UCSD-TV's "Health Matters" Explores Safety of Childhood Vaccinations

Vaccines are one of the most important public health advances in the 20th century, yet recent concerns about their safety have caused many parents to opt out of vaccinating their children, potentially causing devastating effects that impact the entire community.


On May 19 at 8 p.m., UCSD-TV's new season of "Health Matters" kicks off with a visit from Dr. Mark Sawyer, medical director of the UCSD San Diego Immunization Partnership, to discuss the safety of childhood vaccinations and the important new student immunization law. Additional broadcast times and online video are available at http://www.ucsd.tv/healthmatters.

Parents and guardians of school age children should tune in as "Health Matters" host Dr. David Granet chats with Dr. Sawyer about the impact of the recent Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak as well as the new Student Booster Law (CA - AB 354), which mandates Tdap booster shots for all California students entering grades 7 through 12 in 2011. For more information, visit www.shotsforschool.org.

"Vaccines are one of the most important things parents can do for their children," according to Mark Sawyer, M.D., Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases at UCSD, Rady Children's Hospital. "In the case of pertussis  (whooping cough), immunization of all family members is vital for the protection of newborns."

Watch UCSD-TV in San Diego on Cox and Time Warner Ch. 135, Time Warner Del Mar Ch. 19, AT&T Uverse Ch. 99, and UHF (no cable) Ch. 35. Video archives, podcast downloads, broadcast schedules and more are available online at www.ucsd.tv.