Confirming that the state vaccination registry is a boondoggle pediatrician board member Dr. Patricia Edwards complained to the DHHS board member, Anne-Marie Mercuri (at the January NH Vaccine Association board meeting) that her practice is totally bogged down by the state vaccine registry.
She fears she may not be able to receive vaccines, and her staff is ready to quit.
Not wanting this discussion to be held in a public meeting, Chairman Sue Tenney attempted to shut down the conversation by asking Dr. Edwards to “take that offline.” Dr. Edwards persisted and let the board know that she had been trying to work with DHHS. She wanted the board to be aware of this issue as it affects the finances and vaccine purchases.
“My practice is totally bogged down by that vaccine registry” Dr. Patricia Edwards, Board Member, NH Vaccine Association
This is no surprise as NH DHHS has never been able to get this government vaccination registry off the ground in spite of the fact it has been a provision of state statute since 1998 RSA 141-C:20-f and is very well-funded.
Voluntary registration of those who want to be tracked by the government seems to be a simple enough proposition. Why is NH so bogged down?
The biggest reason that DHHS has not been able to launch this vaccination registry is that they are in the vaccine business and their focus is not on the provision of the statute to track vaccinations but to track the vaccines. There is a difference.
DHHS buys vaccines from the CDC and sells them to health insurance companies and others.
To appease their seller, they must track each dose of vaccine. They have improperly focused their attention and all the money intended for the registry on a vaccine ordering and inventory program.
The statute makes no provision for tracking vaccines or an ordering and inventory program, as in 1998 vaccines were properly the medical inventory of those who provide vaccines, and it was their job to manage their own inventory. With RSA126-Q, the Legislature made the mistake of putting DHHS in the child vaccine business and establishing government control and runaway costs.
We want to thank Laura Condon for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you want us to consider, please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
“We’re building the system right at the Super Bowl.” –Patricia Tilley, NH DHHS, on building the vaccine registry (the last in the country) during a pandemic.
Not true, Ms. Tilley; the facts and records show that DHHS has had almost eight years to get a government vaccination registry up and running:
April 23, 2014: $1.359 million in funding through Executive Council & Governor…and NO Registry. 2014-2019: Five-year contract with Scientific Technologies Corp…and NO Registry.
Dec. 2019: EC&G approves $1.5 million in CDC funding to bail out DHHS misspending …and NO Registry.
November 2021: $27 million in funding through EC&G…and NO Registry.
January 19, 2022, pediatrician Dr. Patricia Edwards and NH Vaccine Association Board members confirm the Vaccination Registry is an unworkable boondoggle.
The DHHS vaccine program is a $30 million annual purchase with no oversight, accountability, audit, or financial report. A hand-prepared spreadsheet is all that is disclosed to the NH Vaccine Association board, a purchase program that is never questioned.
Except that as a former NH Vaccine Association board member, I’m asking questions.
Note that Chairman Sue Tenney is quick to attempt to shut down those questions as well and that this request for information is taken offline to email and hidden from public view, ears, or reporting.
The legislature would be smart to take the step to ensure this government vaccination is voluntary as the legislature originally intended and make this an “opt-in” registry. We now have that opportunity with HB1606, making the state vaccine (vaccination) registry an opt-in program. I urge everyone to contact their State Reps in support. It seems that even Governor Sununu now also agrees:
“If the choice is between an opt-in model and no registry, I’ll take the opt-in model because it’s so important to register. So, I’d be supportive if that was just basically the choice of last resort.”
The legislature would be smart to also enact legislation to take DHHS out of the vaccine business by repealing RSA126-Q and putting medical purchases and inventory back in the hands of doctors and pharmacists where they belong
Laura Condon is the NH Director of Advocacy for the National Vaccine Information Center and advocates for informed consent, testifies on legislation, and works to educate and advocate for parents, medical employees, and others. She has fought against the State Vaccination Registry since 2012.
Laura Condon can be reached at vaxchoicenh@gmail.com.
