Crosstalk: March 12, 2019

Barbara Loe Fisher is president of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a non-profit charity she co-founded with parents of DPT vaccine injured children in 1982. For over 35 years, she has led a national, grassroots movement and public information campaign to institute vaccine safety reforms and informed consent protections in the public health system. She has researched, analyzed and publicly articulated the major issues involving the science, policy, law, ethics and politics of vaccination to become one of the world’s leading non-medical, consumer advocacy experts on the subject. She’s co-author of ‘DPT: A Shot in the Dark’ and author of ‘The Consumer’s Guide to Childhood Vaccines’, ‘Vaccines, Autism & Chronic Inflammation: The New Epidemic’, and ‘Reforming Vaccine Policy & Law: A Guide.’

Barbara began by giving listeners an overview of a public hearing with the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. It dealt with confronting the measles outbreak in the U.S and featured only two witnesses, both of which were high ranking public health officials.

What was most distressing to Barbara was that there were what she considered to be false statements that were communicated under oath. The statements were an attempt to try and convince lawmakers that MMR vaccines doesn’t cause encephalitis while also suggesting that these vaccines don’t carry serious risk or that if they do, such risks are rare.

Barbara noted that the parents who were in attendance gasped because they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

She said that the same thing happened on March 5th in the Senate. All witnesses called said the same thing, that vaccines are nearly risk free, everyone should be vaccinated and there shouldn’t be any exemptions. In addition, it was communicated that there should be censorship on social media about vaccine conversations that don’t conform with the policies of the CDC and World Health Organization.

Under the National Childhood Vaccine Injury act of 1986, the NVIC was responsible for securing the vaccine informing, reporting, recording and research provisions in that law. Regarding the informing safety provision, the federal government (CDC) was supposed to publish information about risks, signs and symptoms of vaccine reactions. On the vaccine information statement published by the CDC is the admission that mentions various adverse events. Then on the MMRV vaccine it states that one of the moderate adverse events that can occur is infection of the lungs or the brain and spinal cord coverings (encephalitis or meningitis).

So for a high ranking federal official to make a statement saying that the vaccine doesn’t cause encephalitis, when these factors are listed in information statements, is it any wonder the parents at the hearing gasped? As Barbara noted, their reaction basically ‘called him out.’

Barbara also monitors vaccination activity in the states, with this broadcast giving brief mention to legislation activity in Florida and Iowa. Following this, Barbara explains why she supports both those who choose to accept or not accept vaccines, there’s discussion about a six-in-one combo vaccine for babies, and Crosstalk listeners provide questions as well.