Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

When an anti-vaccination organization convinces a physician to join their ranks

Sean Gallagher, MD
Physician
February 26, 2018
Share
Tweet
Share

It’s always a coup when an anti-vaccination organization can convince a physician to join their ranks. They act like it provides a thin veneer of legitimacy to their pseudoscientific cause. This was recently the case with an anti-vaccination organization in Ohio (my home state.) They recruited the former medical director of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. You may remember his infamous article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in January 2017. In it, he goes on about a “toxic soup” we live in and how vaccines largely contribute to it. At one point, he mentions autism but says, “I won’t debate that here.” He then goes on to do just that. For a few hours, his letter had the Cleveland Clinic’s logo on it (long since removed). But the body of the letter remains. It’s an online pilgrimage site for anti-vaxxers everywhere.

This physician no longer has a leadership position at the Cleveland Clinic or any that I can tell. He went quiet after issuing a statement in support of vaccination when his article drew widespread condemnation. Aside from his little-known attendance of an Ohio anti-vaccination pseudoscience fair in May, he stayed out the headlines the rest of his 2017.

Then, in January 2018, he broke his silence. He popped up as a keynote speaker for the anti-vaccination group for a rally at Ohio’s statehouse, eschewing his desire for “dialogue” in favor of a full embrace of their anti-vaccination position. I’ll spend the next few paragraphs discussing his speech. You’re welcome to view it for yourself (and get a feel for the group above’s technical skills; I attribute any misquotes below to the video quality or lack thereof).

This physician covers a lot of ground in his 15 minutes. He starts by referring to his time at the Cleveland Clinic and says, “Like most medical providers, I was bought and sold by pharma,” after bemoaning being trained to “identify a disease state and treat it with
medication.”

I guess that didn’t bother him too much though; he worked there for 20 years. He discusses the fallout from his controversial article. “As soon as I hit a nerve that impacted my healthcare organization financially, all hell broke loose … One week after the article came out, I was relieved of my administrative duties. I was allowed to continue to practice clinically, but essentially, my career at the Cleveland Clinic was over.”

Next, he launches into an eight-point anti-vaccine rant that, to observers of this Ohio anti-vaccination organization’s social media, could have been ripped from their Facebook comment section. It isn’t anything other anti-vaccination groups aren’t hawking. One point this physician seems particularly passionate about is informed consent surrounding vaccines. Despite this passion, he isn’t terribly versed in it, of his own admission. He describes his typical practice to provide vaccine information sheets (VIS) to patients/parents after vaccines are administered. He is quick to infer that this is common in medicine. However, this isn’t common in medicine. Providing a VIS to patients/parents prior to vaccination is the standard of care. Any resident in a primary care specialty can tell you that. His failure to obtain informed consent is not a reflection of primary care as a whole.

He continues discussing informed consent, going so far as to liken patients to victims of the Holocaust. Dr. David Gorski does an excellent job debunking this worn-out anti-vax trope in his own article about this physician’s speech.

This doctor then bemoans employer flu-shot requirements. “It’s an incredibly slippery slope!” He wonders aloud if work will mandate Pap smears and digital rectal examinations for employees. Somebody should remind him that interventions that prevent disease outbreaks in the workplace aren’t quite the same as those that are meant to screen for cancer.

He reminds his listeners that physicians take the Hippocratic Oath. Rattling off the Latin like a pro, he says the oath starts with “‘primum non nocere,’ ‘first do no harm.’” However, those of us who took the oath might remember that those words aren’t explicitly part of the oath. This isn’t to say they aren’t a pillar of medical ethics; they are. It’s just another example of this physician failing to get his facts straight.

His speech climaxes with “we must push to uncover truths in our vaccines … the real safety and efficacy data. Not the ones big pharma or the government wants us to see.” Houston, we have lift off — unless he also thinks the moon landing was fake too. Welcome to the club. The tin foil hats are by the refreshments.

He ends with a “please don’t feel sorry for me.” Don’t worry — we don’t. He’s starting his own private practice. It sounds like it’s going to be cash only; I don’t expect insurance to cover the “medical treatments” described on their website.

New patient visits are $400, and there’s no on-call service. Despite a self-professed mission to care for his patients, this doctor’s practice seems to be modeled to care for his lifestyle.

His partner, trained in obstetrics and gynecology, purports to have found a cure for autism. That information can be yours for a nominal fee! Forget sharing it with the world when, instead, you can get rich preying on unwitting patients and families.

ADVERTISEMENT

Their website includes a link to a “supplement store.” What an entrepreneurial way to increase the business’ cash flow! Having accused the Cleveland Clinic of protecting its bottom line, this physician appears to be padding his.

No longer “bought and sold by pharma,” he’s sold himself to pseudoscience and alternative medicine. This doctor would have us see him as a martyr. Instead, he’s just a guy trying to make a buck, to the possible detriment of the health of his community. Instead of “primum non nocere,” he’s embraced “cash est rex.”

It would seem that this doctor seeks to aid an organization whose goal is to put the life and health of Ohio children, my patients included, at risk. It’s up to those of us who practice evidence-based medicine to advocate for our patients and protect them from such providers and the anti-vaccination groups they stump for.

Sean Gallagher is a pediatric resident.  He can be reached on Twitter @TheKidKidDoc​.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

We are all aging every day. But mostly we ignore, do not recognize, or deny it.

February 26, 2018 Kevin 0
…
Next

Medicine is fast becoming a field of editing for the sake of efficiency

February 27, 2018 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Pediatrics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
We are all aging every day. But mostly we ignore, do not recognize, or deny it.
Next Post >
Medicine is fast becoming a field of editing for the sake of efficiency

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Sean Gallagher, MD

  • The non-acceptance of vaccine-hesitant families is a problem in pediatrics

    Sean Gallagher, MD
  • Minnesota and measles: Andrew Wakefield targets refugees

    Sean Gallagher, MD
  • Anonymous anti-vaccination Twitter accounts attacks this pediatrician. He gets louder.

    Sean Gallagher, MD

Related Posts

  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • How a physician keynote can highlight your conference

    Kevin Pho, MD
  • Chasing numbers contributes to physician burnout

    DrizzleMD
  • The black physician’s burden

    Naomi Tweyo Nkinsi
  • Why this physician supports Medicare for all

    Thad Salmon, MD
  • Embrace the teamwork involved in becoming a physician

    Nathaniel Fleming

More in Physician

  • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

    Dr. Damane Zehra
  • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

    Dr. Poulami Mazumder
  • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

    Emma Fenske, DO
  • Adriana Smith’s story: a medical tragedy under heartbeat laws

    Nicole M. King, MD
  • Why U.S. health care pricing is so confusing—and how to fix it

    Ashish Mandavia, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician
    • How home-based AI can reduce health inequities in underserved communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 5 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Addressing the physician shortage: How AI can help, not replace

      Amelia Mercado | Tech
    • Why medical students are trading empathy for publications

      Vijay Rajput, MD | Education
    • Bureaucracy over care: How the U.S. health care system lost its way

      Kayvan Haddadan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Why the fear of being forgotten is stronger than the fear of death [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How a rainy walk helped an oncologist rediscover joy and bravery

      Dr. Damane Zehra | Physician
    • How inspiration and family stories shape our most meaningful moments

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • A day in the life of a WHO public health professional in Meghalaya, India

      Dr. Poulami Mazumder | Physician
    • Why women doctors are still mistaken for nurses

      Emma Fenske, DO | Physician
    • How home-based AI can reduce health inequities in underserved communities [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

When an anti-vaccination organization convinces a physician to join their ranks
5 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...