[NVIC] NY Vaccine Ed Roundtable Mon. Dec. 15

[Guest guest]

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 , 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., 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 .

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--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Hahnemannian

Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales

UK

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