Expert Takes Shot at Earth Day Texas' Anti-vaccine Presentation

Earth Day Texas will be filled with exhibitors promoting products they consider healthy, environmentally-friendly alternatives to the status quo.But a pediatrician and scientist said one offering this weekend has the potential to "threaten the health of children."A presentation called "Healthy Healing Arts: The Green Vaccine" is promoted as a "nontoxic alternative to vaccines." That claim doesn't pass muster with some medical experts."There is no alternative to vaccines," said Dr. Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. "Vaccines are the only proven, effective way to prevent the major childhood infectious diseases that are the leading killers of children of the world."Among those diseases are measles, diphtheria, polio, rotavirus, influenza and whooping cough, all of which are part of the recommended vaccination schedule for children. Some of those illnesses could result in deafness, nerve damage, lung infection and permanent paralysis.The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, major physicians groups, mainstream scientists and international medical organizations agree that childhood vaccines are critical to public health efforts. The World Health Organization concluded that only clean water had had a greater impact on disease prevention.  Continue reading...

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