First, I realize that google researchers do not provide legal advice,
I am just hoping that you can point me to some resources that help
provide the answers I am looking for.

I have been trying to choose a pediatrician for my soon to be born
child. One issue I have are vaccinations which have mercury containing
compounds such as Thimerosal or other preservatives like formaldehyde.
 I would like to be able to choose which vaccination that has the
least preservatives in it when there are multiple manufacturers on the
market to choose from.  But every Pediatrician I talk to refuses... I
must use what they order.   They say they are all just as safe, and it
saves them money to buy in bulk, and will not use any others.  The sad
thing is, when I ask them which manufacturer they use for a specific
vaccine, such as Hep B, they say "I can't rememember, you'll have to
ask "such and such" who does the ordering."  I was promised from one
pediatrician's office that they would mail me a list of the
manufacturer for each vaccine that they use, and it never came.

Can I force them to use another manufacturer from what they order? 
Seems to me I should have the right to choose, as long as I pay for
what my insurance does not cover.  I live in Maryland and have BCBS
POS if that makes any difference.  Any references to rights to choose
medications for situations like this would be appreciated.

A specific link(s) to a reliable source(s) answering my question gets
a $5 bonus if posted before April 9.

---

Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 26 Mar 2006 02:15 PST

Hi notmn1,

I found these for you in a quick search, seems you have good reason to
be wary. Check out my resources and get back to me...

Read the CDC report and be fully informed. Also, I provided a link to
"Alternative Vaccines" below that might be of interest to you.


Law Suit Against Pharmaceutical Companies Citing Vaccines Contained
Poisonous Mercury
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/autism.htm#suit
...""On July 7, 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued
with the US Public Health Service (USPHS) a joint statement alerting
clinicians and the public of concern about thimerosal, a
mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines.The reason for
the warning is that himerosal contains a related mercury compound
called ethyl mercury. Mercury is a toxic metal that can cause immune,
sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions. ..." [more
at the link]


At the "Center for Disease Control" (CDC):

Mercury and Vaccines (Thimerosal) ? FACT SHEET
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vacsafe/concerns/thimerosal/thimerosal-vacs-facts.htm


National Vaccination Information Center ? Vaccination Decisions (more at the link)
http://www.909shot.com/Issues/Intro_Message.htm#DoDont

..."Vaccination Decision For Parents: 
1. Your doctor is required by law to provide you with vaccine
benefit/risk information materials before your child is vaccinated.

2. Your doctor is required by law to keep a permanent record of all
vaccinations given, including the vaccine manufacturer's name and lot
number.

3. Your doctor is required by law to report all adverse events,
including injuries and deaths which occur within 30 days after
vaccination to federal health authorities.

4. If your child is left permanently brain damaged or dies as a result
of a vaccine reaction, you may be entitled to benefits under the
National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.

DO: (note the bottom entry)

Become educated about childhood diseases and vaccines. You have the
ultimate responsibility for your child's health and well-being and
you, not your doctor or state or federal health officials, will live
with, and be responsible for the consequences of your decision.

Ask your doctor to give your child a physical exam to make sure your
child is healthy before you permit vaccination. A sick child can be at
increased risk for having a vaccine reaction.

Write down your child's personal and family medical history listing
major illnesses and diseases or medical conditions, especially
previous reactions to vaccinations, and have it included in your
child's permanent medical records. Before permitting vaccination of
your child, ask your doctor if any of these conditions will put your
child at risk for having a vaccine reaction. A child who has had a
previous severe reaction to a vaccination can be especially at risk
for even more severe reactions if more vaccine is given. If you are
not satisfied with the answers you are given, get a second opinion.

Monitor your child closely after vaccination. Call your doctor if you
suspect a reaction. If your doctor is not concerned and you are, take
your child to an emergency room.

Obtain a copy of your state mandatory vaccination laws. Become
educated about state vaccine requirements, your rights and legal
exemptions to vaccination.

Don't be intimidated by medical personnel and forced into a
vaccination decision before you are comfortable with your decision.
..."

===============================================================

About Vaccine Choices
Randall Neustaedter O.M.D.
http://www.emergingworlds.com/ch_vaccines.cfm
(The following materials are excerpted summaries from Dr. Neustaedter's book) 

..."What options are available to parents in their choice about
vaccines? First, parents may decide they want less than the total
range of recommended vaccines. It comes as a surprise to some parents
that they can choose to have one or some vaccines and refuse others.
You are responsible for your child?s health. You are in control. If a
child suffers a dramatic and tragic reaction to a vaccine, it is the
parents who must cope with it. The doctors may be sympathetic, but
they are personally uninvolved. They view it merely as a casualty in
the war against disease, if they admit any culpability at all..."

Here's his book:

The Vaccine Guide: Making an Informed Choice 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1556432151/103-9642722-6119062?v=glance&n=283155


This might interest you:

SCROLL DOWN TO: Alternative Vaccines
http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=525


If you think this constitutes an answer, let me know, otherwise,
please use the clarification feature and let me know what else you
need. I wanted to post what I found for you. I'll check the Maryland
Statues (as recommended below) in regards to whether you can compel
your medical provider to use the vaccine of your choice, but right now
I'm off to bed!


~~Cynthia


Search strategy used (so far) at Google:
choose "vaccine manufacturer"
mercury Thimerosal vaccine

---

Clarification of Question by notmn1-ga on 26 Mar 2006 05:41 PST

While the info is good, let me see if I can clarify a little:

So far over 6 pediatricians (some in the same practice, though) have
refused my being able to choose a specific manufacturer for a vaccine,
mostly because it saves them money to order from the same
manufacturer.  I can either choose to vaccinate or not vaccinate with
what they have, but they refuse to order what I want because it takes
away from their profits.  And they have blatantly told me that is the
reason.

Take for example the hepatitis B vaccination.  Merck, Smith-kline, and
Glaxo all make a vaccine for hepatitis B.  The only one that contains
no Thimerosal, and is actually suppose to be preservative free is the
one from Merck.  Can I force the pediatrician to order the Merck
vaccine if he typically uses one of the other manufacturers?  Maybe I
find a pediatrician who uses Merck for HepB, but I would rather use a
different vaccine manufacturer for one of the others vaccines he
orders.

Seems to me I should have the choice.  Or do I?  Would it do any good
to report them to the American Academy of Pediatrics? Or any other
public authority I can report them to?  Is there anything I can do to
force there hands without the expense of a legal battle?

First, about the Hepatitis B vaccine.

There seem to be basically two risk factors for this -- 
      (1) sexually active (as in some, many, or many-many partners)
  OR
      (2) I.V. drug user
  or both . . .

If you believe your infant will be sexually active, or injecting
drugs, then of course you want the Hepatitis B vaccine.

However, some people believe they have quite a few years before they
*really* have to make that decision.

Yes, of course I'm being sarcastic, but it's so ludicrous that it only
deserves sarcasm -- vaccinating infants for something they presumably
won't have to worry about until they are (at least) teenagers !

Even if you choose to postpone for a few years, there is more to be
wary of, when you are at the hospital.  Some hospitals just go ahead
and vaccinate, against parents' request, and then say, "Oh, sorry."

siggy-ga:

Yeah, I believe the Hep B vaccine for infants is silly, too. 
I am Hep B negative, and have no reason to give, except Maryland law
demands it, unless you get a religouse expemption.  IF you can find a
flexible pediatrician, which I have no luck in finding, you can get
them to administer the vaccine after going to the hospital, and get
around the hospital forcing it on you.

Same for the erythromycin eye drops, and the vitamin K.  As far as the
studies for erythromycin, for std free women, they show no evidence in
reduction of eye infections.  As far as the vitamin K, why can't they
do a 2 second prothrombin test before risking anaphylactic shock
(though rare) on an infant that may not need it?

UGh.  Legally mandated outdated or useless prophylactics.

You can, of course, refuse vaccinations.  What I find fascinating is
the particular justification for refusing them being "it's silly, I
don't see the point".  Mandated or recommended vaccinations are to
protect not only individuals but also the group.  If your child does
not get an HBV vaccine (hepatitis B) now, I goddamn guarantee you s/he
will not suddenly think of getting one when s/he becomes sexually
active, and you won't think of it either.  Then when your child
develops liver cancer or cirrhosis at the age of 45, you'll be more
than a little upset.

Obviously, this is an extreme example of what can happen, and it will
probably not happen to YOU.  But it will happen to a certain number of
people who refuse this vaccination (or have it refused for them).  One
of the saddest stories I've heard was that of a child getting polio in
India DURING the recent vaccination campaign (this was a recent NY
Times article).  The mother had refused vaccination because she
thought it might be harmful in itself.  She said "I didn't know.  I
didn't understand what could happen."  Now the child is paralyzed.

To the commentor who talked about "useless" prophylaxis, frankly,
you're talking out of your ass.  You can also easily look up recent
measles epidemics in this country in areas where there is a high rate
of vaccine refusal.  The sad thing is that vaccines are not 100%
effective, so that even vaccinated children are getting measles in
these areas from repeated contact with the virus.  The concept here is
called "herd immunity": when there is a certain level of resistance in
the group, the chance of epidemic (i.e. uncontrolled spread) is
limited, even though sporadic isolated cases continue to occur.

The issue of preservatives is an interesting one.  Certainly people on
both sides of the thimerosal debate are convinced both of their
correctness and of the delusional thinking of the other side.  I can't
enter into this one with any certainty, myself, except to say that
neither side has substantially proven its case.  It is fairly clear,
though, that any adverse effect from thimerosal is nowhere near as
large (in terms of number of people effected), as is the number of
people benefitted from the use of vaccines.

Finally, I would add that one of the main difficulties in accepting
the usefulness of vaccines is that they are so effective.  Those of us
who grew up in the vaccine era are unfamiliar with the ravages of
unchecked polio and measles.  Ask your grandparents (if they are still
around), or anyone in their 70's or above about the polio epidemic. 
Read up on the influenza epidemic of the early 1900's (the Spanish
'Flu).  Look at what's happening with polio in the Indian Subcontinent
right now.  Inform yourself about the facts, not with speculation
about minute quantities of "harmful preservatives".  And if you really
want to protect your child from harmful substances, try and feed it
food grown without huge quantities of pesticides and antibiotics, get
rid of your car, don't smoke, throw the TV out the window.  Being
concerned about preservatives in vaccines and ignoring the far more
numerous and severe problems of the modern world is missing the forest
for the trees.

Cheers

While I do not doubt your research on the vaccinations for your child,
I have to question where you live, as Thimerosal has been removed from
or reduced to trace amounts in all vaccines routinely recommended for
children 6 years of age and younger, with the exception of inactivated
influenza vaccine...