Government penalises parents for having children fully immunised
AMA Federal Councillor and eminent paediatrician, Dr Michael Rice, said today that the AMA is stunned by a Federal Government decision to financially penalise parents who immunise their kids against disease.
The Minister for Health, Senator Kay Patterson, has refused to fund the full recommended Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule (ASVS), which was endorsed at the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) meeting yesterday.
Dr Rice said the Government's decision means that parents who wish to avail themselves of the best scientific advice on immunisation will now have to pay more than $500 from their own pockets.
"There is a tragic irony in the Government's retreat from public health," Dr Rice said.
"Yesterday parents of young children were financially penalised if they did not have their children fully immunised according to the NHMRC Schedule.
"Today they will be financially penalised if they do.
"There is now a stark difference between the Government-funded National Immunisation Program and the ASVS.
"The new ASVS recommends that children are immunised against chicken pox and pneumococcal infections - but Senator Patterson is now forcing parents to pay the full price of the new vaccines.
"The previous Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge, was instrumental in raising the rate of fully-immunised children from 52 per cent in 1995 to over 85 per cent in 2002.
"I fear that success will be eroded through parents being confused about the two schedules.
"The rate of immunisation may well decrease, putting all Australian children at risk of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.
"Last month at the National Press Club, Senator Patterson said she wanted to be remembered as the Minster for Prevention. Well, she should have prevented this regressive decision for a start," Dr Rice said.
CONTACT: Dr Michael Rice (08) 8267 3911
John Flannery (02) 6270 5477 / (0419) 494 761