title: Religious exemptions to the immunization statutes: balancing public health and religious freedom.
abstract: Given the AAP's 1997 position statement on religious exemptions to medical care, authors consider whether failure to immunize a child is medical neglect. Although acknowledging that it is, they argue that parental decisions not to vaccinate on the basis of religious beliefs should be permitted.
authors.affiliation: MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Aspinwall
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002835:Christianity; D002961:Civil Rights; D033161:Government Regulation; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008318:Malpractice; D037141:Mandatory Programs; D033282:Parental Consent; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States