HHS Launches Probe Into School That Allegedly Vaccinated Child Without Parental Consent

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has opened a formal investigation into a Midwestern school accused of violating state and federal law by vaccinating a child despite the parents having submitted a religious exemption request.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the move Wednesday, calling it part of a broader push to restore parental authority in pediatric healthcare. The department also issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to medical providers nationwide, reminding them that federal law under HIPAA gives parents full access to their child’s health records and prohibits medical procedures on minors without parental consent—unless narrowly allowed by law.

“We’re putting pediatric medical professionals on notice,” Kennedy said. “When providers ignore parental consent, violate exemptions to vaccine mandates, or keep parents in the dark about their children’s care, we will act decisively.”

The investigation stems from reports that a school, in coordination with a local health provider, administered a vaccine to a child without the parents’ approval, and in direct violation of a submitted religious exemption. The name of the school and the state have not been made public due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

The action also requires HHS-funded health centers to follow all federal and state parental-consent laws. Any recipient of federal dollars under the Health Center Program will now have to affirm in grant applications that they do not administer services or care to minors without following parental-consent procedures.

HHS Office of Civil Rights Director Paul Stannard said the move follows growing concern over “Adolescent Medicine” programs, which in some states allow minors to receive medical procedures—including gender-related treatments or abortions—without parental knowledge.

“This push to sideline parents is deeply concerning,” Stannard told The Daily Wire. “The law is clear: parents are the legal representatives of their children when it comes to health decisions. We’re stepping up enforcement.”

Stannard added that her office is conducting broader compliance reviews across multiple health care providers to ensure that parents receive their children’s medical information not just in full, but in a timely manner. She also confirmed that the department is investigating both the healthcare provider and the school district involved in the alleged incident, along with the state’s handling of religious exemption requests.

The department’s letter to health professionals emphasized that under HIPAA, parents are considered their children’s “personal representatives” and thus have full legal rights to access medical records and make care decisions. HHS reiterated that no school or provider can override these rights without explicit legal authority.

CDC Acting Director and HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill also weighed in, stating that the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program—under which the child may have been vaccinated—“must never be used to bypass the rights of parents.”

“This probe into potential abuse of the VFC is a necessary step in restoring public trust in immunization policy,” O’Neill said.

The controversy is expected to reignite debates around parental rights, school health policies, and the legacy of Biden-era programs that downplayed parental involvement in youth medical decisions.