Practices Who Discriminate Against Children

The following is a table of family and pediatric practices within the Frederick County, Maryland area.  The chart identifies whether practices have discriminatory policies against accepting new patients who are either delaying or not vaccinating.

69% of practices in the Frederick County region discriminate against families who do not vaccinate.

Although private practices have the right to refuse service under certain circumstances, refusing service based solely on the decision not to vaccinate is against the guidelines of the AAP, American Association of Pediatrics and ACOG, American College of Obstetriticians and Gynecologists.

AAP, American Association of Pediatrics states the following:

“Although pediatricians have the option of terminating the physician-patient relationship, they cannot do so without giving sufficient advance notice to the patient or custodial parent or legal guardian to permit another health care professional to be secured.  Such decisions should be unusual and generally made only after attempts have been made to work with the family. Families with doubts about immunization should still have access to good medical care, and maintaining the relationship in the face of disagreement conveys respect and at the same time allows the child access to medical care. Furthermore, a continuing relationship allows additional opportunity to discuss the issue of immunization over time.“

ACOG, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have also issued an opinion statement against denying patients care based on vaccination choice:

“In cases where vaccination is declined, although termination of the physician–patient relationship is a possible option, it is often counterproductive and disruptive. Instead, College Fellows have the opportunity to put alternative strategies into place to protect the health of the patient and that of the general community.”