‘It’s the zeitgeist of this moment in America — maybe the whole world’

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

The Panhandle Health District board devoted its Feb. 20 meeting to the topic of informed consent for childhood vaccinations, which drew a crowd of medical professionals and members of the public to the usually sparsely attended meeting.

PHD Board of Health Chair Dr. Thomas Fletcher and Medical Director Dr. Duke Johnson brought the issue forward, arguing that the district should supplement the vaccine information provided to patients and guardians by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with research chosen by the board. 

The board heard several ideas before deciding to revisit the topic at the Thursday, March 20 meeting, at which point it may vote to create a subcommittee to further explore the issue.

Members of the public interested in serving on the potential subcommittee can contact PHD Director Erik Ketner at [email protected].

Meeting attendees were divided on the topic, with some repeating widely debunked claims that vaccines cause autism, male infertility and cancer, while other medical professionals cautioned the board against using “dangerous rhetoric” and “misinformation” about vaccines.

“Vaccines have been a cornerstone of public health for many years, and they have consistently proven to reduce both morbidity and mortality in children and vulnerable populations,” said Tina Ghirarduzzi, reading a statement on behalf of Lakeside Pediatrics in Coeur d’Alene.

“Misinformation about vaccines can lead to fear and hesitation, ultimately endangering our public health, which is ironic that we’re — as a public health department — entertaining this conversation,” said Ghirarduzzi, adding that “casting doubt” on the efficacy of vaccines during North Idaho’s current Pertussis outbreak endangers children.

In their discussion, both Johnson and Fletcher repeatedly stated that they did not “have an agenda.”

“Our goal is not in any way, shape or form to induce fear or to make the assumption that our information is going to be misinformation. A lot of the information that we wanted to present to people comes from the World Health Organization, CDC, research that’s been done, etc.,” said Johnson, later adding that he is not “anti-vax.”

Johnson, Fletcher, Board Member and former-Bonner County Commissioner Glen Bailey and current Commissioner Ron Korn — who attended as a member of the public — all went on to question the reliability and accuracy of those institutions. Johnson argued that, though the information “may not be ideal,” the district should still attempt to provide unbiased breakdowns of the benefits and “concerns” for each vaccine.

“Right now, there’s so much distrust in the medical industry and established medicine that there are millions of people who don’t trust established medicine at all, and what I think we should try to do is try to reestablish some of that credibility, rather than letting some blog or somebody who knows absolutely nothing with a loud voice to be the one who is directing them,” said Johnson. 

“We would have a much better chance of providing good information than the average person on the internet,” he added.

Peggy Cuvala, representing Benewah County, and Vice Chair Jessica Jameson, of Kootenai County, agreed that the initial supplemental information provided by Johnson and Fletcher seemed “pretty slanted toward the risk.”

“I’m kind of wondering, No. 1, where did this information come from? Why is it being presented now? What’s behind this?” asked Cuvala, going on to question whether Fletcher and Johnson cited any studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, or whether they had first consulted area epidemiologists or pediatricians. 

Johnson did not and had not, but offered to look into her concerns.

Answering Cuvala’s second question, Fletcher said, “It’s the zeitgeist of this moment in America — maybe the whole world.”

Several board members suggested holding a town hall with area medical professionals and establishing a subcommittee to set standards for informed consent and explore any supplemental information that could be added to the vaccine packets. 

Though most agreed with this path, Fletcher called the subcommittee a “total, complete waste of time,” because, “we will never come to an agreement” on the efficacy of childhood vaccines.

“The data is not there. We can’t say whether the childhood vaccination schedule, in the aggregate, is good for the children of America, or we can’t say it isn’t… So, sadly, even with the best data available, you may not know ‘truth,’ as in capital ‘T’ truth. Now that’s just a sad reality,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher proposed instead to require anyone administering a vaccine to tell the patient or guardian the length of its clinical trial, adding that “the Hepatitis B vaccine” had a clinical trial lasting “five days.” This figure relates only to RECOMBIVAX HB and does not pertain to any other brands or generations of HBV vaccines developed since 1969.

“The mom is going to go, ‘Is that enough?’ Timeout. We’re not going to answer that question. I don’t know,” said Fletcher.

The board ultimately returned to the idea of a subcommittee and town hall, entertaining several motions but failing to vote on anything.