Vaccination policy

Vaccination policy refers to the health policy a government adopts in relation to vaccination. Vaccinations are voluntary in some countries and mandatory in others, as part of their public health system. Some governments pay all or part of the costs of vaccinations in a national vaccination schedule.

History

The concept of vaccination began to grow after the British doctor Edward Jenner introduced the smallpox vaccine in 1796. He followed up his observation that milkmaids who had previously caught cowpox did not later catch smallpox by showing that inoculated cowpox protected against inoculated smallpox.

Types of Policies

Mandatory Vaccination

In some countries, vaccinations are mandatory. For example, the United States and all of its states require children to be vaccinated against various diseases as a condition for school attendance. However, the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that mandatory vaccinations do not violate the constitutional right to religious, philosophical, and personal belief exemptions.

Voluntary Vaccination

In other countries like United Kingdom and Canada, vaccinations are recommended but not mandatory. Parents may choose whether or not to have their children vaccinated.

Vaccination Schedule

A vaccination schedule is a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses, which may be either recommended or compulsory, depending on the country of residence. This varies widely from country to country.

Controversies

There have been many controversies surrounding vaccination policy, most notably concerns about vaccine safety. While the vast majority of scientists find no merit in these claims, a small faction of activists and public has voiced concerns.

See Also

• Immunization
• Vaccine
• Public Health

References

Vaccination policy Resources
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