Vaccine Release Forms
It has become obvious, there will be a major push for the swine flu this fall. Strong recommendations will be made to our patients and it is important they are prepared to discuss these issues with their pediatricians and prepared with their potential responses.
1- Not too long ago, the AAP came up with a "vaccine release" form they suggested pediatricians have parents sign if they refuse to vaccinate. Legal council advises parents do not sign the form.
The entire form is questionable, (see link below for entire form) however this one statement is particularly concerning and may have significant future legal implications for the parent: "If my child does not receive the vaccine(s) according to the medically accepted schedule, the consequences may include.... Transmitting the disease to others. "
In essence, by signing, the parent is agreeing they are putting other children at risk because they have not vaccinated their child. Even though there is no substantial evidence for this, no parent should be putting themselves into this position of liability.
2- If a pediatrician then tells a parent they must sign this form, or they cannot stay in their practice, the parent can rebut by pointing out to the pediatrician they are aware that the refusal of care is not in accordance with AAP policy.
First, the AAP does not require parents to sign this form, it is only a suggestion.
Second: point out this to the pediatrician, " Doctor, I suggest you refer to the RED BOOK on Pediatric Infectious Disease from the AAP, page 8 - it talks about how to approach parents like myself who do not want to vaccinate. It says NOT to kick us out of the office. It also says it's OK to develop a compromised schedule for those parents requesting that option. So, the official AAP policy is that it is OK to work with parents like myself and to ultimately allow us to decline vaccines if we want to."
3- The parent can enter the office very proactively and if the doctor asks for a form to be signed, or tells you care in their office will not be administered with out signature or vaccination compliance, the following form would be appropriate to hand over and say," when you sign this, I can consider signing yours"
(see below)
Of course the parent will not get a signature from the doctor, however the form may, just may get the pediatrician thinking.
(Another use for the form is topic of conversation in our own practices... thanks Dr Angela DiMartino for posting this to facebook)
Resources:
1- AAP Refusal to Vaccinate Form: http://www.cispimmunize.org/pro/pdf/RefusalToVaccinate.pdf
2- Pediatrician Form http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/note.php?note_id=78496227647&id=1042453691&ref=mf
Labels: vaccination
posted by Jeanne Ohm, DC @ 11:44 AM
9 Comments
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9 Comments:
I am a pediatrician. The only thing this whole article makes me think about is how naive and narrow minded some people are. Vaccines prevent disease. People who do not receive vaccinations spread disease. There IS plenty of scientific evidence to support this.
Fine if you do not want to receive vaccines but stay home, home school, and don't infect the rest of us.
I have every right to refuse treatment to unvaccinated patients. There are chemo patients, premature infants and immune deficient children in my practice. They have the right not to be exposed to the germs of the uneducated/unvaccinated population.
Dr Susan,
Thank you for your comments. Here are mine:
1- I can agree with the narrow-minded comment. This can be viewed from both perspectives...
2- Where are the double blind studies that prove vaccines prevent disease?
3- Where are the double blind studies that show that people who are not vaccinated do do spread disease? If you are referring to the concept of herd immunity, those studies were referring to the critical mass met with natural immunity, not artificial immunity.
4- Stay home? Home school? Do you actually think "germs" are so isolated?
5- If you are vaccinated and they do work, what is your concern? Oh, right, we are back to misinterpreting the herd immunity study based on natural immunity, not artificial.
6- Even though the AAP recommends you do not refuse treatment, no-one is questioning your right or choice. Also, it would benefit your knowledge base to read Kemper's paper: the Use of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine in Pediatrics, especially the section: Tips on Talking with Patients.
7- the "unvaccinated by choice" population are very educated... that's why they are questioning the scientific evidence you say exists.
Times are changing--rapidly and so are the conumer's opinions and choices. It is not a trend, it is a change and it is all contributing to a new outlook on the meaning of health and well-being. As practitioners, it serves us and our patients well to remain open.
This post has been removed by the author.
Um, so if the unvaccinated already have these so-called "germs", then what on earth is the purpose of being vaccinated? And why aren't THESE people sick? And how on earth would they spread a germ to someone that they don't have in the first place? Sometimes I just don't understand the ideology of medical "professionals".
I too would like to see the studies that show that
1. vaccines prevent diseases
2. that people who do not get vaccinated spread disease and/or are less healthy than those who get vaccinated
3. that vaccines are safe.
I've been researching this for at least 15 years and have read a lot on the subject from both sides and I have yet to find these studies. I have seen plenty of statistics and studies that show that vaccines did not cause the rate of infectious diseases to decline.
I've also studied how the immune system works with encountering a pathogen naturally and it is vastly different that how it is activated when injected with a vaccine. High antibody titers does not equal immunity. And then there is the toxic chemicals in the vaccines. For some reason the EPA states that coming across them in our environment is dangerous, but it seems to be safe when injected into our bodies and that of our children.
My husband is a DO and I asked him what kind of education they had about vaccines in school. They were basically told that vaccines prevent diseases , are safe (although there may be minor irritations when vaccinated) and when they should be given. It was a small part of a bigger lecture in his pediatrics class. That is it. I asked my pediatrician the same thing. She learned nothing more than the standard line given by the pediatrician above.
I would welcome any studies that she has that shows what she is claiming, as I have yet to have seen them. And yes, I have seen the studies that the media and the FDA and CDC commonly refer to (mainly stating that vaccines do not cause autism). They are fraught with biases and flaws in the analysis and set up of the study. Where are the studies that compare vaccinated to unvaccinated children?
Wow! I'm surprised how uneducated the above pediatrician has made herself appear by posting such ignorant opinions. I would not choose to stay with a doctor who demanded vaccine or else. It's time to teach wellness instead of push drugs, don't you think?
We have a lot of education to do! I wasn't so surprised--just the other day, on an "integrative" chat room, one of the MDs was ranting about parents not vaccinating. From their mechanistic paradigm, it makes sense. Re-read Marissa's post above- scary.
25 years ago, I brought my kids to a pediatrician (for their first time) for a required school check up. I spent 1/2 hour talking with the incredulous ped about why my kids were not vaccinated. He really listed as I approached the subject from the immunology point of view. Back then, there was hardly any talk of "side effects" no talk of autism, etc. I simpply talked immune system response. He was surprised i knew so much. I was surprised he knew so little... he did conclude the conversation with a thank you. Truly, he was open.
We can only educate-- and open their eyes to another paradigm- vitalism. When they understand that, the shift can happen.
This is a great discussion and alot more debate in open forums is needed its something that has been program into our socities belief system without true scientific validation. I am a second generation Chiropractor that has never been vacinated in any form or have taking any type of medication. I belive in a vatalistic stand to health more than just science but by experience.
Hey Dr. Ohm...great blogs and website!!! I tried to download the pdf for the AAP Refusal to Vaccinate Form listed above, but don't think that directed me to the right place...is this the correct form/link?
http://www.aap.org/immunization/pediatricians/pdf/RefusaltoVaccinate.pdf
Thanks,
Dr. Kathryn Montgomery
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