California Pediatricians Increasingly Turn Away Unvaccinated Patients

Pediatricians in California and other states increasingly are turning away parents who object to vaccinating their children, the Los Angeles Times reports (Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 2/10).

In California, state Department of Public Health officials this week confirmed 107 measles cases in the state. Health officials have confirmed a total of at least 123 measles cases in several states and Mexico (California Healthline, 2/10).

According to the Times, the majority of those who have contracted the disease were unvaccinated.

Amid the outbreak, a growing number of doctors have begun implementing policies that bar intentionally unvaccinated patients from their practices, the Times reports.

For example, Southern Orange County Pediatric Associates decided to stop taking patients who do not intend to keep their children up to date with their immunizations. Under the policy, current patients must establish a plan to adequately immunize their children or find a new doctor within 30 days.

Charles Goodman, a pediatrician whose practice also has started turning away unvaccinated patients, said, "We decided that the patients who are not vaccinated are presenting a clear and present danger."

Policies Go Against AAP Recommendations

Such policies contradict the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendation that physicians work with patients who are against vaccinations rather than refuse to treat them, according to the Times.

Mark Sawyer, a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, said, "The AAP feels that pediatricians are by far the best resource of information for parents who have concerns about vaccines and that if pediatricians are turning patients away from their offices, we're going to lose that opportunity to try and educate them" (Los Angeles Times, 2/10).

Calif. Health Officials Warn Against Intentional Exposure

In related news, California health officials on Monday advised parents who are worried about vaccines not to intentionally expose their children to measles, Time reports.

The warning comes amid rumors of so-called "measles parties," in which parents bring uninfected children into contact with a child who has measles in an attempt to gain immunity.

DPH said that it "strongly recommends against the intentional exposure of children to measles. It unnecessarily places the exposed children at potentially grave risk and could contribute to further spread" (Kedmey, Time, 2/10).