Italy approves hotly contested vaccine program

MILAN – Italy’s parliament has given final approval to a new program making a slate of childhood vaccinations mandatory for school children up to age 16.

The packet approved Friday was hotly contested in Italy, where the number of children being vaccinated has dropped in recent decades, a tendency officials attribute to misinformation.

During the legislative process, Italy’s highest court, coincidentally, issued a ruling that found no connection between childhood vaccines and autism — an alleged correlation that has been widely dismissed by the scientific community.

Under the requirements, parents must present proof of vaccinations to gain admission into pre-schools, while parents of children of mandatory school age face fines of up to 500 euros for noncompliance.

The requirements cover 10 vaccinations, including diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox.