A new study has found that one out of every five pediatricians in the United States are refusing to provide medical care to children who are unvaccinated.
Although the American Academy of Pediatricians advises against this practice, many doctors are still not treating kids who haven’t been vaccinated over fear that their own kids could be exposed to infectious diseases, according to a UPI report.
The fears come in the wake of a recent measles outbreak at Disneyland in California, and growing cases of measles nationwide.
Meanwhile, states are closing the loophole that allows parents to not vaccinate their children for philosophical or religious reasons, and it is expected that the number of states that will still have this loophole will decline from 20 to 18 states in 2016. Vaccinations aren’t legally required, but schools typically require them in order to attend, so those who would still refuse in those states where the loophole would be closed wouldn’t be allowed to send their kids to school.
A total of 815 pediatricians were surveyed for the study between June and October 2012. They were asked about vaccinations and how often they dismissed patients if they found out the children didn’t have them.
Despite a growing nationwide anti-vaccination movement, those who refuse vaccinations are still rare, with doctors reporting that only 1 to 5 percent of patients in a given month refuse.
A majority of doctors require parents who refuse to vaccinate their kids to sign a form acknowledging this, and 21 percent of pediatricians refuse to treat them at all.