IMMUNIZATION; THE REAL HOAX . . .

I recently read an article online that listed charge after charge regarding the “hoax” of immunization (see http://bit.ly/18Q47TL). It was so replete with self-serving innuendo and accusations that are only marginally accurate it is clear that the author(s) have their own self-interest at heart, and that those who accept such an article at face value, without investigating the sources it quotes are “guilty” of intellectual malfeasance.

 

It is perfectly true that there have been adverse reactions noted with some vaccines, and as with all treatments, they do not work on everyone. It is also true that physicians, among others, have made mistakes through the years, and treated people in ways that were thought to be helping, only to find out later that their approach was incorrect, and sometimes even harmful. Doctors can only use the knowledge and tools they currently have to diagnose and treat illnesses, as I did as a physician for more than 26 years. So, what is not correct in the article?

 

It is a myth that there is some massive “cover-up.” Many antagonists of immunization spread blatantly false or misleading “information” that is inconsistent with the facts. The instances cited in the article, such as the Swine Flu debacle, were widely publicized at the time. I even remember hearing a comment on Saturday Night Live calling it ‘an epidemic of one.” The fact that aspirin may have been overdosed during the 1918 – 1919 flue pandemic and thus caused some of the early deaths, does nothing to change the influenza related statistics, or the fact that the influenza vaccine has saved many lives.

 

Immunization was one of the great milestones in medical history, and remains a mainstay of good Medicine and health. I will continue to seek and encourage immunizations for myself, my family and my patients. Those who would accept an article such as mentioned above need to look at the authors of the “studies” quoted, and the training of those who would accept their word without looking into it and realize that the campaign against immunization is the REAL hoax, and those pushing it are either seriously undereducated, seriously misinformed, or have their own agenda.

“Into whatever house I enter, I shall go for the benefit of my patients . . .”

A sentence such as this, taken from the Hippocratic Oath, is included in every oath taken by every physician who graduates medical school. Physicians are a special group and have been granted extraordinary privileges by the societies in which we live. Patient’s must trust that the person to whom they have given access to their bodies will never knowingly do anything to hurt them or the ones they love. Over many years, Dr. Kermit Gosnell broke his oath in the worse possible ways. He not only caused the death of at least one woman, but any number of viable infants by severing their spinal cords.

Dr. Gosnell has, rightly I believe, been convicted of multiple murders and, while I will continue to stand against the death penalty, he should never be allowed out of the prison to which he will be sentenced. He must spend the remainder of his life in prison, not because he would be a menace to society if he were out, because certainly no one would let him near them again. No, he must spend his life in prison because he took the most innocent of lives, while violating his sacred oath  with no better motive than money. As an attorney, I am satisfied by his conviction but as a physician, I feel sullied by the actions of a man who should never have been allowed to enter a noble profession.

 

 

CRIME SOMETIMES PAYS, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

Recently Dr. Jose Katz, a New York based cardiologist admitted bilking the government out of $19 million between 2004 and 2012. Since the total amount paid to him during that time was closer to $70 million, I wonder if the $19 million figure was just the plea deal. Wither way, his maximum sentence was computed to be 87 months (just over 7 years) bringing his “pay” for those years to a little over $2.6 million per year (using the “admitted’ $19 million dollar figure).  I suspect many people would spend a maximum of 7 years (and probably less if no one was injured) at that rate. The question becomes, however, how willing are you to go to jail for much less?

The federal government, in its lack of competence to be able to provide universal health care for the citizens of the United States at reasonable costs has been going after anything it considers to be “fraud” as hard as possible, in an attempt to recoup as much money as possible. Unfortunately, in many cases, the providers they choose to go after did nothing intentionally wrong, they just didn’t know how to dot every “i” and cross every “t.” If you are a health care provider (physician or medical practice, long term care facility, etc.), it’s time to get your “Legal Checkup.” As the old commercial said, you can pay a little bit now, or pay much more later; it’s your choice!

Eric E. Shore, DO, JD, MBA
SHORE LEGAL GROUP, LLC
Attorneys at Law

PO Box 2771
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Telephone: (484) 238-0248
Fax: (215) 402-1030
Email: eshore@ShoreLegal.com