What A Difference Two Months Can Make

Back when the bill known as S.199 passed the anti-science, anti-vaccine, pro sugar pill crowd was giddy about the result. The angry blogger and practioner of the junk science known as "homeopathy," Jennifer Stella, wrote on her blog,

"This is a win. It would have been even better to defeat the bill completely and totally and utterly, but we still have the philosophical exemption in Vermont." May 6, 2012

Within a few days Stella's irrational exuberance had cranked up further and she the said,

The vaccine industry went home with its tail between its legs after suffering an enormous and embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Vermont legislature last week.

The well monied effort by Big Pharma went down in flames with the defeat of S 199 which would have eliminated the right of Vermont parents to refuse vaccinations based on philosophical reasons. May 8, 2012

Stella had plenty of insults to go around for those she sees as the enemies of liberty, like the State of Vermont's Health Department and the nefarious schemers at "Big Pharma" whose plan is to dose an unwilling population of thoughtful parents.

What a difference a couple of months can make. Last week Stella wrote of her "big win,"

"The outcome of the vaccine bill was not to our liking, but we took it as a win to at least have the exemption kept." July 4, 2012

Perhaps that is because Stella has come to see that she isn't quite the legislative doyen that she and her cohorts have come to believe her to be. She continues,
"but we took it as a win to at least have the exemption kept; with the understanding that more opportunity for public dialog and comment would be during Rules making for the Act (157).  We had lingering concerns but were assured this would shake out during the Rules Making process."

"Unfortunately, we were shocked to learn recently that the VT Health Dept. (VDH) under Health Commissioner Harry Chen has skipped that part of the process and has either allowed or directed rule changes with no rules making process at all. Is he serious?  In an election season for Shumlin (Harry Chen is Shumlin's appointee)? This is totally unacceptable."

"After reading what they have put out, we have more questions than ever before, and as far as we know, there has been no legal review the material. It seems that this is no longer an issue over whether vaccines should be compulsory or not - it is now a matter of potentially free speech and the exercise of a Vermonter's religious rights and legal rights (since an exemption is legal). How many are willing to let this medical political nightmare now open the door to compel a person to read, sign and believe, or else? This is more than whether or not your child is vaxxed to schedule."

"One major red flag for us is that the evidence-based educational material that was called for in the act, has now turned into "Required Parent Education," had no public review, appears to be coercive and is not at all scientific in nature."

Whew! Where to begin? Probably with the cognitive disconnect that permits a practioner of junk medicine like Stella to label something as unscientific without actually explaining what specifically is not scientific about the VDH's rules changes or specifically what constitutes a legal rules making process. Stella and her fellow "dialoguers" did have an opportunity to make their feelings known and I can't seem to find any statutory requirement for a do over no matter how "unacceptable" she finds that to be. I've looked at the VDH form and find nothing that proscribes speech or religious rights in any manner that would violate the 1st Amendment as she alleges.

Furthermore, Stella seeks to link Gov. Shumlin to Dr. Chen's action in an election year on the basis of Chen being a member of Shumlin's administration. First, this comes dangerously close to political lobbying that she and her group are not registered with the state to be doing with regards to matters potentially before the legislature. Maybe the session is over but you'd think that Stella would hold herself to the same high standards that she's annoited herself to set for others. The guilt by association tactic that Stella and her allies continue to use cuts both ways.

One very troubling discovery I've is that the posts above have been cross posted by Stella to a blog site that is a haven for misogynistic, racist enablers, segregationists, anti-Semites, homophobes and secessionists where she serves as a board member. Is she going to disassociate herself from these types or will she grant herself an exception that won't apply to Gov. Shumlin and his associates?

Stella's full post is replete with unsubstantiated accusations, such as that her website has been "hacked" by "Big Pharma" and, just like her science, Stella offers no verifiable proof of her claim. Stella also makes a big deal in her post that "Big Pharma" has plead guilty to fraud when in fact most of the cases she refers to are settlements, not unlike the case she didn't mention of a recent $5 million settlement made in a class action case against the largest "Big Quacka" dealer in sugar pills that homeopaths recommend, a company mentioned by one of Stella's associates in her travel book. The suit stated that Boiron,

"falsely advertises that Oscillo has the ability to cure the flu because it contains an active ingredient it claims is proven to get rid of flu symptoms in 48 hours."

The lawsuit also stated that the listed active ingredient in the "Big Quacka" company Boiron's Oscillococcinum (Oscillo) "is actually Muscovy Duck Liver and Heart ... and has no known medicinal quality.". The settlement also requires that Boiron agree to make specific changes to its marketing, including adding to their packaging notices like

"These ‘Uses’ have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration."

Why is it unsurprising that what is an indetectable amount duck liver is promoted as a cure for the flu by a "Big Quacka" company and that Stella doesn't include information about this class action settlement by a "Big Quacka" firm in her attack?

Information on how you can receive a part of the settlement if you were scammed by this "Big Quacka" fraud may be found here.