We believe that vaccines are a valuable aspect of our healthcare system. These interventions provide valuable protection against illnesses that can make children very sick and even cause death. We recommend and administer vaccinations with informed consent.
Informed choice (consent and refusal) is an ethical, legal, and medical responsibility of the provider who is ordering any medication or medical intervention, including vaccinations. As the provider, we provide informational resources, have open dialogue, and present the risks and benefits as we currently understand them. Ultimately, you as the parents have the responsibility of giving or refusing consent for any given vaccination.
With any medication or medical intervention, including vaccines, there are risks. For the vast majority of children, the benefits outweigh the risks of vaccines. We believe that vaccine reactions and chronic illnesses are a result of many influences, including nutritional status, environmental exposures, and genetics. There is no single test or procedure that can identify which child will have a vaccine reaction.
We believe it is the right of every child to receive quality healthcare, regardless of their vaccine status.
Medical exemptions for vaccines are rare and available for children with witnessed or documented vaccine reactions. These are not given without extensive medical history, physical exam, and consultation with our collaborating physician.
The state of South Carolina mandates certain vaccines for attendance of daycares and schools. By law, we must use state approved forms for submitting information to daycares and schools. These forms are only available when the child is up to date according to the approved schedule. By law, we are not able to give special letters or forms for the use of a daycare or school with any altered vaccine schedule.
If utilizing an altered schedule, or when declining certain or all vaccines, we require that parents sign documentation that we have had conversations that address vaccination, risks and benefits.
