A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics finds that some vaccines may lower the risk of certain childhood cancers, including leukemia. Specifically, children who received the hepatitis B shot were 20 percent less likely to develop cancer. And children who received both the polio and hepatitis B vaccines had 30 to 40 percent lower odds of getting acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Despite studies disproving the myth, many parents fear getting their kids vaccinated due to the belief that vaccines cause autism. Study author Michael Scheurer from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, noted that the cancer vaccine study may help remind parents of the benefit of getting their kids vaccinated. "People can take a step back and really look at the benefit that vaccines provide--not just for the infectious diseases they were intended to prevent," he said, as quoted by Reuters. The authors note that further study is needed to confirm the findings.
- read the report for more