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To the Editor: The article by Dr Salmon and colleagues¹ regarding the health consequences of religious and philosophical exemptions from immunization laws mentioned but did not discuss the reasons some parents choose not to immunize their children. In some cases, this decision is based on religious beliefs, which do not lend themselves to rational or scientific debate. However, I believe many parents have strong philosophical convictions that the recommended immunization schedule may not be in their child's best interest.

Several studies, for example, have indicated an inverse correlation between measles disease and development of atopic illnesses. A recent report² demonstrates that among children with an "anthroposophic lifestyle," there was a significant reduction in atopy. Notable among these children is a low immunization rate and a high incidence of natural measles infection.

Western medicine has been criticized for focusing too much on narrow outcome parameters and losing sight of the human . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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RELATED ARTICLE

Health Consequences of Religious and Philosophical Exemptions From Immunization Laws: Individual and Societal Risk of Measles
Daniel A. Salmon, Michael Haber, Eugene J. Gangarosa, Lynelle Phillips, Natalie J. Smith, and Robert T. Chen
JAMA. 1999;282(1):47-53.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT