of infectious disease. When disease is common, most people seek immunizations. As most people seek immunizations, the prevalence of disease goes down. As the prevalence of disease goes down, more people refuse immunizations for their children. At first, most of the kids are fine because herd immunity protects them. As herd immunity wanes, new outbreaks occur. As a result, more parents choose to immunize their children. This dynamic has existed since the early days of vaccination. Monetary incentives to vaccinate would cost a lot but it is unlikely that they would change this dynamic. The dynamic will only change as a result of continued efforts at education by pediatricians, policymakers, and parents who have lost the gamble."
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