AMA urges health education to combat ‘growing’ anti-vaxxer movement

AMA President, Dr Tony Bartone a member of the vaccine industry-funded Immunisation Coalition, which is funded by vaccine manufacturers CSL/Seqirus, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, MSD (Merck) and Sanofi.

Elizabeth Hart

– Member of the vaccine industry-funded Immunisation Coalition

Dear Dr Bartone, a few weeks ago you featured in an article in The Sydney Morning Heraldtitled: ‘Act now’: AMA urges health education to combat ‘growing’ anti-vaxxer movement, 25 May 2020. (See copy attached.)

This is one of many articles published lately with an ‘anti-vaxxer’ theme.

In Max Koslowski’s article you said: “Anyone who speaks against the science of vaccination needs to expect to be slapped down by scientific sources”.

Dr Bartone, judging by the tone of your comments in Max Koslowski’s article, you are very antagonistic towards anyone questioning vaccine products.

It’s notable you are a member of the vaccine industry-funded Immunisation Coalition, which is funded by vaccine manufacturers CSL/Seqirus, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, MSD (Merck) and Sanofi. Why wasn’t this conflict of interest disclosed in Max Koslowski’s article, along with the fact the Australian Medical Association is also associated with the vaccine industry-funded Immunisation Coalition?

Dr Bartone, I understand you are a General Practitioner. Can you please advise me: 

• What expertise do you have in the ever-increasing number of vaccine products and revaccinations on the National Immunisation Program Schedule, including the long-term cumulative effects of all these products throughout life, and adverse events after vaccination?

• Do you think people should be forbidden from asking questions about the burgeoning number of vaccine products and revaccinations on the taxpayer-funded schedule in Australia, one of the most highly-vaccinated countries in the world?

• Do you think people should be forbidden from questioning the possibility of compulsory fast-tracked coronavirus vaccine products? Are you aware thatcompulsory coronavirus vaccination is being pushed by Jane Halton, an adviser to Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission? Jane Halton has a conflict of interest via her role as Chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which is involved in vaccine development, including nine partnerships with industry to develop vaccines against COVID-19.

• Do you think it appropriate that people who raise questions about vaccination policy are denigrated and marginalised as ‘anti-vaxxers’, that they are ‘slapped down’ as you recommend?

• Are you aware that children and adults have experienced adverse events after vaccination, for example as reported in the TGA’s Database of Adverse Event Notifications?

• Are you aware the TGA acknowledges adverse events are likely to be under-reported?

Dr Bartone, the AMA generally supported the No Jab, No Pay Bill 2015, i.e. the AMA supported coercive vaccination (AMA Submission 544.)  You no doubt recall Murdoch-run News Corp tabloids such as The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun etc, were behind the No Jab, No Play media campaign, which was obligingly adopted as policy by politicians across the political spectrum in Australia. The No Jab, No Pay policy was announced by then Social Services Minister Scott Morrison and then Prime Minister Tony Abbott in April 2015, and enacted as the coercive No Jab, No Pay law under Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister in January 2016.

Are you aware that Murdoch-run News Corp is a corporate partner of the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), which is involved in vaccine product research and development? Do you understand the conflict of interest in News Corp tabloids lobbying the Australian government to mandate vaccine products while News Corp is a corporate partner with a vaccine developer, i.e. MCRI? (Rupert Murdoch’s mother Dame Elisabeth Murdoch was involved with the founding of the original institute, and Sarah Murdoch is a member of the Board and the Ambassador for the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.) Along with the influence of members of the vaccine industry-funded Immunisation Coalition, the News Corp / MCRI relationship is a most significant example of a serious conflict of interest impacting on taxpayer-funded vaccination policy in Australia.

Others in the science and medical establishment in Australia were also supportive of the coercive No Jab, No Pay law, e.g. members of the coercive vaccination lobby groups SAVN and Friends of Science in Medicine, e.g. John Cunningham and David Hawkes, who were influential at the Senate Committee hearing re the No Jab, No Pay Bill in November 2015, which was attended by SAVN supporter, and former General Practitioner, Senator Richard Di Natale. As far as I’m aware, neither John Cunningham, David Hawkes, nor Senator Di Natale, are experts in the wide range of vaccine products on the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

Dr Bartone, I strongly suspect you are not an ‘expert in vaccination’, and I request you stop ‘slapping down’ people who are seeking transparency and accountability for vaccination policy.

There are serious problems with taxpayer-funded vaccination policy in Australia, including conflicts of interest. Vaccine products are medical interventions, an ever-increasing number of which are being pressed upon mass populations of children and adults. It is most concerning that conflicted doctors such as yourself are deliberately hindering public discussion in this area.  

I request your response to my questions outlined above – you are using your role as President of the AMA to promote your views, and you are accountable to the community in this regard, including your conflicts of interest.

Please note I have referred to Max Koslowski’s article, and you and the AMA, in my recent email to Peter Costello, which raises the subject of his conflicts of interest re the Future Fund and Nine Entertainment co, please see below for your information.

Sincerely

Elizabeth Hart

Independent citizen investigating conflicts of interest in vaccination policy and the over-use of vaccine products