ROME – Two court decisions, in spring and in late summer, have shaken the world of pediatrics: is there a relationship between the mandatory vaccines administered to our children, and autism. They said two judges in Rimini and Turin, and in the second case the Court of Appeal ruled compensation from record: 1.8 billion.

The maxi compensation has been allowed for a girl of 29 years from twenty-four in a vegetative state after a mandatory vaccination (diphtheria-tetanus) made as a child. Here was the aggravating factor: the appeal has recognized the error of a doctor who had refused to give a cortisone the first manifestations of the crisis.

These judgments, based on surveys of clinical specialists and forensic scientists, have become a source of worry for families. "With reasonable scientific probability," it said in the reasons of the Court of Rimini, "the disease is related to the administration of trivalent at the ASL in Riccione." Consumer association Codacons asked as to abolish the "useless vaccines, we would save 114 million." Insurance groups have pushed marketing on the cases became public: "Autism vaccine," says an advertisement, "the judges recognize him since 2009, you are entitled to a pension for life."

Here, in these days has reopened a debate never vanished: vaccines as they serve and how dangerous? Because they are required by us and in France and elsewhere in Europe only recommended. Associations of parents who have experienced misfortune clinics after vaccination, the Comilva for example, are carrying on the internet counter-studies. Nine thousand pediatricians organized structures recognized, then, decided to respond: "Vaccines are safe, this is a game to massacre."

Li has joined the Ministry of Health, which has been deposited opposition to the judgment of Rimini and is preparing to appeal to the Supreme Court for that of Turin. The Italian Society of Pediatrics strongly affirms that there is no link between autism and vaccines, pointing out that "this bad literature" is based on an article published 14 years ago (and then denied) by the Lancet about some studies of Andrew Wakefield, the British removed from the world of medicine.

On the thorny issue pediatricians have chosen the path of scientific conviction door to door, on your computer. And have posted on the website of Sip the scientific director of communications, Alberto Eugenio Tozzi, to make it respond to simple questions and loads of perplexity. "I am in contact with many families who have had children damaged by the trivalent vaccine," noted a reader. Then: "Why do not you put the numbers of victims in our country?". A mother: "Seven vaccines contemporary to the first administration are not too many?". Luke peremptory: "All that hustle and bustle of the big multinational pharmaceutical sales representatives to serve something, right?".

Tozzi admitted that certainty in any medical field there are none, "but still do not know a different way from the vaccination of the population to prevent the circulation of infections." Here, "the complicated thing to explain is that the probability of having a preventable disease and a serious complication is much greater than that of having a serious side effect associated with a vaccination." The side effect, yes, there may be, even if it is rare. But the risk of measles and pertussis vaccines if you do not, the risk of encephalitis and deafness, is higher. Too many antidotes together? "It is convenient and helps parents' lives."

A child psychiatrist as Professor Gabriel Levi now says: "In rare cases, the vaccine may increase the neurological vulnerability, but does not mean that determine autism." Franco Anthony, father of Andrea, an autistic boy from the age of two years after the three-way, has written a book on the history of her and her son. "If you embrace not to be afraid," is the title. Check this article if you want to read more