Abstract
The aim of the article is to clarify if vaccination in Greece should remain obligatory, according to the inter- national and national provisions. The cause of this work is the giant expansion of the anti-vaccination movement and the recent outbreak of measles in the country.
The consequences of the absence of mass vaccination in Greece are now evident in the society, which is under threat of a measles epidemic. Thus, it is imperative to list the international conventions and the laws of the national Constitution which protect children’s health. Based on these provisions, no parent or guardian is allowed to endanger the life and health of children by avoiding vaccination. We detail the already well-known benefits of vaccination, which are validated by new studies, continuously added to the international literature. The sensitization of parents into consistently follow the National Vaccination Program is for the benefit of both their children and the Greek society in general.
We propose the implementation monitoring of vaccines at the required time, and stricter state measures towards those parents who systematically avoid vaccination of their children.
