Pediatr. praxi. 2015;16(2):130-131

Where does freedom end and responsibility begin in terms of vaccination?

MUDr.Petr Havlíček, Hana Kotoučková, DiS.

Praktický lékař pro děti a dorost a dětský lékař, Brno

Everybody can have their own opinion on whether it is a good thing to vaccinate and whether a course of action contrary to the Decree

on Vaccination against Infectious Diseases is justifiable or defensible. Can such a course of action be justified by the parents' right to

freedom or is it illegitimate and immoral in itself, violating the child's right to health? However, non-compliance with this decree results,

among other things, in a decline in the herd immunity of the population against preventable diseases, which in turn increases the risk

of infection in those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons. Let us think about how to minimize our effort and the time, mental,

and emotional burden in the discussions with those refusing vaccination and seeking alternatives, while being as successful as possible,

and let us attempt to use approaches that have proved most useful.

Keywords: vaccination, refusal, alternatives

Published: June 1, 2015  Show citation