A majority of residents in B.C. and Alberta are in favour of mandatory vaccinations for children, according to a new poll from Insights West.

The survey found that 78 per cent of British Columbians and 73 per cent of Albertans believe that children should, by law, be immunized against childhood diseases such as polio or measles.

Only 17 per cent of B.C. respondents and 20 per cent of Albertans believe that parents should be the ones making a decision on whether their children should be vaccinated.

The poll also suggests that more than two thirds of residents in both provinces believe there is no connection between the childhood vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella and the development of autism in children.

Thirty-one per cent of British Columbians are still either undecided or believe this link does exist.

The purported link between childhood vaccinations and autism started with the publication of a research paper in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998. The research paper was retracted in 2010.

“Five years have passed since The Lancet fully retracted the research paper that attempted to establish a link between vaccinations and autism,” said Mario Canseco, vice-president of public affairs at Insights West, in a statement Tuesday.

“While celebrities and politicians in the United States continue to get a significant amount of air time discussing this issue, most Western Canadians have moved on from this controversy and are highly supportive of mandatory immunizations for children.”

While respondents appear keen to have children immunized, the tone changes for adults, with only 19 per cent of British Columbians saying the flu vaccine should be mandatory.

Insights West says results of the survey are based on an online study conducted from May 7 to May 9, 2015, among 814 adult British Columbians, and an online study conducted from May 1 to May 3, 2015, among 801 adult Albertans. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

ticrawford@vancouversun.com

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