What's next on vaccines, village trustees?

Your One View correction Nov. 17 of Eddie Pont's name instead of Eddie Point, "Timing purpose of Oak Park referendum confuses doctor," (Nov. 10) reminded me of a WBEZ broadcast.

Dr. Quentin Young and moderator Gretchen Helfrich invited Dr. Edward Pont and me to debate vaccines on public radio's Odyssey. Pont has challenged Young's belief that a civil rights issue was involved in whether a parent would permit a child to be vaccinated.

A letter from Pont, then a doctor at Elmhurst Pediatrics, convinced Young that vaccination was a health and public health matter.

The recently read 2001 radio transcript brought back interesting comments. Pont stated, "Not only was vaccine concern not part of the formal residency curriculum. I really don't remember any, you know, informal conversations between residents and attendings on this issue."

Is this lack of vaccine education and conversation part of the problem? Vaccine safety advocates maintain that Illinois has 17 vaccines with thimerosal, 49.6 percent toxic mercury. The 2006 Illinois Mercury-Free act, sponsored by Sen. Don Harmon, has yet to be implemented. Oak Parkers — 11,938 to 5,785 — voted yes to vaccine ingredient transparency. Now what, trustees?

For our children's sake,

Barbara Mullarkey
Oak Park
President, Illinois Vaccine Awareness Coalition