How Much Is Enough or Not Enough

This week at the CDC, the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices will hear information on meningococcal meningitis vaccines for infants and vote on its use.  Are there enough infant cases of this disease to warrant a routine recommendation that the vaccine be added to the infant schedule?  How many cases does it take to justify a recommendation?   What if it’s just one case, and it’s your child.  How would you feel if you found out after your infant came down with meningococcal disease, that a vaccine was available, but no one had bothered to tell you about it.  That happened to me, with my 20 year old son.  A vaccine was available, but no one mentioned it on college admission forms, school physicals, etc.

As a parent, you have a right to know what is available to protect your children.  I am afraid that there won’t be a solid recommendation that will allow parents to make an informed decision.  I talk to moms and dads all of the time who have lost children to infant meningococcal disease.  My heart breaks everytime I do.

I know that money is tight in our economy, but how can we put a price on the lives of our children.  They are our life, our loves, our hopes for the future.

Please share your thoughts.