Oregon Public Broadcasting

Flu season is beginning and health officials are encouraging the public to get vaccinated early. But as Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, some parents say shots can cause medical problems.

Officials say this year’s vaccine is in plentiful supply and is formulated to protect against three new flu strains.

They say about 450 Oregonians die of influenza each year. 

Flu shots are being offered at grocery stores, schools and health centers. But a vociferous group of parents links vaccines to autism and attention deficit disorder.

J.B. Handley is with Generation Rescue.

J.B. Handley: "I would argue strongly that there's no proof of efficacy, that this shot is meaninglessly over hyped. And for my son, who has autism, the flu shot was definitely the nail in the coffin, we watched him go from being a pretty normal kid to clearly demonstrating all the traits of autism."

Studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention find no convincing evidence of harm from shots.