More Doctors 'Fire' Vaccine Refusers

[YosemiteSam]

I don't blame them. Just like life insurance companies should be able to fire people who refuse to wear seat belts.

-----------------------------------

Pediatricians fed up with parents who refuse to vaccinate their children out of concern it can cause autism or other problems increasingly are "firing" such families from their practices, raising questions about a doctor's responsibility to these patients.

Medical associations don't recommend such patient bans, but the practice appears to be growing, according to vaccine researchers.

In a study of Connecticut pediatricians published last year, some 30% of 133 doctors said they had asked a family to leave their practice for vaccine refusal, and a recent survey of 909 Midwestern pediatricians found that 21% reported discharging families for the same reason

Complete Story

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I think it is silly not to vaccinate your tots (we have a bunch of people east of the city who refuse for religious reasons and it created a measles/mumps outbreak) but not sure a doctor should be able to say I won't treat you as a patient because of it.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I think it is silly not to vaccinate your tots (we have a bunch of people east of the city who refuse for religious reasons and it created a measles/mumps outbreak) but not sure a doctor should be able to say I won't treat you as a patient because of it.

Why not? A restaurant can refuse service.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Why not? A restaurant can refuse service.

are you equating a restaurant with medical services? they are not the same, one is a luxury, the other a necessity.

 

[YosemiteSam]

are you equating a restaurant with medical services? they are not the same, one is a luxury, the other a necessity.

Yes. Except in a life threatening situation. A doctor should be able to refuse service unless it's a life threatening situation and no other doctors are there to offer their services.

 

[Future]

are you equating a restaurant with medical services? they are not the same, one is a luxury, the other a necessity.

I assume that this is happening at private practices...

The ability to go to a private practice for medical care is a luxury imo.

 

[Faerluna]

The news tonight is reporting a measles outbreak in Indiana that they think started at Super Bowl Village.

Not vaccinating your children is a ridiculous risk to take.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

are you equating a restaurant with medical services? they are not the same, one is a luxury, the other a necessity.

Gosh, it amazes me the way you think.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Gosh, it amazes me the way you think.

why are you trying to provoke me?

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

The news tonight is reporting a measles outbreak in Indiana that they think started at Super Bowl Village.

Not vaccinating your children is a ridiculous risk to take.

I agree.

 

[Hoofbite]

I assume that this is happening at private practices...

The ability to go to a private practice for medical care is a luxury imo.

It's not even about luxury status.

It's about being a responsible care giver and not exposing the multitude of your patients to treat a few who refuse to get vaccinated.

I feel more sorry for the kids who aren't vaccinated than anything. Their parents ridiculous actions are not only exposing others to risk but exposing them to unnecessary risks.

 

[vta]

It's not even about luxury status.

It's about being a responsible care giver and not exposing the multitude of your patients to treat a few who refuse to get vaccinated.

Well if they're vaccinated, what are they exposed to?

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Parents have an absolute right not to vaccinate their children if they don't want to for WHATEVER reasons. But at the same time, the Doctor, who are in business have a right to refuse them service except for emergency care and stabilization.

 

[Hoofbite]

Well if they're vaccinated, what are they exposed to?

Small children may not have completed, or even begun, to get some of their vaccinations.

MMR is recommended ages 12-14 months for the first dose.

A good number of vaccinations don't begin until 2 months.

How many doctor visits do you suppose a normal child goes to in the first year?

 

[Cythim]

Small children may not have completed, or even begun, to get some of their vaccinations.

MMR is recommended ages 12-14 months for the first dose.

A good number of vaccinations don't begin until 2 months.

How many doctor visits do you suppose a normal child goes to in the first year?

There are about 6 scheduled visits and if you have any other trouble it can grow.

 

[Cythim]

Parents have an absolute right not to vaccinate their children if they don't want to for WHATEVER reasons. But at the same time, the Doctor, who are in business have a right to refuse them service except for emergency care and stabilization.

They certainly do, but any parent who listens to Jenny McCarthy for parenting advice should probably not have children.

 

[Nomad]

I had a cousin who was severely brain damaged (and eventually died) from a DPT shot that turned out to be from a bad batch which harmed several children. The frustrating part was they would never admit the mistake, it happened in the 80's and my Aunt received a formal apology/admittance letter around 2006 I think.

I still believe in vaccinations but I always feel like I should bring up his case when this topic comes up.

 

[The30YardSlant]

As a doctor few things bother me more than ignorant people making claims about vaccines they have no business making. It's the internet age where people think a google search qualifies them to speak intelligently on vaccines. The argument usually involves some inane rant about heavy metal toxicity and how vaccines are loaded with heavy metals that the people making the argument can't even spell.

The reality is that it's been shown time and again that some vaccines contain small amounts of thimerosal which contains mercury but the amount isnt enough enough to hurt lab rats let alone people. There's more mercury in food preservatives than in vaccines but nobody is accusing Slim Jims of causing autism.

Good for these doctors, and I don't blame them one bit. People who choose to not vaccinate their children based on irrational fears are putting not only their children's health in danger but thatof other, responsible people as well. I would not want my waiting rooms filled with unvaccinated children.

 

[The30YardSlant]

are you equating a restaurant with medical services? they are not the same, one is a luxury, the other a necessity.

Private medical care IS a luxury and can be refused just as restaurant service can. The only medical care that is a "right" in the country is critical care and that is only to the extent that they have to stabilize you.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Well if they're vaccinated, what are they exposed to?

Vaccinations arent just given all at once, it would overload the immune system. Many young children don't have all the vaccinations yet, and some older individuals no longer experience the full benefits of the vaccines they received decades earlier. The old and the young are put in danger by unvaccinated individuals.