[NVIC] Denying Medical Care To Vaccine Refusers

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" Protecting the health and informed consent rights of children since 1982. "

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BL Fisher Note:

It is interesting that parents in Britain, where vaccines are encouraged but

not mandated, can successfully protest a doctor who has kicked them out of

his medical practice for refusing to get their children the MMR vaccination.

In America, parents are routinely kicked out of pediatric practices when

doctors refuse to medically treat children who have not gotten all 39 doses

of 12 vaccines that federal health officials say they should have. Neither

America's largest pediatric organization, the American Academy of

Pediatrics, or the American Medical Association, have criticized this

inhumane and dangerous policy. It is no wonder more parents are viewing both

the mandatory vaccination system as well as medical doctors, who treat them

cruelly, with suspicion and anger.

http://www.thecomet.net/content/comet/news/story.aspx?brand=CMTOnline & catego

ry=News & tBrand=herts24 & tCategory=newscomet & itemid=WEED07%20Apr%202005%2011%3

A41%3A27%3A037 /the end of URL/

Comet 24, UK

April 7, 2005

Anger at doctor's 'coercion'

EDITORIAL - editorial@...

AT LEAST two families claim their doctor has attempted to coerce them into

having injections.

Both families received a letter from their GP, Dr Duggan, on Tuesday

morning saying they would be struck from his register unless they took their

children in for the MMR vaccination - because it would cost him money if

they didn't.

An urgent investigation has been launched by health officials after outraged

mums Byrne and Natasha Grainger came to The Comet with the letter.

" I was disgusted, " said Mrs Grainger, 29, mother of two-and-a-half-year-old

Nico.

" It's totally wrong. I have actually reported him to the General Medical

Council. I went with Dr Duggan because of good references from others, but I

don't want to see him again. I have applied for a transfer. "

Both parents had decided against letting their children have the vaccine in

late 2003.

" I phoned up and told them I didn't want Nico to have it, and thought that

was the last I'd hear of it, " added Mrs Grainger, of Minehead Way,

age.

" My sister has got a severely autistic son, and I didn't want Nico to have

the jab as there seems to be a tendency in our family towards it and there

has been a lot of controversy surrounding it. "

It is believed a number of the letters were sent out from the Manor House

Surgery, Emperors Gate, age, on Monday.

It stated that the only way to stay on its list was to take their children

for the jab between 10am-11am on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Mum Byrne, 28, of Neptune Gate, also received the letter about her

son, two-and-a-half-year-old Ben Felstead.

" This has got absolutely nothing to do with my son's health, " she said.

" Even if I was undecided about the MMR jab this would completely make my

mind up because it's all done for his monetary gain. "

Dr Duggan's letter says that because they refused the jab, " this surgery has

for the first time failed to reach its vaccination targets " .

He continues: " This has adversely affected my pay because we doctors are

unable to exclude from our targets any children whose parents dissent from

vaccinations.

" In view of this we have no other alternative but to remove such patients

from our list. "

As the Manor House Surgery has not met its vaccination targets, it will lose

funding, and as Dr Duggan is the only registered GP at the surgery, he may

stand to lose personally.

A spokesperson for The age and North Herts Primary Care Trust thanked

The Comet for alerting them, adding: " The PCT will now investigate this as a

matter of urgency and work with the Local Medical Committee (the statutory

body representing GPs) and the GP himself as part of the process.

" The new contract which all family doctors work to does not encourage the

removal of patients from a GP list for financial gain.

" The Primary Care Trust is concerned to hear that patients are being

deregistered and does not support the principle of removal on these

grounds. "

A spokesman for the General Medical Council, which safeguards standards of

medical ethics and practice, said they couldn't comment on individual cases,

but pointed to its guidance which says " doctors must not put undue pressure

on patients, or unfairly discriminate against them " .

The guidance also says GPs " must not end relationships with patients solely

because of the financial impact of their care on the doctor's practice " .

While it adds that it's reasonable for GPs to explain the system of target

payments to patients " as part of discussions about the immunisation " ,

patients " should never feel pressurised into participating because of the

financial consequences for the practice " .

The guidance also says that persistently failing to meet the standards could

put a GP's registration at risk.

The Comet contacted the surgery, but Dr Duggan was not available to comment

at the time.

l Have you had a similar experience? Call The Comet newsdesk on 01462

420120, email us at editorial@... or write to us at The Comet,

16-18 Market Place, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 1DS.

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