How could Dr. Sydney Sewall say vaccines aren’t a Big Pharma issue? They are made by the biggest pharmaceutical companies–Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and Pfizer. These companies pay huge fines for their corrupt practices, but their bad behavior continues.

According to Public Citizen: “From 1991 through 2015, a total of 373 settlements were reached between the federal and state governments and pharmaceutical manufacturers, for a total of $35.7 billion.” Vaccines have become Big Pharma’s new gold rush.

Even better, pharmaceutical companies face no lawsuits for vaccine injuries, so long as their vaccine has been added to the childhood schedule by CDC.

Pharmaceutical companies don’t need to advertise required vaccines, since the government mandates them and 94% of Maine children already receive them. But the industry wants 100% guaranteed uptake, because it is about to roll out a number of new vaccines.

The 21st Century Cures Act, passed in 2016, abbreviated the process for testing, licensing and adding vaccines to the childhood schedule. Over 200 vaccines are currently in development.

How many of those vaccines will be required over the next few years is anybody’s guess. There is a huge financial incentive to having your vaccine placed on the childhood schedule by the CDC: no liability for injuries.

The right to choose which vaccines your child receives will disappear unless referendum Question 1 passes.

Dr. Meryl Nass

Ellsworth

(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this letter made an incorrect assertion about the profit margins pharmaceutical companies earn from vaccines. It has been removed.)