Public health officials have a responsibility to alert the public to prospective dangers without unduly restricting individual freedom or adding to the stigmatization of certain illnesses.
Rather than turning away children whose parents refuse to have them vaccinated, pediatricians should engage the parents in discussion about the importance and safety of vaccination.
Stephen T. Miller, MD and Rexann G. Pickering, PhD, CIP, RN
Investigators must determine whether patient consent forms for medical care include the provision that registries for patients with particular medical conditions may be made or electronic data searches may be performed.
Patricia D. Quigley, MD and Megan A. Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH
Maintaining an adolescent’s confidentiality while answering his or her parents’ questions about their child’s change in mood and behavior can be challenging.