{"id":680,"date":"2017-02-07T10:06:24","date_gmt":"2017-02-07T16:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.texansforvaccinechoice.com\/online\/?p=680"},"modified":"2017-09-06T14:34:54","modified_gmt":"2017-09-06T19:34:54","slug":"dirty-little-ecrets-following-the-pharma-money-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/texansforvaccinechoice.com\/dirty-little-ecrets-following-the-pharma-money-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Dirty Little $ecrets: Following the Pharma Money Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"je1510_dark-money-669x290\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When it comes to your family\u2019s health choices \u2014 more specifically, choices affecting the health of your children \u2014 what factors do you consider when choosing one course of prevention or treatment over the other? I would imagine the majority of parents very carefully weigh the risks and benefits for the child, the impact a certain course of action or inaction would have on the child\u2019s future, as well as the impact on the family unit as a whole, among various other things. The reasonings, decisions, and outcomes would be very different for each individual family.<\/p>\n

One thing I can say with near certainty is that money, the cost of necessary treatments or interventions, would not be a hindrance for long if the best course of treatment happened to be the most expensive. Funds could be raised and payment plans put in place. Money would not stand between the child and their best interest in this scenario.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s flip the script a bit and imagine a scenario where a total stranger to you and your child was tasked with making these very important decisions. What factors might someone who would never meet your child face to face take into account when making a decision affecting their health and well-being? They might weigh the risks and benefits, but perhaps in a much broader sense by considering not only the risks and benefits to the child, but maybe also to themselves and to society. Along with the future impact on your child, they may also consider the future impacts on themselves and the public. Add to this equation the fact that this stranger was set up to benefit financially by deciding on one course of action over all of the others. What if their career depended on one over the other? Their reputation? Their life\u2019s work? Could this person be trusted to make a decision that was truly and honestly in the very best interest of\u00a0YOUR child, YOUR family?<\/p>\n

In these two scenarios, the options are\u00a0the same, but the final decisions, motivations, and outcomes\u00a0would likely\u00a0be very different.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, there are a few legislators in Texas that are setting us up for that dreaded second scenario. The strangers with financial gains to be made and career advances to be had based on whether or not you and your child receive all of their vaccinations are making their move to remove you from the role of ultimate decision maker.<\/p>\n

In a previous blog post<\/a>, I brought attention to the fact that Representative Sarah Davis is well-funded by the pharmaceutical industry. In the most recently released campaign financial statement, 30% (over $32,000 of $106,013 total) of Representative Davis\u2019 donations for the months of November and December were from organizations and individuals tied to the medical and pharmaceutical industries<\/a>. There is no doubt that this massive bank roll is the motivation behind all of the vaccine-related bills coming out of Davis\u2019 office (HB 97<\/a>, HB 107<\/a>, HB 120<\/a>, and HB126<\/a>). Likewise, Representative Donna Howard\u2019s statement from the same time period shows that 24% (about $15,000 of $60,375) of her funding was from organizations and individuals in pharmaceutical and medical industries<\/a>. Representative Howard has authored two immunization bills: HB 241<\/a> and HB 243<\/a>. With one-third\u00a0and one-fourth\u00a0of Representatives Davis\u2019 and Howard\u2019s current funding\u00a0coming from the pharmaceutical industry, it is easy to see where their enthusiasm for the push towards mandatory vaccination comes from.<\/p>\n

What about these donors? Who are they and what are their motives?\u00a0The\u00a0following\u00a0all make at least one appearance on each of the financial statements mentioned above:<\/p>\n