Important Issues

The Council's Committee on Health yesterday passed a bill permitting informed minors to consent to vaccinations, among a list of other bills.

The Minor Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-171) permits a minor aged 11 or older to receive a vaccine recommended by the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without a parent or guardian's consent. The bill, written by Councilmember Mary Cheh, was in response to the increased activity by the "anti-vaxxer" movement. The bill as amended permits providers to receive reimbursement without involving the parents/guardian and permits minors to receive a copy of their immunization record without parental consent.

The Medical Society of DC and the DC Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP DC) worked closely with the Council to ensure the bill was medically sound. MSDC member Elizabeth Ghandakly testified on behalf of the Society at the June 26, 2019 hearing. At the markup, Chair Vincent Gray specifically thanked MSDC and its members for their work on the bill.

Two other bills were marked-up and passed out of committee yesterday of note for DC physicians. The first is B23-529, the Certificate of Stillbirth Amendment Act of 2019. The bill authorizes DC Health to create a process for a woman or couple to request a birth certificate for a stillborn pregnancy. MSDC member Dr. Sam Kareff testified in support of the bill, and the bill's language was reviewed with Council staff by MSDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

The second bill is B23-535, the Opioid Labeling Amendment Act of 2020. The bill requires prescription opioid medications to include a statement that the drug is an opioid and that opioids may cause dependence, addiction, or overdose. Dr. Kareff testified in support of the bill on behalf of MSDC at its hearing on July 29, 2020.