RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO VACCINATION OR RELIGIOUS JUSTIFICATIONS TO REFUSE VACCINATION: IS IT REALLY TRUE?

Abstract

Epidemics have always been crucial factors during economic, social, military and political history throughout the whole history of mankind. Only universal introduction of the principles of rational vaccinal prevention along with continuous epidemiological monitoring have allowed reducing mortality and morbidity rates caused by infectious diseases that is possible to be considered as one of the greatest achievements of public health service of the 20th century. However, those outbreaks of infectious diseases in the 21st century that are periodically registered are caused by decrease in immunization coverage due to activization of anti vaccinal movements. Vaccination refusals of parents take place all over the world, irrespectively of religious or political origin or geographical localization. The article considers the problem associated with vaccination refusals because of religious reasons. In this connection a short historical excursus is given as well as the opinions about vaccination of representatives of the largest world religions: Christianity including Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism; Judaism; Islam; Buddhism, and also religions of Japan. The carried out analysis has demonstrated that no one of the submitted for consideration religions has any prohibition for vaccination, on the contrary, they are often considered to be obligatory for life safety. Suggested religious causes of immunization refusal reflect low society information awareness of the history of vaccination introduction (variolation) the beginning of which was in India among the representatives of brahmen caste, priests and spiritual advisers, and also of the main theological aspects of the basic religions concerning immunization.