WGME Town Hall Vaccine Debate

By Ginger Taylor This week in Maine an unprecedented event occurred. A mainstream media outlet hosted an extended, live debate on vaccines, invited a balanced panel and a balanced audience, let the audience questions drive the debate, and in no way biased or edited the final product. This bold media outlet, CBS affiliate WGME in Portland, Maine, along with their media partner the Bangor Daily News, hosted this as a part of a national Town Hall event series. The panelists were former pediatrician and current Medical Director for MaineCare Kevin Flanigan, MD, MBA, former pediatrician and Vice President for Clinical […]

MCVC Statement on the Measles Outbreak

The Maine Coalition for Vaccine Choice believes that Mainers should take their vaccine choices as seriously as they would when considering any other prescription drug, as vaccines can result in serious adverse outcomes for some individuals. Because of the current measles outbreak, members of the public are being urged to take Merck’s MMR II vaccine. MCVC would like to encourage individuals evaluating whether or not to take the MMR, or allow it to be delivered to their children, to consider the following: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that there are currently no measles cases in New […]

MCVC Confronts the Portland Press Herald on their Vaccine Coverage

Despite efforts to get the Portland Press Herald to report accurately on the reasons that parents are loosing trust in the National Immunization Program, the paper continues to write articles that promote vaccine industry talking points, and fail to cover the unfolding vaccine scandals.  Today we wrote to them to confront them on their biased coverage. Subject: Will the PPH report on the federal vaccine scandals? Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2015 15:30:48 -0500 From: Ginger Taylor <ginger@mainevaxchoice.org> To: Cliff Schechtman <cschechtman@pressherald.com> CC: Joe Lawlor <jlawlor@pressherald.com>, Mike Tipping <writebacktomike@gmail.com>, Steve Greenlee <sgreenlee@pressherald.com>, Dieter Bradbury <dbradbury@pressherald.com>, Chelsea Conaboy <cconaboy@pressherald.com>, Rich Levasseur <rlevasseur@bangordailynews.com> […]

Sanborn Vaccine Bill Attacks Mainer’s Religious Rights

The Maine Coalition for Vaccine Choice has learned today that the bill to require Mainers to be counseled by a doctor before they can exercise their right to a philosophical vaccine school exemption will also apply to the religious exemption.  This means that parents religious beliefs will now be subject to a doctor’s oversight.  Parents choosing to opt out of the Chicken pox vaccine for example, which is grown on the MRC-5 cell line derived from aborted fetal tissue, will first have to have a doctor sign off on their religious choice before they can send their child to school. […]

Maine Medical Association authored the bill to remove parental vaccine rights

On February 2nd, in their weekly update, the Maine Medical Association reported that they are the authors of the bill being proposed to require parents to meet with, and be counseled by a physician before they will be allowed to exercise their right to philosophical vaccine exemption and send their child to school. “2015 Measles Outbreak Spreads; Prompts Call for Tougher Immunizations Laws The recent measles outbreak has spread to nearly 100 people the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday.  Most of the cases are traceable to an outbreak at Disneyland and another theme park in Southern […]

Rep. Beth O’Connor Partners with Maine Parents to Introduce LD 1086, An Act to Enact The Maine Vaccine Consumer Protection Program

The Vaccine Divide – The Solution: The Maine Vaccine Choice Coalition opposes The Sanborn and Tucker bills that remove parental rights, insisting that parents are not the problem in the increasing rates of those opting out of the CDC’s vaccine program.  The problem is that the CDC’s vaccine program is broken, and smart parents know it full well.  In turn parents are proposing the creation of a Maine Vaccine Consumer Protection Program which will address the true problems that are destroying trust in vaccination and driving a wedge between educated families and their physicians. LD 1076, An Act to Enact […]

Oppose the Sanborn and Tucker Vaccine Bills That Widen The Vaccine Divide

The Vaccine Divide – The Problem: Health authorities and families are increasingly at odds over the number and timing of vaccines given to children, with authorities pushing families toward the CDC recommended vaccine schedule, and families more often choosing less aggressive vaccine schedules, or no vaccines at all.Vaccine interests have framed the problem as one that is driven by parents lack of education on vaccines, promoting laws that will require parents to go through vaccine counseling before being able to opt out of one or more vaccines that are mandated for school entry.  However, this is at odds with the […]

Two Informed Consent Bills Proceed to Floor for a Vote

This week two vaccine informed consent bills made it through the HHS committee process and will be going to the floor of the Maine Legislature for a vote. The bills are: LD 694 (HP 523) “An Act To Encourage Transparency in Disclosing the Ingredients in Vaccinations for Children to Parents and Guardians” Sponsored by Representative Andrea Boland, that would make doctors tell patients the ingredients of a vaccine before administering it to them, just like food. And LD 941 (SP 287) “An Act To Prohibit Mandatory Immunizations” Sponsored by Senator Douglas Thomas, which would simply state that no one could […]

Two Vaccine Informed Consent bills in Maine Legislature

Dear Mainers Concerned with Vaccine Safety and Choice, Last week two bills were introduced in the Maine Legislature. LD 694 (HP 523) “An Act To Encourage Transparency in Disclosing the Ingredients in Vaccinations for Children to Parents and Guardians” Sponsored by Representative Andrea Boland, that would make doctors tell patients the ingredients of a vaccine before administering it to them, just like food. And LD 941 (SP 287) “An Act To Prohibit Mandatory Immunizations” Sponsored by Senator Douglas Thomas, which would simply state that no one could force a Mainer to be vaccinated against their wishes. I would like to […]

Campaign for Vaccine Choice, Review

  My brain gives me no peace. Every issue that calls for engagement has many areas to learn about and this issue, this Bill to Prohibit Mandatory Vaccinations, has a myriad of layers and connected areas of concern and possible impact. We want to educate and inform. We want people to recognize the nature of the beast, so to speak. Communicating effectively has to be one of our goals and seeing the pattern of response is key. Looking directly at this bill we find present laws in the State of Maine. Many of you have forwarded to me your letters […]