A midwife was fined $300,000 after she allegedly falsified vaccination records for thousands of children.
Jeanette Breen of Baldwin, New York, was fined after it was discovered that she had administered 12,449 “alternative” immunizations to roughly 1,500 children, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDH) said in a press release on Wednesday. The alternative immunizations given to her patients were reportedly part of the “Real Immunity Homeoprophylaxis Program.”
Breen has been practicing as a “licensed midwife and certified nurse midwife” and graduated from Columbia University in 1984 after going through the university’s midwifery program, according to her website. She is reportedly licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey.
“Misrepresenting or falsifying vaccine records puts lives in jeopardy and undermines the system that exists to protect public health,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. “Let it be clear, the New York State Department of Health takes this issue seriously and will investigate and use all enforcement tools at its disposal against those who have been found to have committed such violations.”
Beginning at the start of the 2019-2020 school year, Breen began administering homeopathic oral pellets, an alternative form of vaccination. Breen’s program did not involve the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the press release.
Homeopathy, or homeopathic medicine, is an alternative form of treating illnesses or infectious diseases that was first developed in Germany. The homeopathic medicine is created from plants, animals, or minerals and is primarily made into sugar pellets that can be placed under the tongue, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Medicine used for homeopathy can also be found in forms such as ointments, gels, drops, or even creams, according to the website.
The oral pellets Breen administered were used as substitutes to fight against things like diphtheria, hepatitis, measles, chickenpox, polio, or the flu.
“By intentionally falsifying records for students, this licensed health care professional not only endangered the health and safety of our school communities but also undermined public trust,” New York State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said in a statement. “We are pleased to have worked with our partners in government to bring this wrongdoer to justice. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of health and well-being within our educational institutions.”
Along with her fine, Breen will be required to never administer a vaccination that would require her to report it to the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) and has been permanently denied access to NYSIIS.
Parents and guardians of children who were left affected by Breen’s scheme are being contacted by the NYSDH and are being informed that their vaccinations are not valid and do not meet New York’s vaccination requirements for children to attend or be enrolled in school, according to the statement.