In Ontario, parents do not have the right to informed choice regarding the antibiotic eye ointment (erythromycin), and all babies are subject to this treatmentat birth. This is a result of an outdated lawas most other medical procedures including the vitamin k shot andvaccinationsrequire parental consent.

•Those parents who do refuse treatmentcan bereported to the Children's Aid Society (CAS) which then has the right to take the child away and have them treated against the parents' wishes.

•Itcan take several months and visits before the family's file with CAS is closed.

•The antibiotic eye ointment prevents blindness in babies whose mothers have contracted gonnorhea or chlamydia. Mothers in Canadahave the option of beingscreened for sexually transmitted infections throughout their pregnancy and should therefore have the right to refuse this treatment for their babies.

•In many other provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba, and Quebec, parents need only sign a waiver to refuse this treatment. Other countries including Britain, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark abandoned the practice of neonatal eye prophylaxis decades ago.

•Unnecessarily exposing all infants to this antibiotic may increase the risk of allergies to antibiotics and also contributes to the global problem of increased antibiotic resistance.

•Blurred vision caused by the treatment can impact early bonding between parent and child and can cause discomfort to the newborn during their first hours of life.

•Sign the petition and demand that the Ontario Ministry of Health review this outdated law that denies parents their right to consent and infringes on their authority.

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