Experts unite behind evidence supporting immunisation
Senior health and medical researchers at the University of Wollongong have united to urge all parents to ensure their children are fully immunised. Researchers across the university want parents to have the best clinical and scientific evidence to enable them to make informed decisions about what is best for their child.
The evidence is clear. Immunisation protects children and saves lives. While individuals may express personal opinions, the international scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports immunisation to protect children from infectious diseases.
Professor Heather Yeatman, UOW Professor of Public Health and President of the Public Health Association of Australia, said immunisation was one of the best choices parents could make. Parents should be confident that immunising children is best practice.
“Along with healthy foods, hand washing and a loving environment, immunisation is one of those basic things we can do to safeguard our children’s health,” Professor Yeatman said.
“For more than 50 years children have been immunised and it is one of our best success stories in public health.
“Immunisation provides an important safeguard against infectious disease when children go to school or play with others. Immunisation is also important to protect young babies, for older adults and when people are travelling overseas.”
Large-scale immunisation programs began in the 1930s and gathered pace in the 1950s. According to the Australian Government website, Immunise Australia (www.immunise.health.gov.au/), this has led to a 99% drop in deaths from vaccine preventable disease.
The Public Health Association of Australia describes immunisation as “one of the highest impact and cost-effective public health interventions, preventing 2-3 million deaths worldwide each year.”
Any parent with concerns should talk with their doctor, early childhood centre or community nurse, or go to the Immunise Australia website.
For further information/comment:
Professor Heather Yeatman
0409 849679
Professor Alison Jones
0420 378471
Professor Alison Jones
Executive Dean, Faculty of Science Medicine and Health
Professor Glenn Salkeld
Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences (incoming)
Senior Professor Kathy Eagar
Director, Australian Health Service Research Institute
Professor Heather Yeatman
Head, School of Health and Society
Professor Ian Wilson
Dean of Medicine
Distinguished Professor Antoine van Oijen
ARC Laureate Fellow
Distinguished Professor Nicholas Dixon
Director Centre Medical & Molecular Biology
Senior Professor Julie Steele
Professor Biomechanics
Senior Professor Sharon Robinson
Biological Sciences
Professor Jenny Beck
Associate Dean Research, Science, Medicine and Health
Professor William Buttemer
Professorial Fellow
Professor Kathleen Clapham
Professor, Indigenous Health
Professor Anne Cusick
Associate Dean Academic, Social Sciences, Professor, Occupational Therapist
Professor Andy Davis
Marine Biology
Professor Chao Deng
Professorial Fellow
Professor Simon Eckermann
Professor, Health Economics
Professor Tony Hulbert
Lipid Research Centre
Professor Peter McLennan
Chair of Physiology
Professor Nagesh Pai
Chair of Psychiatry
Professor Will Price
Director AIIM
Professor Ian Ring
Australian health Services Research Institute
Professor Ian Wright
Chair of Paediatrics
Assoc Professor Eleanor Beck
Nutrition and Dietetics
Assoc Professor Karen Charlton
Public Health (Nutrition)
Assoc Professor Heath Ecroyd
Protein Chemistry
Assoc Professor David Garne
Associate Dean Community, Primary, Rural, Remote
Assoc Professor Rob Gordon
Australian Health Services Research Institute
Assoc Professor Dianne Jolley
Environmental Marine Chemistry
Assoc Professor Aaron Oakley
Protein Chemistry
Assoc Professor Danielle Skropeta
Course Director B Premedicine, Science & Health
Assoc Professor Louella McCarthy
Academic Lead Community Engagement
Assoc Professor Judy Mullan
Academic Lead Research and Critical Appraisal
Assoc Professor Kylie Mansfield
Curriculum Manager
Assoc Professor Ronald Sluyter
Head, Immunology and Cell Signalling Group
Assoc Professor Lyndal Parker-Newlyn
Medical Education
Assoc Professor Karen Walton
Nutrition and Dietetics
Assoc Professor Dominique Parrish
Associate Dean Academic, Science Medicine & Health
Assoc Professor Mark Wilson
Academic Lead Community Based Health Education
Dr Martin Engel
Associate Research Fellow
Dr Xiaoqi Feng
Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology
Dr Vinod Gopaldasani
Lecturer, Work Health & Safety
Dr Sarah Hancock
Associate Research Fellow
Dr Flynn Hill
Associate Research Fellow
Dr Adam Hodgkins
GP preceptor, Shoalhaven
Dr Bridget Kelly
Senior Lecturer, Bach of Public Health Course Director
Dr Maria Mackay
Senior Lecturer (Hong Kong)
Dr Kate Manderson
Senior Lecturer Case Based Learning, General Practitioner
Dr Benjamin Marwick
Senior Research Fellow
Dr Darryl McAndrew
Senior Lecturer Anatomy
Dr Jason McArthur
Research Fellow
Dr Michelle Moscova
Senior Lecturer Educational Development
Dr Elizabeth Neale
Research Fellow, Nutrition and Dietetics
Dr Anne-Maree Parrish
Lecturer, Public Health
Dr Russell Pearson
Regional Academic Lead, Shoalhaven, General Practitioner
Dr Greg Peoples
Senior Lecturer, Medical Sciences
Dr Yasmine Probst
Research Fellow Nutrition and Dietetics
Dr Warren Rich
Lecturer Research and Critical Appraisal
Dr Helen Rienits
Academic Lead Clinical Skills, General Practitioner
Dr Joanna Russell
Lecturer, Public Health
Dr Martina Sanderson-Smith
Senior Research Fellow
Dr Sal Sanzone
Senior Lecturer Case based Learning and Clinical Skills
Dr Moira Stephens
Senior Lecturer
Professor Linda Tapsell
Senior Professor Nutrition and Dietetics
Dr Teresa Treweek
Senior Lecturer Medical Science
Dr Kath Weston
Senior Lecturer Public Health
Dr Kathryn Williams
Australian Health Services Research Institute
Dr Louise Wright
Head of Students
Dr Justin Yerbury
Senior Research Fellow