When parents refuse to vaccinate their children, more than one-third of all US pediatricians dismiss the entire family from their practices.
Furthermore, a new study of 300 pediatricians across the US reports 34% won't take on new patients whose parents are unwilling to allow the MMR vaccine.
UPI reports nearly half of all US children aren't vaccinated against diseases such as hepatitis B, pertussis, tetanus, and measles before they reach age 2.
Up to 10% of parents report delaying or refusing the shots.
However, 18% of pediatricians surveyed said parents often change their minds about vaccinating their children if they are threatened with dismissal.
Last year, the World Health Organization declared vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 threats to global health.