Ep. 72 - Vaccines and the Missing Piece: Informed Consent

Informed consent is the right to know the full risks, benefits, and alternatives before saying yes to any medical treatment, and it's something Melissa believes every parent and patient deserves. This week, Melissa sat down with Katie Collins, a certified physician assistant known online as Katie the PA, for a conversation about what informed consent actually looks like and how often it's missing from routine medical care. Katie shares her own path from working in urgent care and family medicine to educating parents on the childhood vaccine schedule, along with what her physician assistant training left out entirely. The conversation moves through the gaps in vaccine clinical trials, the financial incentives built into pediatric care, and how so many mothers are told their child's reaction to a vaccine is "just a coincidence." In this episode, you'll hear: What true informed consent requires before any vaccine or medical procedure The training gaps Katie experienced in physician assistant school around vaccine risk The three core flaws in vaccine clinical trials  This conversation is part of a bigger picture for Melissa: helping women feel informed, supported, and empowered in their health decisions. If this conversation struck something in you, consider scheduling a Clarity Call with Melissa to see if her six-month 1:1 coaching container with a community element, the Freedom Collective, is a good fit for you. Healing was never meant to happen alone, and she would love to walk the journey with you. To connect with Katie Collins and learn more about informed consent and vaccine education, find her on Instagram at @katiec.pac or reach her directly at [email protected].