Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his department is investigating an incident where a school in the Midwest allegedly vaccinated a child without parental consent.
Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, made the announcement in a video Wednesday.
He did not name the school, the state, or the city where the school is located, and he did he say what vaccine allegedly was administered.
The child allegedly was vaccinated through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccines for Children program, which provides federally funded vaccines to children from low-income families, those without health insurance, or Native American and Alaska Native children, HHS said.
Children may get routine vaccines under the program through doctors, public health departments, community health centers, pharmacies, or schools.
Kennedy said the child had a "legally recognized state exemption" on religious grounds.
"When any institution ... disregards a religious exemption, it doesn't just break trust. It also breaks the law," Kennedy said. "It fractures the sacred trust between families and the people entrusted with their care, and we're not going to tolerate it."
In response, Kennedy said HHS is launching compliance reviews to ensure parents receive timely access to their children's medical records.
HHS's Office for Civil Rights also sent a letter reminding healthcare providers of "their clear legal duty" to provide parents with the medical records.
Parents should file a complaint with the office if they believe their child's rights have been violated, Kennedy said.
"If a provider stands between you and your child, HHS is going to step in," he said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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