Mar2009 Neurodevelopmental disorders skyrocket in NJ

March 5, 2009
We noticed that the list of neurodevelopmental disorders linked to vaccine components is nearly mirrored in the list of disorders that qualify children in NJ for Early Intervention Services. Since all of NJ is looking at costs lately, let’s check some out…

In January of 2009, Maureen Drummond, on behalf of the Coalition, made an inquiry to her own district representatives. She cited several articles linking vaccine components with the same neurodevelopmental disorders which qualify children for Early Intervention Services (EIS). Ms. Drummond sought to establish the correlation between the increased number of vaccinations and the rising cost of EIS. She asked:

Q: What is the State's overall budget for Early Intervention Services in education, per annum, from years 1998-2008?

A: The DHSS appropriations for the years FY 1998- FY 2009 for Early Intervention Services, for infants and children up to three years of age are below. Please note that these amounts do not include federal funds and parent co-payments/ cost sharing.

FY 1998: $15 million
FY 1999: $18.7 million
FY 2000: $22 million
FY 2001: $22.3 million
FY 2002: $27 million
FY 2003: $40.7 million
FY 2004: $42.9 million
FY 2005: $52.9 million
FY 2006: $71.7 million
FY 2007: $90.5 million
FY 2008: $100.1 million
FY 2009: $100.1 million

Maureen's note: This reflects an $85.1 million increase in just one decade. What more are the qualified children getting for this $85 million increase? Or do we just have that many more children needing EIS?

The information was coalesced into a 2 page brief, which was distributed at a legislator event in March 2009. (file download to follow)

A subsequent letter has been written to request the data on Special Education Services which covers children beyond age three. We speculate that these numbers will be even more staggering.

Feb2009 NJDHSS postpones deadline after all

Feb 3, 2009
Children are allowed back into daycare and preschools around NJ without their flu shot. The HD cites flu shot shortages, and sets up emergency flu shot clinics in a few locations.

Jan2009 Children around NJ kicked out of school/ daycare *

Jan 15, 2009
Children around NJ without flu shots are barred from school until the “end of the NJ flu season” on April 1, 2009.

Children are excluded from school if they cannot produce one of the following: proof of receiving the flu shot; an appointment card from their doctor stating that they are waiting on a mercury free vaccine and the expected date of vaccination; a valid medical or serological exemption; or their religious exemption letter. Ms. Angela Sorrells told Maureen Drummond in the October 2008 phone conversation that the state would not force parents to have their children receive the mercury-containing flu vaccines.

Jan2009 NJDHSS refuses to regulate pediatric flu shots

January 2, 2008
Immunization Program Administrator Jeni Sudhakaran explains that given the looming deadline for the flu shot in about 2 weeks: (notes on this phone call to be posted shortly)

Jan2009 NJDHSS allows grace period until January 14

Jan 1, 2009

Dec2008 NJCVC meets NJ Health Commissioner Howard

December 3, 2008
NJCVC leaders meet with Commissioner Howard and her staff, making a 3 hour presentation about why NJ needs vaccination choice. She was not convinced.

Coalition co-leader, Louise Kou Habakus, prepared and presented an in-depth, documented, and quite professional presentation to Health Commissioner Howard, her Deputy Commissioner, Brownlee, Drs.Tina Tan and Barbara Montana, among other members of Commissioner Howard's staff. Louise was joined by several other coalition members at this 3 hour round table.

The Coalition supported arguments that the number of vaccines is too many, that vaccines cause neurodevelopmental injury, that vaccine safety testing is seriously lacking and the rate of chronic illness in children is epidemic. We discussed the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, vaccine reactions and risk factors, the conflicts of interest in policy making and the shameful infant mortality rate in the United States despite vaccines alleged to be the cornerstone of disease prevention. NJCVC members also urged the Department to investigate the trust gap between parents and the health department and the alarming rate of autism in NJ. Finally, we reminded Commissioner Howard and her staff of all the FDA failures that have plagued the population--Thalidomide, the Dalkon Shield, Vioxx, Premarin, the Rely Tampon and cigarettes to name a few.

The Commissioner politely excused herself before the meeting was over. Despite the volumes of information presented, which deserved her ample consideration although she did not give it, when asked if the Commissioner would please throw her support behind the conscientious exemption bill, her Chief of Staff announced that he thought the Commissioner was clear that she would continue to oppose the legislation. NJCVC has serious reservations about our state health officials who ignore plausible evidence of harm from vaccines.

Dec2008 NJDHSS memo clarifies Religious Exemptions

December 1, 2008
Attempts to eliminate inconsistent and arbitrary denials of religious exemptions occurring across NJ.

NJDHSS released a memo (read it HERE) to all NJ County and School superintendents, all principals, and public /private school administrators, clarifying and proposing amendments to the current religious exemption. This memo was the health department's attempt to make obtaining the religious exemption more uniform and concrete. For some time, health and school administrators have arbitrarily and incorrectly either denied or accepted religious exemptions. Citizen complaints forced them to take action.

The proposed amendment to the current Statute is the addition of specific wording meant to alleviate any confusion among administrators as to what legally qualifies as a religious exemption.
N.J.S.A. 26:1A-1 will add: "When a parent or guardian submits their written religious exemption to immunization, which contains some religious reference, those persons charged with implementing administrative rules at N.J.A.C. 8:57-4.4 should not question whether the parent's professed religious statement or stated belief is reasonable, acceptable, sincere and bona fide. In practice, if the written statement contains the word 'religion' or 'religious' or some reference thereto, then the statement should be accepted and the religious exemption of mandatory immunization(s) be granted."

The memo also specifies that "Objections to vaccination based on grounds which are not medical or religious in nature and which are of a philosophical, moral, secular or more general nature continue to be unacceptable."