ACP states support for eliminating non-medical vaccination exemptions

The American College of Physicians has added “eliminating existing exceptions for immunizations,” other than “medical reasons,” to its list of policy recommendations, according to a press release.

“Allowing exemptions based on non-medical reasons poses a risk both to the unvaccinated person and to public health,” Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, ACP President, said in a press release. “Intentionally unvaccinated individuals can pose a danger to the public, especially to individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.”

Wayne J. Riley

According to the press release, the ACP supports the immunization of all individuals based on the recommendations from the U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee and the CDC. Additionally, the ACP supports state legislation that endorses immunization and prohibitions of non-medical exceptions for immunizations.

During the American Medical Association meeting in June, the ACP agreed with various other organizations, that all states should enforce legislation that grants vaccination exceptions in the case of medical reasons only. Other supporters included the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“Physicians should help educate patients and parents about the risks of vaccine preventable diseases and the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases have been linked to communities of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated individuals. Studies indicate that the easier it is to receive an exemption, the higher the rate of exemptions in a particular state. As the number of exemptions increases, the risk of vaccine-preventable disease has been found to increase. Exemptions from evidence-based immunization requirements should be limited to medical indications in order to protect the public’s health,” Riley said in the release.