CANBERRA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- One in six unvaccinated Australian children are being refused medical treatment from doctors out of fear they may potentially infect other people with preventable illnesses, a national survey showed on Wednesday.
The Australian Child Health Poll asked 2,000 parents questions about their children's health, and it was found that one in six was refused medical treatment.
The Australian Medical Association's President Michael Gannon told Fairfax Media it was a concern that children were being refused health care, but admitted the onus was on the child's parents to ensure vaccinations were up to date.
"I'd be very disappointed if that is the case," Gannon said Wednesday. "No matter what reservations an individual doctor might have, it's not ethical to deny care to an unvaccinated child."
The study also showed that while 95 percent of children were up to date with vaccinations, one in 10 parents were of the belief that vaccinations were a contributing cause to autism despite medical evidence suggesting otherwise.
Three-quarters of parents said they should be informed if any unvaccinated children are attending their children's school, while 70 percent of parents said they would consider sending their children to a different school if refused that information.
The results of the study came after the government introduced the "no jab, no pay" policy last year, which withholds welfare and other government subsidies from parents who do not get their children immunized.
