UK HealthCare

Interprofessional Panel Debates Childhood Vaccination Policies at W.T. Young Library

 LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 30, 2015) — The controversy surrounding mandated childhood vaccinations represents a tension between policies protecting populations from disease and those upholding the American liberties of families.

Currently, legislation in 48 states allows parents to file for an exemption from mandatory childhood vaccination requirements on the grounds of religion. But in December 2014, an outbreak of the measles, a disease once considered obsolete in the United States, raised widespread concern about the public health risks associated with exposing unvaccinated children to large populations.

On March 31, University of Kentucky experts representing public health, law, pediatrics and behavioral science will discuss the hot-button issue of childhood vaccinations. The panelist will comment on consequences of current policies in light of the recent measles outbreak originating in Disneyland and provide insight on the issue from their profession's perspective. Free and open to students, staff and faculty members across disciplines and colleges, the panel will take place at 12 p.m. in the UK Athletics Alumni Auditorium of the William T. Young Library on campus.

Panelists include:

·         Dr. L. Curtis Cary, pediatrician and professor in the UK College of Medicine with a teaching emphasis on vaccines and HIV medicine doctor at the Bluegrass Care Clinic.

·         Nicole Huberfeld, JD, the H. Wendell Cherry Professor of Law at the UK College of Law and a bioethics associate at the UK College of Medicine. 

·         Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, senior deputy commissioner and director of the Division of Epidemiology and Health Planning at the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

·         April Young, Ph.D, an assistant professor in the UK Department of Epidemiology in the College of Public Health.

After a moderated discussion, the floor will be open to questions from the audience. For more information, visit www.uky.edu/publichealth/.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu