The Arizona Department of Health Services is reminding the public that vaccinations are the proven, effective method of preventing many contagious diseases. Vaccinations are the biggest medical success story of the 20th century. Thanks to vaccines, American children no longer contract polio, facing a future immobilized inside an iron lung. Small pox no longer exists. We have reduced the incidence of rubella (German measles) and its threat of birth defects. The pain, injuries and deaths from such diseases as measles, whooping cough and bacterial meningitis have dramatically decreased.

A few important things to keep in mind regarding vaccines:

• We encourage parent to make immunization decisions based on correct and complete information about the safety of vaccines to guide their decisions.
• Over 20 studies have been completed looking for vaccination links to autism and found no causal relationship between vaccine and autism.
• The benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks.

ADHS believes it is critical to continue to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases, as these disease continue to exist therefore, it is vital to the health of our nation’s children, as well as other vulnerable people, to ensure they are protected from all vaccine-preventable diseases.

 "Serious, life-threatening infections are just an airplane ride away from us. Vaccines are our best protection against these infections," states Dr. Karen Lewis, State Medical Director at ADHS "We need to remember that infections are the enemy. Vaccines are our friends."