Arizona Health Department Uses Major Vaccine Distributor’s Board Director to Convince Parents on COVID-19 Vaccine

Arizona Health Department Uses Major Vaccine Distributor’s Board Director to Convince Parents on COVID-19 Vaccine

By Corinne Murdock |

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) announced an informational panel convincing parents to vaccinate their children featuring Dr. Richard Carmona: a board of directors member for McKesson, a major distributor of the COVID-19 vaccine. The press release failed to mention Carmona’s membership on McKesson’s board. Carmona didn’t mention his director role during the virtual town hall, either. ADHS only identified Carmona as the former U.S. Surgeon General and Governor Doug Ducey’s special advisor for public health emergency preparedness. Ducey appointed Carmona to that role in August.

McKesson also made big moves with top Arizona officials in August, though not of the positive sort. Prior to Ducey’s appointment of Carmona, McKesson and several other major pharmaceutical companies reached a tentative $26 billion settlement with Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich over their role in the opioid crisis. Johnson & Johnson was also part of that settlement. Carmona wasn’t a director for McKesson at the time. About two weeks after the tentative settlement and Ducey’s appointment of Carmona as his special advisor for public health emergency preparedness, McKesson elected Carmona to their board and appointed him to their Compensation and Compliance Committees.

During the ADHS virtual town hall, Carmona claimed that the vaccine was safe because independent scientists have concluded as such. He promised that there was “very little risk, if any” for a child receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The emergency use authorization tells you that scientists independently have studied this, validated it and feel that this vaccine is efficacious – meaning it works – and that it does no harm,” said Carmona.

Carmona said that parents should vaccinate their children not because COVID-19 poses a serious harm to them but “because it is a vaccinatable disease” and that it’s just what parents always do for any other vaccinatable disease.

“The science is sound. The science tells us this is the right thing to do, and we have a long, long history of understanding how vaccines work, and how it’s prevented our children from getting all of these diseases that grievously can cause serious harm and death – and today we don’t see that in society if our children are vaccinated,” asserted Carmona.

On November 2, McKesson announced that it began distributing ancillary supply kits needed to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11, per the FDA’s emergency-use authorization (EUA) for child vaccinations.

McKesson has served as one of the biggest distributors of the COVID-19 vaccine. In July, McKesson reported that they’d distributed over 185 million doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines to date. They added that they had readied enough kits to distribute another 785 million doses for all vaccine types once available. The latest data reflects an estimated 451 million doses administered in the U.S. so far.

Based on a report filed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in June of this year, non-employee directors are compensated with $110,000 annual cash retainer, $180,000-value restricted stock unit (RSU) award, $240,000 annual premium (50 percent cash, 50 percent RSUs), and $10,000 annual cash retainer for chairing a standing committee or $20,000 for chairs of Audit and Compensation Committees. Expenses for attending board and committee meetings are also covered.

Carmona’s compensation wasn’t listed on the report because he wasn’t elected until September.

The former surgeon general has a wide array of leadership roles in other health-related areas. Carmona became the University of Arizona’s (UArizona) first distinguished professor of public health at their Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. He’s also been at the forefront of UArizona’s COVID-19 response plan.

Additionally, Carmona serves as a director for Herbalife Nutrition, a multi-level marketing company (MLM) offering diet supplements that has faced controversy over alleged connections between its products and damage to the liver or kidneys. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that MLMs are often a guise for pyramid schemes, which are illegal. Herbalife Nutrition settled with the FTC in 2016 for $200 million over allegations that they falsely told customers they could profit from the business.

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Arizona Health Department Uses Major Vaccine Distributor’s Board Director to Convince Parents on COVID-19 Vaccine

Expert Says FDA Approval of COVID-19 Vaccine Doesn’t Ensure Safety, Efficacy

By Corinne Murdock |

The FDA approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, now marketed as COMIRNATY, doesn’t mean it’s safe or effective, according to Dr. Jane Orient, Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS). Orient made these statements on the radio show, The Conservative Circus.

Orient asserted that this FDA approval was rushed. Due to the hastened timeline of the COVID-19 vaccine’s approval, Orient speculated that the FDA may be corrupt.

“What the FDA did was to rush this through without public hearings, without an investigation of the more than 12,000 deaths that have occurred within a couple of weeks of getting the vaccine, or the many thousands of cases of permanent disability,” said Orient. “That doesn’t mean the vaccine is safe – it may just mean the FDA is corrupt.”

In her interview with Conservative Circus, Orient also asserted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion that emergency-use authorization treatments could be mandated wasn’t consistent with law.

Orient warned that the FDA itself admits that they can’t confirm the long-term effects of the vaccine.

“There are many authorities that say they would not give this vaccine to young people period because they have no way of knowing what the long-term effects are,” said Orient. “If you read the package insert that the FDA just released, it says that they are not able to say that the vaccine has been tested for effects on fertility, cancer, autoimmune diseases, or other things. These things take time to manifest, and there has not been time and the surveillance system is very, very poor.”

Included in the package insert is another warning for cases of myocarditis and pericarditis – heart inflammation that can be fatal – particularly within 7 days of the second dose. The clinical studies note that many recipients aged 16 to 55 reported adverse reactions mirroring flu-like symptoms: fatigue (70 percent), headache (65 percent), muscle pain (45 percent), chills (41 percent), joint pain (27 percent), and fever (18 percent). Recipients aged 56 and older reported less adverse reactions.

Orient pointed out that the government pulled the swine flu vaccine after a number of Guillain-Barre cases were reported (estimated at one in 100,000) which were linked to 53 deaths. She said that she doesn’t believe the COVID-19 vaccine is absolutely necessary for anyone.

The FDA and CDC have warned against the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19. Orient said that this was “terrible advice,” along with their insistence that hydroxychloroquine shouldn’t be used to treat COVID. She said that hundreds of doctors and thousands of patients have used these drugs effectively to treat COVID.

“The safety is known for hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin. The safety is known for those two drugs,” insisted Orient.

Orient has testified before the Senate on the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine.

Pfizer’s brand name for their vaccine, COMIRNATY, mashes up the words “community,” “immunity,” “mRNA,” and “COVID.”

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com

Brophy Principal Responds to Parents’ Critiques of Vaccine Mandate’s Fallacies, Contradictions

Brophy Principal Responds to Parents’ Critiques of Vaccine Mandate’s Fallacies, Contradictions

By Corinne Murdock |

In a response letter issued Tuesday, Brophy College Preparatory (Brophy) Principal Bob Ryan addressed the lengthy critiques of his vaccine mandate issued by hundreds of Brophy parents, alumni, donors, and supporters. That Brophy coalition questioned what they perceived to be fallacies and contradictions posed by the mandate in a letter to Ryan last Friday.

Ryan reiterated multiple times that Brophy was committed to following science, medicine, and data, which he said were “rapidly evolving.” He didn’t engage with some of the questions and requests posed by the Brophy coalition’s letter. Rather, Ryan invited skeptical parents to a vaccine informational webinar on Wednesday featuring pediatric specialist Dr. Jodi Carter, infectious disease specialist Dr. Ana Moran, and epidemiologist Dr. Nick Staab.

In their letter, this Brophy coalition recommended a series of modifications to the mandate, each prefaced with lengthy citations from COVID-19 thought leaders like the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The coalition suggested elimination of asymptomatic testing; testing of vaccinated students if asymptomatic testing remains; allowance for on-campus testing; exemptions included for medical justification, religious objections, natural immunity, and informed refusal; a zero-tolerance policy for any retaliation against families who capitalize on exemptions; no vaccine requirement for overnight activities; and allowance of a negative test in lieu of quarantine for students exposed to COVID-19.

The principal doubled down on the policy that only vaccinated students may embark on overnight trips. He added that vaccinated students would be tested for COVID prior to those trips. Ryan didn’t address parents’ confusion over the logic of allowing testing for vaccinated students and not unvaccinated students, or the logic of barring unvaccinated students from overnight trips with fellow Brophy students but not weekend activities with non-Brophy students.

Ryan also didn’t address the critics’ concerns over the quarantining aspect of the policy. Those critical of the mandate questioned the logic of quarantining unvaccinated students who tested negative for the virus.

Not all concerns were ignored, however. Ryan did concede to offer changes to several aspects of the vaccine mandate policy.

As for natural immunity, Ryan ignored the data provided by the vaccine mandate skeptics. He asserted that Brophy would only look to the CDC for its guidance. Ryan did add that students that tested positive for COVID-19 wouldn’t have to undergo biweekly testing for 90 days, in accordance with current CDC belief that natural immunity lasts 90 days.

Another issue that the Brophy community had with the vaccine mandates concerned the limitation on where unvaccinated students could receive their bi-weekly testing. Originally, Brophy’s vaccine mandate required laboratory or pharmacy tests, and barred on-campus and at-home tests. For that, the Brophy coalition questioned Ryan’s intentions with the mandate. They cited one of his media interviews, in which he insinuated that making the vaccine mandate burdensome was intentional so as to coerce vaccination.

In response, Ryan announced that Brophy will bring on-site vaccinations and testing to campus by September 13. He didn’t address any of the Brophy coalition’s claims about the efficacy of on-campus and at-home tests, or his intentions with the mandate.

Despite the hundreds that made up the Brophy coalition expressing discontent with the vaccine mandate, Ryan characterized the on-campus mood in his letter as “lighthearted” overall.

“Our students are happy to be back in the classroom, to be engaged with their friends and enjoying activities,” wrote Ryan. “It is our goal to keep the enthusiasm high and the daily experience as close to normal as possible, even while we continue to deal with the realities of a pandemic.”

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Hundreds of Brophy Parents, Alum, Donors Urge Vaccine Mandate Overhaul In Letter

Hundreds of Brophy Parents, Alum, Donors Urge Vaccine Mandate Overhaul In Letter

By Corinne Murdock |

Hundreds of Brophy College Preparatory (Brophy) parents, alumni, and donors urged the private school to overhaul its vaccine mandate in a letter issued Friday. Earlier this month, Brophy imposed a vaccine mandate similar to President Joe Biden’s mandate for federal employees and contractors – if an individual isn’t fully vaccinated, they must adhere to masking restrictions, social distancing measures, and frequent testing, not to mention limits on extracurricular opportunities.

In their letter, this Brophy coalition recommended a series of modifications to the mandate, each prefaced with lengthy citations from COVID-19 thought leaders like the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The coalition suggested elimination of asymptomatic testing; testing of vaccinated students if asymptomatic testing remains; allowance for on-campus testing; exemptions included for medical justification, religious objections, natural immunity, and informed refusal; a zero-tolerance policy for any retaliation against families who capitalize on exemptions; no vaccine requirement for overnight activities; and allowance of a negative test in lieu of quarantine for students exposed to COVID-19.

The letter claimed that the mandate exempting vaccinated students from biweekly testing failed to follow its own rationale of ensuring student safety. It cited a July study from the CDC, which indicated that vaccination doesn’t necessarily reduce viral load or prevent transmission. It also questioned the scientific validity of enforcing quarantines for unvaccinated students, even if they test negative for COVID-19.

Additionally, the letter questioned why biweekly testing was sufficient to rule out COVID-19 cases in unvaccinated students for in-person learning, but not for overnight activities. Brophy currently requires students to be vaccinated for overnight activities and any extracurriculars outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It also questioned why the vaccine mandate didn’t address the interactions Brophy students would have with non-Brophy students on the weekends – those that may not be tested regularly or vaccinated – but extended oversight to overnight activities with Brophy students required to be vaccinated or tested.

On the same subject of Brophy’s testing requirements, the letter questioned why at-home and on-campus tests weren’t permissible, but laboratory or pharmacy tests were admissible regardless of their quality. The letter asserted that officials wanted to increase the cost and inconvenience of being unvaccinated. It also noted that no other corporations, schools, or government agencies in the state were subject to such frequent measures of testing, pointing out the WHO’s advice that asymptomatic testing is unnecessary.

The letter accused Brophy Principal Bob Ryan of crafting the vaccine mandate to be so burdensome that students would eventually relent and get vaccinated.

“Principal Ryan admitted to a television reporter, ‘I’ve heard from some of [BCP parents] who’ve said, “You know, this [choice between vaccination and twice-a-week laboratory tests] has kind of been the piece that’s pushed us over the line and so we’re now going to get our kid vaccinated” and we’re hoping for that actually,’” recounted the letter. (original emphasis included)

The letter also questioned why Brophy hadn’t bothered to accommodate for certain students, such as those with pre-existing chronic or genetic conditions, religious objections, natural immunity, and/or those who choose informed refusal.

The 9-page letter had a total of 35 citations, and 11 pages of signatures. A majority of those 11 pages were filled with the names of hundreds of parents, alumni, donors, and community members.

One city councilmember and 27 former and current state legislators also signed onto the letter.

From the Arizona House, State Representatives Brenda Barton (R-Payson), Leo Biasiucci (R-Lake Havasu City), Walt Blackman (R-Snowflake), Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix), Judy Burges (R-Prescott), Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale), Regina Cobb (R-Kingman), John Fillmore (R-Apache Junction), Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), Steve Kaiser (R-Phoenix), Quang Nguyen (R-Prescott), Becky Nutt (R-Clifton), Jacqueline Parker (R-Mesa), Kevin Payne (R-Peoria), Bret Roberts (R-Maricopa), Justin Wilmeth (R-Phoenix), Speaker Pro Tempore Travis Grantham (R-Gilbert), and former State Representative Jill Norgaard (R-Phoenix) all signed onto the letter.

State Senators Nancy Barto (R-Phoenix), Sonny Borrelli (R-Lake Havasu City), David Livingston (R-Peoria), J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler), Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert), Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff), Kelly Townsend (R-Mesa), and former State Senators Sylvia Allen (R-Snowflake) and David Farnsworth (R-Mesa) were named in the letter as well.

Only one from the Phoenix City Council, Councilman Sal DiCiccio, signed onto the letter.

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Arizona’s Republican Congressional Delegation Denounces Possible Door-To-Door Vaccination Inquiries

Arizona’s Republican Congressional Delegation Denounces Possible Door-To-Door Vaccination Inquiries

By Terri Jo Neff |

Criticism continues to mount in response to comments by President Joe Biden earlier this month about public health professionals possibly going door-to-door across the country to encourage people to receive one of the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs joined with 31 other lawmakers who comprise the House Freedom Caucus in sending a letter to Biden last week, calling it “deeply disturbing” that the federal government may be in the process of tracking the private health information of millions of Americans. Other Arizonans in the House Freedom Caucus who signed the letter were Rep. Paul Gosar, Rep. Debbie Lesko, and Rep. David Schweikert.

“There is no scenario where the federal government should be actively entering communities and traveling door-to-door to pressure Americans to receive a vaccine,” the July 9 letter states. “COVID-19 vaccine information is widely available throughout the country, and Americans have every ability to decide for themselves whether or not they should receive a vaccine.”

The letter was prompted by the President’s July 6 comments about the possibility of members of the U.S. COVID-19 Response Team going ““community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood and oftentimes door-to-door, literally knocking on doors, to get help to the remaining people.”

The letter asks for a response by July 23 to a series of questions related to what activities the Biden Administration has undertaken, or plans to undertake, connected to vaccination databases.

Biggs, who chairs the House Freedom Caucus, made additional comments after the letter was sent.

 “Instead of meddling in private medical decisions, the Biden administration should focus on addressing the border crisis, the rampant rise in inflation, and the crime wave that is plaguing American cities – all crises it created,” Biggs said. “The door-to-door spying on Americans is one more example of the burgeoning surveillance state by the national government.”

 The House Freedom Caucus letter is just the latest criticism directed at Biden’s comments. Two more governors spoke out late last week about the suggestion of personal reach-out to unvaccinated Americans.

“The prospect of government vaccination teams showing up unannounced or unrequested at the door of ‘targeted’ homeowners or on their property will further deteriorate the public’s trust,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement.

In Missouri, Gov. Mike Parson tweeted that “sending government employees or agents door-to-door to compel vaccination” would not be an effective nor welcome strategy in his state.

But despite the criticism, the prospect of a “who has been vaccinated” database may not be difficult to create. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have been behind a COVID-19 tracking smartphone app that was been promoted by tens of thousands of doctors and nurses.

Called v-safe, the app is described as an after-vaccination “health checker” which users register with to answer surveys about side effects and to report dates of vaccinations. Parents can also register dependents under their v-safe account.

“Your healthcare provider will give you an information sheet on v-safe that explains how to register and get started,” according to the CDC website. “Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers to the web surveys, someone from CDC may call to check on you and get more information.”

As to the confidentiality of a v-safe user’s information, the CDC website notes that “to the extent v–safe uses existing information systems managed by CDC, FDA, and other federal agencies, the systems employ strict security measures appropriate for the data’s level of sensitivity.”