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New York State is about to mandate the Meningococcal vaccines even though the condition is extremely rare and most people fully recover. The Meningococcal vaccine has injured thousands and killed 28. Governor David Patterson must veto this bill. The only ones who will benefit are the drug companies manufacturing this vaccine. If it becomes law in New York, it will eventually become law in all states.
Open Letter to the Governor
Governor David Patterson and Senate President Malcolm Smith must oppose Assembly Bill 10313 and Senate Bill 7156 which are scheduled to be voted on this week. This Bill would needlessly expose seventh grade students and college students in New York State to the dangerous side effects of the meningococcal meningitis vaccines, by mandating that these groups take these vaccines as a requirement for attending classes. When one looks at the facts and statistics surrounding this disease, it becomes clear that mandating these vaccines are not justified and extremely reckless. Ultimately parents and college students must have the right to decide whether or not to take these vaccines.
meningococcal meningitis is a condition that affects the fluid around the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms can be severe and some deaths do occur. Most people however fully recover from it. More importantly, it is an extremely rare disease in the America. The U.S. government defines a rare disease as any disease that affects 200,000 or fewer Americans. meningococcal meningitis only affects about a thousand Americans annually. In 2007, there were only 1,077 reported cases according to the Centers For Disease Control. Furthermore, the incidence of meningococcal meningitis has been declining steadily each year. In New York there are only about 50 to 60 cases each year. All of this means that meningococcal meningitis is an extremely rare disease. A person has a better chance of being struck by lightening than dying of this disease. There is no epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in New York State nor is there any prediction of an epidemic. In short, there is no statistical justification for mandating these vaccines.
What is of greater concern is the fact that the meningococcal meningitis vaccines are dangerous and even deadly. According to the U.S. government's official database - VAERS, which collects reports of adverse reactions to vaccines, since 1990 there were 8,171 adverse reactions to the meningococcal meningitis vaccines. These included 28 deaths, 135 life threatening reactions, 102 permanent disabilities, and 551 hospitalizations. Furthermore, since most adverse reactions are not reported to VAERS, researchers believe that these numbers only represent about 10% of the total number of reactions that actually occurred.
To make matters worse, the potential benefit of these vaccines is very limited. In the medical journal: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, it is admitted that the vaccines are only effective against a few strains of the disease. In 2007, of the 1,077 cases of meningococcal meningitis, only 325 of them could have possibly benefited from the vaccines. This was revealed in a footnote in the 2008 annual summary of MMWR.
It is clear that the only ones who stand to benefit are the pharmaceutical companies who are making these vaccines. Based on how extremely rare this disease is and the very limited potential benefit of the vaccines for it, there is simply no justification for mandating this vaccine. Students across New York State will be put at risk for no justified reason. Given the extreme rarity of this disease, resources would be better spent on better treatments.
We need Senate President Malcolm Smith to oppose this unjustified and detrimental Bill. We need Governor David Patterson to veto this Bill if it reaches his desk. If this mandate goes through, some students will die while others will suffer permanent or serious injuries. Their blood and there suffering will be on the hands of the legislators who approve these Bills.
Curtis Cost
