NY Vaccine Ed Roundtable Mon. Dec. 15

December 13, 2008

NVIC Vaccine E-Newsletter

December 12, 2008

NY Philosophical Exemption To Be Discussed at Monday, Dec. 15 Vaccine Education Roundtable on L.I.

by Barbara Loe Fisher

Assemblyman Marc Alessi (D-Wading River) is hosting a public roundtable discussion on vaccination and proposed legislation (A.5468) to allow parents a philosophical exemption to vaccination on Monday, December 15, 2008 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stony Brook University's Student Activities Center, Ballroom B. All sides of the vaccine debate will be discussed by parents and physicians in a panel discussion. Representatives from the New York State Department of Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics, including Lou Cooper, M.D., will participate on the panel along with Barbara Loe Fisher, of the National Vaccine Information Center; New York pediatrician Lawrence Palevsky, M.D., John Gilmore, of Autism United, and Louise Kuo Habakus, of the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice.New York state law requires children attending daycare and/or school to receive 26 doses of 11 vaccines. New York pediatricians promote adherence to the vaccine schedule recommended by the federal government, which is 69 doses of 16 vaccines for girls and 66 doses of 15 vaccines for boys between birth and age 18. Often federal guidelines are turned into state laws by state public health officials. Neighboring state, New Jersey, requires the most vaccinations of any state in the country: 35 doses of 13 vaccines. A vaccine freedom rally supporting legislation to give New Jersey parents the right to exercise conscientious belief exemption to vaccination was held in Trenton in October.New York law prohibits children from attending daycare or school unless they can provide documented proof they have received every state mandated vaccine or have filed and received approval from state officials to exempt their children from vaccine requirements for medical reasons or for deeply held religious beliefs. In 1987, the New York State Supreme Court upheld the right of parents to file and receive religious exemption to vaccination for personal, spiritual beliefs which were not associated with an organized church or religion (Sherr v Northport- E, Northport Union Free School Dist., 672F. Supp81 [ED NY 1987].)Parents who have attempted to file medical or religious exemptions to vaccination in New York continue to report that both exemptions can be very difficult to obtain. Usually medical exemptions written by physicians will not be accepted by state education and public health officials unless the contraindications stated by physicians conform with narrow guidelines approved by federal public health officials. There have been cases of parents having appropriately filed religious exemptions only to have them denied after New York state education officials and attorneys have grilled parents for hours about the sincerity of their religious beliefs. Bayport mother of two, Rita Palma has had the religious exemption she filed for her two sons rejected by New York. She is in the courts right now fighting for her right to receive a religious exemption to vaccination for her children and is still looking for legal representation as she goes up against the State of New York. In the U.S., all states provide for medical exemptions to vaccination in vaccine laws; all but two (Mississippi and West Virginia) provide for religious exemptions; and 18 provide for personal, philosophical or conscientious belief exemptions. State vaccine laws and a map and information on vaccine exemptions in different states can be found on the website of the National Vaccine Information Center. In a media advisory outlining why he is holding the Dec. 15 vaccine education forum, leading sponsor of the philosophical exemption legislation Assemblyman Alessi said "Parents are presented with a lot of conflicting information regarding the consequences of certain vaccines, leaving us with many unanswered questions about the basic safety of New York's current vaccine programs." The roundtable discussion is open to the public. Seating in the room is limited to about 175 people and is on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, call 631-929-5540.______

National Vaccine Information Center

NVIC E-News is a free service of the non-profit National Vaccine Information Center and is supported through donations.NVIC is funded through the financial support of its members and does not receive any government subsidies. Barbara Loe Fisher, President and Co- founder.Learn more about vaccines, diseases and how to protect your informed consent rights www.nvic.org

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