Dear Friends,
We are all adults. Have you chosen to get the H1N1 shot or flu shot this year? If so, why--or why not? Are you surprised at the push to get pregnant women and workers vaccinated? Have you examined the hype we have been getting in the media daily, at virtually every newscast or in every daily newspaper? In previous years, only about 35% of adults got flu shots. Pretty dismal rates. But that's changing this year.
As adults, we are used to hearing about vaccinations for our children. Until now, we basically have not heard much about immunizations for adults. However, as with all other health policies, these have been long in the making. We really have been getting articles over the last decade trying to get adults to vaccinate. Most of you just were not paying attention. Now, the "crisis" is here and the opportunity is being used to manipulate everyone, for if we will not vaccinate voluntarily, then create ways, especially using fear, to get us to do so. Therefore, below is a little history and time line which I think explains it pretty well:
Update on Adult Immunization: Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP), Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Recommendations and Reports, November 15, 1991 (Vol. 40, No. RR-12), http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00025228.htm:
"The National Coalition for Adult Immunization (NCAI) was formed in 1988 to improve adult immunization levels." As usual in these endeavors, “the coalition consists of professional, private, public, and voluntary organizations with the common goal of improving vaccine use among adults by educating health-care providers and patients... To reduce further the unnecessary occurrence of these vaccine-preventable diseases, health-care providers for older adolescents and adults should provide vaccinations as a routine part of their practice... A systematic approach to vaccination is necessary to ensure that every adult is appropriately protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.”
The Report was comprehensive and listed age groups from 18-65, travel, immigrants, special occupations, life-styles, permanent vaccination records, the different vaccines—live and inactivated.
The October 16, 1992, issue of MMWR had an article “National Coalition for Adult Vaccination: Activities to Increase Influenza Vaccination Levels, 1989-1991," http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00017773.htm:
“Project activities included combinations of 1) physician presentations at county and state medical society meetings and hospital grand rounds; 2) feature articles on vaccination in health-care provider newsletters; 3) increased media attention to influenza vaccination (including newspaper articles, radio interviews, advertisements in weekly newspapers, bus-advertising placards, milk-carton and grocery-bag art and billboards); 4) distribution of approximately 100,000 physician newsletters and an estimated 400,000 vaccination pamphlets, posters, and promotional buttons and stickers encouraging influenza vaccination; 5) distribution and completion of adult-vaccination cards.”
“...vaccination programs for adults have been difficult to implement for at least four reasons: 1) comprehensive adult vaccine-delivery systems are not available in the public and private sectors; 2) although statutory requirements exist for vaccination of children, few such requirements exist for adults; 3) reimbursement mechanisms and coverage by third-party payors are limited in the public and private sectors; and 4) vaccination programs have not been established in most settings where adults congregate (e.g., the workplace and retirement communities).”
“Attainment of this objective will require multifaceted strategies involving collaboration of public and private organizations to improve awareness regarding vaccine delivery and develop publicly-supported delivery mechanisms that remove cost and accessibility constraints. National Adult Immunization Awareness Week draws attention to efforts...”
The National Vaccine Advisory Committee adopted a report on adult immunization in January, 1994, that was printed in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) for October 12, 1994 (article available for purchase from JAMA at http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/272/14/1133). The summary of “Adult Immunization” included 5 goals and 18 recommendations for improving adult immunization. “Discussion of how to improve adult immunization must be included in the debate over health system reform in the United States... there is strong evidence that adult immunization is highly cost-effective. Thus, the choice we face is not simply deciding whether to pay for adult immunization, it is whether to pay more for the costs of treating un-prevented illness or less for preventing it in the first place.” The report went on to list some of the goals which should be familiar to us all:
“... increase the demand for adult vaccination by improving provider and public awareness; the CDC and other federal agencies assume increased responsibility for assuring that adults are appropriately immunized... Business and labor leaders and state health insurance regulators should encourage inclusion of adult immunization as a covered benefit for those insured... The cost-effectiveness of adult immunization must be further assessed; current evidence suggests that influenza and pneumococcal vaccination are highly cost-effective when compared with other preventive, screening, and treatment interventions in common use among elderly persons.”
“Given the promise of new and improved vaccines, the Children’s Vaccine Initiative has become the organizing focus to coordinate the transfer of new technologies for vaccine production and vaccine delivery to developing countries. Many aspects of this program have direct implications for the development of new and improved vaccines for adults.”
“Finally, the committee encourages greater collaboration between federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, professional associations, and vaccine companies in the United States and their counterparts in international organizations and in countries throughout the world.”
From “Grown-Ups Need Their Shots, Too” in the February, 2003, issue of the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) Bulletin: “First-ever adult schedule for immunizations issued.”
Let me bring everything to a "local" level--here in New York State.
Upon the failure of childhood vaccinations, especially in regards to the MMR vaccine, vaccine advocates realized they were in trouble in the early 1980's. As "outbreaks" of measles erupted on college campuses, health bureaucrats realized they needed to somewhat quietly make changes. Thus began the first Adult Immunizations with the passage of Section 2165--Immunization of certain post-secondary students, passed by the New York State Legislature (and other states) in 1989. Initially, this was just for the second-dose measles shot, but eventually became MMR. And, for good reason. According to the Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, by Drs. Mandell, Douglas & Bennett, 1985 (and earlier editions), the measles vaccine has "a persistence of antibody for up to 15 years. Mumps vaccine--satisfactory titers are maintained for at least 10 1/2 years and Rubella vaccine--there is reinfection in up to 80% of persons who had shots and who were subsequently exposed to rubella during an epidemic. Reinfection is more common in those vaccinated than in those who had natural rubella." This also accounts for why we are now hearing once again that MMR is "on the rise."
Unfortunately, instead of reevaluating giving MMR shots in the 1980's and discontinuing their use, health care bureaucrats preferred adding more doses to a person's body and also to exposing our children and future generations to life-long risk of disease. (Also now add the chickenpox vaccine.)
Then, in 1999 the NYS Legislature passed Article 21-A "Long-term Care Resident and Employee Immunization Act" which became effective in 2000. Section 2193 of the Act calls for residents of long-term care facilities to get the flu and pneumococcal shots and Section 2194 provides for employees to get the same shots.
Although Section 2195 provides for medical and religious exemptions, the reality is that no one will refuse--especially if you need to be in a long-term care facility or if you need a job. The phrasing is quaint: "...the facility shall provide or arrange for the necessary immunization."
In 2003, effective in 2004, Section 2168 Statewide Registry was passed and provided that ALL infants born after 2004 in NYS would be included in the Statewide Immunization Registry. What, you ask, does this Act have to do with adults? Well, basically, this is a tracking system. Initially, to get States and the public on board, it was an "opt in" or "opt out" system. Then, gradually, over time, lawmakers decided it had to be for all in order to work. And, it will follow or "track" everyone into the future--as adults--basically, from cradle to grave. Of course, it will take about 18 years (2022) to really get working, and until then, other opportunities will be used--such as those we see now. Plus, the bureaucrats have time on their hands; we older, more knowledgeable ones will die within the next 20 years. Then, the ones living will have "grown up" on getting vaccinated.
Also, since the 1990's there have been "Wellness in the Workplace" programs that are now including vaccination for employees.
And, vaccination is part of the Health Care Reform proposals in the current proposed legislation, especially since vaccination is considered "preventive care." Now, with the push for all electronic medical records (already part of the tracking system), no one will be able to hide and evade the health police of the future.
COMMENTARY:
In a pamphlet I wrote for my 2001 Rally in Albany, "13 Reasons Not to Vaccinate," #13 was: The principle of "First, do no harm."
"Risks may be taken with a patient who is desperately ill or in danger of contracting some serious disease that should never be taken with a normal subject. It should be a rule in all prophylactic work that no harm should ever be unnecesarily inflicted on a healthy person (Sir Graham Wilson, The Hazards of Immunization, 1967). Contrary to this principle, vaccines are given to healthy children and adults and the extent of harm is unknown." The major reason for this is that the government and health- care leaders do not believe that vaccines cause any damage or harm to most people and accept that those who are injured pay the price for the common good.
I hope you have all realized that I have been building upon each previous installment and that what I wrote earlier quoting "Vaccine Fevers" is happening now. Stop and think about it--vaccine advocates and bureaucrats have been working steadily since 1988 to 2003 to have in place the infrastructure to see that we all get vaccinated. And, now to see that the public DEMANDS it. They are working on getting the mob angry regarding a MILD disease. And they are being successful. Too many of us have forgotten or not learned how to do the simple things to take care of our health and are willling to accept the quick fix of a vaccine.
I have said it before and it bears repeating: Time is running out and we are losing our freedom of choice. Our lives are getting more and more out of our control and under the control of others. What are you going to do about it before it is too late?
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Final Flu Files
Dear Friends,
So much has been written, and will be weritten, regarding “traditional flu” and “pandemic flu.” What I have given you is only a little bit. Here are some final news items I found after I did my other flu installments:
“Task force plans response to possible flu pandemic,” subtitle “Military assets seen as vital in crisis,” by Erik Holmes, was the newsline for the December 4, 2006, issue of Army Times.
“Responding to warnings that an influenza pandemic, coupled with a shortage of vaccine, could cause almost one-third of Americans to fall ill, a U.S. Northern Command planning group is developing a game plan to provide military assets for a civilian-led response. …Experts agree that a flu pandemic will hit sooner or later, and that it will constitute a major crisis, pushing government response capabilities to—if not beyond—the limit.
“A May, 2006, White House report…envisions widespread vaccine shortages,…hospitals overwhelmed and short on equipment,…absenteeism from work and school, and the threat of wide-spread civil disorder.
“By law, responding to disasters is primarily a responsibility of local and state government, but they can ask federal agencies…for help.
“ ... the military can provide essential assistance, such as keeping order, setting up temporary hospitals and housing, and distributing medications.”
Metro News, Canada, of Sept. 11-13, 2009, had an article “Swine flu to peak in fall: Study” (metronews.ca) Although the article talked about the swine flu in Canada, it had this important point:
“Indeed, vaccines will come too late to stop H1N1’s spread across North America this fall," according to the paper, published today in the journal Science.
“DoD: Swine flu vaccine coming in October” is the September 14, 2009, story by Michelle Tan in the Army Times.
“'As soon as installations have the vaccine, they should be administering it. The mantra is, The best storage depot for this vaccine is in an arm rather than on a shelf,’ said Army Lt. Col. Hachey, director of preventive medicine for the Office of the Asst. Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Force Health Protection and Readiness. He also stated:
’When you come on active duty, you belong to us and we take care of you. …Part of taking care of you is making sure you are protected, so that includes your Kevlar and it includes your flu shot.’”
I will end my sections on the flu with quotes from a seemingly prescient 1995 pamphlet, “Flu Shots: Do They Really Work?” written by Kristine M. Severyn, R.Ph., Ph.D., founder of Ohio Parents for Vaccine Safety, Dayton, Ohio.
“Although influenza is associated with more disease, hospitalization, and death in ‘at risk’ populations, no adequate controlled studies exist which prove that influenza vaccine reduces the incidence of influenza in these groups.
“For example in the 1994-1995 flu season, the CDC reported that 43% of isolated influenza samples for the predominant virus (type A (H3N2) were not similar to that in the vaccine. Likewise, for another type A virus (H1N1), 87% of samples were not similar to that in the vaccine….
“Depending on the study cited, vaccine efficacy actually ranges from a low of 0% to a high of 96%…”
From 1988 to 1992, Congress mandated a $62 million Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration project. (Note the 1993 MMWR cited above in previous flu email.) “This study, intended to promote Medicare-funded flu shots, yielded a disappointing 31-45% effectiveness ‘in preventing hospitalization for any pneumonia’ during 3 influenza seasons. Results for the 1989-1990 season were described as ‘mixed at best,’ with ‘Medicare payments…significantly higher for those who had been vaccinated.’ Government agencies ‘calculated’ an economic benefit of flu shots to Medicare by manipulating numbers in a computerized simulation until desirable results were obtained. The CDC reported that its theoretical assumptions did not include all vaccine-related costs. Other recently- publicized medical studies with similar economic claims for flu shots have been funded by a vaccine manufacturer.
“…it is nearly impossible to prove if flu shots significantly increase life expectancy in the elderly.”
“Congress and the American taxpayer have been defrauded about the alleged advantages of flu shots. Instead of being an effective prevention, evidence indicated that flu shots may be useless. Although endorsed and funded by federal and state governments, the shots seem only to benefit the companies who make them, public health bureaucrats who promote them, and medical personnel who administer them.”
Commentary:
I hope I have been able to show you how the public is manipulated by government agencies, the ultimate universal vaccination goal of health bureaucrats, and how the media puts out the stories.
The afterword of the book "The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History” by John M. Barry, 2004, says it best:
“So the final lesson of 1918, a simple one yet the one most difficult to execute, is that those who occupy positions of authority must lessen the panic that can alienate the members of society. Those in authority must retain the public’s trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best. A leader must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart.”
Unfortunately, our leaders and we, the public, have not learned that lesson. Truly, “history repeats itself."
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
So much has been written, and will be weritten, regarding “traditional flu” and “pandemic flu.” What I have given you is only a little bit. Here are some final news items I found after I did my other flu installments:
“Task force plans response to possible flu pandemic,” subtitle “Military assets seen as vital in crisis,” by Erik Holmes, was the newsline for the December 4, 2006, issue of Army Times.
“Responding to warnings that an influenza pandemic, coupled with a shortage of vaccine, could cause almost one-third of Americans to fall ill, a U.S. Northern Command planning group is developing a game plan to provide military assets for a civilian-led response. …Experts agree that a flu pandemic will hit sooner or later, and that it will constitute a major crisis, pushing government response capabilities to—if not beyond—the limit.
“A May, 2006, White House report…envisions widespread vaccine shortages,…hospitals overwhelmed and short on equipment,…absenteeism from work and school, and the threat of wide-spread civil disorder.
“By law, responding to disasters is primarily a responsibility of local and state government, but they can ask federal agencies…for help.
“ ... the military can provide essential assistance, such as keeping order, setting up temporary hospitals and housing, and distributing medications.”
Metro News, Canada, of Sept. 11-13, 2009, had an article “Swine flu to peak in fall: Study” (metronews.ca) Although the article talked about the swine flu in Canada, it had this important point:
“Indeed, vaccines will come too late to stop H1N1’s spread across North America this fall," according to the paper, published today in the journal Science.
“DoD: Swine flu vaccine coming in October” is the September 14, 2009, story by Michelle Tan in the Army Times.
“'As soon as installations have the vaccine, they should be administering it. The mantra is, The best storage depot for this vaccine is in an arm rather than on a shelf,’ said Army Lt. Col. Hachey, director of preventive medicine for the Office of the Asst. Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Force Health Protection and Readiness. He also stated:
’When you come on active duty, you belong to us and we take care of you. …Part of taking care of you is making sure you are protected, so that includes your Kevlar and it includes your flu shot.’”
I will end my sections on the flu with quotes from a seemingly prescient 1995 pamphlet, “Flu Shots: Do They Really Work?” written by Kristine M. Severyn, R.Ph., Ph.D., founder of Ohio Parents for Vaccine Safety, Dayton, Ohio.
“Although influenza is associated with more disease, hospitalization, and death in ‘at risk’ populations, no adequate controlled studies exist which prove that influenza vaccine reduces the incidence of influenza in these groups.
“For example in the 1994-1995 flu season, the CDC reported that 43% of isolated influenza samples for the predominant virus (type A (H3N2) were not similar to that in the vaccine. Likewise, for another type A virus (H1N1), 87% of samples were not similar to that in the vaccine….
“Depending on the study cited, vaccine efficacy actually ranges from a low of 0% to a high of 96%…”
From 1988 to 1992, Congress mandated a $62 million Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration project. (Note the 1993 MMWR cited above in previous flu email.) “This study, intended to promote Medicare-funded flu shots, yielded a disappointing 31-45% effectiveness ‘in preventing hospitalization for any pneumonia’ during 3 influenza seasons. Results for the 1989-1990 season were described as ‘mixed at best,’ with ‘Medicare payments…significantly higher for those who had been vaccinated.’ Government agencies ‘calculated’ an economic benefit of flu shots to Medicare by manipulating numbers in a computerized simulation until desirable results were obtained. The CDC reported that its theoretical assumptions did not include all vaccine-related costs. Other recently- publicized medical studies with similar economic claims for flu shots have been funded by a vaccine manufacturer.
“…it is nearly impossible to prove if flu shots significantly increase life expectancy in the elderly.”
“Congress and the American taxpayer have been defrauded about the alleged advantages of flu shots. Instead of being an effective prevention, evidence indicated that flu shots may be useless. Although endorsed and funded by federal and state governments, the shots seem only to benefit the companies who make them, public health bureaucrats who promote them, and medical personnel who administer them.”
Commentary:
I hope I have been able to show you how the public is manipulated by government agencies, the ultimate universal vaccination goal of health bureaucrats, and how the media puts out the stories.
The afterword of the book "The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History” by John M. Barry, 2004, says it best:
“So the final lesson of 1918, a simple one yet the one most difficult to execute, is that those who occupy positions of authority must lessen the panic that can alienate the members of society. Those in authority must retain the public’s trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best. A leader must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart.”
Unfortunately, our leaders and we, the public, have not learned that lesson. Truly, “history repeats itself."
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
More on the Flu - History of Vaccination Policy
Dear Friends,
As I review my overflowing flu files, I am struck by the revelation of the continuing history of vaccination policy. Some things never change, and that is true in regards to vaccination. The outline for promoting vaccines is here. Notice how vaccine advocates take years grooming and finding “evidence” so that the public will accept vaccines for all age groups. Here are some highlights, and I have again underlined things I think are important for you to notice.
Hippocrates magazine November/December, 1988, “To Get the Shot, or Not?” by Barbara Kelley. “There’s a 50-50 chance that this year’s vaccine will be another mismatch… The natural unpredictability of influenza is the reason flu shots are so often off the mark.”
“If you go without a shot and catch the flu this year, the natural defenses you’ll develop against a future infections will be broader and last longer than the protection any vaccine could provide.” Among experts, one of the more candid is Thomas Cate of the Influenza Research Center at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine. ‘If your health is such that flu represents a nuisance, not a life-threatening illness,’ Cate says, ‘you’re probably better off getting sick now and being over with it for the next several years than trying to get the vaccine every year.’”
“Flu Vaccine Can Protect Unborn Babies” was the October 25, 1990, article in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. ”Vaccinating pregnant women for flu helps protect their babies from the disease after birth, is safe and could point the way to other such vaccines, according to Baylor Medical School researchers… Researchers believe flu immunity passed from a mother to child lasts abut four months…”
“Flu Shots Win Couple Trip to Fla.” was the December 17, 1992, headline in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. It told the story of an elderly couple in Rochester, NY, who “…play SHOTTO—a lottery game concocted by Monroe County health officials to entice residents to get their flu shots…Health officials had feared there might be fewer people getting flu shots this year because there was no federal grant to subsidize the program. The county asked $5 this year per shot, but no one was turned away for lack of money.”
The August 13, 1993, issue of MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the Massachusetts Medical Society, had “Final Results: Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration—Selected States, 1988-1992.”
“In 1988, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA and CDC) began a congressionally mandated 4-year demonstration project to evaluate the cost-effectiveness to Medicare of providing influenza vaccine to Medicare beneficiaries… The Medicare Influenza Demonstration increased annual influenza vaccine coverage and measured both health and economic benefits of influenza vaccine for Medicare. The perspective of the payer used in this study was important in securing coverage for this benefit; however, it differs from cost-effectiveness studies of prevention strategies that usually use a societal perspective and include all direct costs, not just those of the payer. In this study, only the costs paid by Medicare were included. Other costs, such as those incurred by patients for travel or by providers for patient’s visits or vaccine administration above the amount paid by Medicare, were not included…The demonstration’s success in vaccine delivery resulted from focused interventions to overcome common barriers to adult vaccination, including the absence of a comprehensive vaccine delivery system, limited reimbursement mechanism, and a lack of vaccination programs where adults congregate. No statutory requirements mandating vaccination of Medicare beneficiaries were necessary to implement this program.”
“19 at Time Get AIDS Test After Flu Shot Needles Are Reused” was the headline in the November 6, 1993, issue of the New York Times. This story was in regards to Time magazine employees who had gotten their flu shots in the workplace. “That method (reusing needles) is not appropriate, according to the CDC… Pamela Howell, a spokeswoman for the centers said the risk of infection was considerably less when injecting someone than when drawing blood.”
“Fearing the Flu” was a short news brief in the January 21, 1996, Syracuse (NY) Herald American. “Experts agree a pandemic is in the cards sometime and will require a huge mobilization to vaccinate the entire U.S. population.”
“The Cold Facts About Flu Vaccines” by Paula Linquist in the November, 1997, issue of Alive magazine (Canada) mentions thimerosal and formaldehyde as vaccine preservatives. The article also talks about common sense actions to prevent the flu, as well as “…a number of homeopathic remedies which have produced excellent results in the treatment of colds and flu…”
”Disease detectives untangle mystery of mutant flu virus” by Bob Williams was a page one article in the News & Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina on May 31, 1999. “The discovery of a hybrid of human and pig viruses in a North Carolina swine herd recently sent scientists scrambling to determine whether the new bug was a threat to people.”
Quoted in the article was Dr. Gene Erickson, director of microbiological testing at the State Department of Agriculture’s animal disease diagnostic lab in Raleigh. “His concern deepened when he learned that some of the sick sows had been specifically immunized for classic swine flu. ‘It started to look like we might have a novel, new strain of swine influenza on our hands.’… Pigs are ideal mixing vessels, because they can pick up viruses from both birds and human. And since viruses are always mutating, pigs can produce viruses that have a mix of genetic traits from both birds and humans. After that, it is possible for a potentially deadly strain of avian influenza virus to make the relatively short genetic hop from pigs to people… By October… lab had figured out that the samples were a “reassorted virus,” a novel strain with traits of both human and swine virus. More specifically, the lab concluded that the virus had originated in humans and jumped to pigs… Dr. Nancy Cox, an influenza researcher at the CDC said “’You have veterinary consequences as well as human consequences of this interspecies transmission.’”
“Military community helps determine flu vaccine recipe” was the Army Times headline for January 17, 2000. In her article, Deborah Funk wrote “…what many don’t know is that information collected from military members and their families around the world helps determine the vaccine’s recipe in any given year. The U.S. military community is not the only population that is monitored to keep tabs on viruses in circulation. But their medical information, like that of many other groups in many different countries, helps global public health authorities complete the picture… the puzzle pieces are fed through a hierarchy of public health networks, ultimately reaching the World Health Organization.
WHO coordinates four international collaborating centers, including the CDC, to help determine ingredients for the flu vaccine, based on virus surveillance. The CDC collects its information from U.S. civilian physicians and military members, and from foreign countries. The viruses are then compared and analyzed. That information is forwarded to both the WHO and the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.”
The November 20, 2000, issue of Army Times headline was “Flu shots suspended in Europe, the Pacific.”
“Shipments of influenza vaccine that arrived in Europe and the Pacific in October may have lost at least some of their potency because the vaccine became colder during shipment than the drug manufacturer recommended… A worker with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the CDC did not have data but that she did not think use of the vaccine posed a safety risk, although the efficacy of the vaccine might have been affected.”
Another theory for the 1918 flu pandemic was printed in Discover magazine, March, 2001, p.11 “The Fifth-Column Epidemic. “…demographer Andrew Noymer of the University of California at Berkeley thinks people are overlooking a second culprit: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the tuberculosis bacterium… Between one quarter and one half of all Americans felled by the flu were already infected with tuberculosis… which helps explain why so many who died were adults. If Noymer is correct, another similarly virulent flu epidemic here would not be so lethal today…”
“Flu shots can cut health costs” was the March 18, 2001, headline of the Richmond (Virginia) Times Dispatch. “Giving flu shots to all 95 million working Americans, ages 18-64 could save the nation as much as $1.3 billion annually” said Dr. Kristin Nichol of the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research at the VA Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. Her research was published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, an American Medical Association publication.
“…even though healthy people tend to recover in a few days, they still log up to 75 million lost workdays and 22 million doctor visits annually, the study said… In 1994, Nichol and her colleagues published a study that said immunizing elderly Americans saves the nation hundreds of millions of dollars annually in health care costs and cuts the death rate by 54%… In her latest study, Nichol used a sophisticated computer model to examine the health, labor and economic statistics from a variety of influenza studies. The model took into account rates of illness from influenza, time lost from work, hourly wages, the costs of vaccinations and other direct and indirect costs…”
The Syracuse (New York) Post Standard of August 3, 2004, had an article by the Associated Press “Mother’s flu linked to schizophrenia.”
“A new study adds more evidence to a body of research that suggests the children of some women who get the flu while pregnant are at higher risk for developing schizophrenia… The researchers emphasized that the overall risks are still ‘quite small.’ (The study appears in August’s Archives of General Psychiatry, lead author Dr. Alan Brown.) “The study involved 189 women--64 of whom had children who developed schizophrenia and 125 whose children did not… Other research has suggested infections other than flu might be involved, including measles and genital herpes during pregnancy, which may adversely affect the developing brain…” Note the article for 2008 below.
2005 was an interesting year regarding reporting for flu vaccines. Here are 3:
February 15, 2005, the Syracuse (NY) Post Standard had an AP article “Study: Flu shots not saving any elderly lives: Researchers advocate shifting focus of vaccination programs to children.”
“A study based on more than three decades of U.S. data suggests that giving flu shots to the elderly has not saved any lives. Led by National Institutes of Health researchers, the study challenges government dogma (paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researcher Lone Simonsen of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases). “The study should influence flu prevention strategy, Simonsen said, perhaps by expanding vaccination to schoolchildren, the biggest spreaders of the virus. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans no change. ‘We think the best way to help the elderly is to vaccinate them,’ said CDC epidemiologist William Thompson. ‘These results don’t contribute to changing vaccine policy.’”
“Universal flu shots urged,” was the headline of USA Today of October 31, 2005, by Anita Manning. “Vaccine experts are considering recommending annual flu vaccine not just for those at highest risk of serious illness, but for everyone.” This was the result of a conference on flu vaccine policy sponsored by Emory University’s Program for Vaccine Policy and Development, Walter Orenstein, director. “The general concern is there is a lot more (illness and death) out there that we don’t seem to be preventing with our current strategy,” Orenstein says.
Apparently, the experts at the conference wanted universal flu vaccination, but the final consensus was that “…it should be a stepwise process, starting with widening flu shot recommendations to include children ages 2 to 5.”
“Vaccines Can’t Stop Flu Mutation” by Candice Choi was the headline for the October 21, 2005, issue of The Journal, Ogdensburg, NY. “Flu vaccines may prove ineffective when scientists fail to anticipate how the virus may mutate… The study conducted by The Institutes of Genome Research with the State Health Department’s Wadsworth Center was published… in the journal Nature and posted on its website. “The 2003-2004 flu season is an example of a year when the flu virus had mutated so that the vaccine was useless…As a result, many people who had been vaccinated ultimately became sick.”
“Infected with Insanity” by Melinda Wenner was the title of an April/May, 2008, article in Scientific American Mind (www.SciAmMind.com). Subtitle: “The evidence is mounting: mental illness might be caused by microbes.”
“According to a growing body of research, the culprit is surprising: the flu… In 2006 scientists at Columbia University asserted that up to one fifth of all schizophrenia cases are caused by prenatal infections… To date, most of the correlations found between infections and psychiatric conditions are just that--correlations. There is no conclusive evidence that infections actually cause these diseases, it could be, for example, that carrying the genes for mental illness makes a person more likely to behave in a way that exposes him or her to a virus… Some studies suggest that infections per se are not responsible for disrupting brain development; rather the body’s immune response to infection affects the nervous system and does the damage… The immune system may inadvertently harm the brain in another way, too--and not only in a fetus. Although current scientific evidence most strongly links mental illness to prenatal infections, many researchers are also investigating the possibility that childhood or even adult infections could cause psychiatric conditions by triggering an autoimmune reaction ... Even the small body of work that now exist could have immediate policy implications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommend that all pregnant women get flu shots--a dangerous proposition if immune response, rather than infection itself, is responsible for harming the fetal brain. ‘I don’t think they have considered this risk. In fact, I know they haven’t considered this risk,’ California Institute of Technology biologist Paul H. Patterson says, referring to the CDC. ‘If you take it seriously and vaccinate everybody, then what’s going to happen?’ Researchers cannot yet predict how often a prenatal immune response might lead to fetal brain damage, but even if it happens less than 1% of the time, vaccinating an entire population of pregnant women could affect thousands of children… Future drugs and vaccines may target the infections directly or go after the immune system, controlling its interference with the developing brain or preventing an autoimmune attack on brain cells.”
The article had a chart, “Connecting the Dots” that said “Recent studies have found links between a huge variety of infections and psychiatric ailments, from both prenatal and postnatal exposures. Here are some of the best-supported correlations: schizophrenia and autism--Lyme disease and measles.” To see the whole chart and read the whole article, I strongly urge you to go to the website (www.SciAmMind.com)
COMMENTARY:
I hope the above gave you an idea of how vaccine promoters work. They want vaccination for all, as was discussed in 2005 articles above (and which I have known and followed for over 20 years), yet they also know they have to go about it in a piece-meal approach. And they have succeeded.
If vaccines can’t stop mutations, then what is happening to our bodies? Could it be that vaccines are causing mutations? After all, our bodies have been pumped with a number of dead and live-virus vaccines over the years. Where is the research that shows the cumulative effect of the mandated vaccines, much less the yearly flu shot? Why then are vaccines still being pushed on us, with more to come? Perhaps the idea to eradicate all diseases and suffering, while admirable, is an insanity and never ending.
Even when evidence, such as with the elderly, shows that the vaccine does not save elderly lives, the CDC is still adamant that, not only the elderly still get vaccinated, but now children—anything to expand the immunization program. We are now caught in the web of “entitlement” and it is virtually impossible for us to extricate ourselves.
It is my hope that the public reaches a tipping point sooner, rather than later, to turn this around. There is still time, but it is running short.
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
As I review my overflowing flu files, I am struck by the revelation of the continuing history of vaccination policy. Some things never change, and that is true in regards to vaccination. The outline for promoting vaccines is here. Notice how vaccine advocates take years grooming and finding “evidence” so that the public will accept vaccines for all age groups. Here are some highlights, and I have again underlined things I think are important for you to notice.
Hippocrates magazine November/December, 1988, “To Get the Shot, or Not?” by Barbara Kelley. “There’s a 50-50 chance that this year’s vaccine will be another mismatch… The natural unpredictability of influenza is the reason flu shots are so often off the mark.”
“If you go without a shot and catch the flu this year, the natural defenses you’ll develop against a future infections will be broader and last longer than the protection any vaccine could provide.” Among experts, one of the more candid is Thomas Cate of the Influenza Research Center at Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine. ‘If your health is such that flu represents a nuisance, not a life-threatening illness,’ Cate says, ‘you’re probably better off getting sick now and being over with it for the next several years than trying to get the vaccine every year.’”
“Flu Vaccine Can Protect Unborn Babies” was the October 25, 1990, article in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. ”Vaccinating pregnant women for flu helps protect their babies from the disease after birth, is safe and could point the way to other such vaccines, according to Baylor Medical School researchers… Researchers believe flu immunity passed from a mother to child lasts abut four months…”
“Flu Shots Win Couple Trip to Fla.” was the December 17, 1992, headline in the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. It told the story of an elderly couple in Rochester, NY, who “…play SHOTTO—a lottery game concocted by Monroe County health officials to entice residents to get their flu shots…Health officials had feared there might be fewer people getting flu shots this year because there was no federal grant to subsidize the program. The county asked $5 this year per shot, but no one was turned away for lack of money.”
The August 13, 1993, issue of MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the Massachusetts Medical Society, had “Final Results: Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration—Selected States, 1988-1992.”
“In 1988, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA and CDC) began a congressionally mandated 4-year demonstration project to evaluate the cost-effectiveness to Medicare of providing influenza vaccine to Medicare beneficiaries… The Medicare Influenza Demonstration increased annual influenza vaccine coverage and measured both health and economic benefits of influenza vaccine for Medicare. The perspective of the payer used in this study was important in securing coverage for this benefit; however, it differs from cost-effectiveness studies of prevention strategies that usually use a societal perspective and include all direct costs, not just those of the payer. In this study, only the costs paid by Medicare were included. Other costs, such as those incurred by patients for travel or by providers for patient’s visits or vaccine administration above the amount paid by Medicare, were not included…The demonstration’s success in vaccine delivery resulted from focused interventions to overcome common barriers to adult vaccination, including the absence of a comprehensive vaccine delivery system, limited reimbursement mechanism, and a lack of vaccination programs where adults congregate. No statutory requirements mandating vaccination of Medicare beneficiaries were necessary to implement this program.”
“19 at Time Get AIDS Test After Flu Shot Needles Are Reused” was the headline in the November 6, 1993, issue of the New York Times. This story was in regards to Time magazine employees who had gotten their flu shots in the workplace. “That method (reusing needles) is not appropriate, according to the CDC… Pamela Howell, a spokeswoman for the centers said the risk of infection was considerably less when injecting someone than when drawing blood.”
“Fearing the Flu” was a short news brief in the January 21, 1996, Syracuse (NY) Herald American. “Experts agree a pandemic is in the cards sometime and will require a huge mobilization to vaccinate the entire U.S. population.”
“The Cold Facts About Flu Vaccines” by Paula Linquist in the November, 1997, issue of Alive magazine (Canada) mentions thimerosal and formaldehyde as vaccine preservatives. The article also talks about common sense actions to prevent the flu, as well as “…a number of homeopathic remedies which have produced excellent results in the treatment of colds and flu…”
”Disease detectives untangle mystery of mutant flu virus” by Bob Williams was a page one article in the News & Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina on May 31, 1999. “The discovery of a hybrid of human and pig viruses in a North Carolina swine herd recently sent scientists scrambling to determine whether the new bug was a threat to people.”
Quoted in the article was Dr. Gene Erickson, director of microbiological testing at the State Department of Agriculture’s animal disease diagnostic lab in Raleigh. “His concern deepened when he learned that some of the sick sows had been specifically immunized for classic swine flu. ‘It started to look like we might have a novel, new strain of swine influenza on our hands.’… Pigs are ideal mixing vessels, because they can pick up viruses from both birds and human. And since viruses are always mutating, pigs can produce viruses that have a mix of genetic traits from both birds and humans. After that, it is possible for a potentially deadly strain of avian influenza virus to make the relatively short genetic hop from pigs to people… By October… lab had figured out that the samples were a “reassorted virus,” a novel strain with traits of both human and swine virus. More specifically, the lab concluded that the virus had originated in humans and jumped to pigs… Dr. Nancy Cox, an influenza researcher at the CDC said “’You have veterinary consequences as well as human consequences of this interspecies transmission.’”
“Military community helps determine flu vaccine recipe” was the Army Times headline for January 17, 2000. In her article, Deborah Funk wrote “…what many don’t know is that information collected from military members and their families around the world helps determine the vaccine’s recipe in any given year. The U.S. military community is not the only population that is monitored to keep tabs on viruses in circulation. But their medical information, like that of many other groups in many different countries, helps global public health authorities complete the picture… the puzzle pieces are fed through a hierarchy of public health networks, ultimately reaching the World Health Organization.
WHO coordinates four international collaborating centers, including the CDC, to help determine ingredients for the flu vaccine, based on virus surveillance. The CDC collects its information from U.S. civilian physicians and military members, and from foreign countries. The viruses are then compared and analyzed. That information is forwarded to both the WHO and the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.”
The November 20, 2000, issue of Army Times headline was “Flu shots suspended in Europe, the Pacific.”
“Shipments of influenza vaccine that arrived in Europe and the Pacific in October may have lost at least some of their potency because the vaccine became colder during shipment than the drug manufacturer recommended… A worker with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the CDC did not have data but that she did not think use of the vaccine posed a safety risk, although the efficacy of the vaccine might have been affected.”
Another theory for the 1918 flu pandemic was printed in Discover magazine, March, 2001, p.11 “The Fifth-Column Epidemic. “…demographer Andrew Noymer of the University of California at Berkeley thinks people are overlooking a second culprit: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the tuberculosis bacterium… Between one quarter and one half of all Americans felled by the flu were already infected with tuberculosis… which helps explain why so many who died were adults. If Noymer is correct, another similarly virulent flu epidemic here would not be so lethal today…”
“Flu shots can cut health costs” was the March 18, 2001, headline of the Richmond (Virginia) Times Dispatch. “Giving flu shots to all 95 million working Americans, ages 18-64 could save the nation as much as $1.3 billion annually” said Dr. Kristin Nichol of the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research at the VA Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota. Her research was published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, an American Medical Association publication.
“…even though healthy people tend to recover in a few days, they still log up to 75 million lost workdays and 22 million doctor visits annually, the study said… In 1994, Nichol and her colleagues published a study that said immunizing elderly Americans saves the nation hundreds of millions of dollars annually in health care costs and cuts the death rate by 54%… In her latest study, Nichol used a sophisticated computer model to examine the health, labor and economic statistics from a variety of influenza studies. The model took into account rates of illness from influenza, time lost from work, hourly wages, the costs of vaccinations and other direct and indirect costs…”
The Syracuse (New York) Post Standard of August 3, 2004, had an article by the Associated Press “Mother’s flu linked to schizophrenia.”
“A new study adds more evidence to a body of research that suggests the children of some women who get the flu while pregnant are at higher risk for developing schizophrenia… The researchers emphasized that the overall risks are still ‘quite small.’ (The study appears in August’s Archives of General Psychiatry, lead author Dr. Alan Brown.) “The study involved 189 women--64 of whom had children who developed schizophrenia and 125 whose children did not… Other research has suggested infections other than flu might be involved, including measles and genital herpes during pregnancy, which may adversely affect the developing brain…” Note the article for 2008 below.
2005 was an interesting year regarding reporting for flu vaccines. Here are 3:
February 15, 2005, the Syracuse (NY) Post Standard had an AP article “Study: Flu shots not saving any elderly lives: Researchers advocate shifting focus of vaccination programs to children.”
“A study based on more than three decades of U.S. data suggests that giving flu shots to the elderly has not saved any lives. Led by National Institutes of Health researchers, the study challenges government dogma (paper published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researcher Lone Simonsen of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases). “The study should influence flu prevention strategy, Simonsen said, perhaps by expanding vaccination to schoolchildren, the biggest spreaders of the virus. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans no change. ‘We think the best way to help the elderly is to vaccinate them,’ said CDC epidemiologist William Thompson. ‘These results don’t contribute to changing vaccine policy.’”
“Universal flu shots urged,” was the headline of USA Today of October 31, 2005, by Anita Manning. “Vaccine experts are considering recommending annual flu vaccine not just for those at highest risk of serious illness, but for everyone.” This was the result of a conference on flu vaccine policy sponsored by Emory University’s Program for Vaccine Policy and Development, Walter Orenstein, director. “The general concern is there is a lot more (illness and death) out there that we don’t seem to be preventing with our current strategy,” Orenstein says.
Apparently, the experts at the conference wanted universal flu vaccination, but the final consensus was that “…it should be a stepwise process, starting with widening flu shot recommendations to include children ages 2 to 5.”
“Vaccines Can’t Stop Flu Mutation” by Candice Choi was the headline for the October 21, 2005, issue of The Journal, Ogdensburg, NY. “Flu vaccines may prove ineffective when scientists fail to anticipate how the virus may mutate… The study conducted by The Institutes of Genome Research with the State Health Department’s Wadsworth Center was published… in the journal Nature and posted on its website. “The 2003-2004 flu season is an example of a year when the flu virus had mutated so that the vaccine was useless…As a result, many people who had been vaccinated ultimately became sick.”
“Infected with Insanity” by Melinda Wenner was the title of an April/May, 2008, article in Scientific American Mind (www.SciAmMind.com). Subtitle: “The evidence is mounting: mental illness might be caused by microbes.”
“According to a growing body of research, the culprit is surprising: the flu… In 2006 scientists at Columbia University asserted that up to one fifth of all schizophrenia cases are caused by prenatal infections… To date, most of the correlations found between infections and psychiatric conditions are just that--correlations. There is no conclusive evidence that infections actually cause these diseases, it could be, for example, that carrying the genes for mental illness makes a person more likely to behave in a way that exposes him or her to a virus… Some studies suggest that infections per se are not responsible for disrupting brain development; rather the body’s immune response to infection affects the nervous system and does the damage… The immune system may inadvertently harm the brain in another way, too--and not only in a fetus. Although current scientific evidence most strongly links mental illness to prenatal infections, many researchers are also investigating the possibility that childhood or even adult infections could cause psychiatric conditions by triggering an autoimmune reaction ... Even the small body of work that now exist could have immediate policy implications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommend that all pregnant women get flu shots--a dangerous proposition if immune response, rather than infection itself, is responsible for harming the fetal brain. ‘I don’t think they have considered this risk. In fact, I know they haven’t considered this risk,’ California Institute of Technology biologist Paul H. Patterson says, referring to the CDC. ‘If you take it seriously and vaccinate everybody, then what’s going to happen?’ Researchers cannot yet predict how often a prenatal immune response might lead to fetal brain damage, but even if it happens less than 1% of the time, vaccinating an entire population of pregnant women could affect thousands of children… Future drugs and vaccines may target the infections directly or go after the immune system, controlling its interference with the developing brain or preventing an autoimmune attack on brain cells.”
The article had a chart, “Connecting the Dots” that said “Recent studies have found links between a huge variety of infections and psychiatric ailments, from both prenatal and postnatal exposures. Here are some of the best-supported correlations: schizophrenia and autism--Lyme disease and measles.” To see the whole chart and read the whole article, I strongly urge you to go to the website (www.SciAmMind.com)
COMMENTARY:
I hope the above gave you an idea of how vaccine promoters work. They want vaccination for all, as was discussed in 2005 articles above (and which I have known and followed for over 20 years), yet they also know they have to go about it in a piece-meal approach. And they have succeeded.
If vaccines can’t stop mutations, then what is happening to our bodies? Could it be that vaccines are causing mutations? After all, our bodies have been pumped with a number of dead and live-virus vaccines over the years. Where is the research that shows the cumulative effect of the mandated vaccines, much less the yearly flu shot? Why then are vaccines still being pushed on us, with more to come? Perhaps the idea to eradicate all diseases and suffering, while admirable, is an insanity and never ending.
Even when evidence, such as with the elderly, shows that the vaccine does not save elderly lives, the CDC is still adamant that, not only the elderly still get vaccinated, but now children—anything to expand the immunization program. We are now caught in the web of “entitlement” and it is virtually impossible for us to extricate ourselves.
It is my hope that the public reaches a tipping point sooner, rather than later, to turn this around. There is still time, but it is running short.
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
Monday, September 14, 2009
Natural Flu Prevention and Treatment
Dear Friends,
As you are well aware, when it comes to the flu – pandemic or not – the advice given is to get the flu shot, or since 2003, the nasal mist vaccine, “FluMist” (influenza virus vaccine, Live, Intranasal). (You might want to be careful in the pharmacies, or places such as Wal-Mart, when they do this, for the droplets spread and might spread the flu to you – BPF.) However, below are some articles regarding natural and alternative choices you might want to use for you and your child that you are not hearing about in the mainstream media.
Dr. James Balch’s October, 2000, newsletter “Prescriptions for Healthy Living: Alternative Choices for Health & Longevity” had an article “Boost Immune Power NOW to Prevent Winter Colds and the Flu.” In it he stated “Why I Don’t Recommend Flu Shots – Believe it or not, the chemicals in flu vaccines – as a matter of fact, all vaccines – actually depress your immune system… And if your immune system is weakened by age, poor nutrition, or chronic illness, injecting a live virus into your body via a flu shot may backfire – even healthy folks report coming down with the flu after receiving the shot! If you suffer from a chronic illness, check with your doctor before deciding to forego the shot. But remember that the best and safest defense against the flu is a hale and hearty immune system.”
Dr. Balch’s suggestions were:
Vitamin C – ”You can take up to 2,000 mg of vitamin C every 1-2 hours. The only side effect you may have at high doses like this is loose stools. If this happens, just decrease the dose and symptoms will quickly disappear. The minimum dose is 1,000 mg. 3-6 times a day.”
Vitamin A, Zinc and Herbal Immune-Boosters, such as garlic, Echinacea, licorice, astragalus, goldenseal, elderberry, ginger, and yarrow.
The Nassau Guardian in the Bahamas of December 31, 2001, had a feature called “Nutritionist’s Corner” written by Betty Adderley. “Anti-flu battle plan” was her topic, and she recommended garlic & thyme (“Research shows that these two commodities work best when blended together”); A-beta-care, “a powerful antioxidant formula high in selenium, E and beta-carotene”; absorbent C; bee propolis “It is ideal for the flu, asthma and sinus conditions. Unlike regular prescribed antibiotics that can only be taken for limited periods, propolis can be taken daily without any side effects”; “Forever Kids” vitamins for kids and adults; and aloe liquid soap.
Of course, we are concerned with what to give our children, and in “Naturally Healthy,” a newsletter from Osteomed II (www.osteomed.com), Winter, 2002, Dr. Cheryl Leuthaeuser has “…Favorites for Immune Support: Sambucol for Kids (black Elderberry Juice… Can be used for 6-8 weeks at a time in children as young as 12 months… Try mixing a little Aloe Vera Juice in your child’s breakfast drink. This product works well as an anti-inflammatory and healing agent. Echinacea is an herb that is used in acute infections… Try these kids favorites: Rhino Chewy C with Echinacea or their ice pops or lolly pops.”
“Your Child Has the Flu: What’s a Mother to Do?” was the January/February, 2005 article in MOTHERING magazine by Lauren Feder, MD. This was a very comprehensive article that listed homeopathic remedies (such as Dolivaxil Influenzinum 2004-2005) “... that has been used in Europe for years during the flu season. Each year, the World Health Organization predicts which flu viruses are most likely to infect humans and cause flu symptoms. Based on this information, the homeopathic solution is reformulated each year…” The author goes on to list other homeopathic remedies, dietary guidelines, nutritional supplements, herbal treatments, Bach flower remedies from Smart Medicine for A Healthier Child, by Janet Zand, ND, et al and gemmotherapy (herbal remedies).
“Fighting avian flu: Homeopathy and alternative remedies” by Bill Strubbe in the October, 2006, issue of Alive magazine, Canada. This article starts out with a research statement that “…the breeding place for major flu viruses is in the intestines of wild ducks... If the breeding place for avian flu is found in the guts of wild ducks, it makes sense that the homeopathic remedies are found there too… In anticipation of a possible avian flu pandemic, in November, 2005, about 150 homeopaths gathered in Paris to collaborate on strategies. Among the concrete actions to emerge from the conference were the creation of an Internet site for homeopaths to exchange breaking information about homeopathic treatments of the avian flu and the formation of a scientific committee with representatives from the various international homeopathic organizations to implement proposed studies and trials… 'We also have a website for public information (see ontariohomeopath.com)' stated Andrea Groff from the Ontario Homeopathic Association.”
“In addition to homeopathy, other preventive measures can be taken… echinacea and osha root… as a preventive dose, one dropper twice a day for several days; if sick, one dropper every half hour for the first 3-4 hours to saturate the system, then ease back to 4-6 droppers daily… An extract of elderberries is another supplement scientifically proven to thwart the flu... Don’t forget the old immune-boosting standby, vitamin C. Experts such as Linus Pauling suggest that the first sign of flu, you should begin taking vitamin C orally, between 1,000 and 4,000 mg. per hour until the bowels become loose. Once “bowel tolerance” is reached, maintain or slightly decrease the dose until the bowels normalize… It has been shown that when the proper pH is maintained (slightly alkaline), the body is less susceptible to communicable diseases.”
“To ward off illness it’s crucial to eliminate acidic foods such as sugars, coffee, greasy foods, hydrogenated fats, dairy, and carbonated drinks,” says Nathalie Babazadeh, licensed acupuncturist. “’Boost the immune system by exercising, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and eating properly, which means lots of greens, whole grains, and enough easily-digested protein to help build antibodies.’” Because antiviral vaccines may not be effective against resistant strains of the avian flu virus, your best medicine is, as always, preventive medicine.”
“Treating Seasonal or Pandemic Flu at Home” the Individual and Family Handbook published in 2007 by Channing Bete Company (www.channing-bete.com, item number PS91517) is a very helpful compilation of basics, infection control and patient care steps to take for yourself and your family.
“Blood could be key to defeating bird flu: Useful antibodies isolated in survivors” is the article of USA Today, May 30, 2007, by Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press. It states, “Scientists have long suspected that culling immune-system molecules from survivors could provide a new therapy for the hard-to-treat H5N1 flu strain… This approach is called “passive immunotherapy,” and more crude forms of the approach have long been used to protect against certain viruses. Before hepatitis A vaccines, for example, anti-body-containing shots were common for tourists heading to developing countries (also hepatitis B)… And during the 1918 flu pandemic, the worst in history, doctors sometimes transfused blood directly from survivors to the newly sick, sometimes with good results… More work is needed before trying these purified antibodies in people. It’s standard to test flu vaccines and treatments in ferrets, which respond to influenza more like people do… Then the antibodies would need testing in healthy people, to see if they are safe.”
Tone magazine from Ottawa, Canada of December, 2007, had an article “Acupuncture fights colds and flu.” This article states, “It is advisable to come for acupuncture once or twice a month during cold and flu season to help strengthen your immune system and keep you healthy.”
The February 27, 2008, issue of The Press, Atlantic City, New Jersey, had a small article in the “Industry Spotlight” section, “Not bugged by the flu.” It went on to say “This might be the worst flu season in four years, but not everyone is suffering. Sales related to the flu will boost first-quarter profit for several companies… Prescriptions for Tamiflu are climbing. That’s good news for Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Roche Holding, which jointly developed the drug… Older patients sick with the flu are likely to contribute to higher hospital visits… Retail pharmacies… are likely to see higher sales of everything from prescription drugs to over-the-counter cough syrups. Strong February sales figures from the companies could boost shares, the analysts write.”
April, 2009, “Swine Flu Travel Health Alert Notice” from the CDC tells how to prevent the spread of swine flu: “ …when you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve (if you do not have a tissue). Throw used tissues in a trash can. After you cough or sneeze, wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand gel. Do not go to work, school, or travel while ill.
“Get Ready for H1N1” is an article by A.W. Martin, DC, Ph.D from Healthy Directions, August/Sept., 2009, Canada (www.HealthyDirections.ca). Suggestions are: “Do a broad spectrum probiotic treatment for 30 days… Maintain an alkaline Ph… The best alkaline foods are fruits and vegetables… Increasing the fiber intake really helps one to become alkaline… Oil of oregano is anti-fungal, anti-viral, natural antibiotic… Take several drops a day, or spray your tooth brush two times a day and brush your gums vigorously for maximum absorption… Vitamin D3… in the fall, one should take 2000 I.U. a day…”
The July, 2009, issue of Alive magazine, Canada, had an article by Stuart Harris “SARS, bird flu, swine flu…: What should you do?”: It suggests, “Along with eating right, drinking plenty of water, and exercising daily, we can prepare for the next contagious bug by taking proven immune-boosting supplements. Check with your natural health practitioner…”
The following is a list of recommendations: “Multivitamin & mineral, esp. B vitamins… Echinacea… it should be taken at the first sign of illness but for no longer than 3 weeks… Vitamin E… supplement with up to 200 IU daily… Vitamin C… Since the body does not manufacture this vitamin on its own, take up to 2,000 mg a day… Zinc… take up to 50 mg daily… Oregano oil… is taken orally for up to 21 days at a time… Coenzyme Q10… take up to 200mg daily… L-glutathione… take up to 50 mg per day… Selenium… take up to 200 mcg daily… Probiotics… choose a daily supplement with up to 10 billion active cultures.”
COMMENTARY:
I urge you to check out health food stores for alternatives and alternative health practitioners for more specific guidelines, especially for use in children for some caution is needed. Even if you or your children get the flu vaccines, remember what Dr. Balch stated above. I think it is a good account of why some people still get the flu or get sick after getting vaccinated – namely, vaccines depress your immune system and, ironically, make you vulnerable to whatever may be going around. However, I think the editorial of the July 10, 2009, issue of Ottawa South EMC Community Newspaper says it best: “Panicking is not the best solution… Panicking is no way to deal with the matter, but rather common sense and good hygiene will help the most in the long run.” Perhaps, some of the above suggestions will help you to be confident and not panic.
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
As you are well aware, when it comes to the flu – pandemic or not – the advice given is to get the flu shot, or since 2003, the nasal mist vaccine, “FluMist” (influenza virus vaccine, Live, Intranasal). (You might want to be careful in the pharmacies, or places such as Wal-Mart, when they do this, for the droplets spread and might spread the flu to you – BPF.) However, below are some articles regarding natural and alternative choices you might want to use for you and your child that you are not hearing about in the mainstream media.
Dr. James Balch’s October, 2000, newsletter “Prescriptions for Healthy Living: Alternative Choices for Health & Longevity” had an article “Boost Immune Power NOW to Prevent Winter Colds and the Flu.” In it he stated “Why I Don’t Recommend Flu Shots – Believe it or not, the chemicals in flu vaccines – as a matter of fact, all vaccines – actually depress your immune system… And if your immune system is weakened by age, poor nutrition, or chronic illness, injecting a live virus into your body via a flu shot may backfire – even healthy folks report coming down with the flu after receiving the shot! If you suffer from a chronic illness, check with your doctor before deciding to forego the shot. But remember that the best and safest defense against the flu is a hale and hearty immune system.”
Dr. Balch’s suggestions were:
Vitamin C – ”You can take up to 2,000 mg of vitamin C every 1-2 hours. The only side effect you may have at high doses like this is loose stools. If this happens, just decrease the dose and symptoms will quickly disappear. The minimum dose is 1,000 mg. 3-6 times a day.”
Vitamin A, Zinc and Herbal Immune-Boosters, such as garlic, Echinacea, licorice, astragalus, goldenseal, elderberry, ginger, and yarrow.
The Nassau Guardian in the Bahamas of December 31, 2001, had a feature called “Nutritionist’s Corner” written by Betty Adderley. “Anti-flu battle plan” was her topic, and she recommended garlic & thyme (“Research shows that these two commodities work best when blended together”); A-beta-care, “a powerful antioxidant formula high in selenium, E and beta-carotene”; absorbent C; bee propolis “It is ideal for the flu, asthma and sinus conditions. Unlike regular prescribed antibiotics that can only be taken for limited periods, propolis can be taken daily without any side effects”; “Forever Kids” vitamins for kids and adults; and aloe liquid soap.
Of course, we are concerned with what to give our children, and in “Naturally Healthy,” a newsletter from Osteomed II (www.osteomed.com), Winter, 2002, Dr. Cheryl Leuthaeuser has “…Favorites for Immune Support: Sambucol for Kids (black Elderberry Juice… Can be used for 6-8 weeks at a time in children as young as 12 months… Try mixing a little Aloe Vera Juice in your child’s breakfast drink. This product works well as an anti-inflammatory and healing agent. Echinacea is an herb that is used in acute infections… Try these kids favorites: Rhino Chewy C with Echinacea or their ice pops or lolly pops.”
“Your Child Has the Flu: What’s a Mother to Do?” was the January/February, 2005 article in MOTHERING magazine by Lauren Feder, MD. This was a very comprehensive article that listed homeopathic remedies (such as Dolivaxil Influenzinum 2004-2005) “... that has been used in Europe for years during the flu season. Each year, the World Health Organization predicts which flu viruses are most likely to infect humans and cause flu symptoms. Based on this information, the homeopathic solution is reformulated each year…” The author goes on to list other homeopathic remedies, dietary guidelines, nutritional supplements, herbal treatments, Bach flower remedies from Smart Medicine for A Healthier Child, by Janet Zand, ND, et al and gemmotherapy (herbal remedies).
“Fighting avian flu: Homeopathy and alternative remedies” by Bill Strubbe in the October, 2006, issue of Alive magazine, Canada. This article starts out with a research statement that “…the breeding place for major flu viruses is in the intestines of wild ducks... If the breeding place for avian flu is found in the guts of wild ducks, it makes sense that the homeopathic remedies are found there too… In anticipation of a possible avian flu pandemic, in November, 2005, about 150 homeopaths gathered in Paris to collaborate on strategies. Among the concrete actions to emerge from the conference were the creation of an Internet site for homeopaths to exchange breaking information about homeopathic treatments of the avian flu and the formation of a scientific committee with representatives from the various international homeopathic organizations to implement proposed studies and trials… 'We also have a website for public information (see ontariohomeopath.com)' stated Andrea Groff from the Ontario Homeopathic Association.”
“In addition to homeopathy, other preventive measures can be taken… echinacea and osha root… as a preventive dose, one dropper twice a day for several days; if sick, one dropper every half hour for the first 3-4 hours to saturate the system, then ease back to 4-6 droppers daily… An extract of elderberries is another supplement scientifically proven to thwart the flu... Don’t forget the old immune-boosting standby, vitamin C. Experts such as Linus Pauling suggest that the first sign of flu, you should begin taking vitamin C orally, between 1,000 and 4,000 mg. per hour until the bowels become loose. Once “bowel tolerance” is reached, maintain or slightly decrease the dose until the bowels normalize… It has been shown that when the proper pH is maintained (slightly alkaline), the body is less susceptible to communicable diseases.”
“To ward off illness it’s crucial to eliminate acidic foods such as sugars, coffee, greasy foods, hydrogenated fats, dairy, and carbonated drinks,” says Nathalie Babazadeh, licensed acupuncturist. “’Boost the immune system by exercising, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and eating properly, which means lots of greens, whole grains, and enough easily-digested protein to help build antibodies.’” Because antiviral vaccines may not be effective against resistant strains of the avian flu virus, your best medicine is, as always, preventive medicine.”
“Treating Seasonal or Pandemic Flu at Home” the Individual and Family Handbook published in 2007 by Channing Bete Company (www.channing-bete.com, item number PS91517) is a very helpful compilation of basics, infection control and patient care steps to take for yourself and your family.
“Blood could be key to defeating bird flu: Useful antibodies isolated in survivors” is the article of USA Today, May 30, 2007, by Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press. It states, “Scientists have long suspected that culling immune-system molecules from survivors could provide a new therapy for the hard-to-treat H5N1 flu strain… This approach is called “passive immunotherapy,” and more crude forms of the approach have long been used to protect against certain viruses. Before hepatitis A vaccines, for example, anti-body-containing shots were common for tourists heading to developing countries (also hepatitis B)… And during the 1918 flu pandemic, the worst in history, doctors sometimes transfused blood directly from survivors to the newly sick, sometimes with good results… More work is needed before trying these purified antibodies in people. It’s standard to test flu vaccines and treatments in ferrets, which respond to influenza more like people do… Then the antibodies would need testing in healthy people, to see if they are safe.”
Tone magazine from Ottawa, Canada of December, 2007, had an article “Acupuncture fights colds and flu.” This article states, “It is advisable to come for acupuncture once or twice a month during cold and flu season to help strengthen your immune system and keep you healthy.”
The February 27, 2008, issue of The Press, Atlantic City, New Jersey, had a small article in the “Industry Spotlight” section, “Not bugged by the flu.” It went on to say “This might be the worst flu season in four years, but not everyone is suffering. Sales related to the flu will boost first-quarter profit for several companies… Prescriptions for Tamiflu are climbing. That’s good news for Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Roche Holding, which jointly developed the drug… Older patients sick with the flu are likely to contribute to higher hospital visits… Retail pharmacies… are likely to see higher sales of everything from prescription drugs to over-the-counter cough syrups. Strong February sales figures from the companies could boost shares, the analysts write.”
April, 2009, “Swine Flu Travel Health Alert Notice” from the CDC tells how to prevent the spread of swine flu: “ …when you cough or sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve (if you do not have a tissue). Throw used tissues in a trash can. After you cough or sneeze, wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand gel. Do not go to work, school, or travel while ill.
“Get Ready for H1N1” is an article by A.W. Martin, DC, Ph.D from Healthy Directions, August/Sept., 2009, Canada (www.HealthyDirections.ca). Suggestions are: “Do a broad spectrum probiotic treatment for 30 days… Maintain an alkaline Ph… The best alkaline foods are fruits and vegetables… Increasing the fiber intake really helps one to become alkaline… Oil of oregano is anti-fungal, anti-viral, natural antibiotic… Take several drops a day, or spray your tooth brush two times a day and brush your gums vigorously for maximum absorption… Vitamin D3… in the fall, one should take 2000 I.U. a day…”
The July, 2009, issue of Alive magazine, Canada, had an article by Stuart Harris “SARS, bird flu, swine flu…: What should you do?”: It suggests, “Along with eating right, drinking plenty of water, and exercising daily, we can prepare for the next contagious bug by taking proven immune-boosting supplements. Check with your natural health practitioner…”
The following is a list of recommendations: “Multivitamin & mineral, esp. B vitamins… Echinacea… it should be taken at the first sign of illness but for no longer than 3 weeks… Vitamin E… supplement with up to 200 IU daily… Vitamin C… Since the body does not manufacture this vitamin on its own, take up to 2,000 mg a day… Zinc… take up to 50 mg daily… Oregano oil… is taken orally for up to 21 days at a time… Coenzyme Q10… take up to 200mg daily… L-glutathione… take up to 50 mg per day… Selenium… take up to 200 mcg daily… Probiotics… choose a daily supplement with up to 10 billion active cultures.”
COMMENTARY:
I urge you to check out health food stores for alternatives and alternative health practitioners for more specific guidelines, especially for use in children for some caution is needed. Even if you or your children get the flu vaccines, remember what Dr. Balch stated above. I think it is a good account of why some people still get the flu or get sick after getting vaccinated – namely, vaccines depress your immune system and, ironically, make you vulnerable to whatever may be going around. However, I think the editorial of the July 10, 2009, issue of Ottawa South EMC Community Newspaper says it best: “Panicking is not the best solution… Panicking is no way to deal with the matter, but rather common sense and good hygiene will help the most in the long run.” Perhaps, some of the above suggestions will help you to be confident and not panic.
Bonnie Plumeri Franz
Monday, September 7, 2009
Lyme Disease
Dear Friends,
Summer brings people to enjoy more of the outdoors, and thus exposes many of us to Lyme Disease. In reviewing my files, I thought the following information needed to be circulated:
“…it wasn’t until 1976 that the American public first heard the term 'Lyme disease' in connection with numerous reported cases of illnesses after tick bites in the community of Lyme, Connecticut… tick-born illnesses or infested tick populations have been reported in nearly every state… If left untreated, the disease can progress to a more chronic stage (sometimes even several months later)… Standard medical treatment is with antibiotic therapy which is not always entirely effective and may cause spirochete die-off discomfort during the first few days. Antibiotics often cause secondary yeast infections as a side effect, so physicians and nutritionists often recommend the use of acidophilus supplements. It is imperative that antibiotic therapy be used due to the seriousness of the disease…” (from Herbal Insights Reflections, Summer, 1996, edition of Herbal Insights, Boulder, CO).
However, there are possible herbal preventives for landscaping and gardening and some herbs that may help the symptoms of Lyme disease. They are listed in the Handbook of Plants with Pest-Control Properties, also from Herbal Insights Reflections, undated.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) began surveilling Lyme Disease in 1982, and it became a nationally notifiable disease in January, 1991. In 1999, there were 16,273 cases reported. “The large number of reported LD cases during June and July reflects the seasonal peak…” (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 16, 2001, Vol. 50, No. 10).
In The New England Journal of Medicine, May 13,1993, some doctors wrote “… prevention of Lyme disease is desirable, it does not follow that prevention should be pursued regardless of the costs. Decisions about treatment must balance the benefits against the risks and monetary costs of specific strategies.”
“Health Check,” a column by Dr. Bob Arnot in Good Housekeeping, June, 1995, was devoted to “The Lowdown on Lyme Disease.” As with many diseases (as well as adverse vaccine reactions), he stated “Many people claim that the true incidence is even higher because many cases go unreported while others are missed. But some doctors believe that patients are being diagnosed with LD when they’re really suffering from something else.” “Much of the problem (of diagnosis) has to do with LD’s confusing array of symptoms. The clearest sign, the appearance of a bull’s-eye-shaped rash within weeks of a tick bite, is missing in up to 40% of cases… Although these are commonly called “deer ticks,” they can also be found on mice, raccoons, and other animals… A dog or cat who spends any time outdoors can be very susceptible to LD.” He then gives recommendations from a New York City veterinarian: Use special insecticides on your property (Daminix). Apply flea and tick formulas to your pet’s fur or a combination of garlic and brewer’s yeast added to the animal’s food daily. Scrupulously check your pet for ticks. They, too, can have the bull’s-eye-shaped rash and be treated with oral antibiotics.
As with almost any disease, the search becomes one for a vaccine. That was also the case for Lyme Disease. In 1993 clinical trials were underway. In the November 21, 1993, issue of The New York Times, Dr. Peter Krause, a scientist from the University of Connecticut, told an audience, “The best approach to this disease is prevention, and the best way to do that is with a vaccine.” Scientists are optimistic that this vaccine will help reclaim the wilderness for human use in the many parts of the country where fear of Lyme has kept residents indoors during the tick season.”
In the February 1, 1999, issue of Health News, the editors state “Even as the FDA approved the vaccine, the agency said that Lyme vaccination is not a simple process, and it doesn’t completely protect against Lyme disease… The vaccine is most effective only after 3 shots… Three shots provided about 80% protection… Only healthy people aged 15 to 70 participated, so the vaccine isn’t approved for anyone younger than 15 or older than 70, or for anyone with rheumatoid arthritis or certain heart conditions…”
Lyme expert, Dr. David Volkman from SUNY Stony Brook, stated:
"Vaccines are an extremely important tool for protecting against infectious diseases, and Lyme vaccination is no exception. Several other vaccines to prevent Lyme Disease are being developed and may eventually make human infection quite rare. The new vaccine is a promising step in that direction. But for now, vaccination against Lyme disease doesn’t make sense for most people. Although studies have shown that the vaccine can prevent Lyme disease in a majority of cases, there are several reasons you many not need or want to be vaccinated:
1) The Lyme vaccine involves more shots than most other vaccines. The timing of the 3 shots is also important…
2) We don’t yet know how long those 3 shots provide protection. It’s likely that the vaccine’s effects will wane, and that you’ll need booster shots in the second and third years after the initial series of shots to maintain immunity indefinitely. Moreover, we don’t know the long-term effects of repeated doses of the Lyme vaccine.” [sound familiar??!!]
3) The vaccine may not be safe for people at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis…
4) Being vaccinated may give you a false sense of security. Even after you’ve had all three shots, you still need to take the normal precautions against Lyme disease because the vaccine isn’t 100% effective…
5) Only people aged 15 to 70 participated in the clinical trials on which FDA approval was based, so we don’t know if it works (and it isn’t approved) for anyone younger or older. Unfortunately, almost a quarter of the people infected are children…
6) Being educated to recognize Lyme disease is far better protection than the vaccine, and it is important even if you are vaccinated…
"Because it’s usually recognized and treated early enough to avoid any long-term problems, and because there are so many unknowns about the new vaccine, I recommend that most people think twice before being vaccinated." (Reported in Health News, February 1, 1999)
Dr. Volkman then goes on to say who should be vaccinated—those who spend a lot of time outdoors, landscape and utility workers in high-risk areas. If you live in or visit such areas, but aren’t outdoors a lot, he suggests talking with your doctor. However, “…You’ll still have to be vigilant about your children who are at greatest risk for infection but can’t yet be vaccinated. And remember that even if you are vaccinated, you need to take the same precautions as always.”
The March 26, 1999, issue of The Medical Letter (New Rochelle, NY) told of the first human vaccine for prevention of Lyme Disease was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients 15-70: “The highest incidence is in people who live, work or walk in grassy or wooded areas… Untreated, symptoms may last for weeks to months… A single treatment with antibiotics cures 90% or more of patients with early disease. The Lyme vaccine is made from a recombinant outer surface protein… A 20-month double-blind, randomized trial in about 11,000 people 15 to 70 years old... 3 injections were 100% effective in preventing asymptomatic infection… Antibody levels, which rose with vaccination, by 8 months after the 3rd injection had fallen to near the lower limit of protective levels… the tick season usually begins in April… Lyme Disease vaccine is effective and has been well-tolerated, but its long-term safety is worrisome, and antibiotics are generally effective in treating early disease and preventing complications. How long vaccination remains protective is unknown; antibody levels suggest that frequent boosters many be necessary. Use of this vaccine should be sharply limited.”
In the May-June, 2002, issue of the FDA Consumer, an update stated that “Manufacturer Discontinues Only Lyme Disease Vaccine”: “The world’s only vaccine to prevent Lyme disease is being discontinued because of poor demand, according to the product’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, N.C. The FDA licensed LYMErix in December, 1998, to prevent Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Initially, hundreds of thousands of people received the vaccine. However, sales plummeted after highly publicized reports that some users suffered arthritis-like symptoms, muscle pain and other ailments following vaccination. GlaxoSmithKline says that it is not discontinuing the product because of safety issues. The manufacturer maintains that the scientific record remains clear that the vaccine is safe and effective. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that it found no unexpected safety problems with LYMErix after reviewing the data.”
The Clinical Advisor, June, 2008, discussed “New guidelines issued for Lyme disease” by Carl Sherman. “For the first time since 2000, the Infectious Diseases Society of American has revised its recommendations for managing and preventing the infection… it confirms and strengthens earlier recommendations for antibiotic treatment, adds a section on prophylaxis, and addresses in more detail the question of post-Lyme syndrome.” The new Guidelines are available at: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/508667.
A booklet that I think may be helpful is published by Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. www.LymePa.org. April, 2008 was the printing of the 5th edition of “Lyme Disease and associated diseases THE BASICS: A plain-language introduction to tick-borne diseases” written by Douglas W. Fearn.
Some people seem to have been helped by the Ondamed machine, www.ondamed.net. It is biofeedback (not covered by most insurance). It was invented in Germany. If you Google it, you will find a lot of descriptions and explanations.
COMMENTARY:
The history of Lyme Disease and the Lyme disease vaccine are interesting to follow and to see how “they” think and how the issue is reported. Interesting that in February, 1999, Health News stated that the vaccine was 80% effective, yet in March, 1999, the Medical Letter stated the vaccine was 100% effective (3 doses). How are we to believe such different information and make a good decision? The vaccine, however, was different from virtually all other vaccines in that from the beginning it was not promoted for everyone and people were cautioned to “think twice” before getting it; also, emphasis was continually on being educated on how to dress to avoid ticks and how to spot one.
The vaccine was discontinued primarily because of “poor demand.” The real reason for that was because the vaccine really couldn’t be mandated by State legislatures (because the disease happens basically in a geographical location – woods, etc. – and relatively few people are exposed – those who live, work and visit there and landscapers, golfers, etc). Therefore, the vaccine manufacturer couldn’t be protected from lawsuits. (As required under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act, the vaccine must be mandated in order to protect the manufacturers and doctors.) However, should the day come when vaccine promoters can overcome the geographical locations of the disease, they will surely push for it to be mandated. Such is vaccine history.
Bonnie P. Franz
Summer brings people to enjoy more of the outdoors, and thus exposes many of us to Lyme Disease. In reviewing my files, I thought the following information needed to be circulated:
“…it wasn’t until 1976 that the American public first heard the term 'Lyme disease' in connection with numerous reported cases of illnesses after tick bites in the community of Lyme, Connecticut… tick-born illnesses or infested tick populations have been reported in nearly every state… If left untreated, the disease can progress to a more chronic stage (sometimes even several months later)… Standard medical treatment is with antibiotic therapy which is not always entirely effective and may cause spirochete die-off discomfort during the first few days. Antibiotics often cause secondary yeast infections as a side effect, so physicians and nutritionists often recommend the use of acidophilus supplements. It is imperative that antibiotic therapy be used due to the seriousness of the disease…” (from Herbal Insights Reflections, Summer, 1996, edition of Herbal Insights, Boulder, CO).
However, there are possible herbal preventives for landscaping and gardening and some herbs that may help the symptoms of Lyme disease. They are listed in the Handbook of Plants with Pest-Control Properties, also from Herbal Insights Reflections, undated.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) began surveilling Lyme Disease in 1982, and it became a nationally notifiable disease in January, 1991. In 1999, there were 16,273 cases reported. “The large number of reported LD cases during June and July reflects the seasonal peak…” (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 16, 2001, Vol. 50, No. 10).
In The New England Journal of Medicine, May 13,1993, some doctors wrote “… prevention of Lyme disease is desirable, it does not follow that prevention should be pursued regardless of the costs. Decisions about treatment must balance the benefits against the risks and monetary costs of specific strategies.”
“Health Check,” a column by Dr. Bob Arnot in Good Housekeeping, June, 1995, was devoted to “The Lowdown on Lyme Disease.” As with many diseases (as well as adverse vaccine reactions), he stated “Many people claim that the true incidence is even higher because many cases go unreported while others are missed. But some doctors believe that patients are being diagnosed with LD when they’re really suffering from something else.” “Much of the problem (of diagnosis) has to do with LD’s confusing array of symptoms. The clearest sign, the appearance of a bull’s-eye-shaped rash within weeks of a tick bite, is missing in up to 40% of cases… Although these are commonly called “deer ticks,” they can also be found on mice, raccoons, and other animals… A dog or cat who spends any time outdoors can be very susceptible to LD.” He then gives recommendations from a New York City veterinarian: Use special insecticides on your property (Daminix). Apply flea and tick formulas to your pet’s fur or a combination of garlic and brewer’s yeast added to the animal’s food daily. Scrupulously check your pet for ticks. They, too, can have the bull’s-eye-shaped rash and be treated with oral antibiotics.
As with almost any disease, the search becomes one for a vaccine. That was also the case for Lyme Disease. In 1993 clinical trials were underway. In the November 21, 1993, issue of The New York Times, Dr. Peter Krause, a scientist from the University of Connecticut, told an audience, “The best approach to this disease is prevention, and the best way to do that is with a vaccine.” Scientists are optimistic that this vaccine will help reclaim the wilderness for human use in the many parts of the country where fear of Lyme has kept residents indoors during the tick season.”
In the February 1, 1999, issue of Health News, the editors state “Even as the FDA approved the vaccine, the agency said that Lyme vaccination is not a simple process, and it doesn’t completely protect against Lyme disease… The vaccine is most effective only after 3 shots… Three shots provided about 80% protection… Only healthy people aged 15 to 70 participated, so the vaccine isn’t approved for anyone younger than 15 or older than 70, or for anyone with rheumatoid arthritis or certain heart conditions…”
Lyme expert, Dr. David Volkman from SUNY Stony Brook, stated:
"Vaccines are an extremely important tool for protecting against infectious diseases, and Lyme vaccination is no exception. Several other vaccines to prevent Lyme Disease are being developed and may eventually make human infection quite rare. The new vaccine is a promising step in that direction. But for now, vaccination against Lyme disease doesn’t make sense for most people. Although studies have shown that the vaccine can prevent Lyme disease in a majority of cases, there are several reasons you many not need or want to be vaccinated:
1) The Lyme vaccine involves more shots than most other vaccines. The timing of the 3 shots is also important…
2) We don’t yet know how long those 3 shots provide protection. It’s likely that the vaccine’s effects will wane, and that you’ll need booster shots in the second and third years after the initial series of shots to maintain immunity indefinitely. Moreover, we don’t know the long-term effects of repeated doses of the Lyme vaccine.” [sound familiar??!!]
3) The vaccine may not be safe for people at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis…
4) Being vaccinated may give you a false sense of security. Even after you’ve had all three shots, you still need to take the normal precautions against Lyme disease because the vaccine isn’t 100% effective…
5) Only people aged 15 to 70 participated in the clinical trials on which FDA approval was based, so we don’t know if it works (and it isn’t approved) for anyone younger or older. Unfortunately, almost a quarter of the people infected are children…
6) Being educated to recognize Lyme disease is far better protection than the vaccine, and it is important even if you are vaccinated…
"Because it’s usually recognized and treated early enough to avoid any long-term problems, and because there are so many unknowns about the new vaccine, I recommend that most people think twice before being vaccinated." (Reported in Health News, February 1, 1999)
Dr. Volkman then goes on to say who should be vaccinated—those who spend a lot of time outdoors, landscape and utility workers in high-risk areas. If you live in or visit such areas, but aren’t outdoors a lot, he suggests talking with your doctor. However, “…You’ll still have to be vigilant about your children who are at greatest risk for infection but can’t yet be vaccinated. And remember that even if you are vaccinated, you need to take the same precautions as always.”
The March 26, 1999, issue of The Medical Letter (New Rochelle, NY) told of the first human vaccine for prevention of Lyme Disease was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients 15-70: “The highest incidence is in people who live, work or walk in grassy or wooded areas… Untreated, symptoms may last for weeks to months… A single treatment with antibiotics cures 90% or more of patients with early disease. The Lyme vaccine is made from a recombinant outer surface protein… A 20-month double-blind, randomized trial in about 11,000 people 15 to 70 years old... 3 injections were 100% effective in preventing asymptomatic infection… Antibody levels, which rose with vaccination, by 8 months after the 3rd injection had fallen to near the lower limit of protective levels… the tick season usually begins in April… Lyme Disease vaccine is effective and has been well-tolerated, but its long-term safety is worrisome, and antibiotics are generally effective in treating early disease and preventing complications. How long vaccination remains protective is unknown; antibody levels suggest that frequent boosters many be necessary. Use of this vaccine should be sharply limited.”
In the May-June, 2002, issue of the FDA Consumer, an update stated that “Manufacturer Discontinues Only Lyme Disease Vaccine”: “The world’s only vaccine to prevent Lyme disease is being discontinued because of poor demand, according to the product’s manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, N.C. The FDA licensed LYMErix in December, 1998, to prevent Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Initially, hundreds of thousands of people received the vaccine. However, sales plummeted after highly publicized reports that some users suffered arthritis-like symptoms, muscle pain and other ailments following vaccination. GlaxoSmithKline says that it is not discontinuing the product because of safety issues. The manufacturer maintains that the scientific record remains clear that the vaccine is safe and effective. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that it found no unexpected safety problems with LYMErix after reviewing the data.”
The Clinical Advisor, June, 2008, discussed “New guidelines issued for Lyme disease” by Carl Sherman. “For the first time since 2000, the Infectious Diseases Society of American has revised its recommendations for managing and preventing the infection… it confirms and strengthens earlier recommendations for antibiotic treatment, adds a section on prophylaxis, and addresses in more detail the question of post-Lyme syndrome.” The new Guidelines are available at: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/508667.
A booklet that I think may be helpful is published by Lyme Disease Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. www.LymePa.org. April, 2008 was the printing of the 5th edition of “Lyme Disease and associated diseases THE BASICS: A plain-language introduction to tick-borne diseases” written by Douglas W. Fearn.
Some people seem to have been helped by the Ondamed machine, www.ondamed.net. It is biofeedback (not covered by most insurance). It was invented in Germany. If you Google it, you will find a lot of descriptions and explanations.
COMMENTARY:
The history of Lyme Disease and the Lyme disease vaccine are interesting to follow and to see how “they” think and how the issue is reported. Interesting that in February, 1999, Health News stated that the vaccine was 80% effective, yet in March, 1999, the Medical Letter stated the vaccine was 100% effective (3 doses). How are we to believe such different information and make a good decision? The vaccine, however, was different from virtually all other vaccines in that from the beginning it was not promoted for everyone and people were cautioned to “think twice” before getting it; also, emphasis was continually on being educated on how to dress to avoid ticks and how to spot one.
The vaccine was discontinued primarily because of “poor demand.” The real reason for that was because the vaccine really couldn’t be mandated by State legislatures (because the disease happens basically in a geographical location – woods, etc. – and relatively few people are exposed – those who live, work and visit there and landscapers, golfers, etc). Therefore, the vaccine manufacturer couldn’t be protected from lawsuits. (As required under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act, the vaccine must be mandated in order to protect the manufacturers and doctors.) However, should the day come when vaccine promoters can overcome the geographical locations of the disease, they will surely push for it to be mandated. Such is vaccine history.
Bonnie P. Franz
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Medical Freedom for July 4
by Bonnie P. Franz
Dear Friends,
For over 25 years I have been actively involved with the voluntary vaccination movement. The passage of time, increasing health problems, and changes in circumstances indicate that my involvement must change and, in a sense, I must "pass the baton on to a new generation."
As more and more people get involved in the issue--indeed, it seems the issue becomes new to each generation--I notice a large number "reinventing the wheel." And, as you shall see, some things never change. However, my hope is that we will get to the "tipping point" that follows through on true health care reform.
So, over the next few months, as I get my files in order, I will share some of the Information with you for you to use or pass on to others.
First, a frame of reference. Below are quotes I often use and are fitting for this 4th of July holiday:
1) "Unless we put Medical Freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship…to restrict the art of healing to one class of men, and deny equal privilege to others, will be to constitute the Bastille of Medical Science. All such laws are un-American and despotic and have no place in a Republic…. The Constitution of this Republic should make special privilege for Medical Freedom as well as Religious Freedom."
Benjamin Rush, M.D.
Surgeon General of the Continental Army of the U.S.
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
2) "In any truly democratic country opposition and the freedom to express opinions contrary to those of the majority are the breath of life, and it is thoroughly welcome for long-adopted practices to be submitted from time to time to critical scrutiny lest the accumulated weight of precedent is allowed to obscure the need for their discontinuance.
"My purpose in these lectures is not to battle or to join sides with the anti-vaccinationists, or to take up any partisan attitude, but to try soberly and honestly to present such information as we have on the hazards attending vaccination against smallpox and immunization against other diseases...
"The woeful record I present of the accidents attendant on immunization and the ways in which they have arisen will not be complete. Far from it in fact. Even if I had had time to comb the whole of the relevant literature, I should still not have been in a position to give a complete record. This is mainly because a large number of accidents--I suspect the majority--have never been reported in print, either through fear of compensation claims, or of giving a weapon to the anti-vaccinationists, or for some other reason. Admittedly most of the larger accidents have been reported, but even with some of these attempts were made to keep knowledge of them from the public...
"During the course of my reading I have come to the conclusion that no vaccine or antiserum can be regarded as completely safe. Some are very much safer than others, but no vaccine or antiserum that has yet been used has been free from complications or accidents of one sort or another. When possible, I have endeavoured to assess the degree of probable danger; but too often I have failed through lack of exact information on the number of persons affected and the number exposed to risk. Unless both the numerator and the denominator are known, quantitative assessments may fall wide of the true mark. Moreover, the risk, even for a single vaccine, is not uniform. It varies, among other things, with the immunological status and behaviour of the population concerned...
"With this in mind I propose to draw attention to the various complications and undesirable sequelae of immunization. They are numerous in both kind and frequency and I hope that the information I provide will sharpen the awareness of medical men to the potential danger of vaccination and cause them sometimes to think twice before incurring a risk that may well prove disastrous."
Sir Graham Wilson, M.D.
The Hazards of Immunization, 1967
The Athlone Press, Univ. of London
3) "Liberty can neither be got nor kept, but by so much Care, that Mankind are generally unwilling to give the Price for it."
Lord Halifax
Dear Friends,
For over 25 years I have been actively involved with the voluntary vaccination movement. The passage of time, increasing health problems, and changes in circumstances indicate that my involvement must change and, in a sense, I must "pass the baton on to a new generation."
As more and more people get involved in the issue--indeed, it seems the issue becomes new to each generation--I notice a large number "reinventing the wheel." And, as you shall see, some things never change. However, my hope is that we will get to the "tipping point" that follows through on true health care reform.
So, over the next few months, as I get my files in order, I will share some of the Information with you for you to use or pass on to others.
First, a frame of reference. Below are quotes I often use and are fitting for this 4th of July holiday:
1) "Unless we put Medical Freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship…to restrict the art of healing to one class of men, and deny equal privilege to others, will be to constitute the Bastille of Medical Science. All such laws are un-American and despotic and have no place in a Republic…. The Constitution of this Republic should make special privilege for Medical Freedom as well as Religious Freedom."
Benjamin Rush, M.D.
Surgeon General of the Continental Army of the U.S.
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
2) "In any truly democratic country opposition and the freedom to express opinions contrary to those of the majority are the breath of life, and it is thoroughly welcome for long-adopted practices to be submitted from time to time to critical scrutiny lest the accumulated weight of precedent is allowed to obscure the need for their discontinuance.
"My purpose in these lectures is not to battle or to join sides with the anti-vaccinationists, or to take up any partisan attitude, but to try soberly and honestly to present such information as we have on the hazards attending vaccination against smallpox and immunization against other diseases...
"The woeful record I present of the accidents attendant on immunization and the ways in which they have arisen will not be complete. Far from it in fact. Even if I had had time to comb the whole of the relevant literature, I should still not have been in a position to give a complete record. This is mainly because a large number of accidents--I suspect the majority--have never been reported in print, either through fear of compensation claims, or of giving a weapon to the anti-vaccinationists, or for some other reason. Admittedly most of the larger accidents have been reported, but even with some of these attempts were made to keep knowledge of them from the public...
"During the course of my reading I have come to the conclusion that no vaccine or antiserum can be regarded as completely safe. Some are very much safer than others, but no vaccine or antiserum that has yet been used has been free from complications or accidents of one sort or another. When possible, I have endeavoured to assess the degree of probable danger; but too often I have failed through lack of exact information on the number of persons affected and the number exposed to risk. Unless both the numerator and the denominator are known, quantitative assessments may fall wide of the true mark. Moreover, the risk, even for a single vaccine, is not uniform. It varies, among other things, with the immunological status and behaviour of the population concerned...
"With this in mind I propose to draw attention to the various complications and undesirable sequelae of immunization. They are numerous in both kind and frequency and I hope that the information I provide will sharpen the awareness of medical men to the potential danger of vaccination and cause them sometimes to think twice before incurring a risk that may well prove disastrous."
Sir Graham Wilson, M.D.
The Hazards of Immunization, 1967
The Athlone Press, Univ. of London
3) "Liberty can neither be got nor kept, but by so much Care, that Mankind are generally unwilling to give the Price for it."
Lord Halifax
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Obama Health Reform; Vax Mandate History; Autism Treatment; June NY Rally
By Bonnie P. Franz
According to the June 8, 2009, Legislative Gazette (www.legislativegazette.com), lawmakers are now pushing for coverage for autism treatment. They want private insurance companies to cover autism treatment and therapy for people with autism, ages 21 and under, for up to $36,000 annually. The coverage will include Applied Behavior Analysis. The primary reason for this bill (S.2366/A.6001) is that a number of lawmakers themselves are impacted because they have children or grandchildren who are so afflicted (Assemblyman McDonald from Wilton and Weisenberg from Long Beach, Long Island).
While this is important, because the cost of treatment is prohibitive and can bankrupt a family, I wonder why these lawmakers are not also looking into the vaccination aspect of autism and proposing bills that would insist on research into the side effects of vaccines, etc. and allow vaccines to be voluntary? Lawmakers and the public seem to be willing to offer all children as possible sacrifices on the altar of vaccination. The Catch-22 is for parents, but the bottom line is to bribe everyone by agreeing to pay “compensation” for damage in order to keep the system intact.
Regarding the June 2 Vaccination Rally sponsored by Rita Palma:
(www.mykidsmychoice.com), I haven’t seen anything written up in the Legislative Gazette, but you can keep checking their website. Also, the Legislative Gazette will be publishing during the summer for the first time. Considering the Senate “coup” in Albany and the fact that now the closing of the Legislative Session is delayed, anything can happen.
William McMillen, a leader in the Libertarian Party and a family friend, shares a show, “Capital Outsider.” Through connecting with Rita Palma, he recently interviewed an Albany-area gal regarding our issues. To check it out (although it will be a while before it’s up), check out www.capitaloutsider.org and/or Yahoo search Capital Outsider. Until it gets put up, you can check out their other shows.
This is important: for those of you who can--check your local cable provider to see if they will help you get a show on your local cable TV. It may require a monthly commitment among other things. Years ago, some of the requirements were that you had to be a “group” and the cable company had to provide you space to film, etc. Some fees were involved. Obviously, you need at least a handful of people to get this together. For those who can, check it out. This is a great, rather low-cost way to get our information out to a bigger audience.
Nationally: large insurance companies have gobbled up rivals. For-profit companies have bought up not-for-profits around the country. There were 400 health care mergers in the last 10 years and just TWO companies dominate a full third of the national market.
Obama Health Care Reform: solidifies the incremental changes that came about from the Clinton Health Care reform and adds more.
By August, the President wants Congress to come up with Health Care Reform. A number of bills are already floating around, primarily one by Senators Kennedy and Dodd. You all might want to pay attention to the news in the coming weeks and contact your lawmakers in Washington regarding this very important issue. Better yet, contact them at their home district office, by a visit, phone call, fax or email. Snail mail to Washington is no longer a viable, timely, or effective means of contacting your lawmaker since the anthrax attacks of years ago. Since then, mail to Congress goes to a facility that checks for such contamination and thus the mail is delayed for weeks.
According to what I have read (as of June, 2009) and heard on talk shows even recently, here is what Health Care Reform means to President Obama. Primarily, access to health care and promoting prevention and public health is a major role.
He has 8 health care “principles.” I found these 3 most important:
- Investing in prevention and wellness
- Aiming for Universality
- Maintaining long-term fiscal sustainability
He specifically mentioned immunization against flu or pneumonia--indeed millions have already been spent to a company in Switzerland that has produced a Mexican swine flu vaccine. He sees health as a shared responsibility among schools, employers, federal, state and local governments. Will require coverage of ”children” up to age 25 years of age. In fact, according to the June 22 issue of TIME magazine, “... the prescription is prevention ... get checkups, vaccinate your kids ...”
An “option” of taxing some health insurance benefits as if they were income and limiting tax deductions. Just this past week, I heard President Obama state that insurance will be a mandate on everyone--no “opt out” provisions.
For more information I believe there is info on Barackobama.com. Although I went on the site, I'm not certain; so you may want to check it yourself.
Before I give my commentary, let me also add some information because all of this is mind-boggling and getting difficult to follow:
The recently-enacted Stimulus package included $50 Billion over 5 years for “health information technology“ electronic records. It included $20 Billion for computerized systems, and doctors who delay adoption of certain types of the tech solutions beyond 2014 will be penalized. There is $19 Billion in “incentives” for the conversion in hospitals and doctors’ offices to begin in 2011.
Health care reform is different and will cost $1.5 Trillion over 10 years. An unelected board will decide what’s covered. There already is a Health Care Czar who will have control--Nancy-Ann DeParle.
Commentary:
For those of us long involved in the vaccination choice movement, here is what this all means and has already happened with our experience:
States have instituted for about 10-15 years the Immunization Registry which “enrolled” babies at birth. In order to get public and doctor acceptance of it, initially there were “opt in” or “opt out” provisions (and changed from calling it the Tracking System to Immunization Registry). In many States these options are no longer allowed. Thus, ALL babies are enrolled. With more Federal money going for these electronic records, No one will be left out or left behind. This will be an easy way to make sure that EVERYONE, no matter what age, will have the “appropriate” vaccinations and can be tracked. This is universality in reality.
As for “prevention and wellness,” again, from our experience, that means vaccinations--vaccinations for all age groups and situations, such as school and where you work and your ability to go to school or have a job will depend, in part, on your vaccination status.
To me, “maintaining long-term fiscal sustainability” is a laugh. Part of the reason we have high health care costs now is because of all the vaccines that our children have to get. And that is complicated to track--there is the Federal vaccine initiative, courtesy of the Clintons, that gives millions of dollars to the States for vaccine programs, then there is the amount that States add to their budgets for vaccines. Also, the S-chip (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) which was expanded by Congress at $35 Billion last year. NYS is getting $64 million to expand the S-Chip program and for the government to heavily subsidize child health. NYS lawmakers like to add to their immunization bills “Fiscal Impact: none or minimal,” which is a joke. We have been told for many vaccines (such as MMR, chickenpox) that one dose will “probably” be sufficient, only to have them return 10-15 years later, forcing another dose--which adds to
the cost, but not originally calculated and ignored.
Another aspect of the fiscal sustainability is the idea that vaccines have serious side effects and are costing us as chronic diseases too--asthma, autism, allergies, etc. Fiscal responsibility is not there. Nor will it ever be.
Look at the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986. This was passed by Congress to quell parent outrage regarding vaccine injuries and deaths, but to also protect doctors and pharmaceutical companies from lawsuits. (This is what tort reform looks like.) Initially, the Act called for allowing various reactions to mandated vaccines that occurred up to 30 days after a vaccination to be reported. When State and Federal governments realized that too many people were applying for compensation, they gradually changed the window of damage down to within 7 days, then 5 days and now it is less. Now parents have to observe an adverse reaction to a vaccine pretty much within 72 hours to qualify for compensation. In fact, the Compensation Program has become very narrow. It is also the prime reason why State Legislatures mandate all the new vaccines coming down the pike--a State mandate prevents lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies and taxpayers pay. Yet,
it also makes sure that virtually everyone has to get the vaccines.
Bottom line: Government will control all aspects of our health and increase the cost. While the “reforms” may seem minimal now in order to get everyone on board, over time, Congress and the President will write and pass “amendments” that will change the bill and program to something no one ever expected, as well as greatly increase the cost.
Personal history--I grew up in the 1950’s when children got the DPT shot and in the mid-50’s, the polio vaccine. Visits to the doctor or a chiropractor were $2-5.
In the 1960’s more vaccines were added--MMR. Parents were told only one dose would probably be necessary, but by 1985 medical textbooks were already saying that those vaccines lasted for, at most, 15 years. Thus, by 1989, efforts were underway for mandating a 2nd dose. Also, by this time, many employers and unions offered health insurance benefits, which ironically increase health care costs.
During this time, you were able to take your medical expenses off on your income tax--including glasses, dental and vitamin supplements (provided they were “prescribed” by an MD or chiropractor). That was a big help to us.
The 1980’s and 90’s saw an explosion of mandated vaccines, not only for children, but expanding to college and senior citizens. By the mid-1980’s when the country had a financial crisis (they’re not new), Congress changed health care and taxes (déjà vu) and the big change I noticed was that you could not take your medical expenses off income tax until you reached 3% of your gross salary. For our family of 3 that meant we rarely met the 3% (unless, like last year, we paid $6,000 out-of-pocket, despite insurance, that qualified us to use the medical deduction). So, it amounted to a new tax all these years and took away most of our discretionary money.
Health care reform is important, but what that means is different for different people. We are learning what Congress and the President means by it. I think their plans are deceptive and a fraud. (Ironically, Congress is exempting themselves, as usual.) What we need is Medical Freedom of Choice and the information, pro and con, to make those choices, but we won’t get it because that is not what “reform” means to those in power.
According to the June 8, 2009, Legislative Gazette (www.legislativegazette.com), lawmakers are now pushing for coverage for autism treatment. They want private insurance companies to cover autism treatment and therapy for people with autism, ages 21 and under, for up to $36,000 annually. The coverage will include Applied Behavior Analysis. The primary reason for this bill (S.2366/A.6001) is that a number of lawmakers themselves are impacted because they have children or grandchildren who are so afflicted (Assemblyman McDonald from Wilton and Weisenberg from Long Beach, Long Island).
While this is important, because the cost of treatment is prohibitive and can bankrupt a family, I wonder why these lawmakers are not also looking into the vaccination aspect of autism and proposing bills that would insist on research into the side effects of vaccines, etc. and allow vaccines to be voluntary? Lawmakers and the public seem to be willing to offer all children as possible sacrifices on the altar of vaccination. The Catch-22 is for parents, but the bottom line is to bribe everyone by agreeing to pay “compensation” for damage in order to keep the system intact.
Regarding the June 2 Vaccination Rally sponsored by Rita Palma:
(www.mykidsmychoice.com), I haven’t seen anything written up in the Legislative Gazette, but you can keep checking their website. Also, the Legislative Gazette will be publishing during the summer for the first time. Considering the Senate “coup” in Albany and the fact that now the closing of the Legislative Session is delayed, anything can happen.
William McMillen, a leader in the Libertarian Party and a family friend, shares a show, “Capital Outsider.” Through connecting with Rita Palma, he recently interviewed an Albany-area gal regarding our issues. To check it out (although it will be a while before it’s up), check out www.capitaloutsider.org and/or Yahoo search Capital Outsider. Until it gets put up, you can check out their other shows.
This is important: for those of you who can--check your local cable provider to see if they will help you get a show on your local cable TV. It may require a monthly commitment among other things. Years ago, some of the requirements were that you had to be a “group” and the cable company had to provide you space to film, etc. Some fees were involved. Obviously, you need at least a handful of people to get this together. For those who can, check it out. This is a great, rather low-cost way to get our information out to a bigger audience.
Nationally: large insurance companies have gobbled up rivals. For-profit companies have bought up not-for-profits around the country. There were 400 health care mergers in the last 10 years and just TWO companies dominate a full third of the national market.
Obama Health Care Reform: solidifies the incremental changes that came about from the Clinton Health Care reform and adds more.
By August, the President wants Congress to come up with Health Care Reform. A number of bills are already floating around, primarily one by Senators Kennedy and Dodd. You all might want to pay attention to the news in the coming weeks and contact your lawmakers in Washington regarding this very important issue. Better yet, contact them at their home district office, by a visit, phone call, fax or email. Snail mail to Washington is no longer a viable, timely, or effective means of contacting your lawmaker since the anthrax attacks of years ago. Since then, mail to Congress goes to a facility that checks for such contamination and thus the mail is delayed for weeks.
According to what I have read (as of June, 2009) and heard on talk shows even recently, here is what Health Care Reform means to President Obama. Primarily, access to health care and promoting prevention and public health is a major role.
He has 8 health care “principles.” I found these 3 most important:
- Investing in prevention and wellness
- Aiming for Universality
- Maintaining long-term fiscal sustainability
He specifically mentioned immunization against flu or pneumonia--indeed millions have already been spent to a company in Switzerland that has produced a Mexican swine flu vaccine. He sees health as a shared responsibility among schools, employers, federal, state and local governments. Will require coverage of ”children” up to age 25 years of age. In fact, according to the June 22 issue of TIME magazine, “... the prescription is prevention ... get checkups, vaccinate your kids ...”
An “option” of taxing some health insurance benefits as if they were income and limiting tax deductions. Just this past week, I heard President Obama state that insurance will be a mandate on everyone--no “opt out” provisions.
For more information I believe there is info on Barackobama.com. Although I went on the site, I'm not certain; so you may want to check it yourself.
Before I give my commentary, let me also add some information because all of this is mind-boggling and getting difficult to follow:
The recently-enacted Stimulus package included $50 Billion over 5 years for “health information technology“ electronic records. It included $20 Billion for computerized systems, and doctors who delay adoption of certain types of the tech solutions beyond 2014 will be penalized. There is $19 Billion in “incentives” for the conversion in hospitals and doctors’ offices to begin in 2011.
Health care reform is different and will cost $1.5 Trillion over 10 years. An unelected board will decide what’s covered. There already is a Health Care Czar who will have control--Nancy-Ann DeParle.
Commentary:
For those of us long involved in the vaccination choice movement, here is what this all means and has already happened with our experience:
States have instituted for about 10-15 years the Immunization Registry which “enrolled” babies at birth. In order to get public and doctor acceptance of it, initially there were “opt in” or “opt out” provisions (and changed from calling it the Tracking System to Immunization Registry). In many States these options are no longer allowed. Thus, ALL babies are enrolled. With more Federal money going for these electronic records, No one will be left out or left behind. This will be an easy way to make sure that EVERYONE, no matter what age, will have the “appropriate” vaccinations and can be tracked. This is universality in reality.
As for “prevention and wellness,” again, from our experience, that means vaccinations--vaccinations for all age groups and situations, such as school and where you work and your ability to go to school or have a job will depend, in part, on your vaccination status.
To me, “maintaining long-term fiscal sustainability” is a laugh. Part of the reason we have high health care costs now is because of all the vaccines that our children have to get. And that is complicated to track--there is the Federal vaccine initiative, courtesy of the Clintons, that gives millions of dollars to the States for vaccine programs, then there is the amount that States add to their budgets for vaccines. Also, the S-chip (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) which was expanded by Congress at $35 Billion last year. NYS is getting $64 million to expand the S-Chip program and for the government to heavily subsidize child health. NYS lawmakers like to add to their immunization bills “Fiscal Impact: none or minimal,” which is a joke. We have been told for many vaccines (such as MMR, chickenpox) that one dose will “probably” be sufficient, only to have them return 10-15 years later, forcing another dose--which adds to
the cost, but not originally calculated and ignored.
Another aspect of the fiscal sustainability is the idea that vaccines have serious side effects and are costing us as chronic diseases too--asthma, autism, allergies, etc. Fiscal responsibility is not there. Nor will it ever be.
Look at the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act of 1986. This was passed by Congress to quell parent outrage regarding vaccine injuries and deaths, but to also protect doctors and pharmaceutical companies from lawsuits. (This is what tort reform looks like.) Initially, the Act called for allowing various reactions to mandated vaccines that occurred up to 30 days after a vaccination to be reported. When State and Federal governments realized that too many people were applying for compensation, they gradually changed the window of damage down to within 7 days, then 5 days and now it is less. Now parents have to observe an adverse reaction to a vaccine pretty much within 72 hours to qualify for compensation. In fact, the Compensation Program has become very narrow. It is also the prime reason why State Legislatures mandate all the new vaccines coming down the pike--a State mandate prevents lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies and taxpayers pay. Yet,
it also makes sure that virtually everyone has to get the vaccines.
Bottom line: Government will control all aspects of our health and increase the cost. While the “reforms” may seem minimal now in order to get everyone on board, over time, Congress and the President will write and pass “amendments” that will change the bill and program to something no one ever expected, as well as greatly increase the cost.
Personal history--I grew up in the 1950’s when children got the DPT shot and in the mid-50’s, the polio vaccine. Visits to the doctor or a chiropractor were $2-5.
In the 1960’s more vaccines were added--MMR. Parents were told only one dose would probably be necessary, but by 1985 medical textbooks were already saying that those vaccines lasted for, at most, 15 years. Thus, by 1989, efforts were underway for mandating a 2nd dose. Also, by this time, many employers and unions offered health insurance benefits, which ironically increase health care costs.
During this time, you were able to take your medical expenses off on your income tax--including glasses, dental and vitamin supplements (provided they were “prescribed” by an MD or chiropractor). That was a big help to us.
The 1980’s and 90’s saw an explosion of mandated vaccines, not only for children, but expanding to college and senior citizens. By the mid-1980’s when the country had a financial crisis (they’re not new), Congress changed health care and taxes (déjà vu) and the big change I noticed was that you could not take your medical expenses off income tax until you reached 3% of your gross salary. For our family of 3 that meant we rarely met the 3% (unless, like last year, we paid $6,000 out-of-pocket, despite insurance, that qualified us to use the medical deduction). So, it amounted to a new tax all these years and took away most of our discretionary money.
Health care reform is important, but what that means is different for different people. We are learning what Congress and the President means by it. I think their plans are deceptive and a fraud. (Ironically, Congress is exempting themselves, as usual.) What we need is Medical Freedom of Choice and the information, pro and con, to make those choices, but we won’t get it because that is not what “reform” means to those in power.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Mandatory Vaccination Bills
The following bills, related to mandatory vaccination, have been introduced into the NY State Senate and Assembly during 2009. (This is an update to the list published on March 8, 2009.)
A00778 - Provides for the immunization of all children born after January 1, 1996 against the human papillomavirus (HPV). This bill would add HPV to the list of mandatory immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00778
A00880 and S02339 - Extends the protections of the medical exemption from mandatory immunizations for students to ensure deference to the professional assessments of physicians and nurse practitioners in the care of their individual patients. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00880 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02339
A00883 and S02338 - Provides protections to parents who decline to have their children immunized on the basis of religious beliefs; allows a parent to submit an affidavit stating that the parent, parents or guardian hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00883 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02338
A04886 and S02337 - Enacts the "philosophical exemption to immunizations act" in order to establish an exemption to mandatory immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04886 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02337
A06008 - Requires children entering any public, private or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate, or secondary school to be immunized against hepatitis A. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A06008
A06654 and S04070 - Authorizes nurse practitioners to certify that an immunization may be detrimental to a child's health. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A06654 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S04070
A07766 - Requires immunization providers to provide certain written information to the person receiving the immunization or the parent or guardian when such immunization is required for enrollment in a school or child care facility. This information is to include: lists required for enrollment in school or child care facility; a description of exemptions permitted under law; a list of recommended immunizations, and lists of possible adverse reactions to the immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07766
A08133 and S03256 - Requires vaccination for influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for all long-term care patients and employees. The bill includes medical and religious exemptions. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08133&sh=t and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S03256 and click on "See Text."
To check the current status of any bill, go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/, select “Search by Bill Number” and enter the number, such as A00778, and click Search. To search for other possible bills, select “Search by Keyword” and enter a word or partial word, such as immuniz, and click Search.
See also "General Vaccine-related Bills."
A00778 - Provides for the immunization of all children born after January 1, 1996 against the human papillomavirus (HPV). This bill would add HPV to the list of mandatory immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00778
A00880 and S02339 - Extends the protections of the medical exemption from mandatory immunizations for students to ensure deference to the professional assessments of physicians and nurse practitioners in the care of their individual patients. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00880 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02339
A00883 and S02338 - Provides protections to parents who decline to have their children immunized on the basis of religious beliefs; allows a parent to submit an affidavit stating that the parent, parents or guardian hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00883 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02338
A04886 and S02337 - Enacts the "philosophical exemption to immunizations act" in order to establish an exemption to mandatory immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04886 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02337
A06008 - Requires children entering any public, private or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate, or secondary school to be immunized against hepatitis A. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A06008
A06654 and S04070 - Authorizes nurse practitioners to certify that an immunization may be detrimental to a child's health. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A06654 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S04070
A07766 - Requires immunization providers to provide certain written information to the person receiving the immunization or the parent or guardian when such immunization is required for enrollment in a school or child care facility. This information is to include: lists required for enrollment in school or child care facility; a description of exemptions permitted under law; a list of recommended immunizations, and lists of possible adverse reactions to the immunizations. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07766
A08133 and S03256 - Requires vaccination for influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for all long-term care patients and employees. The bill includes medical and religious exemptions. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08133&sh=t and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S03256 and click on "See Text."
To check the current status of any bill, go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/, select “Search by Bill Number” and enter the number, such as A00778, and click Search. To search for other possible bills, select “Search by Keyword” and enter a word or partial word, such as immuniz, and click Search.
See also "General Vaccine-related Bills."
Other vaccine-related bills
The following other bills, related to vaccination in general, have been introduced into the State Assembly. (This is an update to the list published on March 8, 2009.)
A00775 - Directs the commissioner of health to provide parents of children between 6 months and 5 years, who are in school, with information on influenza and immunizations therefor. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00775
A00876A and S3911A - Requires a general hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit to offer to every parent, person in parental relation, and person who is reasonably anticipated to be a caregiver in the household of a newborn being treated in such neonatal intensive care unit a vaccination against influenza virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00876 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S03911
A01311 - Authorizes the immunization against hepatitis B of minors capable of consent who are housed in a local or state correctional facility. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A01311
A03203 and S01983 - Encourages voluntary, informed vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) for school-aged children and their parents or guardians. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03203 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S01983
A03706 - Authorizes the department of health to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03706
A04154 - Require health insurance policies to provide coverage for certain vaccinations required or recommended for travel to foreign countries. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04154
A05159 - Provides insurance coverage for immunization against the human papilloma virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A05159
A07228 - To allow a health care practitioner to administer hepatitis B vaccine to a person who is under the age of 18 WITHOUT THE CONSENT OR KNOWLEDGE of that person's parent or guardian. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07228
A07489 and S2909 - Requires insurance companies to provide coverage for the vaccine against human papilloma virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07489 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02909
S1905 - Requires insurers of cervical cancer detection to provide human papilloma virus vaccine to females ages 9 to 26. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S01905
To check the current status of any bill, go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/, select “Search by Bill Number” and enter the number, such as A00778, and click Search. To search for other possible bills, select “Search by Keyword” and enter a word or partial word, such as immuniz, and click Search.
See also "Mandatory Vaccination Bills."
A00775 - Directs the commissioner of health to provide parents of children between 6 months and 5 years, who are in school, with information on influenza and immunizations therefor. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00775
A00876A and S3911A - Requires a general hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit to offer to every parent, person in parental relation, and person who is reasonably anticipated to be a caregiver in the household of a newborn being treated in such neonatal intensive care unit a vaccination against influenza virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00876 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S03911
A01311 - Authorizes the immunization against hepatitis B of minors capable of consent who are housed in a local or state correctional facility. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A01311
A03203 and S01983 - Encourages voluntary, informed vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) for school-aged children and their parents or guardians. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03203 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S01983
A03706 - Authorizes the department of health to conduct a study of the feasibility of establishing a school-based influenza vaccination pilot program. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03706
A04154 - Require health insurance policies to provide coverage for certain vaccinations required or recommended for travel to foreign countries. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A04154
A05159 - Provides insurance coverage for immunization against the human papilloma virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A05159
A07228 - To allow a health care practitioner to administer hepatitis B vaccine to a person who is under the age of 18 WITHOUT THE CONSENT OR KNOWLEDGE of that person's parent or guardian. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07228
A07489 and S2909 - Requires insurance companies to provide coverage for the vaccine against human papilloma virus. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A07489 and http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S02909
S1905 - Requires insurers of cervical cancer detection to provide human papilloma virus vaccine to females ages 9 to 26. For more information, see http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S01905
To check the current status of any bill, go to http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/, select “Search by Bill Number” and enter the number, such as A00778, and click Search. To search for other possible bills, select “Search by Keyword” and enter a word or partial word, such as immuniz, and click Search.
See also "Mandatory Vaccination Bills."
5/26/09 Update
Commentary on Vaccine Legislation by Bonnie P. Franz. (I apologize the delay in posting these notes from Bonnie.)
Dear Friends,
I thought you should have a vaccine update. Although the news covers a lot more, here are my highlights:
June 2, Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Albany at the Legislative Office Building, there will be a rally led by Rita de Palma - mykidsmychoice.com for more details. If you can go, do so. Otherwise, contact your lawmakers. The more they hear from us, one way or another, only helps. Unfortunately, other forces are at work to incorporate government and vaccination into our daily lives.
There is a new bill in the Assembly: A.03706, ordering a "pilot" program for school-based health clinics to give flu shots. This is understandable from the Public Health perspective; however, it makes the schools part of their network more so than now and makes it much more difficult for exemptors or dissidents. Schools might like it because the govt. will probably give them money for it.
Followup from March 24 rally: This one was sponsored by Autism United and was billed as the "first Autism Epidemic Day." Quoted in the Legislative Gazette article of March 30 on page 8 is Lisa Rudley, who was quoted "about vaccination choice in particular." The article gave about 3 paragraphs to her talking about vaccination choice and Assemblyman Alessi's bill for philosophical exemption (A.04886).
What would be helpful in the future is for the various groups to get together and pay for the "Special Reports" insert in the Legislative Gazette. When last I checked it cost about $5,000 for about 4 pages. A lot of vaccination information could be printed & distributed and make an impression on lawmakers and other readers of the Gazette that little article quotes cannot do. So, if any of you know a number of group leaders or coalitions that might be able to do this, give them a nudge; it is advertising money well worth it.
For those who are impressed by celebrity endorsements: Jennifer Lopez is a new spokesperson for the March of Dimes pushing for adult whooping cough shots. She also has begun a foundation.
$1 billion from the Stimulus bill is to go to Public Health for prevention and wellness efforts (that means vaccines) and President Obama is now asking for an additional $1.5 billion for swine flu in particular.
Keep up the good fight to educate yourself and others!
Bonnie P. Franz
Dear Friends,
I thought you should have a vaccine update. Although the news covers a lot more, here are my highlights:
June 2, Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Albany at the Legislative Office Building, there will be a rally led by Rita de Palma - mykidsmychoice.com for more details. If you can go, do so. Otherwise, contact your lawmakers. The more they hear from us, one way or another, only helps. Unfortunately, other forces are at work to incorporate government and vaccination into our daily lives.
There is a new bill in the Assembly: A.03706, ordering a "pilot" program for school-based health clinics to give flu shots. This is understandable from the Public Health perspective; however, it makes the schools part of their network more so than now and makes it much more difficult for exemptors or dissidents. Schools might like it because the govt. will probably give them money for it.
Followup from March 24 rally: This one was sponsored by Autism United and was billed as the "first Autism Epidemic Day." Quoted in the Legislative Gazette article of March 30 on page 8 is Lisa Rudley, who was quoted "about vaccination choice in particular." The article gave about 3 paragraphs to her talking about vaccination choice and Assemblyman Alessi's bill for philosophical exemption (A.04886).
What would be helpful in the future is for the various groups to get together and pay for the "Special Reports" insert in the Legislative Gazette. When last I checked it cost about $5,000 for about 4 pages. A lot of vaccination information could be printed & distributed and make an impression on lawmakers and other readers of the Gazette that little article quotes cannot do. So, if any of you know a number of group leaders or coalitions that might be able to do this, give them a nudge; it is advertising money well worth it.
For those who are impressed by celebrity endorsements: Jennifer Lopez is a new spokesperson for the March of Dimes pushing for adult whooping cough shots. She also has begun a foundation.
$1 billion from the Stimulus bill is to go to Public Health for prevention and wellness efforts (that means vaccines) and President Obama is now asking for an additional $1.5 billion for swine flu in particular.
Keep up the good fight to educate yourself and others!
Bonnie P. Franz
Bill mandates the HPV vaccine
Commentary on Vaccine Legislation by Bonnie P. Franz. (I apologize the delay in posting these notes from Bonnie.)
Dear Friends,
Lots of things are going on regarding vaccination on the State and Federal levels so I wanted to give you my alert and perspective on it all.
New York State proposed legislation as of March 14, 2009 -
A.00778, sponsored by Assemblywoman Paulin (from Westchester County):
This bill mandates the HPV vaccine for “all children.” The word “all” means girls and boys. Most of this bill is based on Guttmacher Institute “research,” part of which states the reason for going into Middle School: ”Middle School is the last public health gate that an entire age group of individuals pass through together, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status” (especially because the dropout rate begins to increase at age 13). Governor Paterson has provided for $1.5 million for this vaccination in his 2009 budget.
The bill also states “When the CDC has recommended the vaccination of school-age children, New York adds such recommended vaccination to the list of vaccinations required for school entry.”
I gave you all the reasons to be against this mandate last year so I will not repeat them.
A.03203, sponsored by Assemblyman Benjamin (from The Bronx)
S.01983, sponsored by Assemblyman Diaz (from The Bronx) calls for “voluntary” vaccination for “school-aged children” against HPV through the provision of educational materials and consultation. “School-aged children” also means girls and boys.
Ask yourself: if you or most people were given a “consultation” about anything, are you more likely then to go along with it? Or do you think you or most people will be sufficiently strong to refuse it, especially when you didn’t ask for the consultation in the first place?
Something else to consider: isn’t it voluntary now? Why should the Legislature make a law about it then? To perhaps change it at some later date to mandate it quietly?
A.05159, sponsored by Assemblyman Conte (from Suffolk/Nassau) wants insurance coverage for the HPV vaccine (3 shots for $360).
Since 1993 and the Clinton Healthcare Reforms, immunizations are considered part of well-child care that must be covered. It gets somewhat murky, for there is the Federal-level Vaccines for Children Program giving out billions to see that children get vaccinated; Medicaid which pays for poor children to get vaccinated, and the somewhat infamous Schip --children’s health insurance program that has recently gotten a big blast of money.
Please keep in mind that “children’s health” programs primarily are to see that children get into doctors’ offices on a regular basis to get their shots. Before 1993, supposedly more than 60% of traditional policies in NYS did not provide coverage for immunizations and so-called well-child visits. The government could control those on public welfare and other programs to get shots, but they had to get the middle class in without shelling out more taxpayer money so they forced insurance companies to pay for this “preventive” care. This increased the cost to insurance companies, who then passed the costs on to their customers, as well as the costs to taxpayers for the “free vaccines.” On the NYS level back in 1993, initially Gov. Cuomo vetoed the bill because it was “riddled with technical flaws” and also because “it was more costly than necessary to accomplish its purposes.” He had other problems with the bill (like coverage to age 19) but was pressured by lobbyists and the Democrat-controlled Assembly to sign the bill. Then, as now, the push is to require health insurers to cover all immunizations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (However, things are changing with the Obama Administration and nationalized health care will somewhat change that.) Unfortunately, the bottom line will remain the same--to see that every man, woman and child get every vaccine and that the Government controls more of our lives and that of our children.
A.03706, sponsored by Assemblywoman John (from Monroe County--Rochester and area) authorizes the Dept. of Health (DOH) to do a feasibility study of establishing a school-based influenza program to increase immunization rates.
Remember that if this passes, so can the school-based program be amended in future years to include other vaccines.
A.00775, sponsored by Assemblywoman Paulin, provides for “educational materials “on flu and the benefits of vaccines.”
The justification for this is to follow ACIP changes to the vaccine schedule. Also interesting is that it provides for only giving information on the benefits of vaccines and does not recognize the “other“ side--so much for true informed consent. However, typical of the Legislature.
Please check the Assembly web site at www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg and put in the word “vaccinations” or “immunizations” to check for the proposed laws. Pay special attention to who is sponsoring or co-sponsoring the bill and see if your lawmaker is among them. Also note the bottom of the bill section “Fiscal Implications.” Here the Legislature usually claims “none to State” or “minimal.” That is a lie. Vaccinations and the continual mandated increase in them increase the amount of money needed from the State or Federal government and increase not only our taxes, but also increases Government control over us.
A.0486 (Alessi) and S.2337 (Padavan):
These bills are the “philosophical exemption” bill. Unfortunately, there is not much hope of passage again this year, especially because there are hardly any co-sponsors (Padavan’s bill has none as of 3/11). Besides the usual reasons why I don’t think these bills have much of a chance, a turnoff is the very long and somewhat complicated “justification” section. It just goes into too much for the law-makers to comprehend and accept.
A.02957 (Ortiz) and S.01034 (LaValle):
This bill has been referred to the Agriculture and Consumer Protection committees. The bill provides that anyone who manufactures or sells nutritional or dietary supplements needs to have a branding or labeling that states the product has or has not been tested by the FDA (new FDA commissioner is scheduled to be Dr. Margaret Hamburg former Health Commissioner in NYC). It further provides the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to promulgate rules and regulations defining the terms “nutritional” and “dietary.” The justification for this bill is supposedly to assure the consumer that the product has been tested “for purity.” This is a bad bill because it gives the Commissioner of Agriculture the power to define what is nutritional or dietary. This is a way to control our access to what WE know to be nutritional and dietary supplements. This would affect anyone who uses supplements for any health condition (such as autism) and is satisfied with using these alternative to drugs to manage various health conditions where we are not satisfied with the approach of regular medicine. Also, the rules and regulations sections gives the Commissioner of Agriculture a WIDE berth to determine almost anything the Commissioner wants or is influenced to do. Purity is an important issue (esp. since we’ve seen what contamination comes out of China, including their herbal supplements) so it seems important for us. However, the FDA has a poor track record with drugs and testing, and it is an easy leap to go from assessing purity to anything else the FDA wants to give a hard time, especially things like vitamins and other supplements. An interesting dilemma. Too bad there is not a round table that includes vitamin manufacturers, etc. instead of this being so one-sided.
March 24 there will be a rally in Albany for Autism Epidemic Day, sponsored by Autism United Coalition which includes immunizations because many parents believe that vaccines have caused , in part or completely, their child’s autism. If you are interested, please contact Lisa Rudley at LisaRudley @yahoo.com. Lisa heads Healing With Homeopathy Support Group in Westchester County, an organization for parents healing vaccine-injured children and supporting legislative action. If you can, go. If you cannot attend, give your support by calling, writing or visiting your lawmaker’s office in the home district on a Thursday or Friday. (Check your local library to find out the addresses and phone numbers). In any event, remember the following: Every person who contacts their lawmaker or attends the rally is counted as representing 100 people by lawmakers.
Alone, we can do little or nothing. Standing together, we can accomplish much. Even if your child is not affected by autism, it is that group that is getting noticed and heard by our lawmakers and the media.
The fear of disease and the politics of health care allow public health powers to the government--State and Federal--that trample on our rights.
These lawmakers have been in Albany pretty much for 10, 20, 30 years. Unless they truly show signs of changing their opinions and their votes, they really will NOT change and just string us along. All they truly understand is losing an election. Now is the time to find others who believe in Healthcare Rights, including vaccination, who will be the opponents come the next Election in 1 ½ years. And, maybe they’ll win!
Sincerely,
Bonnie P. Franz
Dear Friends,
Lots of things are going on regarding vaccination on the State and Federal levels so I wanted to give you my alert and perspective on it all.
New York State proposed legislation as of March 14, 2009 -
A.00778, sponsored by Assemblywoman Paulin (from Westchester County):
This bill mandates the HPV vaccine for “all children.” The word “all” means girls and boys. Most of this bill is based on Guttmacher Institute “research,” part of which states the reason for going into Middle School: ”Middle School is the last public health gate that an entire age group of individuals pass through together, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socio-economic status” (especially because the dropout rate begins to increase at age 13). Governor Paterson has provided for $1.5 million for this vaccination in his 2009 budget.
The bill also states “When the CDC has recommended the vaccination of school-age children, New York adds such recommended vaccination to the list of vaccinations required for school entry.”
I gave you all the reasons to be against this mandate last year so I will not repeat them.
A.03203, sponsored by Assemblyman Benjamin (from The Bronx)
S.01983, sponsored by Assemblyman Diaz (from The Bronx) calls for “voluntary” vaccination for “school-aged children” against HPV through the provision of educational materials and consultation. “School-aged children” also means girls and boys.
Ask yourself: if you or most people were given a “consultation” about anything, are you more likely then to go along with it? Or do you think you or most people will be sufficiently strong to refuse it, especially when you didn’t ask for the consultation in the first place?
Something else to consider: isn’t it voluntary now? Why should the Legislature make a law about it then? To perhaps change it at some later date to mandate it quietly?
A.05159, sponsored by Assemblyman Conte (from Suffolk/Nassau) wants insurance coverage for the HPV vaccine (3 shots for $360).
Since 1993 and the Clinton Healthcare Reforms, immunizations are considered part of well-child care that must be covered. It gets somewhat murky, for there is the Federal-level Vaccines for Children Program giving out billions to see that children get vaccinated; Medicaid which pays for poor children to get vaccinated, and the somewhat infamous Schip --children’s health insurance program that has recently gotten a big blast of money.
Please keep in mind that “children’s health” programs primarily are to see that children get into doctors’ offices on a regular basis to get their shots. Before 1993, supposedly more than 60% of traditional policies in NYS did not provide coverage for immunizations and so-called well-child visits. The government could control those on public welfare and other programs to get shots, but they had to get the middle class in without shelling out more taxpayer money so they forced insurance companies to pay for this “preventive” care. This increased the cost to insurance companies, who then passed the costs on to their customers, as well as the costs to taxpayers for the “free vaccines.” On the NYS level back in 1993, initially Gov. Cuomo vetoed the bill because it was “riddled with technical flaws” and also because “it was more costly than necessary to accomplish its purposes.” He had other problems with the bill (like coverage to age 19) but was pressured by lobbyists and the Democrat-controlled Assembly to sign the bill. Then, as now, the push is to require health insurers to cover all immunizations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. (However, things are changing with the Obama Administration and nationalized health care will somewhat change that.) Unfortunately, the bottom line will remain the same--to see that every man, woman and child get every vaccine and that the Government controls more of our lives and that of our children.
A.03706, sponsored by Assemblywoman John (from Monroe County--Rochester and area) authorizes the Dept. of Health (DOH) to do a feasibility study of establishing a school-based influenza program to increase immunization rates.
Remember that if this passes, so can the school-based program be amended in future years to include other vaccines.
A.00775, sponsored by Assemblywoman Paulin, provides for “educational materials “on flu and the benefits of vaccines.”
The justification for this is to follow ACIP changes to the vaccine schedule. Also interesting is that it provides for only giving information on the benefits of vaccines and does not recognize the “other“ side--so much for true informed consent. However, typical of the Legislature.
Please check the Assembly web site at www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg and put in the word “vaccinations” or “immunizations” to check for the proposed laws. Pay special attention to who is sponsoring or co-sponsoring the bill and see if your lawmaker is among them. Also note the bottom of the bill section “Fiscal Implications.” Here the Legislature usually claims “none to State” or “minimal.” That is a lie. Vaccinations and the continual mandated increase in them increase the amount of money needed from the State or Federal government and increase not only our taxes, but also increases Government control over us.
A.0486 (Alessi) and S.2337 (Padavan):
These bills are the “philosophical exemption” bill. Unfortunately, there is not much hope of passage again this year, especially because there are hardly any co-sponsors (Padavan’s bill has none as of 3/11). Besides the usual reasons why I don’t think these bills have much of a chance, a turnoff is the very long and somewhat complicated “justification” section. It just goes into too much for the law-makers to comprehend and accept.
A.02957 (Ortiz) and S.01034 (LaValle):
This bill has been referred to the Agriculture and Consumer Protection committees. The bill provides that anyone who manufactures or sells nutritional or dietary supplements needs to have a branding or labeling that states the product has or has not been tested by the FDA (new FDA commissioner is scheduled to be Dr. Margaret Hamburg former Health Commissioner in NYC). It further provides the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to promulgate rules and regulations defining the terms “nutritional” and “dietary.” The justification for this bill is supposedly to assure the consumer that the product has been tested “for purity.” This is a bad bill because it gives the Commissioner of Agriculture the power to define what is nutritional or dietary. This is a way to control our access to what WE know to be nutritional and dietary supplements. This would affect anyone who uses supplements for any health condition (such as autism) and is satisfied with using these alternative to drugs to manage various health conditions where we are not satisfied with the approach of regular medicine. Also, the rules and regulations sections gives the Commissioner of Agriculture a WIDE berth to determine almost anything the Commissioner wants or is influenced to do. Purity is an important issue (esp. since we’ve seen what contamination comes out of China, including their herbal supplements) so it seems important for us. However, the FDA has a poor track record with drugs and testing, and it is an easy leap to go from assessing purity to anything else the FDA wants to give a hard time, especially things like vitamins and other supplements. An interesting dilemma. Too bad there is not a round table that includes vitamin manufacturers, etc. instead of this being so one-sided.
March 24 there will be a rally in Albany for Autism Epidemic Day, sponsored by Autism United Coalition which includes immunizations because many parents believe that vaccines have caused , in part or completely, their child’s autism. If you are interested, please contact Lisa Rudley at LisaRudley @yahoo.com. Lisa heads Healing With Homeopathy Support Group in Westchester County, an organization for parents healing vaccine-injured children and supporting legislative action. If you can, go. If you cannot attend, give your support by calling, writing or visiting your lawmaker’s office in the home district on a Thursday or Friday. (Check your local library to find out the addresses and phone numbers). In any event, remember the following: Every person who contacts their lawmaker or attends the rally is counted as representing 100 people by lawmakers.
Alone, we can do little or nothing. Standing together, we can accomplish much. Even if your child is not affected by autism, it is that group that is getting noticed and heard by our lawmakers and the media.
The fear of disease and the politics of health care allow public health powers to the government--State and Federal--that trample on our rights.
These lawmakers have been in Albany pretty much for 10, 20, 30 years. Unless they truly show signs of changing their opinions and their votes, they really will NOT change and just string us along. All they truly understand is losing an election. Now is the time to find others who believe in Healthcare Rights, including vaccination, who will be the opponents come the next Election in 1 ½ years. And, maybe they’ll win!
Sincerely,
Bonnie P. Franz
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Vaccination & Health News
Items posted in this News section will focus mainly on mandated vaccinations that may affect those living in NY and nearby states. Occasional national items may also be listed. At the bottom of the blog, links to random "immunization" news items are running in a news feeder.
Officials confirm 12 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County (NJ)
"All of the infected children had been vaccinated"
www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/officials_confirm_12_cases_of.html
Largest-ever study of U.S. child health begins
Hope is to see how environment interacts with genetics to impact health
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28640577/from/ET/
Unvaccinated Children Madness
If you want to make someone who defends our current bloated vaccine schedule and believes the science proves vaccines don't cause autism go bonkers, just mention unvaccinated kids.
Question posed to officials: Has the government ever looked at the autism rate in an unvaccinated U.S. population, and if not, why not?
Read article at ageofautism.com
Hepatitis B triple series vaccine and developmental disability in US
children aged 1–9 years
This study found statistically significant evidence to suggest that boys in United States who were vaccinated with the triple series Hepatitis B vaccine, during the time period in which vaccines were manufactured with thimerosal, were more susceptible to developmental disability than were unvaccinated boys.
www.bodiesinrebellion.com/hepBdds.pdf
Officials confirm 12 cases of whooping cough in Hunterdon County (NJ)
"All of the infected children had been vaccinated"
www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/officials_confirm_12_cases_of.html
Largest-ever study of U.S. child health begins
Hope is to see how environment interacts with genetics to impact health
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28640577/from/ET/
Unvaccinated Children Madness
If you want to make someone who defends our current bloated vaccine schedule and believes the science proves vaccines don't cause autism go bonkers, just mention unvaccinated kids.
Question posed to officials: Has the government ever looked at the autism rate in an unvaccinated U.S. population, and if not, why not?
Read article at ageofautism.com
Hepatitis B triple series vaccine and developmental disability in US
children aged 1–9 years
This study found statistically significant evidence to suggest that boys in United States who were vaccinated with the triple series Hepatitis B vaccine, during the time period in which vaccines were manufactured with thimerosal, were more susceptible to developmental disability than were unvaccinated boys.
www.bodiesinrebellion.com/hepBdds.pdf
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