Response to Recommendations for Childhood Immunisation

Media Release

New Zealand Society of Naturopaths

9 June 2011

*Response to the Health Committee Recommendations for Childhood Immunisation *

The Report of the Health Committee -Inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation, the coronial process and the adverse reaction process this year raises some concerns for the New Zealand Society of Naturopaths (NZSN).

The NZSN have concerns about the proposal that payments are made to parents who vaccinate their children. A spokesperson for the New Zealand society of naturopaths said “We see this as a coercive measure that may put undue pressure on the parents and stop them seeking information to make an informed decision in light of all the evidence. In addition we believe that the money spent on implementing and carrying out the payments of incentives would be better spent on health education for example to encourage parents to provide a nutritious diet for their children and promote a healthy lifestyle.”

The NZSN are disturbed by the plan to issue all children with a certificate of vaccination on entering school. This may cause parents who object to vaccinations to avoid early education facilities or withdraw their children from school. The NZSN would like an assurance from the Ministry of Health that if such certificates are issued that it follow the recommendations of the report and make it very clear to all parents that their children can still attend school even if they are not vaccinated, and that vaccination is not compulsory.

One of the recommendations of the report is that the Ministry of Health ensures it “publishes up-to-date, readily accessible evidence-based data on the positive and adverse effects of immunisation so that informed consent may be made” the New Zealand Society of Naturopaths believes that publication of adverse effects of vaccination is a step forward in giving a balanced viewpoint to enable parents and guardians make a decision on vaccination. The current literature published by the Ministry of Health regarding vaccinations rarely mentions ill effects of vaccinations. The report on the other hand, does acknowledge that there are ill effects from vaccinations.

*Reference *

Inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation, and Briefings from the Chief Coroner on the coronial process, from Dr Michael Tatley on the adverse reaction process, and from Professor Sir Peter Gluckman on how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation.

Report of the Health Committee Forty-ninth Parliament March 2011 http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/BADCF722-D377-4451-8602-1E00938BFC74/188894/DBSCH_SCR_5060_Inquiryintohowtoimprovecompletionra.pdf

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