Schaffner

Many parents now have a vague distrust of vaccines — with little to no memory of diseases that terrified their grandparents, Schaffner says.

Report linking vaccine to autism 'an elaborate fraud' 2011

Many parents now have a vague distrust of vaccines — with little to no memory of diseases that terrified their grandparents, Schaffner says.

Report linking vaccine to autism 'an elaborate fraud' 2011

And as the summer travel season launches into full swing, "these viral diseases are only a plane ride away," says Schaffner.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011

The biggest impediment to vaccinating kids today is not cost, but fear, says William Schaffner, a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011

The biggest impediment to vaccinating kids today is not cost, but fear, says William Schaffner, a spokesman for the Infectious Disease Society of America and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011

Schaffner notes that France, which doesn't strictly enforce school vaccine policies, has had more than 10,000 measles cases and six deaths just this year.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011

Each individual study might have been, in the words of Vanderbilt Department of Preventive Medicine chair William Schaffner, “imperfect,” but together they formed “a whole mosaic of studies . . . that all add up to this theme: thimerosal is not the culprit.”

The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin 2011

Each individual study might have been, in the words of Vanderbilt Department of Preventive Medicine chair William Schaffner, “imperfect,” but together they formed “a whole mosaic of studies . . . that all add up to this theme: thimerosal is not the culprit.”

The Panic Virus Seth Mnookin 2011

Schaffner notes that France, which doesn't strictly enforce school vaccine policies, has had more than 10,000 measles cases and six deaths just this year.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011

And as the summer travel season launches into full swing, "these viral diseases are only a plane ride away," says Schaffner.

Childhood diseases return as parents refuse vaccines 2011