Samoa’s Measles Outbreak and Response
(updated to reflect new outbreak figures released by AFP on Nov. 25, 2019)—A total of 2,194 cases of measles have been reported in Samoa this year. The government has declared a state of emergency and closed all schools, including the nation’s only university. Samoan health authorities are developing plans to implement compulsory MMR (mumps, measles, […]
504 Plans for Special Needs Children: The New Normal
Every fall I meet with teachers and school officials to review my children’s 504 plans to protect them from anaphylactic shock. This back-to-school ritual has become so routine that we hardly give it a second thought. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects people with disabilities and other qualifying health conditions from discrimination […]
Moral Implications of Human Fetal Cell Lines in Vaccine Production
One commonly cited reason for claiming a religious vaccine exemption has to do with the fact that some vaccines are made using aborted fetal cell lines. As reported in an April 26, 2019, article in Christianity Today:1 For certain Christians, the decision of whether to vaccinate comes down to the origins of the vaccines themselves. Some […]
The Real Reason for Vaccine Mandates
The argument made for denying a public education to children who are selectively vaccinated or unvaccinated is the risk they pose to the immune-compromised who can’t be vaccinated. It’s a heart-warming story motivated out of compassion for those children who are medically fragile. Or is it? If we take these pro-mandate advocates at their word, […]
My Feelings About the Vaccine Debate
UK physicians offers his thoughts on the vaccine debate.
Ice Cream for Flu Shots That Don’t Work
I recently ran across a sign in a CVS drugstore offering money to encourage people to get the influenza vaccine. The sign read: “Flu season has arrived! Get your flu vaccine today! Visit Pharmacy for details! -Receive $5 off $25 coupon! *Avoid the Sniffles!” Apart from the excessive use of exclamation points, the sign caught […]