http://www.aapsonline.org/aaps/
Dear Sir or Madam:
Virginia joined the ranks of those states mandating hepatitis B vaccination
of infants a few years ago (before I moved here). The Division of Immunization
of the Department of Health next added the requirement that children entering
kindergarden or first grade must be vaccinated against hepatitis B. They now
added a requirement that beginning this September, all students entering sixth
grade must be vaccinated. Please note that none of these mandates required
legislative action or public hearings. Our state legislature gave the
Department of Public Health extensive powers to amend vaccination
recommendations without any oversight.
I recently sent the letter below to two newspapers, the Virginia Pilot and
the Richmond Times/Dispatch. Neither one published my letter or contacted me. I
sent a similar letter to my two state legislators without results. I also
contacted the Division of Immunization and was told to read the information
(propaganda and lies) provided on the CDC's web site! (This was doubly stupid
because I cited the CDC's misleading information in my letter to the Division
of Immunization.)
Virginia allows only religious and medical exemptions to mandatory vaccination
of children. I am willing to supply nearly any child a medical exemption to
hepatitis B vaccination, but I cannot reach the public if the media and
legislature refuse to publish or discuss my letters. Therefore, I am appealing
to your organization for help. If Virginia-based members would all write to
their legislators and newspapers, perhaps someone would take notice.
As an aside, I am appalled at the widespread physician complicity on this
matter. The medical dictum of "first, do no harm" is being ignored
when it comes to hepatitis B vaccinations of children at negligible risk to
acquiring the disease.
Sincerely,
Name removed at doctor's request
The letter I sent to two major newspapers in Virginia on 4/1/01:
To the Editor:
The state of Virginia has followed the misguided recommendations from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and mandated the vaccination
of all children against hepatitis B. This policy was implemented by the
Division of Immunology of the Office of Epidemiology of the Virginia Department
of Health. Enforcement occurs at the school level. Children born after December
31, 1993 must have complete immunizations, including hepatitis B, before
entering school. Also, all children entering 6th grade in September 2001 must
have been vaccinated against hepatitis B. Only medical and religious exemptions
are allowed. Well-reasoned parental objections carry no weight. Children who do
not receive all required immunizations will be barred from school.
What reasons can the Department of Health use to justify the mandatory
immunization of children against hepatitis B? Is hepatitis B contagious like
measles or mumps? No. Hepatitis B can only be transmitted by coming into
contact with the blood of an infected person or (with less likelihood) by
having sex with an infected person. Since sharing contaminated needles and
engaging in sexual intercourse with intravenous drug abusers are not
school-related activities, there is no public health reason for immunizing our
infants and children against hepatitis B. Are we experiencing an epidemic of
hepatitis B? No. The average number of new cases in the entire state of
Virginia has been 97 per year for the past five years. Nearly all cases
occurred in adults or in babies born to infected mothers. Is hepatitis B a
devastating disease with severe health consequences? No. The death rate from
hepatitis B infections is less than 1 per 1000 patients. The serious illness
rate is 1 per 80 patients. What does that mean for Virginia? Vaccinating
EVERYONE in the state would prevent fewer than 100 hepatitis B cases per year,
prevent 1 hepatitis B-related hospitalization per year, and save 1 life every
10 years. Vaccinating all children in the state would have no significant
impact on the already low hepatitis B rates for TWENTY years, because most
victims of hepatitis B are adults from 20-40 years old.
Why should we not have our children vaccinated against hepatitis B? The
first rule of medicine is to do no harm. Yet, we know that immunizing children
against hepatitis B confers almost no benefit and subjects our children to
harm. Hepatitis B immunization requires three intramuscular injections over a
4-6 month period. Approximately 20% of children experience soreness, swelling,
and pain at the injection site. Approximately 5% of children experience fever,
muscle aches, and flu-like symptoms for 3-7 days after each injection. Serious
acute adverse reactions requiring hospitalization occur in 4-40 (estimates
vary) children per 100,000. With 100,000 Virginia children (our current birth
rate) receiving three injections per year, we would expect to see 12-120
children hospitalized each year due to hepatitis B vaccination. Many physicians
believe that hepatitis B vaccination is associated with medium-term and
long-term complications such as arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and
neurologic diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and multiple sclerosis.
Since the mandated vaccinations would prevent only about 1 childhood hepatitis
B infection per year (with usually only mild symptoms), obviously vaccinating
our children against hepatitis B will cause more harm than good. That is why
the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons issued a strong statement
to the United States Congress protesting mandatory hepatitis B immunization
programs.*
What makes this program even less valuable is the fact that hepatitis B
immunization is not lifelong. Only about 85% of people acquire immunity after
all three vaccinations, and immunity may fail after 7-15 years (a phenomenon
seen with other vaccines such as tetanus). Will Virginia soon mandate that
children who received hepatitis B immunization during infancy get reimmunized
at age 10? How much harm must our children endure at the whims of state health
officials?
What can we do about this dangerous program? Parents should show this letter
to their pediatricians and ask about the risks and benefits of hepatitis B
vaccination. I encourage pediatricians and family practice physicians to issue
medical waivers because the likely harm to infants and children from hepatitis
B vaccination far outweighs any benefits. I urge all Virginians to contact
their State Delegates and State Senators to protest this vaccination policy and
sponsor legislation that will rein-in the Division of Immunology and overturn
the hepatitis B immunization mandate
Sincerely,
Name removed at doctor's request
*STATEMENT of
the ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS to the Subcommittee
on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources of the Committee on
Government Reform U.S. House of Representatives. RE: HEPATITIS B VACCINE,
Submitted by Jane Orient, M.D. June 14, 1999.
More information is available from the National Vaccine Information Center:
512 W. Maple Ave., Suite 206
Vienna, VA 22180
(703) 938-DPT3 PHONE
(703) 938-5768 FAX
1-800-909-SHOT
www.909shot.com/hepbnlr.htm
ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED
AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.