Some Unsure of Chickenpox Shot

* The article “State Fines HMO for Discouraging Vaccinations” on May 2 fails to mention significant medical facts.

Not all pediatricians recommend vaccination for chickenpox. The childhood form is a mild disease, as opposed to adult chickenpox, which is severe. The question, which will remain unanswered for years, is whether immunity from the vaccine will wear off in adulthood, allowing an epidemic of a severe disease in adults. Therefore the net effect could be to convert a benign childhood disease to a severe adult disease.

Should we be mandating a vaccine, which many parents are declining for their children, for which the benefits may not outweigh future risks?

BARTLEY S. ASNER, M.D.

MARVIN J. GORDON, M.D.

Monarch HealthCare, Mission Viejo