The Seventh-day Adventist Church places strong emphasis on health and well-being. The Adventist health emphasis is based on the Bible, the inspired writings of Church co-founder Ellen G White, and is informed by peer-reviewed scientific health literature. As such, we encourage responsible immunization/vaccination, and have no religious or faith-based reason not to encourage our adherents to responsibly participate in protective and preventive immunization programs. We value the health and safety of the population, which includes the maintenance of what is known as “herd immunity.”
We are not the conscience of the individual church member, and we recognize individual choices. These choices are exercised by the individual. Refusal of immunization is not and should not be seen as a teaching nor a doctrine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
This statement was voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee in Silver Spring, Maryland, April 15, 2015.