News & Media Coverage

Selected Interviews

Below are expanding and contracting hyperlinks that contain selected coverage of NVIC's advocacy to prevent vaccine injuries and deaths and inclusion of informed consent protections in vaccine policies and laws. Please click on the hyperlinks below and articles will be revealed under the month or year that you have clicked.

2019

• April 2019
  Anti-Vaxx Memes Are Thriving on Instagram. "Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of NVIC, previously told INSIDER that "there is no question there are more families than ever involved now," in the anti-vaxx movement. In an emailed statement, Fisher said that, "while NVIC since 2008 has posted information on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we are not dependent upon those platforms to fulfill our mission of preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education." Insider  Apr. 30, 2019.
  
  California Bill Aims to Appoint Public Health Official to Determine Vaccine Exemptions. “A law that prevents a doctor from using his professional judgement is immoral and dangerous," Barbara Loe Fisher, the co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, told Fox News. "[Supporters of SB 276] are more concerned about achieving a 100 percent vaccination rate in California than they are about these children who are vulnerable of being injured or dying from a vaccine." Fox News  Apr. 24, 2019.
  
  Rich People Are Leading the Anti-Vaccine Movement - and Experts Have a Theory Why. "Anti-vax theories don't live and die in Reddit threads - these are mainstream movements bolstered by powerful nonprofits. So even as Facebook and Pinterest crack down on posts from vaccine skeptics, charities like the National Vaccine Information Center, famous for erecting anti-vaccine billboards in Times Square, are still leading the conversation." Money Magazine Apr. 15, 2019.
  
  GoFundMe 'conducting a thorough review' on campaigns that promote measles misinformation. "Facebook announced in March that they won't send you recommendations on groups they believe could be spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation. The same policy will apply to Instagram posts. Just weeks before that, YouTube announced they would stop running ads on posts promoting anti-vaccination content. Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center calls it a "very orchestrated attack. "As one of the oldest groups of their kind, NVIC advocates for giving parents a choice on vaccinations. An argument very similar to those shared by anti-vaccine groups, but Fisher says their main purpose is education. "When the statement is made that vaccines are safe, we say they are not safe for everyone," said Fisher. Fisher says at the heart of her frustration is the notion that you have to be on one side or another on this issue. "Nobody is looking at the center ground...We have a right in America to question government science and pharmaceutical companies," said Fisher. Fisher says it's important to note who defines the term misinformation, as all her data and studies have references to back them up."  KHOU-11 Apr. 15, 2019.
  
  There are nearly 400 reported cases of measles in the US. What are states doing about it? "Still, organizations like the National Vaccine Information Center can give the impression that parents are risking their kids' lives by getting them vaccinated. President Barbara Loe Fisher said the NVIC, which she co-founded in 1982 under the name Dissatisfied Parents Together, merely advocates informed consent and does not make recommendations related to immunizations. Asked about the government's duty to protect its citizens through public health policy, Fisher said: "Are you saying that a public health law that requires a certain minority of individuals to risk their lives, sacrifice their lives, for the rest is a moral law when they're not given the choice of whether or not they're going to participate in that sacrifice? That's not a moral public-health law.''
  
  "Fisher points out more than $4 billion has been paid out by the compensation program, but according to CDC figures, 3.4 billion doses of covered vaccines were distributed in the U.S. from 2006 to 2017, and 4,250 compensated claims were adjudicated. That comes out to 1.25 paid claims for every million doses.
  
  "Nevertheless, Fisher says the anti-vax movement will continue to grow, and she sees it as part of a fight for civil liberties. "Today everybody knows somebody who was healthy, got vaccinated and was never healthy again,'' she said, "and that's the reason this issue is not going to go away no matter what kind of laws and no matter what kind of censorship is applied.''
  
  "Nate Smith, director of the Arkansas Department of Health, is among the NVIC's many critics, calling it "an anti-vaccination group'' and saying part of what makes organizations like it dangerous is they can appear to provide legitimate information. "Sometimes they present things in ways that are very reasonable, but then other times they make statements that are patently false,'' Smith said. "So it's very difficult for someone who doesn't have a background in vaccination science or in public health to discern.'' USA Today Apr. 3, 2019.
  
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• March 2019

  Forcing Vaccination on Every Child Undermines Civil Liberties. In this essay, NVIC co-founder and president Barbara Loe Fisher addressed the question, "Where should society draw the line between requiring vaccinations for children and allowing parental freedom of choice?" She said, "Science is not perfect, doctors are not infallible, and medical interventions come with risks, which is why parents have the power to exercise informed consent to medical risk taking on behalf of their minor children" and added, "When parents question the risks and failures of a commercial pharmaceutical product being mandated for every child, the answer is not more force but better science and respect for the informed consent ethic." A counterpoint view was provided by Dan Salmon, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University. Leaps Magazine Mar. 28, 2019. 
  
  Some Lawmakers Support Vaccine Bill Amid Rockland's Ongoing Measles Outbreak [in New York]. "The National Vaccine Information Center is a Virginia-based non-profit that supports the right for individuals to make informed, voluntary health choices for themselves and their children. NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher says the Rockland state of emergency is government overreach. "Is this the kind of public health emergency that warrants this kind of action? We're not talking Ebola. People are not dying in the streets," says Loe Fisher says. "This is a very serious precedent that's being set."   
  
  "This is a human rights issues. It has to do with, whether or not in America we are going to have the right to autonomy, the right to exercise our conscience, our religious beliefs and our informed consent rights when it comes to using, in this case, a pharmaceutical product that is liability-free, as of 2011, and be able to make these decisions," says Loe Fisher. "And NVIC will continue to defend civil liberties and the informed consent rights of Americans." WAMC Radio (NPR) Mar. 28, 2019. 
  
  Pan's Bill Would Further Restrict Vaccine Exemptions for Schoolkids. "Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) introduced SB 276 at a Sacramento news conference Tuesday. Pan, a pediatrician, says the bill would combat doctors fraudulently writing medical exemptions for children so they can attend schools. SB 276 opponent Barbara Loe Fisher the president and co-founder of the National Vaccine Information Center, opposes Pan's legislation. "Under narrow federal vaccine guidelines, almost no health condition qualifies for a medical exemption. Since there is no longer a personal belief exemption allowed for children to attend school in California, the bill will pave the way for state health officials seeking a 100 percent vaccination rate to achieve that goal, but at what price?" Fisher told GV Wire via email. 

  "She also expressed concern about government overreach. "Forcing physicians to violate their professional judgment and their conscience is a form of state-sponsored tyranny that should not be part of public health law in any state," Fisher said." GV Wire Mar. 26, 2019. 
  
  With Vaccine Misinformation, Libraries Walk A Fine Line. "If Amazon is going to be leaned on by the government to censor certain kinds of information," said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, which advocates against mandatory vaccination, "then it could well extend at some point to cleansing the libraries of information that does not align with government policy or medical policy." Undark Magazine Mar. 22, 2019. 
  
  Even With Measles Outbreaks Across the U.S., At Least 20 States Have Proposed Anti-Vaccination Bills. "Barbara Loe Fisher is the co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, one of the leading organizations advocating for vaccination exemptions. The group tracks vaccine-related bills. And this year, there are more such bills that the center can get behind than there have been since it began closely monitoring state legislation in 2010, Fisher said. "There are a lot of legislators who are thoughtfully looking at this issue," she said.
  
  "The National Vaccine Information Center has lent its support to bills in Iowa and Hawaii that seek to add a conscientious belief exemption, according to its website. It's also urging people in Arizona to support bills in the state House and Senate that would make it easier to get exemptions from vaccines and require doctors to provide information about the potential risks of vaccines...Fisher, of the National Vaccine Information Center, says her organization will keep pushing for vaccination exemption laws. "I don't know how long it's going to take to reform these vaccine policies and laws," she said. "But I know that people are becoming involved, and they want to be part of vaccine policy." CNN Mar. 6, 2019.
  
  State Lawmakers Pushing for Laxer Vaccine Rules Despite Measles Outbreaks. "Across the country, lawmakers have introduced more than 130 vaccine-related bills in over 30 states, at a pace that could set a new record, according to the National Vaccine Information Center, a vaccine-skeptical group that closely tracks vaccine legislation. The center said legislators filed 160 bills in 41 states during 2015, setting a record later broken by 2017's 184 bills in 42 states... Barbara Loe Fisher, who founded the National Vaccine Information Center, contends the animosity about vaccines is "part of a larger culture war that's going on in this country. It's about the right to autonomy, the natural right to self-determination. We have freedom of thought, freedom of religious belief." Politico Mar. 3, 2019.
  
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• February 2019

  As More Parents Join the Anti-Vax Movement, States Are Scrambling to Make It Harder to Opt Out of Vaccinating Your Child.

  "Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, one of the oldest and most well-established anti-vax groups, told INSIDER her organization is supporting more bills in the current legislative session than ever before - 61 out of 140 vaccine-related bills across 31 states. "There is no question there are more families than ever involved now," she said. "This is a parental rights and human rights and civil liberties issue." INSIDER Feb. 28, 2019.
  
  States Move to Restrict Parents' Refusal to Vaccinate Their Kids. "Nobody should sit in judgment of another person's religious and spiritual beliefs," says Barbara Loe Fisher, a spokesperson for the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that lobbies against mandatory vaccination and thinks parents should have a choice. "No person should be allowed to force someone to violate their conscience when they're making a decision about the use of a pharmacological product that carries a risk of harm." NPR Feb. 28, 2019.
  
  Exemption Debate. "A hundred cases of measles in a population of 320 million people does not constitute a public health emergency," said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center. "[These cases] should not be used to justify eliminating the legal right to exercise informed consent to vaccination," she told Axios. World Magazine Feb. 28, 2019.
  
  Measles Outbreaks Lead States to Reconsider Vaccine Exemptions. "Proponents of vaccine exemptions argue that parents should be able to make their own decisions regarding their children's health. "We believe that stripping vaccine laws of personal belief exemptions is a violation of human rights, including freedom of thought, conscience and religious belief," said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center." The Hill Feb. 26, 2019. 
  
  Anti-vaxxers face backlash as measles cases surge. "The introduction of competing anti-vaccine bills in state legislatures reflect continuing alarm about vaccine safety, said Barbara Loe Fisher, who heads one of the oldest and best-established anti-vaccine groups, the National Vaccine Information Center. "You cannot bring down the hammer on people and force them to obey one size fits all when the risk is not being shared equally," she said, adding that individuals have different genetic risks. She argues that parents should have the right to make voluntary decisions without their children being denied a school education. "We consider this to be parental rights, a human rights issue," Fisher said. While 11 states are considering bills to restrict or eliminate vaccine exemptions, her group supports 60 out of 141 vaccine-related state measures, "which is the most bills we have supported in a legislative session," she said. Groups such as Fisher's frame their message in terms of individual rights, insisting that parents, not the government, should decide whether to vaccinate their children - an argument championed by affluent, well-educated parents that resonates with liberals and conservatives." Washington Post Feb. 25, 2019.
  
  Health Officials React to FDA Chief Comment on Vaccine Exemptions. "While the FDA isn't directly in charge of getting Americans vaccinated against diseases, the comments from such a high-ranking federal health official fueled the fire in the already red-hot debate over vaccines and exemptions from them. "It is highly inappropriate for federal government officials particularly the commissioner of the FDA to threaten state legislators with federal action if they don't tighten vaccine exemption laws," said Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center which advocates for people to opt out of shots through informed consent."  But while health officials like Dr. Smith, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics  continue to urge fewer exemptions on immunizations, groups like Fisher's are resisting. "The federal government has made vaccine recommendations and the states have made vaccine laws," she said. "The federal government should not be interfering in what is a states' rights issue." Fisher said doubts persist over the risks of widespread immunization programs." THV11 (CBS - AK) Feb. 22, 2019.
  
  Bills that critics fear would lead to dip in vaccinations advance "Along with the premise that vaccines save millions of lives, as a pharmaceutical product, they also bring risk," Irene Pi, Arizona director of the National Vaccine Information Center, told lawmakers. Arizona Capitol Times Feb. 21, 2019.  
  
  Should Vaccine Exemption Laws Be Regulated by the Federal Government? "Recently, the 2018 Annual Report on U.S. State Vaccine Legislation, the non-profit charity National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) reported that during the 2018 legislative session, no state eliminated or restricted existing medical, religious and conscientious or philosophical exemptions for daycare or school attendance. Working to prevent vaccine injuries and deaths through public education since 1982, the NVIC is the largest and oldest U.S. charity disseminating information about diseases, vaccines and informed consent to vaccination. NVIC provides well-referenced, accurate information to the public about vaccination and health, but does not make vaccine recommendations." Precision Vaccinations Feb. 20, 2019.
  
  Anti-vaxxers: admitting that vaccinology is an imperfect science may be a better way to defeat skeptics. "Other groups, like the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), declare that its mission is to promote informed consent. The NVIC says it offers neutral, evidence-based information about vaccines, but its website has many stories about vaccine-damaged children and the "harassment" of parents for making "informed vaccine choices." The Conversation Feb. 15, 2019.
  
  Outbreak Is Bringing Vaccine Exemptions Into Spotlight.  The other side: Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center often labeled as anti-vaccination, tells Axios that 100 cases of measles in a population of 320 million "is not a public health emergency." "It should not be used to justify eliminating the legal right to exercise informed consent to vaccination, which is protected by the inclusion of flexible medical, religious and conscientious-belief vaccine exemptions in public health laws," she says. Axios Feb. 14, 2019.
  
  A state-by-state guide to vaccine exemptions in the U.S.  According to the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), Washington is one of 17 states that allow for philosophical exemption from vaccines, which are granted to individuals who hold conscientious objections to one or more shots... the following map breaks down vaccine exemption rules across the U.S., using data from NVIC." Insider Feb. 12, 2019. 
  
  Oregon lawmaker wants to end non-medical exemptions to school vaccine requirement.  Theresa Wrangham, executive director of the National Vaccine Information Center, opposes Greenlick's proposal. "You're talking about a minority of parents who exercise their human rights to make medical risk taking decisions voluntarily. Vaccination is a risk-taking decision," Wrangham told a KATU reporter. "It's my contention that this is a human right because it carries a risk of injury or death. You have to allow people to make that choice."  KATU2 Feb. 11, 2019.
  
  Northwest Measles Outbreak Revives Debate Over Vaccine Laws.  "The National Vaccine Information Center, which opposes mandatory vaccination laws, said it opposed that bill and the current one. Another anti-vaccination group, Informed Choice Washington, had its members at the statehouse on Thursday trying to dissuade lawmakers. "People are feeling extremely oppressed and feeling like they can't make an educated decision," said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the group (sic) [NVIC]. She said the legislation would "bring a hammer down and threaten people instead of allowing them to make informed decisions." Associated Press/Seattle Times Feb. 1, 2019. 
  
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2018

• June 2018
  Should Vaccines Be Required to Receive Welfare? "Assemblyman Kansen Chu (D-San Jose) says he doesn't want to penalize welfare recipients whose children's immunizations aren't up to date. But his proposed AB 1992 may do just that, according to a parents' rights group... an advocate with the Parents United 4 Kids noticed that the bill doesn't include religious and medical exemptions. "This bill is coercive and is holding hostage cash incentives in exchange for vaccination," writes Stefanie Fetzer on her group's Facebook page. Barbara Loe Fisher serves as president of the National Vaccine Information Center. Fisher says her group "advocates for the inclusion of informed consent protections in vaccine policies and state laws, including flexible medical, religious and conscientious belief vaccine exemptions." She also opposes the removal of the personal belief exemption. "It is cruel to withhold welfare benefits from families in need.  NVIC opposes AB 1992 and any legislation that threatens Americans with punishment for making voluntary vaccine decisions for themselves or their children," Fisher wrote in a statement." GV Wire, June 25, 2018.
  
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• March 2018
  Big Pharma's Vaccines: Naked Profit Over Safety In an attempt to block the fast-tracking this vaccine, Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of nonprofit NGO National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), challenged the FDA by saying that Novartis failed to demonstrate that Fluad with squalene was more effective or safer than an equivalent non-squalene vaccine in the small clinical trial being used to justify accelerated licensure. In fact, Fluad was far more reactive."Compared to Agriflu [a non-squalene flu vaccine], Fluad produced a much higher number of pain, tenderness, redness and swelling reports; a higher number of systemic adverse event reports and more deaths and cases of new onset chronic disease." She questioned, "Why does Fluad need to be fast tracked to licensure for the elderly without additional evidence? There is public concern that fast-tracking Fluad is really about fast tracking MF59 to licensure so it can be added to lots of new vaccines targeting infants, pregnant women and every American without adequate evidence for safety or effectiveness." [Public Comment, Barbara Leo Fisher, FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, Sept. 15, 2015, WND Mar. 24, 2018.
  
  Vaccines Revealed Live Global Webcast A video conversation with Pat Gentempo, DC and Barbara Loe Fisher. Watch or listen here. Vaccines Revealed Mar. 21, 2018.
  
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• February 2018
  How Vaccinated Kids Infect the Non-Vaccinated It has been estimated that between 80-100% of infants shed rotavirus at some point during 25-28 days after vaccination.This reveals that the vaccinated, contrary to widespread assumptions about the the risks represented by the non-vaccinated, pose a clear risk of infecting the non-vaccinated, and may be producing the ideal virological conditions for the recombination of diverse rotavirus strains into vaccine-resistant 'super viruses.' Another case study, reported on in the National Vaccine Information Center's document on vaccine viral shedding: "In 2010, a case report was published in Pediatrics describing a 30-month old healthy boy who had never received rotavirus vaccine and was infected with vaccine strain rotavirus. 237 He ended up in the emergency room with severe gastroenteritis 10 days after his healthy two-month old brother was given a dose of Merck's RotaTeq vaccine. A stool sample was taken in the emergency room and came back positive for RotaTeq vaccine derived strains after RT-PCR testing." Prepare for Change Feb. 13, 2018.
  
  Another Vaccine Has Been Added to Australia's National Immunization Program Most of us are not at risk for the majority of us have natural acquired immunity to this organism. According to Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccination Information Center,"At any given time, about 20 to 40 percent of Americans are asymptomatically colonizing meningococcal organisms in their nasal passages and throats, which throughout life boosts innate immunity to invasive meningococcal infection. Mothers, who have innate immunity, transfer maternal antibodies to their newborns to protect them in the first few months of life until babies can make their own antibodies. By the time American children enter adolescence, the vast majority have asymptomatically developed immunity that protects them." Collective Evolution Feb. 11, 2018.
  
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2017

• October 2017
  Vaccine Exemptions Still Leave Work to Be Done. Waivers for vaccination requirements may be available depending on the state. One state may offer a waiver that a neighboring state doesn't. For example, Michigan offers three types of waivers: one a medical waiver, the other two religious and philosophical waivers. However, the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) says Indiana offers only medical and religious exemptions. One News Now. October 20, 2017.
  
  Vaccines: Freedom of Choice or Compulsory?. Radio host Jon Schneider interviews NVIC's Barbara Loe Fisher on "Crosstalk" about the aggressive push for mandatory vaccinations with no exemptions by the well-funded and politically powerful vaccine lobby. VCY America. October 20, 2017.
  
  Type 1 Diabetes Doubles in Mississippi Children, Are Vaccines to Blame?. As the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) reports, doctors first started noticing signs of trouble back in 1949. At that time, doctors reported that children who received the pertussis vaccine (now part of the DPT shot) had issues with maintaining normal blood glucose levels. According to NVIC, research conducted with mice confirmed that the pertussis vaccine could cause type 1 diabetes. But it's not just the pertussis vaccine, now is it? As NVIC explains: "As diabetes research progressed in the 1960's, 70's and 80's, there were observations that viral infections may be a co-factor in causing diabetes. The introduction of live virus vaccines, such as live MMR vaccine which is made from weakened forms of the live measles, mumps and rubella viruses, has raised questions about whether live vaccine virus could be a co-factor in causing chronic diseases such as diabetes." Natural News. October 10, 2017.
  
  Commentary: Why Immunization Exemption Ban Should Be Repealed by Terry Roark. Senate Bill 277 was passed by the California Legislature in 2015 even after thousands of parents and their children repeatedly demonstrated in Sacramento opposing the elimination of the personal belief vaccine exemption for school attendance. There was a good reason for public protests: The law violates the human right to informed consent to medical risk-taking, as well as other internationally recognized human rights, including the right to autonomy and freedom of thought, conscience and religious belief... SB 277 is cruel and inhuman because it fails to respect biological diversity, discriminates against vulnerable children and violates human and civil rights. It should be repealed. Terry Roark is the California state advocacy director for the nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center. San Diego Union-Tribune. October 4, 2017.
  
  Michigan Mother Jailed for Refusing to Vaccinate Her Son. Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the vaccine-sceptic National Vaccine Information Center, told the BBC this is not the first time a parent has been jailed for refusing to vaccinate a child. The federal government does not legislate child immunisation, only issuing recommendations while leaving requirements to states or local school districts. If a parent does not comply with a school's vaccination guidelines, the child is not permitted to attend school and the parent can be jailed for the pupil's truancy. For that reason, many anti-vaccine parents choose to home-school their children, Mrs Fisher told the BBC. BBC. October 2, 2017.
  
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• August 2017
  Family Physicians Urge Parents to Talk Over Vaccinations. Back-to-school preparations require more than just pencils and backpacks. Doctors are reminding parents and caregivers to have a conversation about vaccinations before school bells ring... The non-profit Immunization Action Coalition offers extensive information on vaccine risks. Other sites with vaccination information include the National Vaccine Information Center and the CDC website. Public News Service. August 31, 2017.
  
  WARNING About Vaccines and the Current Vaccination Schedule. The National Vaccine Information Center reports that nearly $3.6 billion has been awarded to children and parents for vaccine injuries to date - making it clear that adverse effects are a reality. In light of these facts, it has never been more important to examine the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in order to make an informed decision about your health. On the NaturalHealth365 Talk Hour, Jonathan Landsman interviews Barbara Loe Fisher and reveals the truth about the current childhood vaccination schedule. Natural News. August 31, 2017.
  
  Gardasil: Fast-Tracked and Flawed. "Nevertheless, the National Vaccine Information Center in the US published a Gardasil risk report in 2009 which found that death and serious adverse events are reported three to 30 times more often after Gardasil than after the meningococcal vaccination Menactra." Mercatornet. August 22, 2017.
  
  Back to school vaccines: Exemptions & concerns. Colorado Coalition for Vaccine Choice (CCVC) said the organization supports informed consent, vaccine exemptions and privacy and medical decisions. President of CCVC Francis Sincere quoted Executive Director of the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) Barbara Loe Fisher in saying "Where there is risk there must be choice." Denver Channel 7, ABC Affiliate. August 17, 2017. NVIC note: The quote should have been attributed to NVIC Executive Director Theresa Wrangham.
  
  #NoVax, the network is organized against vaccines. This network is linked to many popular international fans who have clearly supported the Italian anti-vaccination campaign in mid-June. Facebook pages such as the National Vaccine Information Center, VacTruth, the Vaccination Information Network and other affiliates are being followed by more than 700,000 users. Huffpost-Italy. August 10, 2017.
  
  The Real Vaccination Issue. ChiroSecure Malpractice Insurance founder Dr. Stu Hoffman, who said forced vaccination is a "moral issue" and "the issue of our time," interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher about vaccine risks and his support of NVIC's mission, urging doctors of chiropractic to connect with NVIC and educate their patients on how to take action to protect vaccine choices. Watch or listen to the 40-minute interview on Facebook or YouTube. ChiroSecure Aug. 8, 2017. ChiroSecure August 8, 2017.
  
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• July 2017
  Vaccination and Your Informed Consent Rights. Daniel Brinkman interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher about vaccine risks and failures and the politics of mandatory vaccination. Founded by freedom activist Joyce Riley, who passed away on June 25, 2017, The Power Hour is a three-hour syndicated show focusing on topics reflecting real life challenges that face Americans today. Listen to the podcast interview on Power Hour Nation Radio. Power Hour Nation Radio July 31, 2017.
  
  New Measures Add Pressure to Anti-Vaccine Parents in Illinois and Across U.S. "On the other side of the issue, Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, says informed consent, which includes the right of the individual to refuse medication, is a basic human right. "I see this as a human rights issue of our time," said Fisher, whose organization supports flexible religious, medical and philosophical exemptions. "They can bring down the hammer, and they can force people, and they can punish people, but they will lose all trust, and the people will fear them, and they will run, they will go underground because they have to protect their children." Fisher wants to see more research pinpointing which kids are vulnerable to vaccine reactions, and why." Chicago Tribune July 30, 2017.
  
  Vaccinations and Health Care Freedom. Dr. Daniel Knowles, who is the founder of Mile High Chiropractic in Boulder, CO, interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher about the 35-year history of the grassroots vaccine safety and informed consent movement and how principled chiropractors have supported NVIC's mission since 1993 to protect vaccine exemptions across the country. NVIC will have a vaccine information booth at the Mile High event held in Denver Aug. 17-20, 2017. Listen to the 34-minute podcast or watch on YouTube. Mile High Chiro July 20, 2017.
  
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• June 2017
  Southwest Austin Private Schools See A Rise in Conscientious Exemptions to Vaccines. Exemption rates should be reported based on how many children have received each individual vaccine, according to local [Austin, Texas] advocate Dawn Richardson, co-founder of statewide organization Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education and director of advocacy for the National Vaccine Information Center. "A vaccine exemption is required to be filed if a kid is missing one dose of one vaccine, all the way through all doses of all vaccines," she said. "Saying exemptions are going up is creating misconceptions and fears, when really the number of kids vaccinated for each individual vaccine has stayed the same or gone up [since 2003]. There is no effect on Texas vaccine rates based on the institution of exemptions."
  
  Richardson said two key pieces of information could explain why the rate of conscientious exemptions increased in recent years. First, the vaccinations required as part of the state-mandated immunization schedule has more than doubled since 2000, leading to more conscientious exemptions being filed. Second, the population of Texas has increased, resulting in more families electing for conscientious exemptions. Community Impact Newspaper. June 26, 2017.
  
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• May 2017
  Honoring Four Extraordinary Mothers. The greatest change in life that a woman will ever experience is becoming a mother. As every mom soon discovers, there are no books or classes that can fully prepare you for the responsibility and countless decisions you will need to make for your child's physical and emotional health. In honor of Mother's Day 2017, we profile four extraordinary mothers who have faced a crisis in their lives and embraced the challenge with courage, integrity, and a passionate vision to improve life for others: Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president, National Vaccine Information Center; Jolette Calabress, HMC, CCH, RSHon(Na); Robina Suwol, founder and executive director, California Safe Schools; Kelly Brogan, MD, Holistic Women's Health Psychiatrist. These are their inspirational stories. SafBaby May 11, 2017.
  
  Veterans Suffering Vaccine Side Effects: Federal Government Refuses to Compensate Victims. ActionNews Jacksonville investigated the vaccine reaction reports of two combat marines who suffered heart inflammation and permanent damage after smallpox vaccination and found the federal government refuses to compensate some victims who say they were forced to get the smallpox vaccine and suffered debilitating side effects. "Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center believes the government is hiding behind the facts. "They do not want to acknowledge that when the vaccines are given, there are far more people being hurt than they are willing to admit." The warning label on ACAM 2000 lists myo and pericarditis as a possible side effect." Action News JAX May 4, 2017. Close Topic
• April 2017
  African-Americans, Vaccines and A History of Suspicion. "Informed consent means that you have the human right to be fully informed about the benefits and risks of vaccines and to be allowed to make a decision without being coerced, harassed or punished," says Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a nonprofit she co-founded with parents of vaccine-injured children in 1982. Author of the seminal 1985 text, "DPT: A Shot in the Dark," Fisher explains vaccines are "pharmaceutical products that carry an inherent risk of injury or death that can be greater for some people than others." Atlanta Black Star. Apr. 26, 2017
  
  Society has Reached Tipping Point: Vaccine Reactions, Autism, Disabilities w/Barbara Loe Fisher

  Barbara Loe Fisher, Co-founder and President of the National Vaccine Information Center, joins the program with Sarah Westall to dive deep into the vaccine issue. This in-depth interview discusses the private/pubic partnership between industry and government, increasing vaccine reactions, and the need for consumers to be more savvy about the risks and benefits of vaccines. SarahWestall.com. Apr. 3, 2017. Close Topic
• January 2017
  Missouri Bill Would Ban Mercury Vaccines; First Step to Nullify Federal Policy in Practice. As the FDA downplays the concerns related to thimerosal and mercury in vaccines, whistle-blowers are singing a different tune. The National Vaccine Information Center, a non-profit watchdog organization, reports that the threat is still alarming - especially pertaining to infants: "Most infants are still routinely given Thimerosal-containing influenza vaccine even though there are Thimerosal-free and vaccines with trace amounts of Thimerosal. Infants receiving a Thimerosal-containing influenza vaccine are dosed at 6 months with 12.5 mcg of ethyl mercury and at 7 months with an additional 12.5 mcg. Adult Thimerosal-containing vaccines contain roughly 25mcg." The Tenth Amendment Center. Jan. 31, 2017.
  
  Texas Doctor Sounding Alarm About Potential Measles Outbreak. Now State Representative Donna Howard is proposing a bill that would require parents to talk with their pediatrician before they can opt out of vaccines....Dawn Richardson is not buying it." So now she's saying because you're making a different choice than what I think you're uneducated, that's really presumptuous and very arrogant," Richardson said. Richardson is the director of advocacy for the National Vaccine Information Center. She fought for the conscientious and religious exemption in Texas 2003. Now she is getting ready to fight State Rep. Howard's bill as well. "It's wrong," Richardson said. "They need to stop bullying and harassing these families and propagating fear about them." She says parents have the right to question the safety of vaccines. "Pharmaceutical products are known to cause injury and death and that includes vaccines and people should be respected to make these choices," Richardson said. CBS-Austin. Jan. 26, 2017.
  
  Virginia House subcommittee tosses immunization mandate bill. "Opponents of the bill came out in force [and] argued that cases of meningococcal disease are so rare that they do not require a mandate. Steve Martin with the National Vaccine Information Center argued that Wisconsin, Colorado and New Hampshire do not have mandates, yet still have vaccination rates above the national average. Vicky Pebsworth, volunteer director of research and patient safety with the group, told the subcommittee that invasive meningococcal disease has naturally declined after peaking in the 1990s. "The disease is not easily transmitted in schools or other public settings," Pebsworth said. Richmond Times Dispatch. Jan. 25, 2017.
  
  Bill would put school vaccine requirements in the hands of the Legislature. The bill debated Tuesday, HB 361, would prevent the addition of vaccines for "non-communicable diseases" to the mandated school and child-care list. Although this bill does not mention any specific disease, speakers said it targets hepatitis B, which is transmitted through contact with some bodily fluids such as blood. It was unclear Tuesday whether hepatitis B would be defined as noncommunicable under current state definitions. "It is not communicable in a classroom setting," said Laura Condon, state director of advocacy for the nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center. Concord Monitor. Jan. 25, 2017.
  
  Medical Experts Alarmed at Trump's Reported Support of Vaccine Skeptic. "We welcome any serious effort to look at the science that has been done and the science that needs to be done," said Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the non-profit National Vaccine Information Center. "There hasn't been enough science done to rule out an association between vaccines and autism. "Fisher said vaccine skeptics have been "subjected to a fair amount of marginalization" in recent years, and she hopes any potential move by Trump would restore their credibility. "There's no question it's been a very difficult decade in terms of anyone who asks about vaccine safety science or the gaps in knowledge about vaccine safety," she said. "I hope that we can return to a more civil conversation and people being more open-minded and wanting to know more about the science" Health Day. Jan. 11, 2017.
  
  Whole Mother Show. Midwife Pat Jones interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher about herd immunity, pertussis, influenza and hepatitis B vaccine, the child vaccine schedule and the chronic disease and disability epidemic. KPFT Radio (Houston) and WholeMother.com. Jan. 8, 2017. Close Topic

2016

• September 2016
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• August 2016
  CDC Recommends against Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine. The CDC's advisory committee voted not to recommend the nasal influenza vaccine, FluMist for the upcoming flu season due to poor effectiveness. NVIC's president and co-founder Barbara Loe Fisher said, "It is shocking that government health officials have devised a National Vaccine Plan that lobbies for every single American to get a flu shot from cradle to the grave before the real science is in. Putting vaccine policy before the science is bad public health policy. Conducting uncontrolled vaccine experiments on people, who have been taught to believe and trust government health policy and now are being forced to obey strict 'no exceptions' vaccine laws, has far reaching consequences." ProCon. Aug. 16, 2016.
  
  PAC Mobilizes To Defend Vaccine Exemptions In Texas. Texas legislator Jason Villalba's bill to restrict vaccine exemptions is caught in the crosshairs of a local political action group seeking to unseat the Representative Villalba. Veteran Texan vaccine choice advocate and NVIC's Director of State Advocacy, Dawn Richardson noted that the vaccine choice movement continues to grow and that this new group is part of the new generation of vaccine choice advocates. She said, "In the political cycle, this is very much a one-issue determinant for who people sometimes choose to vote for. This something that is that strong for families. It is the health and well-being of their children." KERA News. Apr. 4, 2016.
  
  Child vaccination debate surges during VA's Legislature Joint Commission Meeting. A sea of red overwhelmed a meeting of the General Assembly's Joint Commission on Health Care on Wednesday after protesters came out in droves to oppose possible plans to restrict exemptions to otherwise mandatory immunizations for school-age children...The opponents of the failed bill - mostly wearing red in solidarity at Wednesday's meeting - consisted largely of mothers with infants, toddlers or adolescents. They were there not only to show their opposition but also to support Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Sterling-based organization opposed to mandatory vaccinations..."Utilitarian health policies that force everyone to be treated the same are cruel and immoral," she said. Richmond Times Dispatch. Aug. 3, 2016. Close Topic
• May 2016
  States Make It Harder to Skip Vaccines. As state legislatures continue attempts to restrict vaccine choice, NVIC's co-founder Barbara Loe Fisher said parents should be able to decide whether their kids can be vaccinated. Fisher said, "Eliminating exemptions would mean that unvaccinated children in many states wouldn't be able to attend school." Valley News. May 29, 2016. Close Topic
• April 2016
  Florida officials are concerned about drop in number of kids getting vaccinated. As public health officials express concern about the number of parents who opt out of vaccines, NVIC’s co-founder and president, Barbara Loe Fisher stated that many parents opt out for religious reasons or out of concern. “Vaccines, like any pharmaceutical product, carry risks that can be greater for some people than others because we’re not all the same.” Fisher said some vaccines create terrible side effects, including convulsions and brain inflammation. In some cases, vaccines just don’t work, she said. Florida WFLA News Channel 8. Apr. 26, 2016.
  
  Bill To Require Registration Of Unvaccinated Children With State Fails. Colorado’s Health Department is forced to admit to exceeding their statutory authority to track school children with vaccine exemptions, while a bill they backed fails to make it out of Colorado’s House. NVIC’s executive director, Theresa Wrangham pointed out that, “It’s a data grab. They want to populate the vaccine registry and they want to know exactly who’s exempting from which vaccines, where they live and I think it’s a harassment technique,” and added, “This is misleading to parents and it’s drawing a line of discrimination against those who take these exemptions. It is their legal right to take an exemption and now we’re going to trick them into a registry and be tracked?” Shaun Boyd.CBS Denver 4. Apr. 25, 2016.
  
  Former media power player sounds alarm over vaccines. This in-depth article discusses the autism and vaccine controversy and cites NVIC’s Barbara Loe Fisher’s “warning that state legislatures across the country are moving quickly to pass bills backed by the pharmaceutical industry to restrict or remove personal/religious belief vaccine exemptions. She says, "Those embracing vaccine orthodoxy have a right to their beliefs, but they should not be given the legal right to persecute and punish fellow citizens refusing to convert. Tyranny by any other name is still tyranny." Renew America. Apr. 4, 2016.
  
  No clean hands. The proper disclosure of proper informed consent is questioned as the Philippine health department begins to vaccinate school children against Dengue Fever. At large reporter Jimenez-David reminds readers of the importance of informed consent and understanding vaccine effectiveness limitations and side effects and recommends NVIC’s Ask 8 guidelines as a resource for readers. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Apr. 4, 2016. Close Topic
• March 2016
  Is there proof that vaccinations are harmful? Is anti-vaccination the way to go?. Informed consent, vaccine safety research deficits and more are explored in this investigative article. NVIC’s Barbara Loe Fisher is quoted as saying "The truth is, nobody knows how many vaccine victims there are in America, how many of the 1 in 6 learning disabled children; or the 1 in 9 with asthma; or the 1 in 100 who develop autism; or the 1 in 450 who become diabetic, can trace their chronic inflammation, disease and disability back to vaccine reactions that have been dismissed by public health officials and doctors for the past century as just "a coincidence.” Examiner.com . Mar. 20, 2016. Close Topic
• January 2016
  Vaccinating moms to protect babies . The influenza and Tdap vaccines are already recommended for pregnant women by the CDC and new vaccines, including genetically engineered vaccines, targeting pregnant women are being developed. Discussions at a recent FDA vaccine advisory committee meeting indicated those new vaccines likely will be fast tracked to licensure. In this article,Richard Gorman, MD, associate director of the NIH Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, said vaccines to be studied in pregnant women (1) ideally should have had undergone preclinical studies and reproductive toxicology testing to demonstrate no fetal toxicology; and (2) should have been tested in Phase I and II clinical trials in non-pregnant healthy adults to provide guidance on dosage, safety, and immunogenicity. "After the [FDA] committee had discussed other factors surrounding maternal vaccination, Vicky Pebsworth, PhD, RN, director of patient safety at the National Vaccine Information Center, said she had never seen a more complex topic in her years on the committee, indicating the day was a tsunami of ethically complex and terrifying questions." Contemporary Pediatrics. Jan 8, 2016.
  
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2015

• December 2015
  Vaccines: Threads of Corruption . Radio host Tony Rango and attorney Alan Phillips discuss the VICP and the importance of citizen action. Tony Rango said, "I would point listeners to the National Vaccine Information Center, NVIC.org. Go there and you can get information about what is happening in your state..." Alan Phillips said, "They (NVIC) have what they call their Advocacy Portal and they have really streamlined the process. You can go to this website and sign up. And if you choose to join and give them your mailing address information, the software will tell you who your representatives are and what their phone numbers and addresses are." Guns & Butter. Dec 30, 2015.
  
  Texas CPS Visits Home of Mom Who Hosted 'Chickenpox Party' . In this article Texas mom Amanda Witt said she did not break the law and that the visit by the Texas CPS left her feeling "bullied and victimized." "NVIC's Barbara Low (sic) Fisher is quoted as saying, " If the State can tag, track down and force citizens against their will to be injected with biological products of known and unknown toxicity today, there will be no limit on which individual freedoms the State can take away in the name of the greater good tomorrow," Breitbart News. Dec 21, 2015.
  
  Healthy Alternatives to Vaccination: New Podcasts. Nancy Tarlow, D.C. has created podcasts sharing information about making informed health choices, including options for alternatives to vaccination. Dr. Tarlow interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher about vaccine risks and failures. Dec 10, 2015.
  
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• November 2015
  Children's Healthcare Is a Legal Duty in the Spotlight . An Age of Autism reader compares the response of a former member of the Christian Science church, whose toddler son died of meningitis in 1983, and the response of Barbara Loe Fisher, whose toddler son was injured by DPT vaccine. "Instead of blindly accepting dogma, Barbara Loe Fisher has been steadfast in her intelligent, level headed examination of the science and has sought legislation based on the science and ethics that is wise, well reasoned and compatible with what one would expect to find in a democracy and a free society that values human and civil rights, and the sanctity of the parent-child relationship within the family, which is at the core and foundation of any healthy society." Age of Autism. Nov. 23, 2015.
  
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• September 2015
  The Royals have the chicken pox. Here's what we know. Two Kansas City Royals players have recently been diagnosed with chickenpox and quarantined, although the viral shedding of the virus cannot be ruled out due to recent vaccination of a team member. This article stated that “only 10 percent of Americans reach the age of 15 without ever contracting chicken pox, according to the National Vaccine Information Center.” SB Nation -Royals Review. Sep. 2, 2015.
  
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• August 2015
  Which Vaccination Exemptions Are Allowed by Ohio? Information about Ohio’s school vaccine requirements are the focus of this article, which states, “according to the National Vaccine Information Center, a child who attends public schools can be exempted from taking vaccines for medical, religious, and philosophical reasons as long as the a parent of guardian provides the school administration with a written statement parents alongside a waiver form.” This article also features polls on forced chemotherapy and vaccination that are open to the public’s participation. Newsmax. Aug. 31, 2015.
  
  District 219 starts school year under new state vaccination mandate. This article on the new state vaccine mandate in Illinois requiring all sixth and 12th graders to receive a meningococcal vaccine stated “the vaccine, known under the scientific name meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4), can prevent four types of meningococcal disease, and is about 58 percent effective within two to five years after the shot is administered, according to information from the National Vaccine Information Center.” Chicago Tribune. Aug. 31, 2015.
  
  As kids go back to school, states look to encourage vaccinations. This article makes the point that, while vaccination rates remain high, “pockets” of unvaccinated continue to raise concern for the spread of infectious disease. However, another perspective was provided by NVIC, about the need for more vaccine risks awareness. “Those risks are real, says Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, which advocates that people be able to decline mandatory vaccines based on their philosophical or personal beliefs. Fisher testified before the California legislature against the new state law. “Some people are more susceptible than others to injury or death from vaccines,” Fisher says. “But it’s not clear who is at higher risk.” This article also links to NVIC’s Informed Consent webpage. CNN. Aug. 31, 2015.
  
  Ohio vaccination rates for measles, mumps and rubella among highest in nation, CDC says. With a vaccination rate of 95.6 for children ages 19 to 35 months, this article reported that Ohio improved their vaccination rates by addressing issues associated with lack of transportation and use of multiple vaccine providers and increasing education available to the public. The article noted the widespread attack on non-medical vaccine exemptions and linked to NVIC’s Advocacy Portal as a resource and stated, “As of March, the Virginia-based National Vaccine Information Center, which tracks such legislation nationwide, listed 110 such bills and actions pending in 36 states.” cleveland.com. Aug. 27, 2015.
  
  The children of our vaccination nation. Reviewing the backlash and controversy surrounding vaccine exemptions and passage of California SB277 that eliminated the personal belief exemption, this article shares with readers the personal story of a family’s experience with a severe vaccine reaction and discusses parental rights. NVIC’s California state law webpage is used in this article to highlight recent events: “The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) website states that, “On June 30, 2015, Governor Brown signed SB 277 [indicating] personal and religious belief exemptions will not be allowed in California, effective July 1, 2016.” The article added that “a recent newsletter sent by the NVIC indicated that California “stood alone in the minority” of mandating vaccinations, and denying religious or personal exemptions. California is currently one of 11 states that has required vaccinations for children.” San Francisco News. Aug. 27, 2015.
  
  How do state rules affect vaccine exemption numbers? As states consider vaccine exemption restrictions, vaccine risks must be acknowledged. "Those risks are real, says Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that advocates that people be able to decline mandatory vaccines based on their philosophical or personal beliefs. Fisher testified before the California State Assembly against the new law, which takes effect next July." MedCity News. Aug. 25, 2015.
  
  The Vaccine Debate: Should We Vaccinate Our Children? NVIC's state webpage for Montana was used as a resource in this Montana report about school vaccine requirements. The report stated "According to the National Vaccine Information Center, there are certain required vaccines K-12 students in Montana must have before walking through the school doors this year." Montana KULR 8 News. Aug 20, 2015.
  
  Public Health Groups Push for Vaccines, While Others Inform. As Ohio pediatricians promote back to school vaccines, NVIC's Barbara Loe Fisher states "It's a myth that if follow all the government recommended vaccines that you are going to be fully protected." While Loe Fisher said Ohio is a model state for exemptions, she warns that the pharmaceutical lobby will keep trying to chip away at those opt out measures. "You're going to see that lobby go into every state - including Ohio - and try to take away the religious and conscience exemptions leaving only a medical exemption in place," StateImpact Ohio NPR. Aug. 12, 2015.
  
  Secular Group Takes on Oregon's Religious Vaccine Exemptions. Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center said religious exemptions are a constitutional issue. "If we do not have non-medical exemptions that allow us to exercise our freedom to have religious beliefs, have conscientious beliefs with regard to using a pharmaceutical product like a vaccine ...then we are not really free," she said. Oregon Public Radio, Aug. 4, 2015.
  
  California Law Mandates for School Aged Children, No Belief Exemptions. Opponents of the bill, including parents of vaccine-injured children and those worried about safety, insist there has been inadequate consideration of the harmful effects of vaccines."All vaccines carry a risk of death and serious injury or disease," said Barbara Loe Fisher of the Sterling, Va.-based National Vaccine Information Center. "Doctors cannot tell who is going to be affected." National Catholic Register, Aug. 1, 2015.
  
  Vaccination Rate High Among Children in Tennessee, Georgia. Barbara Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, said parents should not be told whether or not they need to vaccinate their kids. The center advocates for increased exemptions, believing it is important for parents to have the right and ability to choose whether their children are vaccinated. "These vaccines do carry the risk of injury and death," Fisher said, " and science has not defined who is or who is not at risk from the vaccinations." Fisher believes the current medical exemptions in Tennessee and Georgia are too narrow, and leave out numerous conditions and reasons that a child shouldn't be vaccinated. She said every state should offer a philosophical or conscientious exemption so parents can decide what is best for their children. Times Free Press (TN), Aug. 1, 2015.
  
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• July 2015
  Doctors Push to Eliminate Most Child Vaccine Exemptions. That point of view faces stiff opposition from organizations that oppose mandatory vaccinations. The National Vaccine Information Center points out that medical exemptions are hard to come by. It says that in 2014, all 50 states allowed a medical vaccine exemption; 48 states allowed a religious vaccine exemption, and 17 states allowed a philosophical, conscientious, or personal belief exemption. Consumer Affairs, July 30, 3015.
  
  NM Bill to End Immunization Exemptions Killed. The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) informs parents. "Medical exemptions are also allowed." NVIC urged parents to firmly stand up and take action against multiple bills in state legislatures aimed at removing immunization exemptions, maintaining that parents must retain the choice when it comes to protecting their family's health and safety. OneNewsNow.com, July 28, 2015.
  
  Which Vaccination Exemptions Are Allowed by Montana? The National Vaccine Information Center website includes a comprehensive guide to Montana vaccination exemptions. That website noted that the state's religious exemption includes sincerely held personal religious beliefs and is not limited to established traditional religion. The law also says that anyone who falsely claims a religious exemption is subject to penalty. Newsmax, July 26, 2015.
  
  21st Century Cures Act risks public health."The 21st Century Cures Act is a drug company stockholder's dream and a consumer's worst nightmare," Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC co-founder and president, said. "Making experimental drugs quickly available for the sick and dying, who voluntarily choose to use them, is one thing but Congress should not be greasing the skids to license experimental vaccines that government will recommend and legally require healthy children and adults to use. It is a prescription for disaster." Vaccine News Daily, July 23, 2015.
  
  Jim Schneider Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher about mandatory vaccination laws in America. Jim Schneider, VCY America Radio, July 7, 2015.
  
  Pastor Kevin Boling Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher about California SB 277 and forced vaccination in America. Pastor Kevin Boling, Knowing the Truth Radio, July 2, 2015.
  
  California ends vaccine exemptions on grounds of belief - will other states follow? "Opponents see the bill as an attack on parents' rights in particular and on freedom in general. In testimony before the California State Assembly's Committee on Health on 9 June, Barbara Loe Fisher, cofounder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, argued that vaccine mandates ran roughshod over patients' right to informed consent. "This bill is not about measles or pertussis. It is about taking power away from mothers and fathers to make medical risk decisions for their minor children and handing it over to doctors," she said." Michael McCarthy, British Medical Journal, July 2, 2015.
  
  California vaccine bill battle erupts into all-out political war. The opposition's best argument may be whether people can be required "to give up the human right to informed consent to medical risk-taking in order to exercise a civil right to an education," said Barbara Loe Fisher, head of the National Vaccine Information Center. "This is a very dangerous precedent to set, and I think people aren't looking at the bigger picture," Ms. Fisher said. "And I think it's important to look at the bigger picture. This is not a good precedent to set, because it's a slippery slope. Freedoms are taken away incrementally." Valerie Richardson, Washington Times, July 2, 2015.Close Topic
• June 2015
  From death threats to holocaust warning, California vaccine bill an extraordinary fight. "The Virginia-based National Vaccine Information Center, which tracks legislation nationwide, began informing people about the bill through an online portal. Many of them had gotten involved through the AB 2109 fight, said NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher, estimating its California membership in the thousands: "We knew (2109) was the first step toward" SB 277, she said."
  
  Jeremy B. White, Sacramento Bee, June 30, 2015.
  
  Paul Preston Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher on Agenda 21 Radio (at 02:00) about California SB 277 and the impact of forced vaccination laws in the states. Paul Preston, American Exceptionalism News Network, June 28, 2015.
  
  Clayton Morris Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher and Suzanne Kaseta, MD about reported measles cases and forced vaccination laws like California SB 277 that violate human, civil and parental rights. Clayton Morris, Fox & Friends, Fox-TV, June 27, 2015.
  
  Mark Dice interviews Barbara Loe Fisher on The Alex Jones Radio Show (at 49:48) about California SB 277 and the threat to civil liberties and human rights in in America. Mark Dice, Prison Planet TV, June 26, 2015. Close Topic
• May 2015
  Federal Bill Requires ALL Public School Students To Be Vaccinated: No exemptions for conscience or religion. A Florida Democrat in Congress is proposing legislation that would require all public-school students in America to be vaccinated, preventing parents with religious or other objections from opting out their children. The plan by U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is the Vaccinate All Children Act of 2015. It bans federal health-service grants if states don't "demonstrate" that all students are submitting to the treatment... NVIC Executive Director Theresa Wrangham wrote [about the federal adult immunization plan] that adults would be "informed of the recommended adult schedule at every possible opportunity" such as "work, school, church and other community gathers." Tracking databases, she noted, "will be used to identify non-compliers." WND, May 13, 2015.
  
  Vaccine injury fund tops $3.5 billion, as patients fight for payment: "Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center said the Bruesewitz decision [U.S. Supreme Court, 2011] took away any ability for an individual to hold a vaccine manufacturer accountable. "Nobody who develops the vaccine, who markets and profits from the vaccine, who regulates the vaccine, who makes policy for it, who promotes it, who gives it, is accountable in a civil court of law," Fisher said... "The only people who are accountable or responsible at the end of the day are the people who get the vaccines and the parents of children who get the vaccines," Fisher said." Jessica Boehm, Cronkite News, May 8, 2015.
  
  Critics say vaccine injury fund has strayed from original purpose: "It was supposed to be an "expedited, less-traumatic, less-expensive alternative to the lawsuit," resulting in the most "generous federal compensation possible," said Fisher, the president of the National Vaccine Information Center. It's no longer an alternative, Fisher said, and it's a lengthy and challenging process - that often ends without compensation...."We feel that it has not been implemented the way it should have been and we're very, very concerned that today a majority of the compensations that are awarded are awarded to adults," Fisher said." Jessica Boehm, Cronkite News, May 8, 2015.
  
  Honestly Appraise Evolution of Our Vaccine Dance. "When no one raises Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor's dissenting opinion in Bruesewitz v. Wyeth LLC (2011), where the court stripped all tort claim lawsuit rights from people injured by vaccines, the legal, scientific and historic complexities are whitewashed, as they were by this panel. And in that whitewashing, the lives and values of people from Barbara Loe Fisher (the woman who lobbied for the 1986 Vaccine Act) to the two Merck virologists who have sued their own company over false representation, are turned into fanciful stories raised by a "lunatic fringe." Unfortunately, these historic facts represent a mere fraction of the true record of injury, non-scientific political decisions and data misrepresentation that is part of the history of our vaccine culture." David Sawyer, Journal Statesman, May 6, 2015.
  
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• April 2015
  Amid debate about vaccines, polio remembered as a scourge defeated: "One of the country's staunchest critics of vaccines, Barbara Loe Fisher, was among those children who decades ago received the polio vaccine at her parents' behest. Her father had survived a bout of polio, and his right leg was permanently weakened."We were taken into the auditorium and vaccinated. That's just what was done," Fisher said, noting that her mother was a nurse. "I know that my mom did what she thought was right." Fisher said she believes that it is up to parents to decide whether they want their children to be inoculated, and she began speaking out against vaccination after her 2-year-old son had an adverse reaction to a DPT shot, intended to protect children from diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus. "Everybody who looks at this issue has got personal experiences," Fisher said. "It certainly is true that the parents back then were wanting a vaccine that would protect their children." T. Rees Shapiro, Washington Post, Apr. 21, 2015.
  
  Elmo Vaccination Video Blasted by Watchdog Groups: "Advocacy groups lashed out on Monday after a video featuring "Sesame Street" favorite Elmo extolling the benefits of vaccines hit the web. In the video, Elmo, at the doctor's office and nervous about receiving a shot, is greeted by U.S. surgeon general Vivek Murthy, who explains the importance of vaccinations... "It is inappropriate for the federal government to market pharmaceutical products directly to very young children who have no concept of risk. Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that, like all pharmaceuticals, carry a risk of reactions that can lead to injury or death and parents are legally responsible for making informed decisions for minor children about medical interventions that can cause harm," Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, told The Wrap in a statement. The non-profit charitable organization, which was founded in 1982, seeks "to prevent vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and protect the ethical principle of informed consent to medical risk-taking." The NVIC also "advocates for the inclusion of flexible medical, religious and conscientious belief vaccine exemptions in all US vaccine policies and laws." Tim Kenneally, The Wrap, April 20, 2015.
  
  Opting Out of Vaccination Requires More Paperwork for Colorado Parents: Parents in Colorado who don't want their children immunized will have to complete paperwork every year as opposed to just once, under new state rules. The state Board of Health passed the changes Wednesday. Nearly five percent of parents in Colorado choose not to get all the recommended vaccinations... The new rules also require schools and daycares to report their immunization rates each year. That information will be available to the public. "Because a minority of parents have chosen not to vaccinate children we're going to harass them? Is that the kind of society we're living in? What medical procedure are we going to harass people about in the future?" asked National Vaccine Information Center spokeswoman Theresa Wrangtham." CBS (Denver), Apr. 15, 2015.
  
  PRESS RELEASE: No Forced Vaccination Message Sponsored by National Vaccine Information Center in NYC Times Square, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Business Wire, April 14, 2015.
  
  New York parents who oppose vaccines for kids may be required to seek proof they were warned by doctor: "A Queens state senator, Democrat Michael Gianaris is set to introduce a bill that would require parents who don't want to vaccinate their kids to prove they've been counseled by a physician. But a national group supportive of giving parents the choice whether to vaccinate their children fears the legislation would lead to doctors trying to intimidate parents into vaccinating their kids... Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, said vaccines affect kids in different ways and the decision whether to immunize best rests with the parents. "Parents shouldn't be put in the position of being harassed and punished for not following a doctor's orders or made to feel like they're bad parents when they are trying to be good parents," Fisher said." Kenneth Lovett, New York Daily News, Apr. 13, 2015.
  
  How Colorado Parents Opt Out of Immunizations Could Soon Change: Parents might have to work a little harder to opt their children out of required immunizations if the State Board of Health approves a set of policy changes on Wednesday. Currently, parents can submit a "personal belief" or religious exemption form just once during their child's K-12 schooling. If the new rules pass, parents would have to submit those exemption forms annually. The rule changes also include a provision for a new public database of immunization and exemption rates for all Colorado schools and childcare facilities....Opponents of the frequency rule also worry that it amounts to government interference in carefully considered health care decisions. "We believe it should, like any other medical decision, rest in the hands of the people who are taking the risk," said Theresa Wrangham, executive director of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group opposed to vaccination mandates." Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat, Apr. 10, 2015.
  
  Obama Administration Plotting Adult Vaccination Mandates: Executive Director Theresa Wrangham with the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) urged citizens to fight back immediately. "The NAIP makes it clear that in the future, all American adults will be informed of the recommended adult schedule at every possible opportunity outside the healthcare provider domain," explained Wrangham at the NVIC, a non-profit organization that supports informed consent and individual liberty. "You will be encouraged to comply with the adult schedule not only by your healthcare provider, but also via community-based partnerships to ensure that you have the opportunity to roll up your sleeve at work, school, church and other community gatherings." The vaccine tracking databases being developed and already in existence, she added, "will be used to identify non-compliers." While the NVIC supports access to vaccines for anyone who wants them, there "is a difference between awareness, access, recommendations and mandates," said Wrangham." Alex Newman, The New American, Apr. 9, 2015.
  
  Vaccine exemptions: California SB277 against opt-outs advances in 6-2 Senate Health Committee vote: "Unswayed by a relentless parade of opposition, a key Senate panel on Wednesday passed a bill that would strengthen California's vaccination requirements, capping an emotional hearing that marked the beginning of a battle over what has become Sacramento's most contentious issue this year. For more than 11/2 hours, an extraordinary wave of parents and children from across the state crept one by one to a microphone to implore the Senate Health Committee to kill the legislation they insist violates parents' rights and puts their children at risk..."Steve M. Rubin, a Portola Valley resident who is the director of vaccine research analytics for the National Vaccine Information Center, which advocates a parent's right to decide, said federal vaccine injury reports the NVIC collects suggest that "there is not a single vaccine that is safe for everyone." Tracy Seipel, San Jose Mercury News, Apr. 8, 2015. Close Topic
• March 2015
  New Texas Bill Would Expose Student Vaccination Information: "New legislation could soon change the way your child's medical information is shared by Texas public schools. Opponents of the bill, including National Vaccine Information Center advocacy director Dawn Richardson, call it a "vaccine discrimination bill.'" Julia Deng, Newswest 9-TV, Mar. 25, 2015.
  
  The Vaccine War (2015 Update): "Barbara Loe Fisher runs an independent watchdog organization dedicated to vaccine safety issues. It's an organization she helped found in 1982 after her son suffered a serious vaccine side effect... Fisher's organization lobbied successfully for laws that promote vaccine safety." She said, "Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that inherently carry a risk of injury or death that can be greater for some than others, particularly for genetic and biological high risk reasons, some of which have been identified and some which have not been identified." PBS "Frontline" [The 53 minute broadcast can be viewed online], Mar. 24, 2015.
  
  Two Sides Face Off Over Vaccines In TX Public Schools: "Medical organizations also came in support of the bills...There were several people who came out against the bills as well including Dawn Richardson who is the Director of State Advocacy for the National Vaccine Information Center....The two sides shared tense words with each other leading up to the bill's turn in the hearing, but it did stay quiet." Adam Hammons, Keye-TV, Mar. 24, 2015.
  
  NC Senators Aim To Eliminate Religious Exemption For Vaccines: "Three state senators filed a bill Thursday to make it tougher for parents to avoid vaccinating their children. The bill would eliminate North Carolina's religious exemption for vaccines. He says Senate leaders support the bill. He also wants to hear from people who object. Barbara Loe Fisher is one such person. She's the co-founder of a group in Virginia that opposes any attempt to restrict vaccine exemptions. "Because vaccines are pharmaceutical products - they carry a risk of injury or death that can be greater for some people than others," she says." Michael Tomsic, WFAE Radio (Charlotte), Mar. 20, 2015. (This bill was withdrawn Apr. 2, 2015 from the NC legislature after strong citizen opposition).
  
  More Parents Are Refusing to Vaccinate Their Kids. Doctors Say They Want Stricter Laws: "We consider this an assault on human rights," said Barbara Loe Fisher, director of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Virginia-based nonprofit that monitors vaccine legislation. "You should have the right to make a fully informed, voluntary medical decision without being punished for it." Fisher has called the last eight weeks "unprecedented" in terms of vaccine-related legislation, and said that rhetoric about "the greater good" is actually adversarial and discriminatory when it comes to singling out unvaccinated children, whose parents may have legitimate reasons for refusing to vaccinate them.You cannot say that one child's life is more important than another's," she said." Kate Belz, Times Free Press (TN), Mar. 8, 2015.
  
  States Move To Toughen Vaccination Laws in Wake of Measles Outbreak: "I do think we're in danger here of having a country that is committed to forced vaccination," says Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center, which lobbies for exemptions and for parental choice around vaccines. "We consider this an assault on both civil liberties and human rights." Amanda Paulson, Christian Science Monitor, Mar. 3, 2015.
  
  US Parents Pressure Doctors to Spread Out Kid Vaccinations: Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Sterling, Virginia, nonprofit that supports parents who don't vaccinate or who question the recommended schedule, said increasing numbers of parents call her organization to complain that doctors refuse to treat their children if they insist on delaying injections. "They are trying to find ways to vaccinate that they're comfortable with and I think doctors are making a big mistake treating parents disrespectfully," Fisher said. Nicole Ostrow, Bloomberg News, Mar. 2, 2015.
  
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• February 2015
  What Experts Say About Vaccination: "Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a nonprofit charity she co-founded with parents of vaccine injured children, said public health officials underestimate the risk of vaccine injuries because they haven't studied the effects of combining so many vaccines in single patient visits. Under the current immunization schedule recommended by the CDC, Fisher said a child could get 25 to 35 vaccines in its first year of life. "It's one thing to make a risk estimate for a single vaccine," she said. "It's very different to make a risk estimate based on the recommended schedule, which sometimes includes 8 to 10 vaccines given on the same day." Fisher said she has been asking for years for a long-term study of health outcomes in children who get all the government-recommended vaccines compared to those who don't." Karen Garloch, Charlotte Observer, Feb. 28, 2015.
  
  Fact Check: Anne Schuchat's Claim That Vaccine's Can't Cause Brain Damage. Sharyl Attkisson, Feb. 24, 2015.
  
  Vaccine vs. Virus: Which is the Bigger Threat? Alex Newman and Rebecca Terrell, The New American, Feb. 23, 2015.
  
  Measles Outbreak Cues New Action on Vaccination Rules. “But even the bill’s supporters say it faces an uphill battle in the state’s legislature. “The battle lines are clearly drawn,” wrote Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, which opposes vaccine mandates, on the organization’s website. “Now Americans have a choice to make: will we stand up and fight to protect our human right to make voluntary decisions about which vaccines we buy and use, or will we permit liability-free drug companies and government health officials to take that freedom from us?” Evie Blad, Education Week, Feb. 18, 2015.
  
  Amid Measles Outbreak, Few Rules on Teacher Vaccinations “Barbara Loe Fisher, director of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Virginia-based nonprofit that favors letting parents decide whether to vaccinate, said the discussion on vaccination requirements has started to expand from schoolchildren to certain adult professions. She said her organization has a number of concerns about requiring teacher vaccinations, including safety and job protection for those who cannot or choose not to be immunized. "I think at the end of the day, the most important principle to protect is the right to make an informed voluntary decision, and that includes teachers," she said.” Christine Amario, Associated Press, Feb. 16, 2015.
  
  Kansans' personal experiences color views in vaccination debate: As a parent in private life, and as a part-time employee at the nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center, which supports the informed consent of parents to oppose vaccinations, Schrag tells people - if they ask - to take responsibility, do their ..." Kansas.com, Feb 14, 2015.
  
  Online live debate (at 13 minute mark) Hashtagvoa. Voice of America: Hashtagvoa, Feb. 10, 2015.
  
  At 1:30 minutes, online live Debate on America's Forum with Barbara Loe Fisher, Nick Tate, Ellis Henican on vaccine choice. Newsmax TV, Feb. 6, 2015.
  
  Debate over vaccine requirements forges strange alliance “Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccination Information Center said she sees no partisan divide. "This has always been a bipartisan issue," said Fisher, whose organization fights vaccine mandates. "The demographic spans the political spectrum." The main difference, she said, is that her side has far less money than the pharmaceutical companies and medical groups that she blames for the push to tighten vaccination requirements.” Associated Press, Feb. 6, 2015.
  
  Bill would tighten CA vaccination rules; personal choice advocates say move is unjustified “It’s very premature to go into these states and remove the conscientious belief exemptions,” said Barbara Loe Fisher of the Virginia-based National Vaccine Information Center, which advocates for informed-consent protections. “We don’t have enough information to start changing laws.” Fisher said more focus should be placed on the measles vaccine itself, which may no longer be strong enough. Chris Nichols, San Diego Union, Feb. 4, 2015.
  
  California Democratic Senators Want to End Most Vaccine Exemptions: “The news hit critics of vaccine mandates like a flash-bang grenade. "Vaccines are pharmaceutical products that carry risks," said Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center. "The conscientious belief exemption is very important. What's so dangerous about this approach, of no non-medical exemptions, or narrow exemptions accepted by the government, is that the makers of vaccines are shielded from liability. It becomes even more important to exercise voluntary, informed consent, because if we change these laws now and take a no-exemption approach, we're going to be forced into a position of taking every government-mandated and not have every recourse in a civil court to hold companies accountable."  David Weigel, Bloomberg Business, Feb. 4, 2015.
  
  Can You Handle the Truth About Vaccines? Cliff Kincaid, Accuracy in Media, Feb. 4, 2015.
  
  Colorado kindergarten children have lowest measles vaccination rate in the nation "It's a parent's right to decide what medical procedure and products are used on their children," said Theresa Wrangham of Louisville, executive director of the nonprofit National Vaccine Information Center. "If people want to use vaccines, they should have access to them. Vaccines should be safe as possible, but they are not totally 100 percent safe." … Tracy and Wrangham said parents who choose not to use vaccines are often ostracized. Current public discourse over immunizations has reached a cacophony, Wrangham said, and those who decide not immunize are being threatened. "What we are talking about is a very small minority of people who are delaying or not having vaccines," she said, "but it's a very hostile environment."  Electra Draper, Denver Post, Feb. 3, 2015.
  
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• January 2015
  Let Parents Make Informed Choices: Inflexible Mandates Threaten the Health of Children: "While vaccines are promoted as safe and effective, this is not true for everyone. Vaccine risks are different for each child because we are not all the same, and doctors cannot predict which child will be harmed. Inflexible vaccine mandates threaten the health of those children." [Mary Jo Perry, co-director, Mississippi Parents for Vaccine Rights] Mary Jo Perry is also NVIC Mississippi Advocacy Director.  Mary Jo Perry, USA Today, Op Ed. Jan. 27, 2015.
  
  Doctors Group Urges Measles Shot As Disneyland Outbreak Spreads: Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group calling for "informed consent" for parents regarding vaccinations, said the Disneyland outbreak had touched off a "media frenzy." "There's a lot of name-calling going on rather than talking about substantive policy issues," she said.  Dan Whitcomb, Reuters. Jan. 24, 2015.
  
  Measles Outbreak Cases Cast Spotlight on Anti-Vaccine Movement: "Barbara Loe Fisher, of the National Vaccine Information Center, a Virginia-based nonprofit that favors letting parents decide whether to vaccinate, said, "I don't think it's wise or responsible to blame" unvaccinated people for the Disney outbreak. She noted that a small number of those stricken had been fully vaccinated." Alicia Chang, Associated Press. Jan. 23, 2015.
  
  A Measles Outbreak at Disneyland is Reigniting the Debate About Vaccination. John Dyer, Vice.com. Jan. 22, 2015.
  
  Measles Cases Linked to Disneyland Rises, Debate Over Vaccinations Intensifies "It's premature to blame the increase in reports of measles on the unvaccinated when we don't have all the facts yet," said Barbara Loe Fisher, the president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group raising concerns about inoculations. "I do know this: Fifty-seven cases of measles coming out of Disneyland in a country with a population of 317million people is not a lot of cases. We should all take a deep breath and wait to see and get more information."   Adam Nagourney & Anny Goodnough, New York Times. Jan. 21, 2015.
  
  Study: More East Sac, Roseville Parents Refuse to Vaccinate Kids: "It's not a black or white issue," said Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center. Her group is not anti-vaccine, but advocates for parental choice. Fisher said parents shouldn't be "forced" to vaccinate. She said it's about intelligent people looking at all the information and reaching different decisions." Brian Heap, KCRA-TV Sacramento. Jan. 20, 2015.
  
  Disneyland, Holiday Travel a Perfect Match for Measles' Spread "I don't think we should have a black-and-white approach and just say it's the fault of the unvaccinated people," said Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center. "You have the right to be fully informed about the benefits and risk of a medical intervention and [to] be able to make a voluntary choice without being harassed, coerced or punished for the choice you make." Rosanne Xia, Rong-Gong Lin II, LA Times. Jan. 14, 2015.
  
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2014

• October 2014
  Childhood Immunizations - Mississippi ranks near the top for vaccination compliance among Kindergarten age children. Mississippi Public Broadcasting representative and Barbara Loe Fisher discuss. Mississippi Public Radio, Oct. 28, 2014.
  
  Dr. James Tracy Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher - Are parents deprived of their right to informed consent, or bullied into vaccine decisions? Dr. James Tracy and Barbara discuss. Real Politik, Oct. 1, 2014.
  
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• September 2014
  Are Vaccines Safe? - Pediatrician Dr. Larry Palevsky Interviews Barbara Loe Fisher. Fearless Parent, Sept. 24, 2014.
  
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• August 2014
  Back to School Vaccines: What Parents Need to Know - Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, speaks with host Jim Schneider about important questions to ask before back to shool vaccinations. VCY America Radio. August 20, 2014.
  
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• May 2014
  Three Things New Vaccine Law Will Do and One It Won't - A public radio report on the final version of Colorado House Bill 1288, which is described as "lightening rod legislation" that remains controversial. NVIC Executive Director Theresa Wrangham is interviewed along with representatives from Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition and Vaccinate for Healthy Schools, two groups associated with drug companies and government that aggressively lobbied for the bill to require parents to get a doctor's signature or receive state vaccine "education" before filing a personal belief exemption. Colorado Public Radio. May 6, 2014.
  
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• April 2014
  Vaccines Cause Children More Adverse Reactions Than Any Other Drug - Annually, more than a half million U.S. children have adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that require treatment in emergency rooms and clinics. Mercola Newsletter. April 26, 2014.
  
  Mumps Outbreak in Ohio - There are 199 reported cases of mumps in Ohio this year in areas with a 90% to 98% vaccination rate among children. Outbreaks in highly vaccinated populations should also prompt other questions, including the possibility of waning immunity and vaccine effectiveness.Columbus Dispatch. April 13, 2014.
  
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• February 2014
  Kids and Vaccines in Spotlight at State Capitol - The CO Bill (HB1288) that would require parents filing a personal belief vaccine exemption for their children to receive state-approved vaccine education and also require daycare facilities and schools to publicly release information about the percentage of students at the school with vaccine exemptions. CBS News (Denver). Feb. 20, 2014
  
  Fighting Forced Vaccination in America in 2014: 58 Bills in 24 States Threaten Right to Refuse Vaccines. - Health Impact News republished an article written by NVIC Director of Advocacy Dawn Richardson for the Feb. 12, 2014 NVIC Newsletter that summarizes bills introduced in many different state legislatures to mandate vaccines and eliminate or restrict vaccine exemptions. Health Impact News. Feb. 19, 2014 
  
  Battle Over Vaccinations Thrives in States With High Exemptions - Jon Schuppe discusses how the vast majority of parents follow vaccination recommendations, but a vocal minority of skeptics keeps the debate alive. NBC Connecticut. Feb. 5, 2014.
  
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• January 2014
  Debate in Colorado Grows Over Child Vaccinations - A radio interview and debate was moderated by Colorado NPR host Meghna Chakrabarti with NPR reporter Megan Verlee; Rachel Herlihy, CO Dept. of Health; Stephanie Wasserman, CO Children's Immunization Coalition and Theresa Wrangham, NVIC Executive Director. WBUR Radio. Jan. 20, 2014
  
  Whooping Cough Controversy - A televised debate hosted by Studio 12's Tamara Banks on recent pertussis outbreaks and pertussis in Colorado with NVIC's Executive Director Theresa Wrangham, Voices for Vaccines Sundari Kraft and Colorado Deparment of Public Health & Environment Dr. Rachel Herlighy. Colorado Public Television. Jan. 15, 2014
  
  Colorado Health Organizations Recommend Making It Hard to Opt Out of Vaccinations - Public health officials and medical trade groups in Colorado are lobbying to change the personal belief vaccine exemption. A recent "stakeholder" report on vaccine exemptions recommends that parents be required to receive state-approved vaccine "education" before being allowed to file a personal belief exemption. Summit Daily. Jan. 12, 2014
  
  States Weigh Tougher Rules for Allowing Vaccine Exemptions - Amid debate in Colorado about the proposal to restrict the state's personal belief vaccine exemption, Colorado resident and NVIC executive director Theresa Wrangham said NVIC opposes the proposed changes. The article also cites a recent study co-authored by NVIC volunteer director of research & patient safety,Vicky Debold, PhD, RN, published in the American Journal of Public Health showing no or little effect of stricter standards on disease incidence in states, depending upon the disease. Wall Street Journal and American Journal of Public Health. Jan. 5, 2014
  
  Op Ed: A Right to Recognize the Risks of Vaccines - In a guest commentary, Theresa Wrangham responds to a Dec. 11 Denver Post article to stress the importance of voluntary informed consent to medical risk-taking and why NVIC opposes proposals to restrict personal belief vaccine exemptions in Colorado. The Denver Post. Jan. 4, 2014
  
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2013

• December 2013
  9 Huge Government Conspiracies That Actually Happened - Christina Sterbenz ranks the contamination of polio vaccine during 1954-1961 as number three on her list and cites the ten years of work by NVIC’s President, Barbara Loe Fisher. Ms. Fisher testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on this topic. Houston Chronicle’s Business Insider. Dec. 23, 2013
  
  Vaccines: What Should You Know About Them? - On the "Speak Up and Stay Alive" radio show, author Pat Rullo interviews Barbara Loe Fisher on vaccine safety, policy and law. 17 minute audio. Patient Safety Radio. Dec. 20, 2013
  
  Clinic Opens for Parents Who Oppose Vaccinating Children - Barbara Loe Fisher is quoted in this article by Diana Lambert about Dean Blumberg, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Medical Center, who will offer parents low cost counseling and physician signatures to file personal belief vaccine exemptions in California. Sacramento Bee. Dec. 18, 2013
  
  Vaccine Awareness - Informed Consent - On the "Bishop on Air - Mainlining Liberty" radio show, broadcast journalist Greg Bishop interviews Barbara Loe Fisher about making informed vaccine choices, vaccine laws and a recent change in Springfield, Illinois school policy that now requires all children to be be up-to-date on state mandated vaccines before the first day of school or be barred from attending because the 60 day grace period has been eliminated. 17 minute audio. WMAY Radio. Dec. 17, 2013
  
  New Law Aimed at Many Parents Opting Out of State's Vaccination Program - Reporter Deirdre Kennedy interviews Mark Dressner, California Academy of Family Physicians; NVIC's Barbara Loe Fisher and Assembly Member Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) about the increasing numbers of parents declining vaccines for their children and the new California law requiring parents to get a star-designated medical worker's signature to file a personal belief vaccine exemption. 5 minute audio.California Healthline. Dec. 12, 2013
  
  Coalition recommends making it harder to opt out of child vaccination – Reporter Austin Briggs interviews stakeholders who participated in Colorado’s report on personal belief vaccine exemptions. Theresa Wrangham, NVIC’s Executive Director, was a stakeholder participant who did not support additional education recommendations in the report because of limitations that reduce it to a coercion tactic. The Denver Post. Dec. 11, 2013
  
  Health organizations want strict vaccination rules - Theresa Wrangham, Executive Director of the National Vaccine Information Center, said current policy is working just fine and no major changes are necessary. This report does not acknowledge Wrangham as a dissenting member in Colorado’s recent report on personal belief exemptions. San Francisco Chronicle. Dec. 11, 2013
  
  Debate intensifies over letting Colorado parents opt out of child vaccinations - Radio correspondent Megan Verlee examines the debate over Colorado's vaccine policy with NVIC’s Executive Director, Theresa Wrangham. Wrangham was a stakeholder participant in recent report issued by Colorado on personal belief exemption and shares why NVIC opposes any change to the current exemption law. Colorado Public Radio. Dec. 10, 2013
  
  Task force scrutinizes vaccine exemption – Journalist Joe Hanel interviews NVIC’s Executive Director and task force member on NVIC’s opposition to changes to Colorado’s personal belief exemption law. The Durango Herald.Dec. 10, 2013
  
  FDA Pertussis Vaccine Study Shatters Illusion of Vaccine-Induced Immunity - A baboon study conducted by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers revealed that DPT and DTaP vaccines can protect against developing whooping cough symptoms, but neither vaccine prevents infection or the ability to transmit infection. Mercola Newsletter. Dec. 10, 2013
  
  New Video Trailer for "Bought" Indie Film - A new trailer for an independent documentary, "Bought," which is being developed by Jeff Hays, who produced the film "Doctored," is focusing on the vaccines and food industries. NVIC's perspective is included. Watch the video on Indiegogo. December 2, 2013
  
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• November 2013
  Jonathan Emord's Truth Trial Show Interviews NVIC's President - U.S. Constitution expert attorney Jonathan Emord interviewed Barbara Loe Fisher, president and cofounder of NVIC, on vaccine policy, law and informed consent violations in the United States. Listen to the radio show on Genesis Communications Network. Nov. 18, 2013
  
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• October 2013
  More Cape Parents Opt to Skip Kids' Vaccinations."The pressure being brought on parents to immunize ignores the fact that vaccination rates are extremely high in the U.S., says Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder and president of the National Vaccine Information Center. The center champions the rights of parents who say their children have been injured by vaccines. "The (vaccination) rates are higher than ever," she said. When states report numbers of unimmunized children, they include youngsters who have had some but not all of their shots, Fisher said...." If a child is missing just one dose of a particular vaccine, they are not included in the vaccinated category." Cape Code Times. Oct. 21, 2013.
  
  Radio Interview on "The Morning Show" One Radio Network - Informed Consent: Making the Best Decisions for You and Your Family Concerning Vaccination. Patrick Tempone interviews NVIC's co-founder and president Barbara Loe Fisher. Oct. 17, 2013
  
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• September 2013
  Speaking of Health. Making an informed vaccination decision means becoming educated about vaccine ingredients, reported side-effects. Dr. Michael Kudlas interviews Barbara Loe Fisher on making an informed vaccination choice. Voice America. Sept. 13, 2013.
  
  Parent Talk - Personalize Your Child’s Health Care. Because we don’t all respond the same way to infectious diseases or vaccines, it is important to personalize your child’s health care and vaccine choices. Veteran journalist and Buffalo NY radio show host Linda O’Connor interviews Barbara Loe Fisher. WECK Radio. Sept. 21, 2013
  
  ABCNews 10 (ABC). Sacramento, CA - Sacramento officials say 850 children attending Sacramento schools in 2013 have a medical, religious or personal belief exemption on file with schools, 475 more children than had exemptions in 2008. In 2014, parents filing a personal belief exemption for children first will have to get the signature of a state-approved doctor or medical worker. Defending the religious and personal belief exemptions, NVIC's Barbara Loe Fisher said, "It has been very hard for parents of children who have reactions to vaccines to be able to put their children in school." Sept. 17, 2013.
  
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• August 2013
  CDC Renews Push for HPV Vaccinations for Pre-teens of Both Sexes. NVIC’s perspective was included in an article about federal health officials asking doctors to strongly recommend HPV vaccines to patients as young as 11 years old when they are given other vaccines: “Our concern is this aggressive push by the Centers for Disease Control and by medical trade organizations ... toward a mandating of this vaccine for all children.” Fisher charged that 27,908 [reported] negative reactions may represent "only 10 percent of Gardasil adverse events that have actually occurred because 90 percent of all Gardasil adverse events have never been reported to VAERS." Newsmax, Aug. 28, 2013.
  
  Radio Interview on "Forum" with Michael Krasny of NPR KQED FM San Franciso - NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher participated in a discussion about the rising numbers of parents opting out of vaccination and renewed efforts by public health and government agencies to pressure parents to vaccinate their children. Michael Krasney hosted the discussion and other participants were Arthur Caplan, director of the Division of Bioethics at NYU Langone Medical Center; Catherine Martin, director of the California Immunization Coalition; and Nelson Branco, a practicing pediatrician in California.  Aug. 24, 2013  
  
  Regs and Exemption Rates Are Linked: Stricter School Policies Garner Fewer Exceptions. A Delmarva Peninsula area newspaper reports that Maryland public health officials want to make it harder for parents to file a vaccine exemption for religious/spiritual beliefs. NVIC’s comment: "Parents should have the option of opting out on philosophical grounds, an alternative not available in any of Delmarva's three states,” said Fisher. “If you have to do something that violates your conscience, you should have the right to say no without having to suffer drastic legal consequences," she said."The Daily Times, Aug. 23, 2013.
  
  Wash Post-TV Interview on "Background"- NVIC Executive Director Theresa Wrangham participated in a Skype interview hosted by Nia-Malika Henderson along with Dr. Corey Hebert of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Titled "Vaccines: Science vs. Skeptics", Theresa defended parents' right to make informed vaccine choices and emphasized there are both vaccine science research gaps and individual susceptibility to vaccine reactions, as well as an association between vaccine-induced encephalopathy and poor health outcomes like autism, which have been acknowledged in the federal vaccine injury compensation program. Aug. 20, 2013
  
  Radio Interview on VCY America's "Crosstalk"on Christian Information Radio - NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher is interviewed on the one-size-fits-all approach to vaccine policy and law that assumes that everyone is genetically, biologically and environmentally the same. When it comes to vaccines government recommended vaccines, what is the role of informed consent and vaccine exemptions? These and other related concerns are discussed. Aug. 14, 2013
  
  Pharma's Faking a Grassroots Campaign to Keep Jenny McCarthy Off the View. An article published on a blog founded by Mark Crispin Miller, author and Professor of Media Studies at New York University, focused on financial ties between drug companies, federal health agencies and the "parent" group Voices for Vaccines, which is worked to get celebrity Mom Jenny McCarthy fired from ABC-TV’s "The View."  Investigative reporter Steve Schneider takes a closer look at the controversy and includes facts provided by Barbara Loe Fisher and Dr. Meryl Nass. News from Underground Aug. 1, 2013.
  
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• July 2013
  Maine Hoping Against Whooping Cough Repeat. The reporter writing this Maine newspaper story included this reference to NVIC: “Although vaccines are required in Maine, parents sending their children to school can opt out if they sign a statement citing religious or philosophical beliefs opposing vaccines. Most states have some sort of religious or philosophical exemption, but some states require more rigorous documentation, such as a notarized affidavit or a doctor's note, according to the National Vaccine Information Center. Maine is one of 17 states that allow a philosophical exemption not tied to religious beliefs, according to the vaccine center. Portland Press Herald, July 1, 2013.
  
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• April 2013
  Parents remain concerned about vaccine safety and quality research - NVIC co-founder and President Barbara Loe Fisher says in this article that the DeStefano vaccines-autism study is not reassuring to parents. She stresses the urgent need for an independent, well-designed, prospective long-term study that includes vaccinated and unvaccinated infants and children to evaluate all morbidity and mortality outcomes, and pathological changes in the brain and immune function over time in both groups. American Medical News. Tanya Albert Henry. Apr. 15, 2013.
  
  NVIC billboards seen in Arizona, Illinois, Texas and Oregon, have gotten people talking. The billboard’s message, “Vaccinations? Know the risks and failures,” encourages viewers to become informed before making a vaccine choice for themselves and their children. Read more about what people are saying about NVIC’s billboards:

  • World News Daily, Garth Kant, Mar. 15, 2013.
  • Arizona Daily Star, Stephanie Innes, Mar. 23, 2013.
  • Tucson News Now, Lydia Camarillo, Apr. 5, 2013.

  
  Radio Interview on "Parent Talk" on 102.9 FM WECK - The Breeze, Buffalo, NY - NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher is interviewed by Linda O'Connor, a veteran print journalist and radio host on the Gardasil vaccine controversy and defending the right of parents to make informed HPV vaccine choices for their children. Apr. 13, 2013
  
  Some parents are choosing to expose their children to the chickenpox rather than have them vaccinated. NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher is quoted in this article saying that parents should educate themselves on potential side effects of both the chickenpox vaccine and the infection and make their own informed decision about what is best for their child. “We do not advise people what to do,” says Barbara. “We empower them with information and encourage people to talk with one or more health care professionals that they trust before making a decision.” Read more of this story atKOMO News Rose Egge, Apr. 4, 2013.
  
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• January 2013
  Childhood Vaccine Schedule is Safe, Report Says -  NVIC President, Barbara Loe Fisher, shares that the IOM Committee reported well on what core parental concerns about safety are and identifies vaccine safety research deficits relating to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule.  HealthDay, Jan. 16, 2013 
  
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2012

• 2011-2012
  Interview - NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher. Pro vs Con: Should We Immunize Our Children? Loop 21. Dec. 2012 
  
  CNBC-TV "Closing Bell" Debate: Should Health Care Workers Be Fired for Refusing Flu Shots?: NVIC's President, Barbara Loe Fisher and Michael Cannon of the Cato Institute, CNBC - Nov. 26, 2012
  
  Interview of Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC President on Public Health Whistleblower Protections, Progressive Radio Network Honesty Without Fear, Jun. 19, 2012
  
  CNBC-TV "Closing Bell" Debate: Should Health Care Workers Be Fired for Refusing Flu Shots?: NVIC's President, Barbara Loe Fisher and Michael Cannon of the Cato Insitute, CNBC - Nov 26, 2012
  
  Interview of Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC President on Public Health Whistleblower Protections, Progressive Radio Network Honesty Without Fear, Jun 19, 2012
  
  The Emerging Police State in the United States. Boiling Frogs Radio Blog. February 24, 2012.
  
  USA Today - Some states weigh opt-out laws for mandatory immunizations: NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher was interview regarding seven states considering legislation that would make it easier for parents to opt out of mandatory immunization requirements for their children [NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher, was inaccurately quoted in this article. She – and NVIC – support the universal human right to informed consent to medical risk taking, including voluntary use of vaccines, independent of scientific research].  - February 15, 2012
  
  Denver CBS 4 - Flu Shots For Workers In Health Care Setting Approved: NVIC Executive Director Theresa Wrangham was interviewed on opposition to flu shot mandates and stressed the need for informed consent and flexible exemption language. -  February 15, 2012
  
  Radio & Blog Conversations About Pediatricians Firing Families: NVIC President, Barbara Loe Fisher, was interviewed on KWMR Radio about pediatricians firing parents from their practices for not following the AAP recommended vaccination schedule. The Parent Talk Program – KWMR Radio, January 22, 2012 and interviewed by Baby Gizmo Blog (Mom's Best Friend) -  Should Pediatricians Be Able to “Fire” Parents? - January 11, 2012
  
  2011 Film News: NVIC is featured in the current film The Greater Good, which is currently being shown at several film festivals throughout the U.S. View the trailer below and visit their website for  Close Topic

1986 - 2010

• 1986-2010
  MSNBC Vaccine Reactions & Informed Consent.Barbara Loe Fisher of NVIC and Dr. Max Wiznitzer of Rainbow Babies. November 23, 2010
  
  CBS-TV “The Doctors” - Vaccine Mandates, Autism & Chronic DiseaseBarbara Loe Fisher (NVIC), Julia Berle & Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D. October 28, 2009
  
  Fox 5 TV News (Washington, D.C.)H1N1 “Swine Flu” Vaccine: To Vaccinate or Not?Interview with Barbara Loe Fisher of NVIC  September 29, 2009
  
  CNN-TV “Lou Dobbs Tonight” - Forced Flu Vaccination of Health Workers September 29, 2009
  
  CBS-TV - “Washington Unplugged” - H1N1 “Swine Flu” Vaccine Dangers. Sharyl Attkisson, Jennifer Ashton, M.D. & Barbara Loe Fisher. August 12, 2009
  
  CBS-TV Evening News - H1N1 “Swine Flu” Vaccine Fears July 30, 2009
  
  WUSA-TV 9 News (Washington, D.C.) Vaccine-Related Autism Cases Denied Federal CompensationFebruary 12, 2009
  
  USA Today Court Rules Autism Not Connected To Vaccines Video interviews with Henry Masur, M.D. & Barbara Loe Fisher of NVIC February 12, 2009
  
  MSNBC-TV News (Baltimore, MD) - Gardasil Vaccine Deaths & Unanswered Questions November 11, 2008
  
  CBN-TV “The 700 Club” Flu Shots: Worth the Risk? November 10, 2008
  
  WUSA TV-9 News (Washington, D.C.) Gardasil (HPV) Vaccine Injury Reports July 7, 2008
  
  Vermont Public Radio “Vermont Edition” - Expanded Vaccine Mandates in VT. Interview with Cort Lohff, M.D., MPH; William V. Raszka, Jr, M.D. & Barbara Loe Fisher, August 20, 2007
  
  CBN-TV “The 700 Club” Vaccine Reactions & Mental Retardation, Autism,  ADHD, Asthma, Food Allergies August 1, 2007
  
  CBS-TV “Sunday Morning” - Vaccines, Autism & Informed Consent April 1, 2007
  
  WNYC-Radio “The Brian Lehrer Show” - Gardasil (HPV) Vaccine Politics. Interview with Barbara Loe Fisher & Moira Gaul, MPH. February 22, 2007
  
  CNBC-TV “Closing Bell" Pandemic Influenza Vaccine & Liability Protection. December 22, 2005
  
  CNN-TV “The Flip Side” Childhood Vaccines & Preventing Vaccine Reactions. Interview with Barbara Loe Fisher. October 7, 2004
  
  WAMU-Radio (Washington, D.C.) - Vaccine Safety Debate. Kathleen Stratton, Ph.D.; Barbara Loe Fisher; Neal Halsey, M.D. November 13, 2002
  
  WFAA-TV (Dallas) News Investigation Pneumococcal (Prevnar) Vaccine Risks February 2001
  
  Fox-TV News Congressional Hearings on Increases in Vaccines & Chronic Disease. Interview with Barbara Loe Fisher. August 4, 1999
  
  ABC-TV “20/20” Investigation - Hepatitis B Vaccine Injury, Death & Mandates  Part 1 & Part 2. January 22, 1999
  
  NBC-TV "Today Show" - Vaccines & Chronic illness increases. Barbara Loe Fisher debates Neal Halsey, M.D. March 1997
  
  NBC-TV "Today Show" - Chicken Pox Vaccine - Barbara Loe Fisher debates Anne Gershon, M.D. March 20, 1995
  
  NBC-TV “Now Show” Investigation - DPT Vaccine “Hot Lots” & Injury Underreporting - Part 1 & Part 2. March 2, 1994
  
  Lifetime Television Network - "Attitudes" - DPT Vaccine Brain Damage & Death; Interviews with Barbara Loe Fisher, Joanne Hatem, M.D., & families, whose children died or were brain injured after DPT shots Part 1 & Part 2. March 1992
  
  CNN-TV “Sonya Live” - DPT Vaccine Brain Injuries & Informed Consent   Barbara Loe Fisher & Philip A. Brunell, M.D.;   Part 1 & Part 2. July 31, 1990
  
  ABC-TV (NYC) “The Morning Show” with Regis Philbin - DPT Vaccine Reactions, Injury & Death. June 16, 1986
  
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