Meeting Public Comments

Lindsay Maher [Vermeer]

What need is this bill filling? That is the first question that comes to mind now that pharmacists, primary care physicians, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, etc. can and do all give vaccinations. Does every healthcare provider need the ability to give vaccines, if so why? Are we going to allow all healthcare practitioners regardless of type to perform surgeries, prescribe chemotherapy, or give out opioids? This bill undermines the medical home for an individual. The primary care physician will have the most recent health history on their patients while specialties generally only ask for broad spectrum health histories. Do you have a heart issue? yes or no. Ok what type of heart issue? Recent stroke, cardiovascular disease, Atrial fibrillation, myocarditis, post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, cardiac arrest, heart murmur, etc? Will the podiatrist have all of this information and know the contraindications and risks associated with the 57 different unique vaccines available in the United States? Vaccines like all pharmaceutical products can cause injury and death. The US Government has now paid out more than $4.9 billion through the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program since its inception in 1988, with more than 60% of it being paid out in the last 15 years despite the program being active for more than 35. Will podiatrists be trained on and have in stock life saving equipment and medication needed in the event of a serious adverse reaction such as anaphylactic reaction, seizure, or cardiac arrest? Will they be up to date on their training to identify the differences between these reactions? Will there be any required training similar to what IAC 657 39.10 (155A) outlines for pharmacists? Will they be trained on screening for contraindications, how to provide informed consent for these products, how to report a reaction, and how to advise someone to receive compensation for a reaction? These products carry real risks and side effects. Increasing access to a product with a broken safety process will endanger the lives of Iowans. Would we do this with OxyContin, chemotherapy, or other drugs that carry serious risks including deaths? https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/vicp/vicpstats010123.pdf*Note the Harvard study has shown that only 1% of adverse reactions are ever reported. A Tufts university study found of those reported 80% are reported by medical personnel, not the individual. In the Harvard study of more than 1 million patient records Dr. Lazarus identified that 2.6% of doses administered cause an adverse reaction not the 1 in a million the public health agencies like to quote.