0 mother ordered by court ruling to have her five-year-old daughter immunised

Mum ordered to have her child immunised,

Court accepted dad's medical evidence,

Ruling slammed as 'dangerous' by doctor.
A SYDNEY mother has been ordered to have her five-year-old daughter immunised in a controversial Family Court decision.

The girls' father, who remarried and had another child, wanted the girl vaccinated against preventable diseases for her own wellbeing and the health of his other children.

But the girl's mother said her daughter was healthy and the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases was very small.

The decision shocked paediatric chiropractor and author Dr Warren Sipser."It's a sad situation," Dr Sipser said outside court. "I think it's dangerous to impose [immunisations] on anyone when there are two opposing viewpoints and when there is credible evidence they may do more harm than good," he said.

The couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, separated before their daughter was born.

The court heard the father initially consented to the child not being immunised but claimed it was because he was desperate to establish a relationship with her.

The father now wants her vaccinated, producing medical evidence immunisation provided no unacceptable risks for his daughter.

He said if the girl remained un-vaccinated, she would be forced to withdraw from school during outbreaks of some diseases.

She would also be unable to spend time with any new children he had as she was not immunised against whooping cough.

The mother produced opposing evidence that the vaccinations were unnecessary but was criticised in the judgment for submitting evidence from an "immunisation sceptic", who made what the magistrate described as "outlandish statements unsupported by any empirical evidence".

Outside the court, National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance research head Professor Robert Booy said immunisations prevented very serious diseases.

He said 97 per cent of parents had their children vaccinated and that immunisations formed a chain of protection around those vulnerable to infection.

"The only way we can protect the vulnerable, and that may be a newborn or someone with an immune deficiency, is to ensure other people are vaccinated," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/national/ordered-to-have-vaccine/story-e6frfkvr-1225988189972