Vaccine Policy

Center City Pediatrics is a Vaccinating Practice. This means that we adhere to the evidence-based recommendations on vaccines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We recommend that all of our patients follow the recommend immunization schedule, and we stock these vaccines accordingly. We will not special-order different routine vaccines for patients but will administer provided vaccines as long as the vial is not expired, appropriately marked, appropriately stored, and shows no evidence of tampering.

Even though Center City Pediatrics remains bound by current scientific evidence, we are also a practice that is sensitive to the concerns of families. As such, we acknowledge that a few parents may desire to deviate from the recommended schedule. We pledge to work with families to assure that their concerns are addressed, as long as we can continue to protect our patients from diseases that may imminently threaten them and other patients with whom they are in contact. While all vaccines on the current
recommended schedule are of high importance, certain vaccine-preventable diseases are more likely to be spread through airborne transmission or direct/indirect contact with respiratory secretions in a waiting room environment. Families receiving care at Center City Pediatrics must at minimum abide by the recommended immunization schedule for selected vaccines, by which delays or exclusions may pose a significant public health risk to other vulnerable patients in our practice who may be exposed.

The following are our “hard-limits” for immunization standards at Center City Pediatrics, whereby all patients must agree to receive these specific immunizations by the listed timeframe. The vaccines listed below should not be interpreted in any way as being of greater importance than other vaccines not included on this list.

Patients who join our practice as unimmunized or under-immunized must agree to initiate a “catch-up”immunization plan according to the current ACIP recommended immunization catch-up schedule. This catch-up must be completed by the current hard-limits established by the practice, when applicable, or by one year – whichever is the shorter time-frame.

Since trust is a fundamental component of the physician/patient relationship, families who do not adhere to our required immunization standards will not be permitted to remain as patients with our practice. CCP will issue a formal notice of termination from our practice where, during the transition, we will see your child(ren) for acute conditions (sick visits). Within a 60 day time period from the date of the termination letter, you must transition your child(ren)’s care to another medical provider.