Should Parents Be Able to Refuse Vaccines for ‘Philosophical Reasons’?

What’s the story?

• While scientific evidence shows that vaccines are safe and effective, 18 states currently allow parents to opt-out of vaccinating their children for “philosophical reasons.”

Source: Adapted from Immunization Action Coalition, Feb. 2017 (published by the National Conference of State Legislatures).

What are the laws?

• All 50 states have laws requiring specific vaccines for students.
• All 50 states allow medical exemption to vaccination.
• Every state except Mississippi and West Virginia grant religious exemptions—for example, Christian Scientists believe diseases should be healed through prayer.
• 18 states allow philosophical exemptions for those who object to immunizations because of personal, moral, or other beliefs. This includes the thoroughly-discredited myth that vaccines cause autism.  

Which states allow nonmedical exemptions?

• Nonmedical exemptions (NMEs) are permitted in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

What do you think?

Should more states adopt NMEs? Should states rescind philosophical exemption laws? What should the bar be for a NME? In Virginia, parents can receive a personal exemption only for the HPV vaccine—should NMEs only pertain to certain vaccines? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: Ca-ssis / iStock)