Americans Traveling Abroad Face Vaccine Decisions
U.S. public health officials commonly advocate vaccinations for Americans traveling abroad, but most foreign countries “recommend” rather than “mandate” vaccinations for visitors. Cholera vaccine, for example, has a limited and transient effectiveness for reducing illness and does not prevent transmission of infection. Because of this and the extremely low risk of infection for travelers…
FDA Nominee Scott Gottlieb Rejects Links Between Vaccination and Autism
In a confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Energy, Labor, and Pensions on April 5, 2017, the nominee to be the next commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Scott Gottlieb, MD, stated categorically that there “is no causal link between vaccination and autism.” Dr. Gottlieb serves on the board of directors of pharmaceutical companies…
Drug Safety Lawsuits Create Distrust of Vaccines
In July 2012, British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline LLC (GSK), agreed to plead guilty to criminal and civil charges resulting from the company’s failure to report safety data about the drug Avandia and unauthorized promotion of the drugs Paxil and Wellbutrin making this the largest healthcare fraud settlement and largest payment ever made by a pharmaceutical in U.S. history.
Missouri Bills to Ban Mercury and Foreign DNA in Vaccines
In January 2017, State Representative Lynn Morris introduced HB 331 in the Missouri House of Representatives prohibiting vaccines containing mercury or other metals used for preservation or any other purpose from being administered to a child or adult in a public health clinic in Missouri. If passed, the legislation would take effect on Aug. 28, 2018. A second bill, HB 332…
Defining Vaccine Refusal As Child Neglect
Although specific child welfare guidelines vary from state to state, medical neglect of a child is generally accepted as legitimate grounds for family intervention by government officials working for Child Protective Services (CPS) and may lead to parents losing custody of their minor child and/or losing the legal right to make health care decisions on behalf of their child.
CDC Publishes Final Rule on Quarantine Powers
The federal government’s legal authority to detain and quarantine persons infected with certain highly communicable and deadly infectious diseases historically primarily has involved detaining people entering the U.S. by boats and airplanes or traveling across state lines. Federal government officials have long had the…