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Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday announced an investigation into what he called a "troubling incident," in which a Midwestern school allegedly vaccinated a child without their parent’s consent.
In a video statement on X, Kennedy said that HHS is taking "decisive steps" to defend parents' rights to guide their child’s health decisions following the alleged incident.
"A school administered a federally funded vaccine to a child without the parent’s consent and despite a legally recognized state exemption," he said. "When any institution — a school, a doctor’s office, a clinic — disregards a religious exemption, it doesn’t just break trust, it also breaks the law."
"We’re not going to tolerate it," he added.
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Kennedy did not identify the state, the school or the vaccine said to be involved.
Kennedy said that the Trump administration will ensure that health care providers and institutions will not ignore parental rights when it comes to their children’s health.
"We will use every tool we have to protect families and restore accountability," he said.
Kennedy said HHS is launching compliance reviews of major providers and healthcare systems to ensure that they give parents timely access to their children’s information. He said a letter will be issued reminding providers of "their clear legal duty" to share medical records with parents — with "no delays, no secrets, no excuses."
A second letter from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) went to HRSA grant recipients, stressing that federal dollars require compliance with laws protecting parental rights.
HHS is also reviewing how states and districts process medical and religious exemptions to ensure the federally funded Vaccines for Children program complies with federal and state law.
Kennedy added that parents may file complaints with the HHS Office for Civil Rights if they believe their rights — or their children’s — have been violated.
English (US)