Despite autism fears, parents want their children vaccinated, new study says

From The Star-Tribune in Minneapolis:

One in four U.S. parents believes that some vaccines cause autism in healthy children, but even many of those worried about vaccine risks still think their children should be vaccinated.

Most parents continue to follow the advice of their children's doctors, according to a study based on a University of Michigan survey of 1,552 parents.

"Nine out of 10 parents believe that vaccination is a good way to prevent diseases for their children," said lead author Dr. Gary Freed of the University of Michigan. "Luckily their concerns don't outweigh their decision to get vaccines. ..."

Fear of a vaccine-autism connection stems from a flawed and speculative 1998 study that recently was retracted by a British medical journal. The retraction came after a council that regulates Britain's doctors ruled that the study's author acted dishonestly and unethically.

The new study was done before the retraction. "Now that it's been shown to be an outright fraud, maybe it will convince more parents that this should not be a concern," said Freed, whose study appears in the April issue of Pediatrics.