A midwife from New York is under fire after she allegedly falsified immunization documents for at least 1,500 children. Jeannette Breen reportedly gave the children pellets instead of the vaccines required to attend schools in New York. Now, the practitioner faces a heavy fine, and parents must comply with the rules for their children to attend classes.
The New York Times reported Breen allegedly began falsifying documentation after the 2019-20 school year amid a measles outbreak in New York that led to the end of statewide religious vaccination exemptions. Breen, who practices at Baldwin Midwifery, allegedly gave the children pellets as an alternative to multiple vaccines and issued documentation stating they had received the proper vaccines. Now, the disgraced midwife must pay $300,000 in fines.
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The pellets were not FDA-approved.
The Food and Drug Administration never approved the use of pellets as an alternative for a vaccine, but Breen repeatedly used them as such for many children, per the Times. She reportedly administered the pellets as a substitute for hepatitis, diphtheria, polio, measles, and other vaccines. According to the FDA website, homeopathic medicine is not regulated or approved.
The children who received the pellets attended many schools.
Though many children reportedly attended Long Island schools, they represented hundreds of different schools. The New York State Department of Health informed the schools they must notify the parents of the students whose documentation came from Breen and that they must comply with vaccination rules before they can return to class, the Times reported.
It appeared that many of the parents were in cahoots with the midwife.
Authorities told the Times that many parents allegedly knew their children had not received vaccines when they went to see Breen.
“The scheme suggests that the persons in parental relation to the affected children sought out and paid Breen related to their children’s immunizations,” a representative for the state's health department, Erin Clary, wrote in an email to the Times.
It is unclear if the alleged scheme led to an outbreak of illness.
Breen must pay a hefty fine.
Not only did Breen reportedly lie, but she also jeopardized the health of thousands of people. According to the Times, she was issued a fine of $300,000, half of which she reportedly has already repaid.
“Misrepresenting or falsifying vaccine records puts lives in jeopardy and undermines the system that exists to protect public health,” state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald noted in a statement to News 12. “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.”
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Breen has been a midwife for many years.
According to her website, she graduated from Columbia University’s midwifery program in 1984 and is licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey. She offers a variety of services for women and is a strong proponent of home birth.
“My care is holistic with the appropriate use of technology as well as alternatives to traditional health care,” her website states.
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