Italy gets tough on childhood vaccinations

The Italian government has passed a law making childhood vaccinations against 12 diseases mandatory.

Parents will have to prove their children are vaccinated against diseases like measles, rubella and chickenpox when they enrol their children in nursery or preschool.

Unlike in the USA, they will not be able to opt out of the scheme on grounds of conscientious objection.

Breaking the law could result in a fine of up to 7,500 euros ($8,400), and children will not be allowed to attend school until they have received the shots, according.

The law was motivated by an outbreak of measles in the first part of the year, which sharpened attention on the issue of low levels of vaccination in the country.

Concerns about vaccinating children can be traced back to a controversial 1998 research paper by discredited researcher Andrew Wakefield, which falsely claimed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Resistance to childhood vaccinations has subsequently rippled through different healthcare systems, including in the USA.

Several countries mandate vaccinations by law, with varying degrees of assertiveness.

Belgium, for example, requires all children under 18 months to be vaccinated against polio. Slovenia has one of the world’s most comprehensive vaccination programs, with fines for the small percentage of parents who do not comply.

Other countries have tried using the carrot rather than the stick. In Australia parents can receive money for having their children vaccinated. Benefits payments of up to $15,000 a year can also be withheld if they do not, under a ‘no jab, no pay’ policy.