Massachusetts Citizens for Vaccination Choice is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Since the group’s inception in 1995, our mission has been to provide encouragement, information and resources in an effort to help individuals make informed vaccination decisions, regardless of what those decisions are.
Massachusetts law honors both medical and religious exemptions to vaccination.
Medical exemptions are signed by doctors on a vaccine-by-vaccine basis and reviewed annually. They are granted for medically-recognized contraindications.
Religious exemptions in Massachusetts are honored regardless of tradition, even if you stray from the orthodox teachings of your tradition. Though some school districts will request the signature of clergy with this exemption, no such authorization is required, as this exemption is filed by you and should be respected on that basis. There is no standard exemption letter in use across the state; rather, parents need to write and submit their own letters, including language such as “I am exempting my child from vaccination because it conflicts with my sincerely held religious belief.” We recommend that those claiming a religious exemption include the Mass. General Law language below in their exemption letter, both to serve as a reminder to school authorities of the law as well as to serve notice that you are aware of your rights regarding this issue.
Here is the language of the law:
GENERAL LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS
PART I, TITLE XII, CHAPTER 76.
Section 15: Vaccination and immunization
No child shall, except as hereinafter provided, be admitted to school except upon presentation of a physician’s certificate that the child has been successfully immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and poliomyelitis and such other communicable diseases as may be specified from time to time by the department of public health.
A child shall be admitted to school upon certification by a physician that he has personally examined such child and that in his opinion the physical condition of the child is such that his health would be endangered by such vaccination or by any of such immunizations. Such certification shall be submitted at the beginning of each school year to the physician in charge of the school health program. If the physician in charge of the school health program does not agree with the opinion of the child’s physician, the matter shall be referred to the department of public health, whose decision will be final.
In the absence of an emergency or epidemic of disease declared by the department of public health, no child whose parent or guardian states in writing that vaccination or immunization conflicts with his sincere religious beliefs shall be required to present said physician’s certificate in order to be admitted to school.
You can also access the text of this law on the Massachusetts state government site.
NOTE: While religious and medical exemptions are honored in Massachusetts, school officials retain the authority to exclude unvaccinated students from school for a period of time following the positive identification of a case of a vaccinated disease. Visit the MDPH site for a schedule of exclusion periods.
If you’re looking for a supportive doctor, you can use these websites to find their members nearest you or solicit referrals:
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
Washington, DC
866-538-2267
Holistic Pediatric Association
“We empower parents to trust their natural wisdom and make informed choices on behalf of their children.”
Santa Rosa, CA
707-237-5312
International Chiropractic Pediatric Association
Media, PA
610-565-2360
Do you need a lawyer with expertise in vaccine law and injury? Here are some to consider:
Kevin Conway and Ronald Homer
Conway, Homer & Chin-Caplan, P.C.
Specializing in vaccine injury litigation.
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-695-1990
Michael Hugo
Recognized as a pioneer in vaccine litigation.
Lopez, Hodes, Restaino, Milman & Skikos: A Law Corporation.
Boston, MA, office
Phone: 617-973-9777
You can also visit the National Vaccine Information Center’s lawyer referral webpage.
Do you want to get vaccines separately? These pharmacies might be able to help:
Johnson Pharmacy
577 Main Street
Waltham, MA
781-893-3870
A pharmacist at Johnson’s said in an August 2007 phone conversation that they can separately purchase two vaccines that are typically multivalent. They are measles vaccine (Merck Attenuvax) and rubella vaccine (Merck Meruvax), both of which cost approximately $40 per vial.
Hopewell Pharmacy
Hopewell, NJ
800-792-6670
A pharmacist at Hopewell in an August 2007 phone conversation said that they can separately purchase measles vaccine (Merck Attenuvax) for $40 per vial, mumps vaccine (Merck Mumpsvax) for $40 per vial, and rubella vaccine (Merck Meruvax) for $50 per vial.