The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Wednesday a series of actions aimed at reinforcing parents’ rights in pediatric health care. The agency opened an investigation into a complaint alleging that a Midwestern school unlawfully administered a federally supplied vaccine to a minor without parental consent, disregarding a religious exemption submitted under state law.
Alongside the investigation, HHS issued a Dear Colleague letter reminding health care providers of their federal obligation to grant parents access to their children’s medical records. The Department also instructed the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to strengthen oversight of compliance with parental-consent requirements. In the future, all recipients of HRSA funding must affirm adherence to relevant federal and state laws governing consent for medical services provided to minors as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funds.
In addition, the Department directed the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to add a grant requirement stating that all funding recipients must comply with all applicable federal and state parental-consent laws for any services or care provided to minors at HRSA-supported health centers as a condition of receiving Health Center Program funds.
“Today, we are putting pediatric medical professionals on notice: you cannot sideline parents,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “When providers ignore parental consent, violate exemptions to vaccine mandates, or keep parents in the dark about their children’s care, we will act decisively. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect families and restore accountability.”
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating a reported violation involving the exemption from vaccination requirements. The inquiry will assess whether the school failed to comply with the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program’s mandate, which ties the federal supply of vaccines to adherence with state policies recognizing religious and other lawful exemptions from mandatory immunization. In addition, OCR will review how the state agency and school district evaluate and process religious exemption requests to ensure alignment with state law in the implementation of the VFC program. The VFC supplies vaccines purchased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for distribution to participating providers.
“The Vaccines for Children Program should never circumvent parents’ rights,” said Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary and CDC Acting Director Jim O’Neill. “Secretary Kennedy’s decision to probe potential abuse of the VFC is a necessary step in restoring public trust in immunization policy.”
If you believe that you or another person’s health information privacy or civil rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with OCR.
