• Parents and doctors in a dispute over the compulsory immunization of children

    February 3, 2015

    Parents are “against” the mandatory vaccines. In an open letter to the state institutions they insist the vaccination calendar to be voluntary.

    Within only five days more than 3200 people have signed the petition for voluntary vaccination of children. Parents insist to have the right to decide whether and when to have their children immunized.

    “Nowhere in the European legislation is said that vaccines should be compulsory. In Bulgaria, 9 of them are compulsory, we are more Catholic than the Pope”, said the patient’s organization “Together with you”.

    In 16 European countries there are no compulsory but only recommended vaccines. In our country if a vaccine is not administered, fines follow and the children have no access to state kindergartens, parents specify. They hope for changes in the Health Act. And if the compulsory vaccination is not dropped out, at least the parents not to be fined.

    The pediatricians have different opinion.

    “The health culture of our population is still not at a level sufficient to enable individuals to assess the benefits and the negative effect of vaccines,” physicians insist. Professionals remind that the compulsory vaccines are against especially dangerous infections and are not selected randomly. Polio, tetanus, diphtheria – are diseases that have disappeared due to the fact that children have been immunized.