Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Catholic Church Has Given Green Light To Using Vaccines Derived From Aborted Fetal Cells, But One Family Is Still Suing Over Beliefs
The Washington Post: Chickenpox Outbreak At Kentucky's Assumption Academy Leads To Religious Freedom Lawsuit
Bill Kunkel used to vaccinate his children, before he read where some vaccines come from. He is skeptical of the pharmaceutical industry’s motives and came across anti-vaxxer theories online, though they aren’t supported by science. But his main objection is about abortion. Decades ago, cells were taken from legally aborted fetuses to create some vaccines. Kunkel is Catholic. Vaccines derived from an abortion are, in his mind but not the church’s, immoral. So he and his wife chose not to vaccinate their fourth child, Jerome. (Mettler, 3/19)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Chickenpox Vaccine And Abortion: A Link From The 1960s Brings Lawsuit
Chickenpox is raging through Assumption Academy in the Boone County city of Walton. Since early February, more than 30 students, or 13 percent of the student body, have developed the highly contagious illness. Officials with Northern Kentucky Health Department ordered school events canceled until the outbreak is brought under control. (Saker, 3/19)
CNN: Her Son Died. And Then Anti-Vaxers Attacked Her
Not long ago, a 4-year-old boy died of the flu. His mother, under doctor's orders, watched his two little brothers like a hawk, terrified they might get sick and die, too. Grieving and frightened, just days after her son's death she checked her Facebook page hoping to read messages of comfort from family and friends. Instead, she found dozens of hateful comments: You're a terrible mother. You killed your child. You deserved what happened to your son. This is all fake - your child doesn't exist. Bewildered and rattled, she closed her Facebook app. (Cohen and Bonifield, 3/19)
And in other news —
Stat: What Was It Like When Mumps Was Rampant? Ask Greg
Today, thanks to vaccines, the number of annual mumps cases ranges from hundreds to a few thousand, depending on whether there’s a big outbreak. Measles, a more dangerous disease, is even more rare — a super bad year, like 2014, saw 667 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, numbers like these make experts worry that the rise of anti-vaccine sentiment is threatening the herd immunity used to keep vaccine-preventable diseases in check. (Branswell, 3/20)
California Healthline: Does It Make Sense To Delay Children’s Vaccines?
When Elyse Imamura’s son was an infant, she and her husband, Robert, chose to spread out his vaccinations at a more gradual pace than the official schedule recommended. “I was thinking, ‘OK, we’re going to do this,’” says Imamura, 39, of Torrance, Calif. “‘But we’re going to do it slower so your body gets acclimated and doesn’t face six different things all of a sudden.’”Seven years later, Imamura says her son, Amaru, is a “very healthy,” active boy who loves to play sports. (Wolfson, 3/19)
The CT Mirror: This Kennedy Embraces Science On Climate, Not Vaccines
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s voice quavered Tuesday as he denounced the makers of childhood vaccines and the institutions he sees as their collaborators. It’s a long list. Among others, it includes the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the Food and Drug Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Democratic Party and the media. (Pazniokas, 3/19)
