When the Medical Board of California moved to rescind the license of Robert Sears, MD, pediatrician and author of The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, it set off a statewide debate over vaccines, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The medical board said it planned to pull Dr. Sears' license after he wrote a note for a 2-year-old barring him from routine vaccinations for the rest of his childhood, according to the report. The board claims he made this recommendation without reviewing basic medical information.
Those in support of the medical board's decision say it backs up a new state law that requires parents to vaccinate their children if they want to send them to school, unless they have a medical reason not to do so, according to the report. However, skeptics believe Dr. Sears' case could set off what the LA Times calls a "witch hunt" against physicians against vaccinations.
Several groups have called on the state medical board to drop the case against Dr. Sears. One group even declared a "Stand With Sears Day" to support the cause, according to the report.
Dr. Sears must attend a settlement conference to decide on disciplinary actions with the medical board.
Read the full story here.
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