Garden City Pediatric Associates Vaccine Policy Statement

• We firmly believe in the effectiveness of vaccines to prevent serious illness and to save lives.
• We firmly believe in the safety of our vaccines.
• We firmly believe that all children and young adults should receive all of the recommended vaccines according to the schedule published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Committee for Immunization Practice.
• We firmly believe, based on all available literature, evidence, and current studies, that vaccines do not cause autism or other developmental disabilities.
• We firmly believe that vaccinating children and young adults may be the single most important health-promoting intervention we perform as healthcare providers, and that you can perform as parents/caregivers.

We are committed to providing the best care possible to all children. Our vaccination policy is consistent with that commitment.

Garden City Pediatric Associates Vaccine Policy

1. Because we are committed to protecting the health of your children through vaccination, we require all of our patients to be vaccinated in accordance with the schedule set forth in this policy.
2. If you have doubts regarding vaccination, please discuss these with your healthcare provider in advance of your visit. We are committed to engaging in discussion to explain the benefits of vaccination.
3. In some cases, we may alter the vaccination schedule to accommodate parental concerns or reservations. Please be advised, however, that delaying or “breaking up the vaccines” to give one or two at a time over two or more visits goes against expert recommendations, can put your child at risk for serious illness (or even death) and goes against our medical advice. Additional visits for vaccinations will also require additional co-pays on your part. Please realize that you will also be required to sign a “Refusal to Vaccinate” acknowledgement in the event of lengthy delays. Delayed immunization schedules leave an infant or child at risk for preventable infections and also present opportunity for errors. It is the responsibility of the parent to track the vaccine schedule and to inform any caregiver if a child is incompletely immunized. The fever work up for an under-immunized child may differ from that of a child immunized according to schedule.
4. Finally, if you should refuse to vaccinate your child despite all our efforts, we will ask you to find another health-care provider who shares your views.

Thank you for taking the time to read this policy. Please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about vaccines with any one of us.