Action Alert: Oppose Minor Consent to Vaccination!

Please Contact Vermont Senators to oppose Minor Consent to HPV vaccines, HepB vaccines and ‘Prep’ (HIV) pills.

Should “minor consent” pass, these products will be given to children, behind parent’s backs. + Show up March 13th!

Read the letter from CHD concerning the Vermont minor consent bill, here.

Take Action Now by Clicking Here

Background:

Vermont’s Senate Health & Welfare Committee is considering a bill (S.151) that contains many sections, including one on “minor consent for preventative services and treatment.” The ‘minor consent’ portion is being lobbied by the AAP and proposes to give healthcare providers access to children age 12+ for vaccination, expressly without parental consent or notification. According to submitted testimony the reason for this bill is so that doctors can administer HPV and Hepatitis vaccines and Prep pills as “prevention” and so that they can raise vaccination rates ‘in this age group’ at their facilities. (read more at: https://vermontdailychronicle.com/senator-lyons-disregards-federal-law-on-minor-consent-to-sti-vaccines-accepts-expert-witness-testimony/) The broad language is currently in Sec 4 of draft 1.1 of bill S151 and is being lobbied by the AAP, Planned Parenthood, and others who receive funding or fees/reimbursements for services including  for promoting, administering, counseling, and achieving high rates. Here’s the language:

(a) A minor 12 years of age or older may consent to medical care by a licensed physician related to the prevention of a sexually transmitted infection.

(b) Consent under this section shall not be subject to disaffirmance due to minority of the individual consenting. The consent of the parent or legal guardian of a minor consenting under this section shall not be necessary to authorize care as described in this subsection.

(c) A minor 12 years of age or older who has or is suspected to have a sexually transmitted infection may consent to treatment in accordance with the provisions of section 4226 of this title.

MARCH 2024: CONTACT YOUR VERMONT LAWMAKERS!

Your elected Senators and Representatives may be contacted at the State House at 1-802-828-2228 during weekday hours.

Find out who represents you, here. Find contact information for your Vermont Senators, here

IN PERSON DISCUSSION IS MOST EFFECTIVE. TELEPHONE CALLS ARE ALSO GOOD.

YOU MAY IN ADDITION EDIT THE MESSAGE BELOW AND SEND:

Send a Message Now - Oppose Minor Consent to Vaccines + Drugs - Vermont

Dear Senators,

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Thank you to the hundreds of Vermonters who have already contacted the committee and your own Senators in opposition.

READ THE TESTIMONY SUBMITTED IN OPPOSITION TO MINOR CONSENT:

NOTE: Much submitted testimony does not currently appear publicly on the committee website. This is unfortunate, because other elected legislators and the public are not able to read the information submitted in order to make informed decisions about the proposed bill. To rectify this, we have uploaded submitted testimony to our website, so it may be viewed and shared, here:

1. Opposition Letter from Siri/Glimstad, delivered by email on May 10, 2024 http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Letter-to-Vermont-State-Assembly-2023_05_10.pdf (also hand-delivered in Jan., Feb. ’24 with request to testify in person)

2. Opposition letter from Vermont Family Alliance, delivered by email on Jan 9, 2024: http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/S151-STI-prevention-VFA-testimony-FINAL.pdf – with request to testify in person

3. Opposition letter from Health Choice Vermont, delivered by email on Jan 31, 2024: http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Stella-VT-Senate-Health-Jan-31-2024-.pdf; with request to testify in person.

4. Opposition letter from Sandy Reider, MD, Founding member of Physicians for Informed Consent and Health Choice Vermont Board Member: http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/SandyReiderMD_S151-Testimony-02-22-2024-1.pdf with request to testify in person, granted (presented Feb 22 2024)

5. Opposition letter from Alison Despathy, M.S., former Candidate for State Rep., mother and clinical nutritionist: http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/OPPOSE-S151-Despathy-2-22-2024-Senate-Health-and-Welfare.pdf, with request to testify in person, granted (presented Feb 2024)

6. Opposition letter from Children’s Health Defense (Mary Holland JD and Kim Mack Rosenberg JD), delivered by email on Feb 29, 2024 http://www.healthchoicevt.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-02-29-CHD-Written-testimony-in-opposition-to-minor-consent-.pdf, with request to testify in person.

Nearly 300 constituent letters and phone calls have also been sent.

WILL THERE BE A PUBLIC HEARING???

Minor consent:

Violates Federal Law

  • As currently written the bill would violate federal law, specifically because it directly contradicts the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/5546). Specifically, this federal law states that “each health care provider who administers a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table shall provide to the legal representatives (a parent or an individual who qualifies as a legal guardian under State law) of any child or to any other individual to whom such provider intends to administer such vaccine a copy of the information materials developed pursuant to subsection (a)”. The DC District Court has made it clear that interpreted federal law requires parents or legal guardians must be given the vaccine information statements prior to the child being given the vaccine, and not the child. See: May 10, 2023 letter from Siri Glimstad

Preys Upon Adolescents

  • Over the past year, food and beverages, lottery tickets, peer pressure and much more have been used as incentives to push the COVID-19 vaccine. For an adolescent this preys on their immature cognition and prevents them from making unbiased, informed decisions. While some 12+ year old minors may be able to make rational, informed decisions, minors of the same age have varying levels of maturity. Furthermore, the significant changes in adolescent brains mean 12+ year old minors are, more than at any other age, disproportionately swayed by peer pressure, lack of self-regulation and rewards (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5422908/).

Increases Risk of Iatrogenic Injury

  • Minors may not know their full medical history and the potential risks of vaccination, and will not have knowledge what to look for if they do have an adverse reaction. If their parents are not aware of their12+ year old minor’s vaccination, treatment of a serious adverse reaction may be delayed because the parents could not convey the child’s medical history accurately. Vaccine providers who support this initiative are attempting to take on the adult role in the vaccine decision making process for a minor. Currently, per the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act and the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, vaccine providers have no liability if the child dies or suffers serious injuries directly caused by the administration of a vaccine. This would leave parents, who did not consent to the vaccination, fully responsible for the treatment of their child’s injuries.

Subverts Parental Rights

  • The bill subverts the right and duty of parents to make informed decisions about whether or not their children should receive medical treatment, without any finding that the parent is unfit. This creates a structure of distrust between the parent and the child and health care providers and facilities which are advocating for this legislation.
  • Even in the case of a pandemic emergency, PARENT CONSENT IS REQUIRED.

Minor Consent does not Protect Minors from Coercion (or worse)

– What this Bill Does NOT CONTAIN, but should:

  1. If 12+ year old minors have the right to consent to vaccines without their parent’s input, then 12+ year old minors should also have the protected right to refuse vaccines without their parent’s input.
  2. The age of consent for sex is 16 years of age or older; this bill opens up predatory risk to children and should be killed or modified.
  3. All efforts must be made to contact the parents prior to vaccination and get written consent. Add.
  4. The bill does not require the vaccine provider obtain a complete medical history from the minor’s primary care provider. Add.
  5. The bill does not require the non-parental consenting minor to fully read the appropriate CDC Vaccine Information Statement or to be offered the manufacturer’s vaccine package insert, prior to being vaccinated. Add.
  6. The bill does should require that all non-parental consenting minors be vaccinated in a physician’s office –  and not at a school clinic, mass vaccination site, pharmacy, reproductive care clinic or other location. Add.
  7. The bill does must ensure the minors cannot be bribed, bullied or coerced to get a vaccination. Add.
  8. The bill does not require the non-parental consenting minor’s parent(s) be notified immediately after the
    vaccination is administered. Add.
  9. The bill allows minors to consent; they should also have a protected right to refuse vaccination without parental input. Add.
  10. The vaccine provider should agree to report, document, evaluate, refer and provide for treatment of any adverse reaction following the vaccination for up to 3 years afterward. Add.
  11. The vaccine provider should be required to get informed, written consent and the vaccinee must be furnished with the VIS, the lot number, and the on-call phone number of the administering provider in case of emergency. Add.

It is our understanding that the committee will be taking more testimony on March 13, 2024

Expert Witness Testimony in Opposition, is Needed!

It is not too late to submit your testimony (see instructions here).