Introduction Vaccines against diphtheria, polio, whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, and the more recent vaccines against hepatitis B and chickenpox, have given humans powerful human immune defenses to ward off unwanted diseases. And thanks to state laws requiring vaccinations for children enrolling in kindergarten, the United States currently enjoys its highest ever immunization rate of 77%. However, behind these national numbers is the question of vaccine safety. Prompted by claims that vaccinations may be associated with autism, a growing number of parents are raising questions about whether vaccines are actually harmful to children, rather than helpful (Park, 2008). Positives for Vaccinations For many years before the development of vaccines, it was known that after recovery from some diseases some people would not become infected if exposed to it again. This process by which a person is protected from certain diseases after natural infection is called active immunity. The person is protected because the immune system remembers the past infection and reacts quickly when the problem recurs. However, for life-threatening diseases, gaining immunity in this way carries the risk of death upon first encounter. Even in the case of non-fatal diseases, many infections carry the risk of serious complications after recovery and therefore it would be preferable to obtain immunity without taking undue risks. Active immunity through vaccination is a much safer alternative (Childhood Vaccinations: Understanding Vaccines, 2006). The CDC works closely with public health agencies and private partners to improve and sustain vaccination coverage and monitor the safety of vaccines so the public can ...... half of the document .... .. Tarrant and Thomson (2008), parents readily admitted to discrepancies in knowledge regarding childhood vaccines, but believed that the benefits of immunization overshadowed any risks that may have been present. The greatest source of information for these parents were family members and peers. Along with this information, wide-ranging public health programs and mandatory vaccination requirements for school entry ensured that childhood immunization recommendations were followed. There does not currently appear to be sufficient evidence to recommend that children not be vaccinated. The benefits of vaccinating a child clearly outweigh any possible harm that vaccinations might cause. Children should continue to be vaccinated according to the schedule established by the CDC, so that everyone can be protected.