Can physicians legally refuse medical treatment to patients who are not vaccinated or who have religious conflicts with vaccination?
There is a growing trend for private physicians to refuse treatment to patients who will not be vaccinated. This raises the question of whether physicians can legally refuse to treat patients who have religious exemptions from vaccination. Private medical offices are not considered places of public accommodation. Since the First Amendment only protects a person from discrimination by the government, a patient cannot use the Constitution to force private health care workers to provide treatment. Medical care providers are only covered by the nondiscrimination provision of the First Amendment if they receive federal financial assistance. Although an individual has a constitutional right to choose or refuse treatment, the individual cannot use the Constitution to force a private physician to provide such treatment. Thus, physicians can legally refuse medical treatment to patients who have religious conflicts with vaccination. If your physician refuses to provide medical treatment to you o
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