Vaccines have been one of the single greatest advances in preventive medicine and are an essential part of well-care. Our practice follows the vaccination guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and endorsed by all of the nation's respected, science-based health organizations.
► See recommended vaccination schedules here
► NOTE: The CDC is no longer considered to be a reliable or legitimate source of information. Ask us for guidance.
The providers in our practice know that vaccines, or immunizations, save lives. Vaccines prevent complications, disability, hospitalization, and death from disease. The most common side effects after receiving vaccinations include low-grade fever and soreness at the site of the injection. At Amherst Pediatrics we use combination vaccines whenever possible to deliver vaccines safely, with fewer overall injections.
The highest quality scientific research consistently supports vaccine safety and effectiveness. This research has repeatedly shown that there is no link between vaccines and children's chronic health issues, including autism. Due to the success of vaccinations, there are significantly fewer cases of deadly disease than ever before. However, there are still tragic examples of children suffering severe effects or dying from vaccine-preventable infections. The risk of severe illness and death from vaccine-preventable disease increases the more unvaccinated children there are in a community.
The widespread dissemination of misinformation and disinformation about vaccines has, unfortunately. lead to dangerous pockets of under-vaccinated children in our communities. In response, and in an effort to protect our vulnerable patients who cannot be vaccinated or are too young to be fully vaccinated, we are unable to accept new patients into our practice who do not agree to follow the recommended schedule of vaccinations. Our providers are committed to discussing vaccinations and preserving relationships with our existing families who have chosen to alter the recommended vaccine schedule. However, we will continue to reiterate that altering the recommended vaccination schedule goes against the strong, science-based recommendations of the world's vaccine experts and the providers of Amherst Pediatrics. We will require that these families sign a Refusal To Vaccinate Form to acknowledge acceptance of responsibility and potential consequences of this decision.
Below are some Amherst Pediatrics-approved vaccination resources that we suggest to parents for review. You can also speak to your doctor at any time if you have questions about immunizations.
► IMPORTANT: Please read our Statement on Vaccinations.
► IMPORTANT: The CDC and HHS are no longer considered by leading scientists and public health experts to be a reliable source of information about vaccines. For more information about this, and why our leading scientists and health experts recommend following the previous CDC recommendations, please follow these links:
- AAP: Fact Checked - Vaccinate Your Family: The Danish Vaccine Schedule
- CIDRAP: CDC No Longer Trustworthy
- CIDRAP: Confusion surrounds CDC's 'shared clinical decision-making'
- CHOP: Science Behind the Vaccine Schedule
Reliable Information on the Internet - Please Be Careful What You Read
Finding reliable information on the internet is not always easy. Anti-vaccine organizations have developed sophisticated websites that can be difficult to tell apart from sites with reliable, science-based information. We have provided here a list of websites which will serve as a source of reliable information you can trust.
Valley Vax A trusted local source of reliable, evidence-based vaccine information developed by health care providers and public health nurses in the Pioneer Valley. The website also highlights the voices of local residents who share their personal experiences with vaccine-preventable disease, and provides connections to local health departments in the region where staff, including public health nurses, can answer questions and help people to access vaccines.
Vaccine Education Center (VEC) The goal of the VEC at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is to accurately communicate the facts about each childhood vaccine. VEC publishes a monthly vaccine e-newsletter for parents titled “Parents PACK.” For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/parents-pack
Institute for Vaccine Safety - Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Information to help guide decision-makers and educate physicians, the public and the media about key issues surrounding the safety of vaccines.
Voices for Vaccines
Family-led organization that serves as a catalyst to spark positive peer-to-peer conversations about vaccines and the diseases they prevent by supporting communities, building networks, and developing fact-based content that enables parents to make healthy, informed decisions about vaccination for their children and their communities.
Vaccinate Your Family (VYF)
Vaccinate Your Family (VYF) is an Every Child By Two (ECBT) initiative aimed at raising awareness of the critical importance of vaccines across the lifespan. It is the next generation of the Vaccinate Your Baby program, which focused on the importance of protecting infants against vaccine-preventable diseases. ECBT, founded by Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumpers, has created these two websites. Each contains a broad array of educational materials and information about vaccines, their safety, vaccine research and science, vaccine misperceptions, and many other topics to help clinicians and parents.
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID)
Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating and engaging the public, communities, and healthcare professionals about infectious diseases across the lifespan.
Shot by Shot
Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases is a collection of stories from people who have been touched by vaccine-preventable diseases.
History of Vaccines
An educational project of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
An extensive overview of vaccine history and science. Includes thoughtful, expert discussions of safety and common vaccine concerns.
Massachusetts School Immunization Information and Requirements (mass.gov)
Information about school immunization requirements and data from the Massachusetts Department of Health. This includes a searchable database of county and school specific vaccination and exemption rates.
Vaccines and Immunization - World Health Organization (WHO)
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance to live a healthy life.
Vaccines on the Go: What You Should Know (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
It's easier than ever to get health information. But sometimes, it’s difficult to weed out the "good" information, which is scientifically accurate, from the "bad" information, which is not based on science. This is especially true for vaccines. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia offers a free app that helps you do this right from your smartphone. You can download it directly with these links:
Vaccines on the Go: What You Should Know (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
To learn more about vaccines, the diseases they protect against, immunization schedules, vaccine safety, and other important information, please visit the AAP immunization page.
Online VIdeo Course - The Complete Guide to Childhood Vaccinations
By the end of this video course, brought to you by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), parents will be able to understand the importance of childhood vaccinations, including the rationale behind the recommended vaccination schedule, the diseases they help children's immune systems protect against and the potential consequences of not following the schedule.