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Random thoughts while watching this CT vaccine bill public hearing...
1. Rep. Ann Dauphinais quite the anti-sci skeptic while trying to push that she's concerned abt the sci. Classic anti-vax tactics (cites diff. viewpts, unsettled sci, while citing bad sci, poisoning the well)
1. Rep. Ann Dauphinais quite the anti-sci skeptic while trying to push that she's concerned abt the sci. Classic anti-vax tactics (cites diff. viewpts, unsettled sci, while citing bad sci, poisoning the well)
2. All these parents using their small kids to make anti-bill testimonies makes me wonder how many @EthanLindenber1's we'll see in CT a few years from now when these kids get older, take sci classes and realize parents are misinformed.
3. Many citing deeply held Catholic beliefs & how vaccines violate those (fetal cell lines argument). Yet, clearly they're ignoring what the Pope & Vatican has said abt vaccines. Is it really religion? Or is religion being used for other stuff.
4. Chiropractors today are not helping their professions' already bad rep.
5. Rep. @jfoster_rd is not tolerating any BS in this forum about vaccines not being evidence-based. Kudos to her.
6. Why is no one on the panel calling out Anne Dauphinais' repeated incorrect use of VAERS & vax court payouts to make incorrect claims abt the prevalence of vax danger risk? Well known VAERS can't be used that way. As for vax court payments... @jfoster_rd https://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/vaccine-court-myths-nvicp-facts/
7. So much of the "Big Pharma" conspiracy theorizing. Super vague and abstract.
8. Dauphinais in pandering to a conspiracy-theorizing commenter, just claimed vaccine manufacturers have no liability. Wrong again. https://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/vaccine-court-myths-nvicp-facts/
9. Kudos to @MarchofDimes commenter for trying to provide some impt clarifications to mistruths that got raised/unchecked regarding vax #'s & bill legality (Jacobs v. MA). In reply, Dauphinais tried to claim 72 vax dose myth is correct. It isn't. See here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/vaxopedia.org/2020/02/08/fake-news-about-vaccine-doses-for-u-s-children/amp/
10. Painful to have to watch an elected official on CT Senate Public Health committee (Hwang) show/admit he has no clue what March of Dimes started out focusing on (polio) and how they have been concerned with post-natal health issues since their founding.
11. Dauphinais tried to claim NY & CA vax bill court cases have not been settled (SCONY upheld NY law, see below CA Court of Appeals upholding CA law) & "poison the well" & discredit the *March of Dimes* by citing it received funds from Johnson & Johnson. https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2018/07/30/california-court-of-appeal-rejects-challenge-to-vaccine-law/
12. Evident that the public and at least some on this committee are very much in the dark about Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and how it works, what it can/can't be used for. https://vaers.hhs.gov/data/dataguide.html
13. Good to see Rep. @LizLinehan calling BS on the 72 dosage myth. Dauphinais discredited herself in trying to counter/double down by citing discredited scientist Christopher Shaw's discredited claims about potential toxins (including "thimerosol") via the no. of vax doses.
14. Dauphinais now trying to challenge 2 medical students' evid.-based argument that "vaccines are safe" by (yet again) incorrectly citing vaccine court $4B payout amount. Good to see them turn it on her about corr. =/= causation. But still no one debunking her court claim.
15. @RepNKD tried to discredit 2 med students' training by interrogating them on how much class time they get on vaccines & "vaccine safety," playing antivax con game. Hwang then jumps in to assert they're ignoring pt-centered viewpt. How elected officials treat qualified experts
16. Some members of this committee really triggered by these 2 med students & also trying to win anti-bill & anti-vax pts by jumping on them b/c they are students, respectful, and at times not offering most ideally framed responses given their expertise (not a criticism of them).
17. Dauphinais just piled on to the "how many hours" antivax tactic by asking *2 4th-year med students* to provide the committee with a copy of their vaccine curriculum. I'm not one to curse on Twitter, but here goes--you've got to be fucking kidding.
18. It's late into the pm ET & after watching this for hrs, 1 thing very noticeable: few dads (even if just to be sitting next to spouse who gives the testimonial). Where are they? Long past kid bedtime. Yes, moms often do bulk of kid health, but still. Not a dad issue?
19. CORRECTION TO TWEET 11 in this thread (ht to @doritmi for clarification): Re: NY vaccine law, in NY, Supreme Court is the name of trial instance. Court of Appeals the highest court, which rejected staying the repeal, but full case is still winding its way through the system.
20. After ~7 hrs of listening to testimony, some things clear:
a. some ppl really see their kids as their property
b. listening to the same anti-sci/conspiracy theory ideas over and again, you can see how parents buy into these ideas via their networks (selection & causation)
a. some ppl really see their kids as their property
b. listening to the same anti-sci/conspiracy theory ideas over and again, you can see how parents buy into these ideas via their networks (selection & causation)
21. Kudos to Rep. @Steinberg06880 for calling out unsubstantiated claims by public commenters. That claims need evidence to back them up.
22. Many parents claiming doctors refusing care for their child(ren) due to their vaccine refusal. Not entirely clear how that relates to the bill, but issue an important, complicated one all by itself.
23. People bringing their (grand)kids on to give testimony at 2:30am in the morning... Plus, mentioning you own 4 properties in CT is not a way to elicit sympathy for your cause, especially during tough economic times.
24. Commenter starts out actually complaining/scolding committee that people are not able to offer comments in person (even though people could call in to offer comments). Seriously, mister?
25. 3:04amET--person tries to discredit pro-bill/pro-vax mom (rarity today) who offered testimony last afternoon (& then pans to others, incl'ing CT Dem maj. leader @senatorduff FB page, which seems to have triggered anti-vaxxers). This is what this person waited up for.
