Laws About Transparent School Vaccination Reporting: Public Health Context and Ethics.

Abstract

In response to a recent surge in vaccine exemptions for school-aged children, advocacy for transparency regarding school vaccination rates has gained momentum in the sphere of public policy and legislation. We explore the public health context for transparency-focused school vaccination reporting laws and recent legislative successes and failures. We then provide an ethical analysis of policy that mandates publicly accessible, granular reporting of school vaccination rates.The ethical justification for this type of policy is robust. Although there is no evidence demonstrating its effects on public health, transparent school vaccination reporting has the potential to enhance individual and public decision-making, especially concerning the protection of children with compromised immune systems. This policy also offers the benefit of preserving the autonomy of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children.Policymakers in all states should support passage of this type of legislation along with other effective vaccination policies, including evidence-based vaccine education for parents who seek exemptions and reimbursement for clinicians who provide vaccine-related counseling.