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"Protecting the health and informed consent rights of children since 1982."

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Should Campbell Co. Require Vaccinations despite Parental Objections?

Campbell Co. Vaccinations

October 1, 2002

By BRENNAN ROBISON

6 News Reporter

CAMPBELL COUNTY (WATE) -- A debate inside medical circles since 1998 is now in Campbell County. Is there a link between the MMR vaccine and autism? One mother says yes and won't let her child be vaccinated. But the school won't let the child in class.

"Okay, so he can't come back to school until he gets these shots," Luann Overley says, after hearing the decision from Caryville Elementary School.

Campbell County schools officials say that 10-year-old Derek and 13-year-old Justin must stay home until they both get all their shots. But their mother believes MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) shots years ago, caused Justin to have a blood disorder called ITP and Derek to have autism.

"I kind of cough but I really don't mean to," Derek says.

While their mother has downloaded lots of information supporting her fear, the mainstream medical community says there's no link between MMR and autism, and only a low risk of ITP. It recommends kids with either disease should get the vaccine.

"I'm not going to say, let's take that chance," Luann says. "My children's lives mean more than that chance. I refused to do it. It's my right."

The Tennessee code allows two exemptions from the immunization requirement, for religious reasons or with a doctor's note. "It doesn't matter if his doctor is in Canada or Africa," Luann says. "His doctor said he was exempt."

The kids' doctor, who's in Indiana, sent a fax saying they shouldn't receive the MMR vaccine. But Campbell County school officials say that's not good enough. And won't let the boys back in until they get their shots.

"I do not feel that it's right that they would deny children education based upon giving them a shot or not," Luann says.

The director of schools for Campbell County says he was simply following health department advice.

Health officials say they're following federal guidelines stating that it's far less risky to get the MMR vaccine than not to get it.

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