American Medical Association members have voted to support state policies that would let minors override their parents' objections to vaccinations.
The Chicago Tribune reported the AMA will now encourage state lawmakers to institute comprehensive vaccine and minor consent policies — a recommendation that came Monday during the group's annual meeting.
The decision comes amid a strengthening of the anti-vaccination movement — and as public health officials blaming alarming outbreaks of diseases, including measles, on fewer children getting vaccinated.
"The prevalence of unvaccinated pediatric patients is troubling to physicians," AMA board member Dr. S. Bobby Mukkamala in a statement, the Tribune reported.
"Many children go unvaccinated as anti-vaccine-related messages and advertisements target parents with misinformation. Allowing mature minors to provide informed consent to vaccinations will ensure these patients can access this type of preventive care."