Maryland: Vaccinate or go to Jail

The get-tough policy in the Washington suburbs of Prince George's County was one of the strongest efforts made by any U.S. school system to ensure its youngsters receive their required immunizations.

Two months into the school year, school officials realized that more than 2,000 students in the county still didn't have the vaccinations they were supposed to have before attending class.

So Circuit Court Judge C. Philip Nichols ordered parents in a letter to appear at the courthouse Saturday and either get their children vaccinated on the spot or risk up to 10 days in jail. They could also provide proof of vaccination or an explanation why their kids didn't have them.

Parents have been told to appear in Court on Saturday, and to subject their children to on-the-spot state-mandated vaccines of up 17 vaccine doses, or face imprisonment. Parents who ignore the court's demands could face a $50 fine for every day their child is out of compliance or up to 10 days in jail.

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons today condemned the "vaccine roundup" and promised to do everything it can to support parents who refuse to immunize their children.

"This power play obliterates informed consent and parental rights," said Kathryn Serkes, director of policy for the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), one of the few national physician groups that refuse corporate funding from pharmaceutical companies.

AAPS is also acting as coordinator for the "Hands Off Our Kids" coalition of parents across the country who were instrumental in overturning Texas Governor Perry's executive order requiring the HPV vaccine for school girls last spring. The coalition is appealing to Gov. O'Malley to intervene in the case and work with the legislature to pass a philosophical exemption provision. (The letter to the governor is posted at http://www.aapsonline.org/.)