Health Empowerment Action League of North Carolina - Blog #news

Measles!? Should We Be Afraid?

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 17:15:00 -0500

Measles!? Should We Be Afraid?

Betsy Clark, February 27, 2025: "I wrote this the beginning of last year when the yearly media buzz started. Looks like it’s time to pull it back out. It’s important to look at what we know to be true and make decisions based on facts, not on fear." (Originally posted on Feb. 19, 2024.)

Measles In the News

Have you seen measles in the news with photos of miserable-looking children covered in red bumps recently? Measles was declared “eradicated” from the United States since 2000. Why is this ancient infection of past decades rearing its ugly head to haunt us once more? Should we be afraid? Are our children in danger? I thought vaccines eradicated this disease! What is happening?!

How Many Cases Each Year?

CDC data on reported cases in the US show that every year there are between just over a dozen, all the way up to hundreds of cases each year in the United States (1274 cases in 2019). These cases are in people vaccinated for measles, as well as those who aren’t vaccinated for measles. Headline articles today are in a panic, using the phrase “nearly a dozen cases in multiple states…” Well, we’re not even past the first month of the year! Oh dear, oh dear! Is it time to panic?

Dr Sherri Tenpenny Weighs In

"We've got to stop calling chickenpox and measles diseases, because they're not. They're infections, and infections come and go in a week to ten days and leave behind a lifetime of immunity. A disease is something that comes and stays, and frequently can't be cured. So, when you vaccinate to avoid an infection, what you potentially are doing is causing a disease." - Dr Sherri J. Tenpenny, D. O., Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Did Vaccines Save Us?

I once thought that the incidence of infectious illness was greatly reduced and eventually eradicated by vaccination. Imagine my shock, when I saw the following chart for measles. If you chop it between 1960 and today, the slope looks a lot more impressive. But when looking at the big picture, we can’t help but ask: Is the vaccine really to be credited with the steep drop in mortality for this illness? Or could other factors have something to do with it? Looking at similar charts for other infectious illnesses shows a similar plot.

Are We in Danger?
How dangerous is measles? In 2018, during one such media push, the Facebook page for the World Health Organization listed seven possible complications that could be caused by measles. They are nothing to be taken lightly. However, in a person who is not malnourished or vitamin A deficient, it is unlikely that contracting measles carries these complication risks. Vitamin A deficiency puts children at great risk for severe complications from many infections.

Just for fun, after seeing their post, I decided to look up and compare the adverse effects listed on the MMR vaccine manufacturers insert. I was not shocked to discover that all seven of the possible complications from measles, including death, are listed as adverse effects from the vaccine, PLUS ALL THESE OTHERS!!! I’ve bolded a few that I find especially troubling.

Vaccine Adverse Reactions
Adverse events that have been documented to occur after receiving the MMR vaccine: - Panniculitis (inflammation of adipose/fat tissue under the skin) - Atypical MEASLES - Fever - Syncope (temporary loss of consciousness) - Headache - Dizziness - Malaise - Irritability - Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels which can lead to restricted blood flow and damage to organs) - Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) - Diarrhea - Vomiting - Parotitis (Inflammation of a parotid gland, especially infectious parotitis aka MUMPS) - Nausea - Diabetes mellitus - Thrombocytopenia (low platelets / severe bleeding due to reduced ability to form blood clots) - Purpura (Red/purple discolored spots on the skin due to bleeding underneath the skin) - Regional lymphadenopathy (enlargement / disease of the lymph nodes) - Leukocytosis (abnormally high number of white blood cells due to inflammation from infection, tumors, or leukemia) - Anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions, angioneurotic edema / peripheral or facial edema (severe swelling of the lower layer of skin and tissue just under the epidermis) and bronchial spasm in individuals with or without an allergic history. - Arthritis or Arthralgia (Arthralgia and/or arthritis, transient or chronic, and polyneuritis are features of infection with wild-type RUBELLA.) - Myalgia (muscle pain) - Encephalitis (brain inflammation) - Encephalopathy (brain disease, damage, or malfunction) - Measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE). Presents with seizures within one year of measles vaccination or measles infection. - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). SSPE is a chronic form of progressive brain inflammation caused by a persistent infection with measles virus. - Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). GBS is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks your nerves, causing weakness, severe pain, difficulty breathing, and paralysis. - Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). ADEM is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system / widespread attack of inflammation in the brain and spinal cord. - Transverse myelitis (Inflammation of the spinal cord which causes pain, abnormal sensations, weakness, incontinence, or total paralysis.) - Febrile convulsions / seizures - Afebrile convulsions / seizures - Ataxia (loss of full control of bodily movements) - Polyneuritis (disorder of the peripheral nerves) - Polyneuropathy (degeneration / malfunction of peripheral nerves in various parts of the body at the same time) - Ocular palsies (Damage to third cranial nerve affecting eye movements, leading to strabismus and double vision) - Paresthesia (abnormal burning or prickling sensation in in various parts of the body) - Aseptic meningitis (inflammation of layers lining the brain, causing fever, headache, vomiting, persistent crying and poor eating in children, mental confusion..) - Pneumonia and pneumonitis - Sore throat, cough, rhinitis - Stevens-Johnson syndrome / Erythema multiforme (form of toxic epidermal necrolysis. A painful red or purple rash that spreads and blisters, eventually causing the top layer of the skin to die and shed. May lead to vision loss.) - Urticaria / hives - Rash / Measles-like rash - Pruritus / severe itching of the skin - Burning / stinging at injection site - Wheal and flare / allergic skin reaction - Redness - Swelling - Induration (hardening of soft tissues of the skin / loss of elasticity) - Tenderness - Vesiculation / blistering - Henoch-Schönlein purpura / Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (rash caused by inflammation and bleeding in small blood vessels, accompanied with swollen joints, abdominal pain, or bloody urine) - Nerve deafness / hearing loss - Otitis media (ear infection) - Retinitis (inflammation of the retina of the eye) - Optic neuritis / papillitis / retrobulbar neuritis (demyelinating inflammation of the optic nerve. Vision loss, pain with movement of the eye.) - Conjunctivitis (eye infection) - Epididymitis / Orchitis (inflammation of the testicles, characterized by pain, swelling, and burning with urination) - Death ------ MMR Vaccine Insert. (Pages 6-8)

Risk is Part of Life
Would it really be so terrible if you were to contract measles and traded a few days of discomfort for a lifetime of immunity? Or is it really better to trade a few years of immunity from the vaccine for the risk of long-term, chronic, life-altering diseases?

You are free to choose which list of possible complications or adverse effects you want to risk. I personally like the odds of the short list.

Where Did These Outbreaks Come From?
Surprisingly (or not), when the specific strains from measles outbreaks are isolated and identified, many turn out to be vaccine strains. Wild-type measles is only part of the equation. In this 2017 Journal of Clinical Microbiology article examining strains, almost 40% of the isolated strains in the study were identified as vaccine sequences, not wild-type measles. Because the MMR is a live-attenuated-virus vaccine, the risk of contracting the virus or transmitting it to others is present, and those with compromised immune systems should exercise caution when interacting with recently-vaccinated persons.
So, in some instances, are the vaccines themselves driving the outbreaks?

How Long Are Measles Vaccines Effective?
Another consideration is that neutralizing antibodies from the MMR vaccine begin to wane within a few years. So, immunity from the vaccine does not last. Contracting the measles would provide a lifetime of immunity.

Measles Math
In the US, death from measles is extremely rare. I hate math, but I love numbers, and according to vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit, the US mortality rate from measles is .0001667, if you contract it! This short video shows Dr. Offit saying he had the measles as a child. He has top-shelf, lifetime immunity, but vaccine recipients have an unknown waning immunity. It’s a rather educational clip, and Del Bigtree makes it especially entertaining!

Take Your Vitamin A
If, by some bizarre circumstance, vaccinated or not, you or a loved one contracts measles, the WHO recommends staying on top of hydration, and two doses of Vitamin A, 24 hours apart . For children, the dose is 200,000 international units (IUs). Adults would take a higher amount.

Does Having Measles Provide Long-Term Benefits?
On top of lifetime immunity, there is evidence that shows measles has a conditioning effect on the immune system. It’s like training for the big fight. Having had measles can reduce the likelihood of certain types of cancer and other chronic illnesses.

This image is from a 2016 FB post from Marcella Piper-Terry. She wrote, “Significant results: ‘p’ means probability. When you’re talking about probability, .05 is what is generally accepted as being statistically significant. That means that if you are looking at 100, p<.05, that means that there’s a 95 percent probability that what you’re seeing is real and not by chance. When you get to p<.001, that means there is a 1 in 1,000 probability that what you’re seeing is by chance. That’s really strong evidence.”

Pediatrician Advice for Children with Measles
Also, enjoy this article clip from a 1963 newspaper in which a pediatrician teaches mothers how to relieve the boredom of her child who is sick with measles. The doctor says that everyone gets the measles, which is a good thing, because it improves the immune system. That was before the medical establishment convinced everyone that measles was the deadliest disease since the dawn of mankind.

Marcella Piper-Terry on Worldwide Measles
For a thorough analysis and thought-provoking read on measles worldwide and why there seems to be a recent provocation of panic, see Marcella Piper Terry’s article MEASLES!!! Fact-checking the WHO. Marcella has an amazing ability to read, understand and communicate data in a way that’s easy to grasp. She talks about primary and secondary vaccine failure, shares screenshots from the WHO and CDC, and explains why the headlines and claims need to be double-checked before we partake in blind compliance. Things aren’t always what they’re made out to be.

Blessings and health to you, reader! Thank you for going with me on this journey of discovery.

The Real BBC

Betsy Ball Clark's Substack

Measles Fact Sheet from Health Freedom Institute

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All information, content, and material of this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. The opinions expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of HEALNC.

14-Year-Old Forced to Get Pfizer Shot Should Be Allowed to Sue Board of Education, CHD Tells N.C. Supreme Court

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 16:52:00 -0500

14-Year-Old Forced to Get Pfizer Shot Should Be Allowed to Sue Board of Education, CHD Tells N.C. Supreme Court

by Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D.

July 30, 2024

This article was originally published by The Defender — Children’s Health Defense’s News & Views Website.

Children’s Health Defense (CHD) today filed an amicus brief urging the North Carolina Supreme Court to overturn the dismissal of a case involving a 14-year-old boy who was given the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine against his will and without his parents’ consent.

In August 2022, Emily Happel and her teenage son, Tanner Smith, sued the Guilford County Board of Education and Old North State Medical Society after Smith was given a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine — which at the time was available only under emergency use authorization (EUA) — by clinic workers at a school vaccination site. The vaccine was administered in August 2021.

Smith and Happel alleged battery, violation of a North Carolina statute prohibiting vaccination with EUA products without parental consent, and constitutional violations.

The trial court dismissed the case in February 2023 on several grounds, including that the defendants are immune under the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP Act, and that relevant state laws are preempted by the PREP Act.

In March 2024, the North Carolina Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of the lawsuit.

After Happel and Smith petitioned the North Carolina Supreme Court, the court agreed on May 23 to hear arguments about whether the PREP Act protects the defendants from liability and suit and preempts North Carolina’s laws governing the plaintiffs’ claims. A hearing has yet to be scheduled.

CHD’s amicus brief argues that the lower courts were wrong to interpret the PREP Act as they did because the U.S. Constitution does not give Congress authority to nullify state laws governing the in-state activities that gave rise to the plaintiffs’ claims. The brief states:

“The lower courts wrongly interpreted PREP as nullifying the North Carolina common, statutory, and constitutional law that would otherwise govern those activities and provide a basis for relief to the Plaintiffs, including laws concerning battery, parental rights, bodily autonomy, and informed consent.”

An amicus brief is filed by non-parties to a litigation to provide information that has a bearing on the issues and assist the court in reaching the correct decision. It comes from the Latin term “amicus curiae,” which means “friend of the court.”

Risa Evans, the CHD attorney who wrote the brief, told The Defender she thinks it’s wrong to leave parents with no legal recourse after a child is injected with an EUA product over the child’s express objection and without parental consent.

“Parents must have a way to hold the wrongdoers accountable,” Evans said. “I hope the North Carolina Supreme Court agrees that the U.S. Constitution prohibits this result.”

Steven Walker, attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Defender the case is important “because it impacts the ability of parents to direct the medical care that their child receives.”

Walker said:

“We hope that the Court will determine that Congress did not close the courthouse doors to parents who are attempting to direct the medical care that their child receives. We simply want the Supreme Court of North Carolina to give us our day in court where we can present our case fully.”

Walker said the case is also important because “it impacts the ability of a child — who was 14 at the time — to reject an injection that he did not want to receive.”

PREP Act doesn’t nullify state laws referenced in the case

CHD’s amicus brief highlighted the legal argument behind why the lower courts were wrong to say that the PREP Act nullified North Carolina laws relevant to Happel and Smith’s case.

According to CHD’s brief, federal law reigns supreme “only where the Constitution empowers the Federal Government to act, and Congress can permissibly nullify state law only through statutes enacted pursuant to an enumerated power.”

“Enumerated powers” are the powers granted to Congress by the Constitution, according to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.

The brief argues that the specific enumerated power that Congress relied on when it passed the PREP Act — called “Commerce Clause” power — does not give the federal government authority to nullify the state laws that govern the claims in the case.

That’s because the underlying activity — in this case, the vaccination of a minor with an EUA product over his objection and without his parents’ consent — was not “commercial” or “economic” and had virtually no effect on interstate commerce.

Evans said, “Accordingly, as applied by the lower courts, the PREP Act ‘exceeds Congress’ enumerated powers.’”

The brief also urges the North Carolina Supreme Court to instruct the lower courts to adopt a “narrower reading” of the PREP Act’s immunity and preemption provisions, “a reading that enforces constitutional limits on the exercise of federal power.”

CHD isn’t the first or only organization to argue that the PREP Act is unconstitutional.

When the PREP Act was passed back in 2005, several members of Congress voiced concerns about its constitutionality, according to legislative history cited in CHD’s amicus brief.

Since then, these concerns have been echoed in lawsuits brought in Louisiana and Texas by people injured by COVID-19 vaccines.

Last month, Moms for America and individual plaintiffs who were injured by a COVID-19 vaccine, or whose loved one was injured or killed by a COVID-19 vaccine, sued several U.S. government agencies, alleging the PREP Act violates the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how federal agencies develop and issue regulations.

Attorney Ray Flores, senior outside counsel for CHD who has filed a separate suit challenging the PREP Act, told The Defender, “At bottom, PREP is an amplified product liability statute that many courts have interpreted as being all-encompassing. To me, battery of a minor must be a separate issue outside of PREP.”

This article was originally published by The Defender — Children’s Health Defense’s News & Views Website under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Please consider subscribing to The Defender or donating to Children’s Health Defense.

Medical Freedom Makes Front Page of NC Newspaper

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:30:04 -0500

Medical Freedom Makes Front Page of NC Newspaper

Medical freedom made the front page of the Asheville Tribune! They reported on North Carolina's shocking law that denies parents the ability to consent to controversial medical treatments. The sales rate for this issue was extremely high, and clicks on their website have also been high.

The Asheville Tribune reported:

Asheville – Can one imagine a four-year-old making his or her own decisions about medical treatments? This is possible in North Carolina right now because of a loophole in the Parents’ Bill of Rights (PBR), a bill that became law in August 2023. The loophole renders the PBR basically useless, giving NC children from the age of zero to eighteen the right to make their own medical decisions without parental knowledge or consent. This debate has things heating up in the NC House and Senate while lawmakers work to resolve this issue before the end of the short session in which they are currently engaged.

For the remainder of the article, click HERE.