DOING, SO THANK GOD FOR
FIREMEN."))
A DISTRUST WITH SCIENCE AND
GOVERNMENT IS LEADING SOME
PARENTS TO QUESTION THE SAFETY
OF VACCINES. ADD TO THAT, A BAN
ON RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK
-- AND THE LEGAL CHALLENGE NOW
UNDERWAY.
TONIGHT, THE NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES
TEAM TALKS TO LOCAL PARENTS WHO
WANT
A CHOICE AND THE DOCTORS WHO
STAND BEHIND THE SCIENCE.
LUKE MORETTI HAS MORE ON THE
VACCINE DEBATE.
FOUR WESTERN NEW YORK PARENTS
WITH VACCINE CONCERNS...
(( MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE
RELIGIOUS
EXEMPTION BEING TAKEN AWAY. ))
SOME HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT SAFETY...
(( WE DON'T KNOW AND WE
CONTINUE NOT TO
LOOK.))
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S BECOME
DEEPLY PERSONAL...
(( I'VE LIVED THIS LIFE FOR 21
YEARS. ))
MANY IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY
SAY IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS
ABOUT PREVENTION --
POINTING TO AN OUTBREAK OF
MEASLES.
THE NUMBER OF CASES THIS YEAR
REACHED 1,109 ACROSS 28 STATES
AS
OF LAST WEEK.
(( THIS IS A WAKEUP CALL FOR US
AS A COUNTRY. ))
BUT
THE SUBJECT OF CHILDHOOD
VACCINES HAS PROMPTED POLARIZED
DEBATES.
(( THIS INDUSTRY LIES TO US ALL
THE TIME. ))
(( I WANT TO KNOW WHAT
QUESTIONS FOLKS HAVE.
))
DR. DENNIS KUO, A UNIVERSITY AT
BUFFALO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF
PEDIATRICS, BELIEVES THE
VACCINE DEBATE IS BASED IN FEARS
--
NOT SCIENCE.
(( DR. DENNIS KUO UB,
ASSOCIATE PROFESOR OF
PEDIATRICS: IT'S BASED IN
FEARS THAT ARE OFTEN REASONABLE
QUESTIONS. ANY FEAR THAT THAT'S
OUT THERE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESED
THROUGH RATIONAL DEBATES,
THROUGH SCIENCE THAT
CAN BE REPEATEDLY EXAMINED AND
PROVEN. ))
AND THE SCIENCE, ACCORDING TO
DR. THOMAS RUSSO, A U-B
PROFESSOR WHO
SPECIALIZES IN INFECTIOUS
DISEASE...
(( DR. THOMAS RUSSO UB,
PROFESSOR OF
INFECTIOUS DISEASE : OF ALL
THE MEDICAL TREATMENTS THAT WE
USE TO PREVENT AND
TREAT DISEASES, VACCINES ARE BY
FAR THE SAFEST OF ALL OF THESE
INTERVENTIONS. ))
BUT LIKE A LOT OF THINGS,
VACCINES ARE NOT 100 PERCENT
EFFECTIVE -- AND
INJURIES DO HAPPEN.
ACCORDING TO THE U.S CENTERS
FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND
PREVENTION -
"...LIKE ANY MEDICAL
INTERVENTION, VACCINES ALSO
ENTAIL RISK. VACCINE REACTIONS
ARE
GENERALLY MILD BUT THEY CAN,
RARELY, BE SEVERE."
IN FACT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
REPORTS THAT THE
NATIONAL VACCINE INJURY
COMPENSATION PROGRAM HAS PAID
OUT AROUND $4 BILLION IN CLAIMS
OVER THREE DECADES.
(( I DID BELIEVE IN VACCINES.
))
ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER DANA
GEROW GAVE BIRTH TO HER THIRD
CHILD, NOAH,
SHE SENSED SOMETHING WAS
DIFFERENT.
MEDICAL TESTS, SHE SAYS,
DETERMINED THAT NOAH, NOW IN HIS
20'S, WAS BORN
DEAF AND BLIND.
(( DANA GEROW: HIS BRAIN NEVER
FORMED
THE CONNECTIONS. NEVER FORMED
THOSE AREAS TO ACTUALLY TAKE IN
SIGHT OR TAKE IN
HEARING.
DANA SAYS WHEN SHE BECAME
PREGNANT WITH NOAH, A DOCTOR
TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDED A
VACCINATION FOR MEASLES, MUMPS
AND
RUBELLA TO INCREASE THE
ANTIBODIES IN HER BLOOD.
SHE REMEMBERS HAVING A SEVERE
REACTION, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS
NORMAL, AND NOT TO WORRY.
SHE SAYS NO FORMS WERE FILLED
OUT TO DOCUMENT THE ADVERSE
REACTION.
DANA SUSPECTS THAT NOAH'S BRAIN
CONDITION HAS SOMETHING TO DO
WITH THE VACCINE SHE WAS GIVEN.
(( DANA GEROW CONCERNED
PARENT: I'VE
TALKED TO DOCTORS ABOUT THIS AND
THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T
WANT TO SAY IT'S
THE VACCINE NECESSARILY. BUT
THEY THEY SAY THINGS LIKE, I
WOULD FIND IT HARD TO
BELIEVE THAT THE VACCINE WASN'T
SOMEHOW INVOLVED. ))
(( DR. DENNIS KUO: WHEN
SOMETHING
DRAMATIC OR CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS
TO YOUR CHILD, PEOPLE WANT
ANSWERS. VACCINES, I THINK, HAVE
BECOME A TARGET FOR SOME
FAMILIES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR
ANSWERS.))
(( WE BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THE
SAFETY AND THE
EFFCTIVENESS OF VACCINES. WE
STAND BEHIND THE SCIENCE. ))
TIM EISENHAUER SAYS TWO OF HIS
CHILDREN WERE IMMUNIZED AND
SUFFERED HIGH FEVERS.
HE WAS TOLD THAT'S ONE OF THE
SIDE EFFECTS.
(( MY TWO KIDS ENDED UP
GETTING DIAGNOSED
AS AUTISTIC. ))
THAT'S LED TIM TO QUESTION THE
SAFETY OF VACCINES AND THE WAY
CLINICAL TRIALS ARE CONDUCTED.
(( TIM EISENHAUER CONCERNED
PARENT:
HAVING THE PEOPLE THAT DEVELOP
VACCINES ALSO BE THE WATCHDOG IS
A RECIPE FOR DISASTER. ))
(( REPORTER: YOU'VE NEVER HAD A
MEDICAL
PROFESSIONAL OR A DOCTOR OR
ANYTHING BE ABLE TO KIND OF LAY
IT OUT FOR YOU AND SAY
THIS IS THE REASON IT HAPPENED.
THEY CAN'T POINT TO ANYTHING
SPECIFIC. ))
(( NO DOCTOR WILL DO THAT,
EVER. NO DOCTOR
WILL EVER DO THAT. ))
BUT DR. THOMAS RUSSO...
(( THE SCIENCE IS UNEQUIVICAL.
))
SAYS IT'S BEEN STUDIED.
(( THERE HAS BEEN OVER TEN
HIGH QUALITY
STUDIES IN A INSTITUTE OF
MEDICINE REVIEW PANEL THAT HAS
UNEQUIVICALLY
ESTABLISHED THERE IS NO
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MMR
VACCINE AND AUSTISM. ))
(( IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
DISCERN WHAT IS TRUTH
AND WHAT IS FICTION. ))
MONICA STEPHENS, AN ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR AT U-B, SPECIALIZES IN
SOCIAL MEDIA MISINFORMATION.
SHE SAYS THE SAME RUSSIAN BOTS
BANNED AND INDENTIFIED FOR
INTEREFERING WITH THE 2016
ELECTION ALSO PROMOTED VACCINE
MISINFORMATION ONLINE.
(( MONICA STEPHENS UB,
ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR OF GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION SCIENCE: ONE OF
THE REASONS IS
TO CREATE CONTENT POLLUTION AND
TO PROMOTE DISCORD WITHIN THE
VACCINE
DEBATE AND ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA.
))
FOR SOME PARENTS, IT'S NOT ABOUT
A QUESTION OF SAFETY AS MUCH AS
THE
RIGHT TO CHOOSE.
ON WEDENSDAY, CHEERS FROM
PARENTS AND KIDS OUTSIDE AN
ALBANY
COURT AS LAWYERS FILED A LAWSUIT
AGAINST THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
THE LEGAL CHALLENGE ATTEMPTS TO
OVERTURN A NEW
STATE LAW THAT BARS PARENTS FROM
REFUSING TO VACCINATE THEIR
CHILDREN ON RELIGIOUS GROUNDS.
(( MICHAEL SUSSMAN ATTORNEY:
THEY CALLED
THE PEOPLE WITH RELIGIOUS
EXEMPTIONS FRAUDS, FABRICATORS,
LIARS. THAT IS ACT OF
HOSTILITY TO THE RELIGION, WHICH
THE SUPREME COURT HAS RECENTLY
AS 2017 SAID CANNOT MOTIVATE OR
ANIMATE PUBLIC POLICY. ))
QUEENIA ASHEEMA'AT IS A
PRACTICING MUSLIM HOMESCHOOLING
HER
TWO CHILDREN.
SHE'S OPPOSES VACCINES BASED ON
RELIGIOUS REASONS BECAUSE OF
SOME OF
THE INGREDIENTS.
(( QUEENIA ASHEEMA'AT
CONCERNED PARENT:
I'M WILLING TO JUST LEAVE THE
COUNTRY IF NECESSARY. IF EVERY
STATE DECIDED TO SAY
WE'RE TAKING THE RELIGIOUS
EXPEMPTION AWAY, WE DON'T HAVE A
CHOICE. I'M NOT GOING TO FORGO
MY RELIGIOUS BELIEF BECAUSE OF
FEAR AND VACCINATION MANDATES.))
MINISTER DAHVEED MUHAMMAD...
(( IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. ))
IS ANOTHER PARENT IMPACTED BY
THE STATE'S MOVE TO SHUTDOWN THE
RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION.
(( DAHVEED MUHAMMAD CONCERNED
PARENT:
MY CONCERN IS THIS EROSION OF
CIVIL LIBERTIES, EROSION OF
PARENTAL RIGHTS, AND
THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO
CHOOSE. ))
WE ALSO REVIEWED STATE DATA TO
DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF
STUDENTS WHO USED RELIGIOUS
EXEMPTIONS AT WESTERN NEW YORK
SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
OUR ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE
HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IS JUST ABOVE
3 PERCENT,
WHILE MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE
WELL BELOW THAT NUMBER.
YOU CAN REVIEW DATA FOR ALL
SCHOOLS ON WIVB.COM -- JUST
LOOK FOR THE STORY AND SCROLL
DOWN.
LUKE MORETTI, NEWS 4.
STILL TO COME AT 6...
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE COMING
INTO THE CITY TO HELP CHILDREN
