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.
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 thimerosal, a preservative that has been in vaccines for decades and remains in some vaccines, does 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. The recommended vaccines and their schedule are the results of years and years of scientific study and data gathering on millions of children by thousands of our brightest scientists and physicians.
Delaying or “breaking up the vaccines” to give one or two at a time over two or more visits goes against expert recommendations and can put your child at risk for serious illness (or even death) and goes against our medical advice as providers at Hilltown Community Health Centers. Such additional visits will 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.
All patients in the practice are strongly encouraged to receive hepatitis B vaccine at birth, DTaP, Hib, polio, pneumococcal, and rotavirus vaccines by three months of age; measles, mumps and rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and hepatitis A vaccines at age 12–15 months; HPV and meningococcal vaccine at 11–12 years (HPV can also be given as early as 9 years); and annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccine.
As medical professionals, we feel very strongly that vaccinating your child on schedule with currently available vaccines is absolutely the right thing to do to protect all children and young adults. We recognize that there has always been and will likely always be controversy surrounding vaccination. We recognize that the choice may be a very emotional one for some parents. We will do everything we can to address your questions or concerns.
Thank you for taking the time to read this policy.