Pediatricians play a vital role in guiding families through immunization counseling, which is essential for nurturing healthy children. It's important to acknowledge that patients, parents, and caregivers may decline immunizations for a variety of reasons, including hesitancy, cultural beliefs, or specific health circumstances that may require postponement.

On this page:

AAP Refusal to Immunize Form

Pediatricians and other health care providers may decide it is in their best interest to formally document a parent's refusal to accept vaccinations/immunizations for a minor child. This form, which should not be considered a legal document without advice from a lawyer, may be used for such documentation. This is also available as a Microsoft Word template. The template is also available in:

See this AAP letter for additional background on documenting refusal of recommended childhood immunizations. Additional provider and parent resources are also available.

Coding for Standalone Immunization Counseling

Information on CPT codes for immunization counseling when an immunization is not administered, including a factsheet and essential guidelines to help healthcare providers report this vital service can be found on the Standalone Immunization Counseling site.  

Vaccine Communication & Policies for Families Who Refuse Vaccination

The current AAP Clinical Report Strategies for Improving Vaccine Communication and Uptake provides information about understanding and addressing parental concerns about vaccination and discusses considerations for dismissal from a practice of families who refuse vaccinations. The report can assist pediatricians with understanding vaccine development and safety monitoring processes and evidenced-based communication strategies for responding to parental concerns. 

Additional Resources

Last Updated

07/23/2024

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics