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Midwife falsified vaccine records for 1,500 schoolchildren, NY health department says
By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published Jan 17, 2024
Modified Jan 17, 2024
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By
Michelle Bocanegra
Published Jan 17, 2024
Modified Jan 17, 2024
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A Long Island midwife is accused of falsifying the vaccination of more than 1,000 New York state schoolchildren, most of whom are from the New York City metropolitan area, the state health department said on Wednesday.
The state alleged that midwife Jeannette Breen falsified the immunization records for about 1,500 children statewide at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year. Breen was penalized $300,000 and permanently barred from administering vaccines reportable to the state, officials said.
“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,” said James McDonald, the state's health commissioner, in a statement.
Though the health department declined to specify which schools were affected due to privacy concerns, 300 schools statewide were notified on Wednesday morning — with most of those children being from Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley, state health officials said. Most of the affected students from New York City were in Queens and Brooklyn, the state said. Students in Erie County — located about 400 miles from Breen’s practice on Long Island — were also among those who were affected.
“By intentionally falsifying immunization records for students, this licensed health care professional not only endangered the health and safety of our school communities but also undermined public trust,” said Betty Rosa, the state's education commissioner, in a statement.
The state said the fabrications included records of vaccines for polio, chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella, but excluded COVID-19 vaccinations. Students must prove they’ve received the missing vaccines or are in the process of obtaining them before they can return to school.
City and state officials did not immediately say how many schoolchildren were affected in New York City, and whether or not they attended public schools.
Breen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
School vaccinations have been a flashpoint in New York state in recent years. The state eliminated non-medical religious exemptions to required school immunizations in 2019, prompting an outcry from anti-vaccine activists and some parents.
Parents of the affected schoolchildren allegedly sought out and paid Breen to evade state vaccination requirements shortly after religious exemptions ended, according to the health department.
Breen, who lacked the necessary federal approvals and authorizations, is also accused of giving the students an oral substance in the form of “pellets,” improperly marketed as vaccination alternatives.
Breen has paid half of the monetary penalty from the state and will be relieved from remaining payments if she complies with all terms of the agreement, which state officials have not made public.
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Health and Science
new york city
public safety
long island
westchester
Michelle Bocanegra
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