Updated Vaccine Policy
Effective June 2, 2025
June 2, 2025
Dear Parents and Patients:
I, as owner of Growing Up Pediatrics, PA, (GUP) am writing to advise you of a policy change in regards to vaccines for current and any new patients of the practice. When Dr. Rose and I started the practice 25 years ago this month, we adopted a policy that would allow parents to vaccinate their children on an alternative schedule or not at all as long as parents signed our vaccine refusal form. We wanted to continue open conversations with our families throughout a child’s life regarding the benefits of vaccines to both the individual and the community at large.
Unfortunately, over the past 5-10 years we have seen a larger percentage of parents decline all vaccines largely based upon misinformation regarding vaccine benefits, side effects, and inaccurate beliefs that the diseases for which we vaccinate have been eradicated. With the rise in vaccine preventable diseases both domestically and internationally, we no longer have the luxury afforded by herd immunity. Unvaccinated children and adults increase the risk of outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases as well as place those children who are immunocompromised or due to other medical conditions are unable to receive some vaccines at increase of exposure to life threatening illnesses.
All of the providers at GUP including me strongly believe vaccines are safe and effective and thus, our policy regarding vaccines is changing as noted on the back of this letter. You will see that we will continue to offer an alternative schedule, but will no longer accept religious or personal beliefs as waivers. Failure to meet GUP’s new vaccine requirements will be grounds for dismissal from the practice unless patient has a verifiable medical exemption.
Sincerely,
Wendy G. Talley, MD, FAAP
Growing Up Pediatrics, PA
Vaccine Policy
June 2, 2025
3 DTaP’s by 18mos of age
1 MMR by 24mos of age
The following vaccines must be up to date by 72mos of age:
4 DTaP’s
3 IPV’s (polio)
3 Hepatitis B
2 MMR
2 Varivax
Parents choosing to not follow the recommended CDC vaccine schedule will continue to sign GUP’s Vaccine Refusal Form at each well visit that recommended vaccines are not administered.
Current patients of GUP who do not have the vaccines as outlined above will be given until July 1, 2026 to receive at a minimum 2 DTaP’s or Tdap’s depending upon their age and at least 1 MMR. Patients who fail to receive these vaccines without verifiable medical exemption will be dismissed from the practice and will not be allowed to return to the practice until their vaccines meet current GUP policy. All other vaccines as outlined in GUP policy MUST be received by patients > 72mos of age by July 1, 2027 or patients will be dismissed from practice.
Current patients are encouraged to schedule and office visits/ phone visit to discuss their individualized vaccine plan which will be signed by both parent and GUP provider and placed in chart.
