Refusal to Vaccinate Form

[bluedaisyma]

It doesn't sound like she is giving you a hard time about it, so I just wouldn't sign unless it became an issue and go from there.

We don't vax at all and our ped has never had us sign anything :shrug:

Sent from Future Dwight

[karlitacat]

I started refusing specific vaccines for my children and at first I dreaded each apt because the doctor would strongly recommend the vaccine and question why I didn't want it - I felt like I was always justifying my decisions! Now that she realizes I'm serious, she doesn't push it and just has me sign a form that we didn't want it.

[z2akids]

These forms are the doctor's way of proving that you received informed consent and refused. If something bad were to happen and your doctor was sued, it protects him from liability. Whether you personally agree with the science - the risks and benefits of vaccines, those forms generally offer to you the best information that scientists/medical professionals agree upon. Signing those forms isn't agreeing that you are harming your child. It protects the doctor from liability if your child got sick from a VPD and you tried to sue.

[Green Decals]

Originally Posted by z2akids These forms are the doctor's way of proving that you received informed consent and refused. If something bad were to happen and your doctor was sued, it protects him from liability. Whether you personally agree with the science - the risks and benefits of vaccines, those forms generally offer to you the best information that scientists/medical professionals agree upon. Signing those forms isn't agreeing that you are harming your child. It protects the doctor from liability if your child got sick from a VPD and you tried to sue.

Some of those forms actually open a parent to liability because some of them state that they are risking the life of their child and others by refusing the vaccine. I have signed a few refusal forms for my kids, and they simply stated "I am refusing vaccinations". They don't have to be the long, drawn-out, liability producing forms that are common place in some pediatrician's offices - some of which are worded almost as if to say, "call DCF because I am abusing my kids". It's a vaccine, just like any other medical choice that we make for our kids. Does the doc make you sign when they recommend antibiotics and you decide to wait and see? Does the doc make you sign when they recommend cutting out dairy and you decide not to follow their advice? Doctors aren't God, they aren't cops, they aren't judges. Failing to follow their advice does not require a signature. What protects doctors from liability is proper documentation of patient care. If a parent refuses a vaccine, the doctor simply needs to note that, and it would behoove them to also inform the parent of the risks and benefits, and document that, too.

[gigismomma]

Originally Posted by Green Decals Some of those forms actually open a parent to liability because some of them state that they are risking the life of their child and others by refusing the vaccine. I have signed a few refusal forms for my kids, and they simply stated "I am refusing vaccinations". They don't have to be the long, drawn-out, liability producing forms that are common place in some pediatrician's offices - some of which are worded almost as if to say, "call DCF because I am abusing my kids". It's a vaccine, just like any other medical choice that we make for our kids. Does the doc make you sign when they recommend antibiotics and you decide to wait and see? Does the doc make you sign when they recommend cutting out dairy and you decide not to follow their advice? Doctors aren't God, they aren't cops, they aren't judges. Failing to follow their advice does not require a signature.

While I agree with you that we all make medical choices for our kids, these aren't fair analogies. Refusing to vaccinate is more than a personal decision, it also affects children/society as a whole. Antibiotics, cutting out dairy, etc have consequences that stay within your "bubble" for lack of a better word. Those decisions do not affect the heath risk of others.

Imagine there is a family with a newborn sitting next to you in the waiting room while you are waiting for the ped to see your sick child. I don't think they would care if your child had a recurring ear infection that you were refusing to give antibiotics for. But if your child is sick with undiagnosed pertussis, that is a different risk altogether. Suddenly the health risk goes beyond how YOUR child is affected.....and you are putting a vulnerable newborn at risk (too young to be vaccinated). We all have the freedom to choose, but you have to remember that doctor's are trying to protect ALL of their patients.

[raymark]

Originally Posted by Green Decals Some of those forms actually open a parent to liability because some of them state that they are risking the life of their child and others by refusing the vaccine. I have signed a few refusal forms for my kids, and they simply stated "I am refusing vaccinations". They don't have to be the long, drawn-out, liability producing forms that are common place in some pediatrician's offices - some of which are worded almost as if to say, "call DCF because I am abusing my kids". It's a vaccine, just like any other medical choice that we make for our kids. Does the doc make you sign when they recommend antibiotics and you decide to wait and see? Does the doc make you sign when they recommend cutting out dairy and you decide not to follow their advice? Doctors aren't God, they aren't cops, they aren't judges. Failing to follow their advice does not require a signature. What protects doctors from liability is proper documentation of patient care. If a parent refuses a vaccine, the doctor simply needs to note that, and it would behoove them to also inform the parent of the risks and benefits, and document that, too.

The doctor & clinic are not going to be reported to the CDC if your child is lactose intolerant or has an untreated ear infection. They DO get reported when your child acquires a vaccine preventable illness! They do need to protect themselves beyond routine medical record info when the CDC comes knocking on their door!

[Kiliki]

Originally Posted by EmilytheStrange I don't see the big deal at all. I sign those all the time. No one has given me any hassle - they just need record of it being offered and me declining it. They have your records, they see that you are actually vaccinating. Albeit on a different schedule. We do vaccinate, but I have delayed some in the past for different reasons and I will delay even more in the future with the new baby. I just sign it. I see no reason to refuse to make a record of what I am doing. It protects them. You could go after them and lie and say they didn't offer you the proper vaccinations. records protect everyone.

I agree with this. I don't think it's that big of a deal. It's to cover their rear-ends, legally.

So that, goodness forbid, your kid gets Diptheria and dies, you can't sue the doctor for not giving your kid the DTaP vax.

Remember, we live in a sue-happy place, where everyone is looking to make a buck off a tragedy, fair or not. So docs just need to cover their bases, so that they can practice medicine the way you want them to, without having to worry about litigation for doing it your way.

That's how I've always thought about it. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. I am almost positive it is, on some level, related to trying to stop lawsuits.

I always sign their stupid form. I *HATE* those forms, but I understand their purpose, so I always sign them.

[Green Decals]

Originally Posted by gigismomma While I agree with you that we all make medical choices for our kids, these aren't fair analogies. Refusing to vaccinate is more than a personal decision, it also affects children/society as a whole. Antibiotics, cutting out dairy, etc have consequences that stay within your "bubble" for lack of a better word. Those decisions do not affect the heath risk of others. Imagine there is a family with a newborn sitting next to you in the waiting room while you are waiting for the ped to see your sick child. I don't think they would care if your child had a recurring ear infection that you were refusing to give antibiotics for. But if your child is sick with undiagnosed pertussis, that is a different risk altogether. Suddenly the health risk goes beyond how YOUR child is affected.....and you are putting a vulnerable newborn at risk (too young to be vaccinated). We all have the freedom to choose, but you have to remember that doctor's are trying to protect ALL of their patients.

A vaccinated child can spread diseases just as easily (and sometimes more easily) than an unvaccinated child. Vaccines, even if given to 100% of the population, do not protect everyone. It is not my responsibility as a parent to protect everyone else's child, it is my responsibility to make the best healthcare decisions I can for MY child(ren) and that includes NOT vaccinating them when the vaccines would cause them physical harm. I don't take my children out in public when they are sick, not even to the ped's office. Why expose them to all kinds of other things when their immune systems are already working hard?

But, that's not the point - the point is that doctors offices can refuse to see patients if they don't adhere to office policies, but refusing to follow a doctor's advice does not mean that a parent is abusive, neglectful, or putting their child and every other child on the planet at risk. Sometimes doctors and parents disagree, sometimes doctors are wrong, and sometimes parents are wrong. The long, drawn-out refusal forms that have come into play recently are ridiculous and dangerous, IMO. Have you read one?

[Green Decals]

Originally Posted by Kiliki I agree with this. I don't think it's that big of a deal. It's to cover their rear-ends, legally. So that, goodness forbid, your kid gets Diptheria and dies, you can't sue the doctor for not giving your kid the DTaP vax. Remember, we live in a sue-happy place, where everyone is looking to make a buck off a tragedy, fair or not. So docs just need to cover their bases, so that they can practice medicine the way you want them to, without having to worry about litigation for doing it your way. That's how I've always thought about it. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. I am almost positive it is, on some level, related to trying to stop lawsuits. I always sign their stupid form. I *HATE* those forms, but I understand their purpose, so I always sign them.

Unfortunately the door only swings one way... If your child dies or is injured from the DTaP (or any other vaccine), you can't sue the doctor, or the vaccine manufacturer, even if your child had a condition for which the vaccine was contraindicated. Doctors and vaccines manufacturers are in no way liable for vaccine injuries or deaths, regardless of whether there was gross negligence involved by the manufacturer or doctor administering it.

[danner]

Our doc doesn't ask us to sign anything. I'd talk to the doc at the 2 year.

The weird thing about these forms is that they should be asking you to sign and making disclosures when you get a vax. It's absolutely your right not to vax. Unfortunately it's also your doc's right not to see you.