Paxton launches checks of pediatricians over child vaccinations — The Guardian
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican, has launched an investigation into an alleged conspiracy involving pediatricians, vaccine manufacturers and insurance companies. He said medical professionals may have been unlawfully encouraged to vaccinate children. At least one pediatrician in Texas said she had already received a letter reviewing her practice.
Paxton announced the investigation in January and claimed that pharmaceutical and insurance companies may have sought to bribe doctors. These claims reflect the attorney general’s position and do not establish that any violations occurred.
Checks of pediatricians and the academy
As The Guardian reports, Paxton linked his actions to the Make America Healthy Again movement and the anti-vaccine campaign led by President Donald Trump and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In May, Trump endorsed Paxton’s Senate candidacy.
In August, the Texas attorney general also launched a review of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He suggested that the organization may have recommended vaccines for financial reasons. The academy had previously filed a lawsuit seeking to stop sweeping changes to the childhood immunization schedule.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Investigators from the consumer protection division are demanding that doctors provide information on any remuneration, bonuses, discounts, compensation or other benefits from vaccine manufacturers. According to the publication, one pediatrician has already spent thousands of dollars on legal defense.
Concerns among medical professionals
Marjan Linnell, president-elect of the Texas Pediatric Society, said pediatricians are among the lowest-paid medical specialties and in some cases barely cover the costs of vaccination. According to her, storing vaccines requires specialized equipment, while clinics cover losses of doses caused by power outages from their own funds.
Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock’s public health service, said her department may receive about $13 to cover costs for administering a vaccine, even when the state provides the vaccine itself. According to her, this amount is insufficient to cover a nurse’s work, medical-record checks and consultations with parents.
A new law in Texas makes it easier for parents to obtain exemptions for children from school vaccinations. The full measles vaccination rate among kindergarten students in the state is 93.3%. Doctors fear that investigations and legal expenses may force small pediatric practices to stop providing vaccines.
