Dec
13
Concerns about vaccine safety have recently been in the news. As physicians who care for approximately 25% of all DuPage county residents, we want to make sure that our patients get the facts about this very important public health issue. Therefore, DuPage Medical Group submitted a letter to the editors of all the major publications in the area regarding this issue. We felt it was important to hear from the doctors who care for the children every day. We encourage all parents to click the link below to get the straight facts about vaccines. And as always, we encourage you to discuss this and any other matters concerning your child’s health with your child’s doctor. After all, nothing is more important than the health of our children.
A letter to the editor regarding concerns about vaccine safety
Dear Editor,
There have been a number of high profile discussions recently about a possible link between childhood vaccinations and higher incidences of certain diseases such as autism. The pediatricians and family practice physicians of DuPage Medical Group would like to address the facts surrounding this critical public health issue. We feel strongly that vaccinating your child is one of the most important things a parent can do for their child’s health as well as the health of the entire community.
We are indeed fortunate that vaccines have become a routine part of disease prevention in America today. Diseases that once threatened the health of many children have been reduced, and in some cases, eliminated through the use of vaccines. However these same advancements, leading to the disappearance of what were once common childhood threats, and fears of possible links between vaccinations and diseases like autism, hyperactivity, and attention deficit disorder have led many parents to the decision not to vaccinate their children.
Many well substantiated studies have found no association between autism and thimerosal, the mercury based vaccine preservative at the center of the most recent vaccine safety concern. Moreover, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found no association between thimerosal and 42 additional neuropsychological disorders. Finally, despite thimerosal’s removal from the vaccine supply several years ago, there has been no improvement in these conditions, arguing strongly against any association between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Our nation’s high vaccination rate must be maintained in order to truly protect the health and safety of our children and our communities. In 2000, measles vaccination rates in Ireland had fallen in the wake of vaccine safety concerns that were ultimately found baseless. In that year, 1,600 Irish children contracted measles, 350 had to be hospitalized, and three died. One study in the United States estimated that a doubling of the unvaccinated population could increase the risk of measles in vaccinated children by as much as 30%. This alarming statistic must not become a reality while immunizations continue to be one of the safest, most effective means of disease prevention known to medicine today.
We understand how important your child’s health is to you. That’s why we believe it is critical for parents to get the facts about vaccines as you make this treatment decision. Your child’s physician is the best resource for immunization information; we encourage you to discuss any concerns you may have with them at your child’s next check-up. There are also many websites that have credible vaccine information. We have listed those links below.
The American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine information resources:
main web site: http://www.cispimmunize.org/
vaccine facts: http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/facts/SafetyFAQ.pdf
vaccine facts: http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/facts/FAQ-Internet.pdf
The National Network for Immunization: http://www.immunizationinfo.org/immunization_issues_detail.cfv?id=52
The Centers for Disease Control:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/parents.htm
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education Center: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/microsite/microsite.jsp?id=75918
Sincerely,
The Pediatricians and Family Practice Physicians of DuPage Medical Group
Dec
1
New Glen Ellyn Clinic Work Still on Schedule
Filed Under DuPage Medical Group News | Comments Off
DuPage Medical Group’s expansion of the Glen Ellyn Clinic is running on schedule, and should be completed by next year, officials said.
The roughly $21 million project, which started last September, is in its second of four construction phases. The first phase, a parking lot along Western Avenue, was completed in November.
A new clinic is expected to be done by February. Then the old building at 454 Pennsylvania Ave. will be demolished, and another parking lot will be built in its place.
“I’m confident that we’ll meet our timelines,” said Mary Goldsher, the medical group’s executive director of administrative services.
“We’ve done a number of projects in DuPage County,” she added, “and have been able to complete them all on time.”
Read the whole article at the Daily Herald