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Health Secretary Matt Hancock says he will not rule out ‘compulsory vaccination’

pharmafile | May 7, 2019 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Sales and Marketing Matt Hancock, infectious diseases, pharma, public health, vaccines 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he would not rule out ‘compulsory vaccination,’ as he argued that those spreading anti-vaccine myths had “blood on their hands”.

The Health Secretary suggested that “we need to consider all options” when it comes to increasing vaccine coverage.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Hancock said: “I do think we need to consider all options. Failure to vaccinate when there isn’t a good reason is wrong. Those people who campaign against vaccination are campaigning against science. The science is settled.”  

“I don’t want to have to reach the point of compulsory vaccination, but I will rule nothing out. I don’t want to reach that point and I don’t think we are near there, but there is a huge programme of work to increase the proportion of children that are vaccinated.”

“If you don’t vaccinate your children it is not only your child that is at risk, it is also other children, including children who for medical reasons can’t be vaccinated. Vaccination is good for you, good for your child, good for your neighbour and your community.”

Before his interview with Radio 4, Hancock had said to The Times that “Those who have promoted the anti-vaccination myth are morally reprehensible, deeply irresponsible and have blood on their hands.”

Louis Goss

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