Below is a sample letter that was designed by PAVE which we have been told by two attorneys meets the legal requirements for a religious exemption to vaccination in the state of North Carolina; however, the state does not want you to submit anything that looks like a “form” (there is no official state form for NC). Therefore, you may type or hand-write the information we have provided below, filling in the required information, or use it as a template. You DO NOT have to explain your beliefs. According to Dennis McBride, former director of the NC Dept. of Immunization, all a parent (or person seeking to claim an exemption) has to do is “write down on a sheet of paper that the immunization laws of North Carolina are contrary to their religious beliefs, sign it, and turn it in” to the person requesting their immunization records. You can read the state’s policy at http://immunize.nc.gov/schools/ncexemptions.htm. Scroll down to the following information:
“There is no form for requesting religious exemptions in North Carolina. To claim a religious exemption, the parent or person requesting the exemption must write a statement of their religious objection to immunization, including the name and date of birth of the person for whom the exemption is being requested. This statement would then be provided to schools, child care programs, camps, etc. in place of an immunization record. If a family is requesting a religious exemption for more than one child, a separate statement should be prepared for each child. Statements of religious objection to immunization do not need to be notarized or prepared by an attorney. They do not need to be submitted to the state for review or approval.”
Sample:
NORTH CAROLINA IMMUNIZATION LAW RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 130A-157
SECTION 130A-157. Religious exemption. – If the bona fide religious beliefs of an adult or the parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a child are contrary to the immunization requirements contained in this Part [Chapter 130A, Article 6, Part B], the adult or the child shall be exempt from the requirements. Upon submission of a written statement of the bona fide religious beliefs and opposition to the immunization requirements, the person may attend the college, university, school or facility without presenting a certificate of immunization.
_______________
Pursuant to the aforementioned N.C.G.S. 130A-157, I, the undersigned, declare the immunization requirements as set forth in N.C.G.S. 130A-152 contrary to my bona fide religious beliefs and claim, as permitted by the law, an exemption from the immunization requirements of your institution for the undersigned minor child under my legal care and guardianship. (Your NAME) (Your SIGNATURE) (Your ADDRESS) (Your PHONE) (DATE)
(MINOR CHILD’S NAME) (DATE OF BIRTH) (ADDRESS) (PHONE) (DATE)
Keep in mind that the state most likely did not institute the use of an official state form so that parents would feel intimidated by having to write their “statement of beliefs” instead of just filling in a simple form. Do not be intimidated. Simply follow the state’s own instructions, and you are in compliance with the law.
Homeschool Information
Homeschooling parents should keep their exemption letter in their home with their homeschool documentation. If you would like to use our information to compose your letter, please feel free to. PAVE offers this information at no cost but a donation to help us continue our efforts is greatly needed and appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions
The following answers come from our experience in talking with parents who have exemption questions. It is not intended to serve as legal advice, nor is it intended to take the place of appropriate legal counsel. As with any legal matter, you should consult a qualified lawyer for your specific needs.
Will a private school accept my child’s religious exemption?
In North Carolina, there is no statute that allows a private school to exclude your child; however, to our knowledge this has never been tried in a court of law. It all depends on the individual policy of the institution whether or not they will accept your child.
I’ve been told it is an all or nothing decision, either my child receives all the vaccines or none of the vaccines in order to obtain a religious exemption. Is this true?
No. You have the right to choose which, if any, vaccines your child receives. However, if your case goes to court, the judge may not rule in your favor. You may want to read the court case of Susan LePage vs. State of Wyoming, Dept. of Health (2001 WY 26) which states that “where a statute uses the mandatory language ‘shall’, a court must obey the statute as a court has no right to make the law contrary to what is prescribed in the legislature.” The right to “pick & choose” has also been confirmed by Chris Hoke, Chief, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, NC Division of Public Health.
Does a minister or head of a religious order need to sign the exemption?
No. You do not need the signature of anyone other than the child’s legal guardian.
Must I attend, adhere to the beliefs of, or be a member of, a recognized religious order to obtain an exemption?
No, not in the state of North Carolina. Technically, no state can require this, as it is a violation of your constitutional rights.
Must I write down or explain my bona fide (genuine) religious beliefs?
No. A “statement of belief” as described above on the state site, is a statement that “the immunization laws of North Carolina are contrary to your religious beliefs,” nothing else.
Can my religious exemption be denied?
Not legally. A judge may rule against you, but no judge can rightfully deny your claim to a religious exemption.
Can I submit a religious exemption if my child is a ward of the state?
It is our understanding that you can do this as long as your parental rights have not been terminated; however, a judge may rule against you for whatever reason they can come up with.
If I am an adherent of a mainstream religious denomination such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc., whose tenets do not directly oppose vaccination, can I still claim a religious exemption?
Yes. The NC statute states that it must be a “bona fide religious belief,” meaning, in a word, “genuine.”
Must my religious exemption form or letter be notarized?
This is not necessary, but you may do so if you feel it will make it more “official.”
Must an attorney write my exemption letter?
According to the state, this is not necessary. It can be quite an expense for something that is already guaranteed to you by state law. If your exemption is denied by the state, you may wish to contact an attorney. If it is denied by a school official, you should contact the NC Dept. of Health & Human Services (see below).
Who may I contact if a NC school or daycare official refuses my exemption?
Contact the NC Dept. of Health & Human Services (919-707-5550), and someone there will be glad to help you.
Must a daycare, whether public or private, accept a religious exemption?
Yes. Any licensed NC daycare must keep your exemption letter on file with their legal documents. Daycares must report to the state once a year the vaccination and exemption information for children in their care. According to Beth Meadows, RN, MSN, Field Services Unit Manager, Division of Public Health, Immunization Branch North Carolina DHHS, the Division of Public Health’s legal counsel confirms that only a private, non-licensed facility can have a policy that excludes children who are not vaccinated, even when presented with an exemption. Therefore, any licensed daycare in NC must accept your exemption. If you are declined, contact Beth Meadows at beth.meadows@dhhs.nc.gov.
Here is what the state’s website, ncchildcare.ncdhhs.gov says:
Does my child have to be immunized to attend a child care facility if it’s against my family’s religious beliefs?
No. If a parent objects to immunizations due to a bona fide religious belief, then their child is exempt from the immunization requirement. There is no form for requesting religious exemptions in North Carolina. To claim an exemption, the parent must provide a written statement of their religious objection to immunization, including the name and date of the person for whom the exemption is being requested.
Can a physician legally refuse to provide medical services to those with religious exemptions?
According to the Liberty Counsel, since the First Amendment only protects a person from discrimination by the government, a patient cannot use the Constitution to force private health care workers to provide treatment. Although an individual has a constitutional right to choose or refuse treatment, the individual cannot use the Constitution to force a private physician to provide such treatment. Private insurance companies may also deny coverage for the same reason as well because there is no law which guarantees health coverage.
How do I know if my beliefs are religious in nature?
According to author Jamie Murphy in his book What Every Parent Should Know About Childhood Immunization, “A person’s belief may, but doesn’t have to, include belief in a deity, must be chief in importance in a person’s life, and the person must be living by these beliefs.”
If your questions have not been answered, please email werpave@yahoo.com.
An excellent discussion on your rights regarding a religious exemption can be purchased from the National Vaccine Information Center for $7.50. Click on the following link and select item number 4.
http://www.audiotapes.com/conf.asp?ProductCon=111
From Eileen Danneman, NCOW: State legislators have tweaked the word…it is the “establishment” of religion not “established” religion. Moreover, the definition of Religion comes from the root “religio” Greek, “going to Source”. Spiritual and Philosophical, in both cases seek One Source (One without a second) aka Truth which is the One Source.
Strategy in the battle to preserve Philosophical exemptions to vaccines: It should be emphasized that Spiritual, Philosophical are subsets of Religion/Religio and actually once that is established “Religious exemption” should be sufficient. Realize as well, that those who have taken a “philosophical” exemption will more than likely not be permitted to jump to Religious as they had that choice when they applied. The defense for that is that although there were 2 choices, “religion” has often been tied up to the erroneous concept of “established” (as in the customary traditional religions)and so the choice for philosophical was a better fit. However, if philosophical was not available, the applicant would have gone for “religious,” but would have to argue that religious is in fact intertwined with Spiritual and Philosophical.
Many citizens know that we have religious freedom yet aren’t familiar with the way the First Amendment is worded. So they don’t understand that the amendment doesn’t just recognize our God-given right to religious freedom, but actually bars the government from interfering in our religious exercises. (In other words, when the First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” it ties the hands of government, not the hands of the people. Yet in our ignorance we’ve allowed these things to be reversed.)
10A NCAC 41A .0401 DOSAGE AND AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR IMMUNIZATION (EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2015) [unless you file a medical or religious exemption]
(a) Every individual in North Carolina required to be immunized pursuant to G.S. 130A-152 through 130A-157 shall be immunized against the following diseases and have documentation of age-appropriate vaccination in accordance with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). (1) Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) – five doses: three doses by age seven months; and 2 booster doses, the first by age 19 months and the second on or after the fourth birthday and before entering school for the first time. However: (A) Individuals who receive the first booster dose of diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis vaccine on or after the fourth birthday are not required to have a second booster. (B) Individuals entering college or university for the first time on or after July 1, 2008 must have had three doses of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid; one of which must be tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis. (C) A booster dose of tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis vaccine is required for individuals who have not previously received it and are entering the seventh grade or by 12 years of age, whichever comes first. (2) Poliomyelitis vaccine – four doses: two doses of trivalent type by age five months; a third dose trivalent type before age 19 months; and a booster dose of trivalent type on or after his or her fourth birthday and before entering school for the first time. However: (A) An individual attending school who has attained his or her 18th birthday is not required to receive a polio vaccine. (B) The requirements for the booster dose on or after the fourth birthday do not apply to individuals who began school before July 1, 2015. (C) Individuals who receive the third dose of poliomyelitis vaccine on or after the fourth birthday are not required to receive a fourth dose if the third dose is given at least six months after the second dose. (3) Measles (rubeola) vaccine – two doses of live, attenuated vaccine administered at least 28 days apart: the first dose on or after age 12 months and before age 16 months; and a second dose before entering school for the first time. However: (A) An individual who has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against measles is not required to receive measles vaccine. (B) An individual who has been diagnosed before January 1, 1994, by a physician (or designee such as a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant) as having measles (rubeola) disease is not required to receive measles vaccine. (C) An individual born before 1957 is not required to receive measles vaccine except in measles outbreak situations. (D) The requirement for a second dose of measles vaccine does not apply to individuals who enter school or in college or university for the first time before July 1, 1994. (4) Rubella vaccine – one dose of live, attenuated vaccine on or after age 12 months and before age 16 months. However: (A) An individual who has laboratory confirmation of rubella disease or who has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against rubella is not required to receive rubella vaccine. (B) An individual who has attained his or her fiftieth birthday is not required to receive rubella vaccine except in outbreak situations. (C) An individual who entered a college or university after his or her thirtieth birthday and before February 1, 1989 is not required to meet the requirement for rubella vaccine except in outbreak situations. (5) Mumps vaccine – two doses: the first dose of live, attenuated vaccine administered on or after age 12 months and before age 16 months; and a second dose before entering school, college or university for the first time. However: (A) An individual who has laboratory confirmation of disease, or has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against mumps is not required to receive the mumps vaccine. (B) An individual born before 1957 is not required to receive the mumps vaccine. (C) The requirements for the mumps vaccine do not apply to individuals who entered the first grade for the first time before July 1, 1987 or college or university before July 1, 1994. (D) An individual entering school, college or university before July 1, 2008 is not required to receive a second dose of mumps vaccine. (6) Haemophilus influenzae, b conjugate vaccine – three doses of HbOC or PRP-T or two doses of PRP-OMP before age 7 months and a booster dose of any type on or after age 12 months and by age 16 months. However: (A) Individuals who receive the first dose of Haemophilus influenzae, b vaccine on or after 7 months of age and before 12 months of age are required to have two doses of HbOC, PRP-T or PRP-OMP and a booster dose on or after 12 months of age and by age 16 months. (B) Individuals who receive the first dose of Haemophilus influenzae, b vaccine on or after 12 months of age and before 15 months of age are required to have only 2 doses of HbOC, PRP-T or PRP-OMP and a booster dose two months later. (C) Individuals who receive the first dose of Haemophilus influenzae, b vaccine on or after 15 months of age are required to have only one dose of any of the Haemophilus influenzae b conjugate vaccines. (D) No individual who has passed his or her fifth birthday is required to be vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae, b. (7) Hepatitis B vaccine – three doses: the first dose by age 3 months, a second dose before age 5 months and a third dose by age 19 months. However: (A) The last dose of the hepatitis B vaccine series shall not be administered before 24 weeks of age. (B) Individuals born before July 1, 1994 are not required to be vaccinated against hepatitis B. (8) Varicella vaccine – two doses administered at least 28 days apart; one dose on or after age 12 months of age and before age 19 months; and a second dose before entering school for the first time. However: (A) An individual who has laboratory confirmation of varicella disease immunity or has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against varicella is not required to varicella vaccine. (B) An individual who has documentation from a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant verifying history of varicella disease is not required to receive varicella vaccine. The documentation shall include the name of the individual with a history of varicella disease, the approximate date or age of infection, and a healthcare provider signature. (C) An individual born before April 1, 2001 is not required to receive varicella vaccine. (D) The requirement for the second dose of varicella vaccine shall not apply to individuals who enter Kindergarten or first grade for the first time before July 1, 2015. (9) Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine – Four doses; 3 doses by age 7 months and a booster dose at 12 through 15 months of age. However: (A) Individuals who receive the first dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on or after 7 months of age and before 12 months of age are required to have 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart; and a booster dose at 12 through 15 months of age. (B) Individuals who receive the first dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on or after 12 months of age and before 24 months of age are required to have 2 doses at least 8 weeks apart to complete the series. (C) Individuals who receive the first dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on or after 24 months of age and before 5 years are required to have 1 dose to complete the series. (D) No individual who has passed his or her fifth birthday shall be required to be vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. (E) An individual born before July 1, 2015 shall not be required to receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. (10) Meningococcal conjugate vaccine – two doses: one dose is required for individuals entering the seventh grade or by 12 years of age, whichever comes first, on or after July 1, 2015. A booster dose is required by 17 years of age or by entering the 12th grade. However: (A) The first dose does not apply to individuals who entered seventh grade before July 1, 2015. (B) The booster dose does not apply to individuals who entered the 12th grade before August 1, 2020. (C) If the first dose is administered on or after the 16th birthday, a booster dose is not required. (D) An individual born before January 1, 2003 shall not be required to receive a meningococcal conjugate vaccine. (b) The healthcare provider shall administer immunizations in accordance with this Rule. However, if a healthcare provider administers vaccine up to and including the fourth day prior to the required minimum age, the individual dose is not required to be repeated. Doses administered more than four days prior to the requirements are considered invalid doses and shall be repeated. (c) The State Health Director may suspend temporarily any portion of the requirements of this Rule due to emergency conditions, such as the unavailability of vaccine. The Department shall give notice in writing to all local health departments and other providers currently receiving vaccine from the Department when the suspension takes effect and when the suspension is lifted. When any vaccine series is disrupted by such a suspension, the next dose shall be administered within 90 days of the lifting of the suspension and the series resumed in accordance with intervals determined by the most recent recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. These recommendations may be accessed free of charge at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/.
History Note: Authority G.S. 130A-152(c); 130A-155.1; Eff. February 1, 1976; Amended Eff. July 1, 1977; Readopted Eff. December 5, 1977; Temporary Amendment Eff. February 1, 1988, for a period of 180 days to expire on July 29, 1988; Amended Eff. October 1, 1995; October 1, 1994; January 1, 1994; January 4, 1993; Temporary Amendment Eff. February 23, 2000; August 20, 1999; May 21, 1999; Amended Eff. August 1, 2000; Temporary Amendment Eff. May 17, 2002; April 1, 2002; February 18, 2002; August 1, 2001; Amended Eff. July 1, 2015; January 1, 2008; November 1, 2005; January 1, 2005; April 1, 2003.
Exemptions & Autism
Teresa Binstock, researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy, says that families with autism merit exemptions from forced vaccinations. A range of immune impairments are documented in autism. Some of these impairments can be acquired, some are genetic. Those that are genetic are thus familial — in that the father or mother is carrying the immune-impairing gene (.eg, a null allele for C4b). Siblings may also carry such gene alleles.
As a result, autistic children and their families should be exempted from dangerous vaccinations. Furthermore, the genetic immune weaknesses identified in autism will extend to other family members, .ie, to individuals outside the autistic child’s immediate family. Without specific genetic testing of the autistic child’s extended family, there is no way to know in advance which extended family-member has a genetic immune weakness that will incline that individual towards adverse effects from smallpox vaccination via the vaccinia virus.
Categories of exempted individuals and their families must include families with autism and their relatives. Herewith are 42 citations documenting immune irregularities in autism. Laws requiring vaccination that do not call attention to autistic families ought not be passed.
Teresa Binstock Researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy
References:
1: Jyonouchi H, Sun S, Itokazu N. Innate Immunity Associated with Inflammatory Responses and Cytokine Production against Common Dietary Proteins in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Neuropsychobiology. 2002;46(2):76-84. PMID: 12378124 [PubMed – in process]
2: Krause I, He XS, Gershwin ME, Shoenfeld Y. Brief report: immune factors in autism: a critical review. J Autism Dev Disord. 2002 Aug;32(4):337-45. PMID: 12199139 [PubMed – in process]
3: Kidd PM. Autism, an extreme challenge to integrative medicine. Part: 1: The knowledge base. Altern Med Rev. 2002 Aug;7(4):292-316. Review. PMID: 12197782 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
4: Vojdani A, Campbell AW, Anyanwu E, Kashanian A, Bock K, Vojdani E. Antibodies to neuron-specific antigens in children with autism: possible cross-reaction with encephalitogenic proteins from milk, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Streptococcus group A. J Neuroimmunol. 2002 Aug;129(1-2):168-77. PMID: 12161033 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
5: Singh VK, Lin SX, Newell E, Nelson C. Abnormal measles-mumps-rubella antibodies and CNS autoimmunity in children with autism. J Biomed Sci. 2002 Jul-Aug;9(4):359-64. PMID: 12145534 [PubMed – in process]
6: Wakefield AJ, Puleston JM, Montgomery SM, Anthony A, O’Leary JJ, Murch SH. Review article: the concept of entero-colonic encephalopathy, autism and opioid receptor ligands. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2002 Apr;16(4):663-74. Review. PMID: 11929383 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
7: Korvatska E, Van de Water J, Anders TF, Gershwin ME. Genetic and immunologic considerations in autism. Neurobiol Dis. 2002 Mar;9(2):107-25. Review. PMID: 11895365 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
8: Jyonouchi H, Sun S, Le H. Proinflammatory and regulatory cytokine production associated with innate and adaptive immune responses in children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental regression. J Neuroimmunol. 2001 Nov 1;120(1-2):170-9. PMID: 11694332 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
9: Hornig M, Lipkin WI. Infectious and immune factors in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders: epidemiology, hypotheses, and animal models. Ment Retard Dev Disabil Res Rev. 2001;7(3):200-10. Review. PMID: 11553936 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
10: Torres AR, Maciulis A, Odell D. The association of MHC genes with autism. Front Biosci. 2001 Aug 1;6:D936-43. Review. PMID: 11487481 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
11: Malek-Ahmadi P. Cytokines and etiopathogenesis of pervasive developmental disorders. Med Hypotheses. 2001 Mar;56(3):321-4. PMID: 11359354 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
12: Binstock T. Intra-monocyte pathogens delineate autism subgroups. Med Hypotheses. 2001 Apr;56(4):523-31. PMID: 11339860 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
13: Gupta S. Immunological treatments for autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 2000 Oct;30(5):475-9. PMID: 11098887 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
14: Fiumara A, Sciotto A, Barone R, D’Asero G, Munda S, Parano E, Pavone L. Peripheral lymphocyte subsets and other immune aspects in Rett syndrome. Pediatr Neurol. 1999 Sep;21(3):619-21. PMID: 10513687 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
15: Comi AM, Zimmerman AW, Frye VH, Law PA, Peeden JN. Familial clustering of autoimmune disorders and evaluation of medical risk factors in autism. J Child Neurol. 1999 Jun;14(6):388-94. PMID: 10385847 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
16: Connolly AM, Chez MG, Pestronk A, Arnold ST, Mehta S, Deuel RK. Serum autoantibodies to brain in Landau-Kleffner variant, autism, and other neurologic disorders. J Pediatr. 1999 May;134(5):607-13. PMID: 10228297 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
17: Gupta S. Treatment of children with autism with intravenous immunoglobulin. J Child Neurol. 1999 Mar;14(3):203-5. No abstract available. PMID: 10190273 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
18: Singh VK, Lin SX, Yang VC. Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism. Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1998 Oct;89(1):105-8. PMID: 9756729 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
19: Gupta S, Aggarwal S, Rashanravan B, Lee T. Th1- and Th2-like cytokines in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in autism. J Neuroimmunol. 1998 May 1;85(1):106-9. PMID: 9627004 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
20: Plioplys AV. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of children with autism. J Child Neurol. 1998 Feb;13(2):79-82. PMID: 9512308 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
21: Messahel S, Pheasant AE, Pall H, Ahmed-Choudhury J, Sungum-Paliwal RS, Vostanis P. Urinary levels of neopterin and biopterin in autism. Neurosci Lett. 1998 Jan 23;241(1):17-20. PMID: 9502205 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
22: Singh VK, Warren R, Averett R, Ghaziuddin M. Circulating autoantibodies to neuronal and glial filament proteins in autism. Pediatr Neurol. 1997 Jul;17(1):88-90. PMID: 9308986 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
23: Warren RP, Odell JD, Warren WL, Burger RA, Maciulis A, Daniels WW, Torres AR. Brief report: immunoglobulin A deficiency in a subset of autistic subjects. J Autism Dev Disord. 1997 Apr;27(2):187-92. No abstract available. PMID: 9105969 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
24: Singh VK, Singh EA, Warren RP. Hyperserotoninemia and serotonin receptor antibodies in children with autism but not mental retardation. Biol Psychiatry. 1997 Mar 15;41(6):753-5. No abstract available. PMID: 9067002 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
25: van Gent T, Heijnen CJ, Treffers PD. Autism and the immune system. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1997 Mar;38(3):337-49. Review. PMID: 9232480 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
26: Gupta S, Aggarwal S, Heads C. Dysregulated immune system in children with autism: beneficial effects of intravenous immune globulin on autistic characteristics. J Autism Dev Disord. 1996 Aug;26(4):439-52. No abstract available. PMID: 8863094 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
27: Warren RP, Odell JD, Warren WL, Burger RA, Maciulis A, Daniels WW, Torres AR. Strong association of the third hypervariable region of HLA-DR beta 1 with autism. J Neuroimmunol. 1996 Jul;67(2):97-102. PMID: 8765331 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
28: Singh VK. Plasma increase of interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma. Pathological significance in autism. J Neuroimmunol. 1996 May;66(1-2):143-5. PMID: 8964908 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
29: Warren RP, Singh VK, Averett RE, Odell JD, Maciulis A, Burger RA, Daniels WW, Warren WL. Immunogenetic studies in autism and related disorders. Mol Chem Neuropathol. 1996 May-Aug;28(1-3):77-81. Review. PMID: 8871944 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
30: Daniels WW, Warren RP, Odell JD, Maciulis A, Burger RA, Warren WL, Torres AR. Increased frequency of the extended or ancestral haplotype B44-SC30-DR4 in autism. Neuropsychobiology. 1995;32(3):120-3. PMID: 8544967 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
31: Warren RP, Yonk J, Burger RW, Odell D, Warren WL. DR-positive T cells in autism: association with decreased plasma levels of the complement C4B protein. Neuropsychobiology. 1995;31(2):53-7. PMID: 7760985 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
32: Warren RP, Burger RA, Odell D, Torres AR, Warren WL. Decreased plasma concentrations of the C4B complement protein in autism. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1994 Feb;148(2):180-3. PMID: 8118537 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
33: Plioplys AV, Greaves A, Kazemi K, Silverman E. Lymphocyte function in autism and Rett syndrome. Neuropsychobiology. 1994;29(1):12-6. PMID: 8127418 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
34: Warren RP, Singh VK, Cole P, Odell JD, Pingree CB, Warren WL, DeWitt CW, McCullough M. Possible association of the extended MHC haplotype B44-SC30-DR4 with autism. Immunogenetics. 1992;36(4):203-7. PMID: 1639438 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
35: Warren RP, Singh VK, Cole P, Odell JD, Pingree CB, Warren WL, White E. Increased frequency of the null allele at the complement C4b locus in autism. Clin Exp Immunol. 1991 Mar;83(3):438-40. PMID: 2004485 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
36: Yonk LJ, Warren RP, Burger RA, Cole P, Odell JD, Warren WL, WhiteE, SinghVK. CD4+ helper T cell depression in autism. Immunol Lett. 1990 Sep;25(4):341-5. PMID: 1979061 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
37: Warren RP, Yonk LJ, Burger RA, Cole P, Odell JD, Warren WL, White E, Singh VK. Deficiency of suppressor-inducer (CD4+CD45RA+) T cells in autism. Immunol Invest. 1990 Jun;19(3):245-51. PMID: 2142123 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
38: Warren RP, Foster A, Margaretten NC. Reduced natural killer cell activity in autism. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1987 May;26(3):333-5. No abstract available. PMID: 3597287 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
39: Warren RP, Margaretten NC, Pace NC, Foster A. Immune abnormalities in patients with autism. J Autism Dev Disord. 1986 Jun;16(2):189-97. PMID: 2941410 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
40: Weizman A, Weizman R, Szekely GA, Wijsenbeek H, Livni E. Abnormal immune response to brain tissue antigenin the syndrome of autism. Am J Psychiatry. 1982 Nov;139(11):1462-5. PMID: 6182806 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
41: Stubbs EG, Crawford ML. Depressed lymphocyte responsiveness in autistic children. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1977 Mar;7(1):49-55. PMID: 139400 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
42: Stubbs EG. Autistic children exhibit undetectable hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers despite previous rubella vaccination. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1976 Sep;6(3):269-74. PMID: 1036494 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]
Exemption for Catholics
http://suewidemark.netfirms.com/catholicvaxexempt.htm
Click here to read the article, “The Morality Of Using Vaccines Derived From Fetal Tissue Cultures: A Few Considerations.”
http://www.cogforlife.org/fr-phil-wolfe
The following link is to a site called Immunize North Carolina and features a section on North Carolina’s vaccination rules and laws, school requirements, and the childhood vaccination schedule.
http://www.immunize.nc.gov/schools/ncruleslaws.htm
http://www.immunize.nc.gov/ParentsSchoolReqs.htm
http://www.immunize.nc.gov/images/PDFs/2003childsched_nc.pdf
This is how the American Medical Association feels about your constitutional right to a religious exemption:
H-440.970 Religious Exemptions from Immunizations.
Since religious/philosophic exemptions from immunizations endanger not only the health of the unvaccinated individual, but also the health of those in his or her group and the community at large, the AMA (1) encourages state medical associations to seek removal of such exemptions in statutes requiring mandatory immunizations; (2) encourages physicians and state and local medical associations to work with public health officials to inform religious groups and others who object to immunizations of the benefits of vaccinations and the risk to their own health and that of the general public if they refuse to accept them; and (3) encourages state and local medical associations to work with public health officials to develop contingency plans for controlling outbreaks in exempt populations and to intensify efforts to achieve high immunization rates in communities where groups having religious exemptions from immunizations reside. (CSA Rep. B, A-87; Reaffirmed: Sunset Report, I-97)
From a Christian View Point
(This link is provided for informational purposes only. A religious exemption does not have to be based on the Christian religion or any other mainstream religious practice.)
From The Methodist Church Book of Resolutions:
http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/protecting-children-from-mercury-containing-drugs
Muslim website against vaccines
http://muslimhealthwatch.org/
Military Vaccine Exemption Information
DODEA
Quote: http://www.dodea.edu/foia/iod/pdf/1005_1.pdf
On page 70 (section 18.2):
“18.2.1.3 Religious — A student’s parent/sponsor may claim exemption from the DoDEA immunization requirements for religious reasons. If the parent maintains the need to continue the religious exemption during a documented outbreak of a contagious disease, the student will be excluded from school for his/her protection and the safety of the other students until the contagious period is over. Religious exemptions require a written statement from the parent/sponsor stating that he/she objects to the vaccination based upon personal beliefs. ” and…
Quote: Paragraph 3-2.b.(4) at the bottom of page 10 of this document:
http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf It specifically states, “(4) Department of Defense schoolteachers, daycare center workers, and children attending DOD–sponsored schools and daycare centers or similar facilities on military installations. ” ARMY Army Regulation 40–562 BUMEDINST 6230.15A AFJI 48–110 CG COMDTINST M6230.4F
http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf pg. 10, section 3.2, para 4 says: Quote: In addition, all other age appropriate ACIP–recommended vaccines for children are required unless there is documentation of previous immunization, religious exemption, or medical contraindication. Army Regulation 608-10
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r608_10.pdf 4-6 (2) A waiver of the immunization requirement must be approved in writing by the Chief, Preventive Medicine or health consultant. Parents must be counseled that children with waivers will be excluded from the program in the event of vaccine preventable communicable disease outbreak. C–37. Compliance item 15.
c. Equivalency. A waiver of immunizations signed by Chief, Preventive Medicine may be considered for religious convictions. Parents must be counseled that the child may be excluded during an outbreak of vaccine preventable communicable disease. MARINE CORPS MCO P1710.30E MR 24 Jun 04
2005. HEALTH AND SANITATION GUIDELINES
3. In CDCs, FCC/OFCC, SAC, Youth and Teen and private organizations: a. Children enrolled in CDP shall have on file documentation of current age appropriate immunizations as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Youth and Teen programs are exempt from this requirement. http://www.usmc.mil/news/publication…W%20CH%201.pdf
AIR FORCE
Quote: AFI 34-276 is the AFI that governs Family Child Care. http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/share…/AFI34-276.pdf
Page 53. “A5.40.3. The provider maintains medical information for each child, including permission to treat emergencies signed by the parent(s), child’s allergies, chronic illness and other known health prob-lems, and immunizations (or written documentation of parents’ objections for religious reasons). This information is recorded on the AF Form 1181, Youth Flight Patron Registration Form.” Compare with the requirements for military members’ religious exemptions: Quote: http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfi…/afi34-248.pdf
AFI34-248 1 OCTOBER 1999 43 Chapter 11 HEALTH 11.1. Health Protection. Protect the health of staff, children, and parents while they are in the program. Use Caring for Our Children: Health and Safety Guidelines for Out-of-Home Care as general guidance on health issues not covered by this instruction. 11.2. Access. Limit the access of well children to children or adults with contagious illnesses. 11.2.1. Do not provide care to children without immunizations required by Air Force policy unless it is an emergency. (What is the Air Force policy that governs Immunizations, you ask?)
5.6. Child Development Program Assistant Training and Examinations. 5.6.8. Each staff member has had a physical examination within the last 3 years and the tests, examinations, and immunizations required by AF Joint Instruction 48-110, Immunizations and Chemprophylaxis.
Caring for Our Children: Health and Safety Guidelines for Out-of-Home Care Under-Immunized Children-3.006 If immunizations are not given because of parents’ religious beliefs, a waiver signed by the parent shall be on file. If a child who is not immunized is in care, the parents must be notified of the risk of the spread of preventable diseases. http://nrc.uchsc.edu/ELG/elg_immunizations.htm Quote: http://www.vaccines.mil/documents/969r40_562.pdf Army Regulation 40–562 BUMEDINST 6230.15A (NAVY) AFJI 48–110 (Air Force Joint Instruction 48-110) CG COMDTINST M6230.4F (COAST GUARD) 2–6. Exemptions There are 2 types of exemptions from immunization: medical and administrative. Granting medical exemptions is a medical function that can only be validated by a health care professional. Granting administrative exemptions is a non–medical function, usually controlled by the individual’s unit commander….
(3) Religious. (a) For Service personnel, immunization exemptions for religious reasons may be granted according to Service– specific policies to accommodate doctrinal religious beliefs. This is a command decision made with medical and chaplain advice. 1. Requests for religious exemption must include name, rank, social security number (SSN), occupational specialty code or branch, and a description of the religious tenet or belief contrary to immunization. Army: (see AR 600–20, para 5–6). Air Force: Permanent exemptions for religious reasons will not be granted. The major command (MAJCOM) commander is the designated approval and revocation authority for temporary immunization exemptions. Coast Guard: CG–122 is the designated approval and revocation authority for temporary immunization exemptions. 2. A military physician must counsel the applicant. The physician should ensure that the Service personnel is making an informed decision and should address, at a minimum, specific information about the diseases concerned; specific vaccine information including product constituents, benefits, and risks; and potential risks of infection incurred by unimmunized individuals. 3. The commander must counsel the individual and recommend approval or denial of the exemption request, by endorsement. The commander must counsel that noncompliance with immunization requirements may adversely impact deployability, assignment, or international travel, and that the exemption may be revoked under imminent risk conditions. The commander, in making his or her recommendation, should consider the potential impact on the individual, the unit, and the mission. 4. Forward exemption requests through command channels to the respective Service approval authority for decision. Individuals with active requests for religious exemption are temporarily deferred from immunizations pending outcome of their request. For USCG, forward through appropriate chain to G–WPM, via CG–1121. (b) Civilian employees submit religious–exemption requests to their supervisors. Such requests will be processed in accordance with 29 CFR 1605 and component and local policies. c. Bargaining units. Civilian personnel affected by this document who are members of bargaining units will be considered for exemption consistent with applicable personnel management policies. d. Other categories. Administrative or medical personnel will appropriately annotate electronic ITS with exemption codes denoting separation, permanent change of station, emergency leave, missing or prisoner of war, deceased, and other appropriate categories.
NAVY See above. Also note that the Navy appears to follow DOD Regulations in regards to Navy daycare and youth programs. https://qol.persnet.navy.mil/CYPWeb/…aspx?id=Policy
________________________________________________ United States> Code of Federal Regulations> Title 29 – Labor> CHAPTER XIV–EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
29 C.F.R. PART 1605—GUIDELINES ON DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF RELIGION
§ 1605.1 “Religious” nature of a practice or belief. In most cases whether or not a practice or belief is religious is not at issue. However, in those cases in which the issue does exist, the Commission will define religious practices to include moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views. This standard was developed in United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 (1965) and Welsh v. United States, 398 U.S. 333 (1970). The Commission has consistently applied this standard in its decisions.1 The fact that no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not accept such belief will not determine whether the belief is a religious belief of the employee or prospective employee. The phrase “religious practice” as used in these Guidelines includes both religious observances and practices, as stated in section 701(j), 42 U.S.C. 2000e(j). Quote:
To whom it may concern;
(We / I) {First and Last name(s)}, as the {(parent (s) / guardian(s)} of ______________________(name of newborn child) are exercising (our/my) rights under the US Constitution, Army Regulation 40-562, BUMEDINST 6230.15A, AF JI 48-110, CG COMDTINST M6230.4F , section 3.2, para4, and Army Regulation 608-10, section 4-6, para 2, to receive Religious Exemption from Vaccination, due to our genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the practices herein required. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Frazee V. Illinois Dept. of Security, 489 U.S. 829, that a religious belief is subject to protection even though no religious group espouses such beliefs or the fact that the religious group to which the individual professes to belong may not advocate or require such belief. This ruling is also reflected in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended Nov. 1, 1980; Part 1605.1-Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion. Sincerely,
Your signature. Date