This is a long thread, but I think worth reading, about how governmental entities are trying to control covid-related dialogue (specifically about the vaccines). It starts & ends with this letter. @noorchashm is an immunologist at UPenn with over 2 decades' experience. 1/
He started a campaign called "ScreenB4Vacccine" based on his evidence-based belief that vaccinating people with natural immunity is not only unnecessary, but creates a heightened risk of adverse effects. The practice thus violates medical ethical rules, Noorchashm contends 2/
He is no stranger to one-sized fits all medical prescriptions and their potentially catastrophic effects, as his wife was a victim of precisely this practice: she died following a procedure that was conducted without adequate assessment of her individual circumstances 3/
(the procedure likely spread hidden cancer cells that may well have remained dormant).
For nothing more than advocating for a practice based on his decades of experience, the doctor first was questioned by an investigator, and then sent the letter posted in the first tweet 4/
This is agency -- an arm of the government -- telling a doctor to shut up, and not to say anything that departs from CDC guidelines. He is being threatened with prosecution (civil, presumably) if he does not follow these orders. This is not a free society. 5/
This is not a Western-style democracy. This is outrageous, frightening, and must not be tolerated. 6/6
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this is going to be a long thread. CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota invited @bradbbaca onto a panel discussion with four people who are declining the vaxx. Brad asked me if I'd been asked, since we both were quoted in an Atlantic article about people who aren't getting the vaccine.
He decided to refuse to go on, but I agreed to go in his place and CNN agreed to have me on. I was surprised when I realized that the discussion was not live, but prerecorded. I had also not been told that a doctor was going to be coming in towards the end of the discussion.
I am recollecting to the best of my knowledge b/c I believe much of the exchange will be edited out. I explained my reasons for not getting the vaxx, first and foremost that I have natural immunity from having had covid & didn't want to take the vaxx from someone who needs it
I anticipate this thread will earn me ire from all sides, and it addresses some private as well as more public conversations I've had. I am not anti-vaxx, and I am not anti the covid vaxx. As I have stated publicly, I decided not to get it 1) because I had covid, conferring 1/
natural immunity, and 2) because, especially in light of (1), I don't want to take on what is probably a small risk for no reason. Nevertheless, that aside, I feel ill-equipped to weigh what the risk actually is, because the pro-vaxx people (the ones who think you're bad if 2/
you don't get it) haven't been forthcoming. If I saw some honest discussion about what we can and can't know - including long term effects - and some valuation about the chance of negative long term or other effects based on our current scientific knowledge 3/