· We firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives.
· We firmly believe in the safety of our vaccines.
· We firmly believe that all children and young adults should receive the vaccines according to our office schedule; these vaccines are also recommended and the schedule supported by the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
· We firmly believe, based on all available literature, evidence and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities. We firmly believe that thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and remains in a very few vaccines, does not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
· We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as pediatricians, and that you can perform as parents/caregivers. The vaccine schedule, as currently recommended by us, is the result of years and years of scientific study and data gathering on millions of children by our brightest scientists and physicians.
That said, we recognize that there has always been and will likely always be controversy surrounding vaccinations. The vaccine campaign is truly a victim of its own success. It is precisely because vaccines are so effective at preventing illness that we are even discussing whether or not they should be given. Because of vaccines, many of you have never seen a child with polio, tetanus, whooping cough, bacterial meningitis, or known a friend or family member whose child died of one of these diseases. Such success can make us complacent or even lazy about vaccinating. Such an attitude, if it becomes widespread, can lead to tragic results.
We are making you aware of these facts not to scare you or coerce you, but to emphasize the importance of vaccinating your child. We recognize that the choice may be a very emotional one for some parents. We will do everything we can to allay any concerns you have about vaccinating your child.
Should you have doubts, please discuss these with one of us in advance of your visit. Please know that delaying or “breaking up the vaccines” opposes expert recommendations, and places your child (and other children) at risk for significant illness. It contradicts our medical advice.
If you refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another physician who shares your views. We do not keep a list of such physicians nor would we recommend any such physician. Please recognize that by not vaccinating, you place your child at unnecessary risk for life-threatening illness and disability, and even death.
As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating on schedule is the right thing to do for all children, adolescents, and yes, even adults! Thank you for reading this policy, and the trust you place in us. Please feel free to raise any questions or concerns you may have about this policy with one of us.
