Vaccinations: An LDS Perspective
With the recent measles outbreak, vaccinations have become a topic of discussion among many Americans, particularly among parents and healthcare professionals.
The Church released a statement in 1978 that seems prevalent to this issue today:
“We urge members of the Church … to protect their own children through immunization,” the Church stated. “Then they may wish to join other public-spirited citizens in efforts to eradicate ignorance and apathy that have caused the disturbingly low levels of childhood immunization.”
Parents may have various reasons for not vaccinating their children. Some may include fears that vaccines may cause autism or an autoimmune disease.
“Religion and Ethics News Weekly” released the video below about vaccinations and the ethics of the issue:
“These are not bad parents. These are parents who do want to do the best thing, and unfortunately they are misinformed, and there’s an enormous amount of misinformation out there,” Dr. John Snyder of Amherst Pediatrics said.
The Church published this chart, outlining when and what type of immunizations children should receive:
| Age | Type of Immunization |
| 2 months | First DTP—diptheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) First polio |
| 4 months | Second DTP Second polio |
| 6 months | Third DTP |
| 15 months | MMR—measles, mumps, rubella |
| 18 months and older | Fourth DTP Third polio |
| 4 to 6 years | Fifth DTP Fourth polioTP booster—tetanus, diphtheria. Thereafter every ten years, or following a dirty wound if a booster has not been given in the preceding five years. |
“There is a moral responsibility and an ethical responsibility for parents to look at their community and think, ‘you know, would I want these children to be sickened because I decided not to vaccinate my child?'”