New Jersey Trying to Ramrod Mandatory Vaccination over Parental Concerns, States the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS)

TUCSON, Ariz., April 23, 2018 -- In a shocking display of arrogance as detailed by Steve Frank, columnist for the Asbury Park Press, a physician-legislator railroaded a bill sharply limiting religious exemptions to mandatory childhood vaccines through the New Jersey State Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee, states the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS). The mandated vaccine schedule has a total of 74 injections.

Assemblyman Herbert Conaway, M.D., J.D. (D-7^th District), an internist who has been in the legislature since 1998, displayed his consummate political skills by introducing the bill just before Good Friday, Passover, and spring break. Despite the short notice of merely a few working days, a large number of parents turned out to testify against the bill at the hearing. Conaway allowed only 64 to speak, for exactly 60 seconds, according to Frank’s article.

One witness, before he was cut off, mentioned the bonus that physicians reportedly receive from insurers for “fully vaccinating” a high proportion of their patients. “Some physicians discharge children from their practice if parents decline vaccines,” stated AAPS executive director Jane M. Orient, M.D. “Unvaccinated children do not pose an undue risk to other patients or classmates. Is the denial of care really about the money?”

“AAPS is not opposed to vaccines,” Dr, Orient stated. “But we are opposed to paying physicians for ‘persuading’ patients to receive a product, forcing patients to submit to medical interventions, suppressing public debate on controversial health issues, and nonconsented experimentation.”

“Vaccine safety testing is limited, and the long-term effects of mass immunization with so many different vaccines in combination have not been studied. We are subjecting our children to a mass nonconsented experiment, without even a control group. That is bad science as well as a human rights violation.”

Dr. Orient also points out that many infectious diseases are not vaccine preventable, that vaccines don’t always work, and that vaccine immunity wears off. “There is no substitute for teaching children good health habits, adhering to good sanitary practices in schools, isolating children when sick, or monitoring public health. A ‘fully vaccinated’ population is not necessarily either safer or healthier.”

AAPS urges the legislature to reject this coercive legislation. It should certainly delay a vote until all views are fully heard and debated, and any financial conflicts are exposed.

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a national organization representing physicians in all specialties, founded in 1943.

Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
1601 N. Tucson Blvd. Suite 9
Tucson, AZ 85716
(800) 635-1196
www.aapsonline.org

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]