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The impact of vaccines on public health
Today we almost take vaccines for granted and as the fear
of disease has dropped, the fear of potential side effects
resulting from vaccines assumes a greater importance in the
public mind. But it is vital that we do not ignore the very
real impact of vaccines on those diseases which were once
considered to be a normal part of growing up.
Table 1: Reduction of disease incidence following the
introduction of vaccination
| Disease |
Last year before vaccination
|
After vaccination
|
| |
year |
Deaths
(all ages) |
Cases
(all ages) |
year |
Deaths
(all ages) |
Cases
(all ages) |
| Diphtheria |
1939 |
2,133 |
47,061 |
1996 |
0 |
12 |
| Tetnus |
1960 |
32 |
‡ |
1996 |
0 |
8 |
| Whopping cough |
1956 |
92 |
92,410 |
1996 |
2 |
2,387 |
| Hib
meningitis* |
1991 |
22 |
417 |
1996 |
0 |
38 |
| Measles |
1967 |
99 |
460,407 |
1996 |
0 |
5,613 |
| Mumps** |
1989 |
|
20,713 |
1996 |
|
1,924 |
| Rubella** |
1989 |
|
14,570 |
1996 |
2 |
9,081 |
| Tuberculosis |
1952 |
10,590 |
48,093 |
1996 |
420 |
5,859 |
| Congenital
Rubella Syndrome*** |
1971 |
|
162 |
1996 |
|
21 |
It is every child’s right to be protected from infectious
disease. No child should be denied vaccination without serious
thought as to the consequences both for the individual child
and for the community at large.1 Consent from parents or guardian
is always obtained before any vaccine is administered. The
importance that parents attach to being involved in the decision-making
process before their children are vaccinated is well documented
and widely accepted.
Further evidence of the impact of vaccination on disease
incidence emerged early in 2000, following the introduction
of meningococcal group C conjugate vaccine. Meningococcal
group C infection had been increasing in the UK and had been
responsible for many deaths, particularly in adolescents.
In October 1999 the Department of Health introduced a vaccination
programme and the effect of this on the number of cases of
the disease can be clearly seen in Figure 1.
Commenting on the introduction of this new vaccine, the Chief
Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, said, ‘Introducing
this new vaccine has been a major undertaking’.2 He added
that the Department of Health had worked closely with vaccine
manufacturers to ensure that the vaccine was made available
as early as was feasible. The aim of this vaccination programme
was to protect all those under 18 against this life-threatening
and frightening infection.
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