Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network

Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network
Formation 1994
Founder Meryl Dorey[1]
Type Pressure group
Registration no. Y2079127-(NSW)[2] and ABN-30077002923[3]
Purpose anti-vaccination campaigning[4][5]
Headquarters Bangalow, New South Wales
Membership
234 (2014)[6]
President
Annastasha David[7]
Head spokesperson
Meryl Dorey[8]
Beliefs
Conspiracies in vaccine science/policy[9][10][11]
(not disclosed)
Key people
Tasha David, Brett Smith,[12][13] Greg Beattie,[14] Meryl Dorey,[15] Judy Wilyman.[16]
Website AVN.org.au
Formerly called
Australian Vaccination Network (AVN)[17]

The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network, formerly known as the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN), is an Australian anti-vaccination lobby group[18] registered in New South Wales. As Australia's most controversial anti-vaccination organisation,[8] it has lobbied against a variety of vaccination-related programs, downplayed the danger of childhood diseases such as measles and pertussis, championed the cause of alleged vaccination victims, and promoted the use of alternative medicine such as homeopathy[19] and chiropractic.

The vast majority of doctors agree that opposition to vaccination applies to a fringe medical science viewpoint.[20]

The group has been described as a provider of "misleading, inaccurate, and deceptive" vaccination information by the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC),[18] and has been heavily criticised by doctors and other experts on immunisation.[21] The group has been called the "stronghold of the anti-vaccination movement" in Australia and is subject to widespread criticism from medical professionals, scientists and other proponents of vaccination.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31] It has also been criticised for harassing the parents of a victim of vaccine-preventable disease,[32] and for promoting the false idea that shaken baby syndrome is actually vaccine injury.[33][34]

In a July 2010 ruling by the Health Care Complaints Commission analysing the group's claims and activities stated that it "should include an appropriate statement in a prominent position on its website which states:

the Australian Vaccination Network's purpose is to provide information against vaccination in order to balance what it believes is the substantial amount of pro-vaccination information available elsewhere;

the information should not be read as medical advice and;

the decision about whether or not to vaccinate should be made in consultation with a health care provider."

HCCC findings as advised to complainant Ken McLeod of StopMerylDorey.com

On 14 October 2010, the organisation's right to fund-raise was stripped from it by the New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, stating that its appeals had "not been conducted in good faith for charitable purposes".[35][36]

The group appealed to the NSW Supreme Court against the HCCC and OLGR findings. In February 2012, the Court ruled that the HCCC did not have the power to investigate the particular complaints that had resulted in the public warning, however it dismissed the complaint relating to the fundraising ban.[37]

In December 2012, the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading issued an order for the group to change its name within two months or be de-registered. The department described the group's name as being "misleading and a detriment to the community".[5][38][39]

This order was challenged by the group. The challenge has since been dismissed, and on 25 November 2013 the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading order was upheld by the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.[40] In February 2014 the group changed its name to the Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network.[17]

Organisation

The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network was formed in 1994 as the Vaccination Awareness Network by Meryl Dorey and a "group of parents and health professionals concerned about protecting the rights of Australians to make free and informed health choices." The group's mission statement says it "is dedicated to the idea that health can be achieved and maintained without the use of pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines" and claims that it seeks to enable people to make informed health choices.[41] McDonald says the foundation of the group is also linked to a federal government strategy in the 1990s to boost immunisation rates in children after they had fallen to an all-time low.[42]

The group was led by Meryl Dorey, saying she got involved after her eldest son was allegedly adversely affected by DPT and MMR vaccines administered when he was a child. She announced in February 2010 she was resigning "and moving on to the next stage of my own personal development as mother, wife, activist and researcher", but held the position of President until 1 January 2013, when she was replaced by Mr Greg Beattie. Ms Dorey remains with the AVN as "Public Officer and spokesperson".[43][44]

The group is strongly against any form of compulsory vaccination,[45] but Dorey disputes that the group is an anti-vaccine organisation. "We don't believe we have the right to tell people whether or not to vaccinate", says Dorey who adds, "but neither does the government."[46] She says the group is just trying to fill "the information void" created by a pro-vaccine government and medical community that ignores negative information.[47] Dorey considers herself, "pro-information and pro-choice".[48]

In 2009, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation described the AVN as the "stronghold of the anti-vaccination movement" in Australia.[49] The NSW Northern Rivers region, where the AVN is located, in 2007 had a childhood vaccination rate of only 70% compared to the national average of over 90%.[50] In 2016 a recent National Health Performance Authority report showed the region's average vaccination rate for 5 year olds was reportedly still the lowest in the country at 89.2%.[51] The North Coast Assistant Public Health Director warned "Pockets of unvaccinated people in the region was the cause for the rise and fall in whooping cough cases... because we do not have herd immunity to the illness on the Northern Rivers".[52]

The group is a privately funded organisation. Until October 2010, they were the holders of a charitable fundraising authority in NSW, however their authority to fund raise was revoked by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing after an audit of the organisation finding that AVN fundraising appeals have not been conducted in good faith for charitable purposes, have been improperly administered and are not in the public interest.[35][36] The AVN's attempts to obtain tax-deductible charity status have been repeatedly refused by the Australian Taxation Office.[53] In July 2009, the AVN claimed it had more than 3500 members,[46] however in a Constitutional change voting Proxy form published in March 2010, the AVN revealed the actual membership is considerably lower, at around 1867 financial members.[54] The AVN is headquartered in Bangalow, New South Wales.

AVsN president from 2014 to 2016, Tasha David, claims that vaccinations injured the brains and immune systems of six of her children. In a submission letter to the Queensland Government she mentions bad publicity and says "Paedophiles, Rapists, Murderers etc have been treated with more respect than the Daily Telegraph has given to parents of vaccine injured and unvaccinated children".[55]

Publications

In addition to its website and associated blog AVN published a quarterly magazine called Informed Voice, later renamed Living Wisdom and offered as a digital publication. Living Wisdom ceased publication in January 2013.[56] The AVN's paid-for memberships formerly included a quarterly insert called Inside Edition[57] which contained "12 pages of current news from around the world regarding vaccination".

Beliefs

The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network believes that vaccines contain a variety of toxic ingredients that have no place in the human body.[49] The group argues that these toxins can cause autism, ADHD, brain damage, and cancer, among other serious side effects.[47] In response to medical and scientific research that shows few side effects to most vaccines, Dorey argues that doctors are very hesitant to report adverse reactions and thus the data is highly skewed.[50] These claims are false: while minor side effects such as soreness, swelling, and fever are not uncommon, no large scale scientific study has found evidence of more serious reactions[58] and the purported link to autism is refuted.[59]

Former president Meryl Dorey claimed that most doctors are not fully informed about vaccination research and that the medical community as a whole relies on "selective evidence" to back its argument.[49][60] She says there is a "very, very strong effort" by the government and mainstream medical community to suppress any information that may cause parents to question the safety of vaccines.[46] Consequently, Dorey argues, doctors often don't adequately warn patients of potential vaccination risks.[49] Several critics have pointed out that AVN itself is guilty of ignoring evidence not favourable to the anti-vaccination point of view[47][49][60] and the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) found that the AVN routinely ignore information that is not favourable to its anti-vaccination position. The HCCC accused the AVN of deceptively removing selected parts of stories when they report on them, and the misrepresentation of the conclusions of reliable studies. Dorey countered that she was not guilty of selective reporting, and that she "simply quoted the sections that [she] felt were important".[18] In reality, doctors have access to extensive information on vaccine safety and the medical literature includes all known significant potential adverse reactions.[61]

The AVN has also questioned the effectiveness of vaccines. While admitting that infection rates dropped dramatically in the twentieth century, they argue that the change is due in large part to improved hygiene and living conditions.[62] Dorey has argued that infection rates were already on the decline before vaccines were invented[62] and that effectiveness has "never been scientifically tested."[46] Scientific evidence disputes this opinion by AVsN.[63] Dorey has also stated that the "vast majority" of people who contract disease have previously been vaccinated.[45] Infectious disease specialist Paul Goldwater acknowledged a few vaccines are not completely effective, but said others were nearly 100% effective. In all cases, he said, "the benefits certainly outweigh any risks."[45] The group has also expressed doubts about the cost-benefit ratio and effectiveness of flu vaccines.[64] AVN's arguments are well-known and long debunked anti-vaccine tropes.[65]

Dorey has written that "passing through a measles infection is sometimes required, for whatever reason, to strengthen some part of a person's vital force",[66] and that diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox are benign conditions that do not kill children in industrialized countries.[62] During a studio debate on Channel 7's Sunday Night current affairs program covering the death of a four-week-old baby from whooping cough, Dorey claimed that no one ever dies from the disease,[67] and described her own children's case of the disease as a "storm in a teacup" that was easily handled with natural remedies.[46] The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN's position, saying that it "ignores the risks of exposure to, and the adverse effects of childhood illnesses".[18] Independent data shows that measles causes the most vaccine-preventable deaths of any disease.[68] It resulted in about 96,000 deaths in 2013.[69] Before immunization in the United States between three and four million cases occurred each year, and the fatality rate is approximately 0.2% of those infected.[70] Most of those who are infected and who die are less than five years old.[71]

Infectious disease specialist Peter McIntyre[72] has accused the group of manipulating research and statistics in order to make its case. "It's been a real characteristic of the anti-vaccine movement ... [to claim] to be looking very extensively at the scientific evidence," says McIntyre, "[but their conclusions are] really a complete misinterpretation."[49] Paediatrician Chris Ingall says that the AVN's efforts are "negative, destructive and [have] no scientific basis."[49] Australian Medical Association SA state president Andrew Lavender states that groups like the Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network "[act] on very little information and ... [pose] a risk to others."[73]

Dorey argues that scientific studies cannot be trusted because they are usually funded, she claims, by biomedicine and pharmaceutical companies that develop and manufacture vaccine products, and that doctors have "financial incentives" to push vaccines.[46] In fact, paediatricians often lose money on vaccinations.[74][75]

According to The Panic Virus, by Seth Mnookin; then AVN President Meryl Dorey signed a petition claiming "that the "AIDS industry and the media" had tricked the public into believing that the HIV virus causes AIDS".[76] As published on the group's website, AVN president Dorey also believes that vaccines injected into cats and dogs in NSW already contain "contactless health smart cards" in the form of "microscopic chips". She believes that the proposed human health smart card is a prelude and the "next and most logical step is the use of microchips which will contain [health] information [and] will be injected into us and read and updated from a distance".[77]

When during a government inquiry in 2015, Greens Senator Di Natale asked AVsN why they still referred to themselves as the "Australian Vaccination Network", a name they have been legally instructed to cease using, AVsN member Brett Smith accused Di Natale of being part of a Murdoch media conspiracy. Journalist Bernard Keane noted this is the first time anyone had suggested a conspiratorial link between The Greens and a media organisation that has been highly critical of the party.[78]

Activism

"The scaremongering that anti vaccination campaigners engage in extends to the real world, where they threaten and bully the opposition. And what is scarier again is that the AVN is actively trying to stop parents who have lost children to deadly – but preventable – diseases, from speaking out about the need to vaccinate."

Mamamia Magazine, 27 May 2013.[79]

The Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network has regularly spoken out against vaccine-related positions adopted by the Australian government and defended controversial and discredited research. AVN also distributes literature, sponsors seminars, and collects adverse reaction reports.

In a 1996 editorial, AVN spoke out against a proposal to add vaccination centres to some shopping centres. Writing on behalf of AVN, Susan Lindberg called the idea "downright dangerous," asking "what if a baby has a fit or major reaction?" She also added that parents are under enough pressure to vaccinate already.[80]

In response to a 2002 proposal to extend free vaccination programs, Former AVN president Meryl Dorey argued that the Australian government should first do independent tests of the new vaccines. She said that she had doubts about the accuracy of the existing studies that were "funded ... by the pharmaceutical companies." A member of the government's immunisation advisory group countered that they always assess all available scientific data.[81]

In August 2004, AVN spoke out against combination vaccines being considered by health authorities. The organisation claimed that there were too many untested variables and that it was irresponsible to keep combining vaccines without knowing the effects.[82] In 2006, Meryl Dorey continued the attack on combined vaccines, claiming it was un-natural, as "It is a fact that [humans] will only ever contract one disease at a time."[66] According to the British Medical Journal combined vaccines have actually shown reduced side effects,[82] and it is quite common for humans to suffer simultaneously from several infections.[83]

In support of AVN's activism, social scientist Brian Martin wrote Debating vaccination in 2011. In a media release the University of Wollongong stated vaccination "should be freely debated" and that the 20,000-word paper was "intended to assist readers - especially members of the AVN itself", in ways to respond to criticism and better understand scientific controversy.[84] Martin is a former member of the AVN.[85]

Adverse reaction reports

In December 1996, AVN presented Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge with reports on 150 cases of children claimed to have been injured by vaccines. Dating back to 1991, Dorey claimed that the collection of previously unreported reactions represented the largest single collection ever presented to the Australian Government.[86] Dorey states that many of the parents involved had previously tried to have their cases looked at, but had been told by health authorities their cases couldn't proceed because the parents lacked necessary documentation.[86] Gavin Frost, a government vaccination adviser, said he supported increased medical reporting of vaccine side effects but doubted claims of permanent damage caused by vaccines.[86] AVN has continued to collect adverse reaction reports and claimed to have more than 800 documented cases of severe reactions as of March 2006, equating to an average of six reports every month.[87] However, a published government report shows that over the 33-month period from 1 January 2000 to 30 September 2002, the AVN made a total of 11 unspecified adverse event reports, which equates to approximately one report every three months.[88]

In July 2010, the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN's adverse event reporting system as being "anecdotal and misleading".[18]

Views on vaccination incentives

In May 2000, Meryl Dorey spoke out against a government initiative that cut child care payments for 9000 families who failed to get their children vaccinated. She called the legislation a type of "civil conscription" and said the program was likely in violation of the Constitution.[89] Wooldridge responded that the claim was "nonsense" because the requirement was "simply a condition on government financial assistance" and that families had the choice to accept it or not.[90]

In July 2007, AVN spoke out against the government's practice of giving pediatricians bonus incentives for immunising their patients. Dorey argued that the practice was unethical and led to doctors making decisions based on their pocket book rather than their conscience.[62] She would later liken the payment to a bribe noting that doctors aren't paid extra for prescribing antibiotics, for example.[91] Dorey further argued that the government began the practice in order to meet World Health Organisation mandates on vaccination percentages and thus was more interested in playing a numbers game rather than doing what was right for the nation's children.[62] The payment was discontinued in October 2008.[91]

The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission criticised the AVN for casting medical practitioners in a negative light as "unethical and untrustworthy without providing any cogent reasons or evidence for making such an assertion"[18]

Defense of Andrew Wakefield

In February 2004, AVN defended Andrew Wakefield's 1998 study that suggested a possible link between autism and MMR vaccinations, implying that Wakefield had been treated unfairly and that he lost his job for "[refusing] to lie."[92] Less than a month later, ten of the twelve scientists associated with the study retracted their conclusions.[93] In February 2010, The Lancet formally retracted Wakefield's original 1998 article following an independent investigation that concluded Wakefield had been "dishonest, violated basic research ethics rules and showed a 'callous disregard' for the suffering of children involved in his research".[94]

On 24 May 2010, immediately following the striking-off of Mr. Wakefield by the British General Medical Council for "gross misconduct" and "bringing the medical profession into disrepute", the AVN continued to support him, issuing the following statement: "Dr Wakefield knows that he has the love and respect of tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of parents around the world. Whether or not the GMC which is stacked with corrupt influences strikes him off is of no consequence. He will continue his work and autistic families everywhere will benefit as a result."[95] In a statement following the ruling, Wakefield said "I never made the claim at the time, nor do I still make the claim that MMR is a cause of autism."[96]

Criticism of NSW Health policy

In April 2007, Meryl Dorey compared a NSW Health policy change requiring immunisation for its workers to Nazi concentration camps saying "these are the sorts of [immunisation] tactics you would expect in concentration camps, not the sort of tactics you would expect in the Australian health-care system."[97] The policy was also opposed by some civil libertarian and health-care groups,[97] but the NSW Nurses' Association noted that "vaccinations have always been compulsory for health workers" and that the change was only a minimal update to the existing policy.[98]

Actions against the Australian Measles Control Campaign

Prior to the commencement of the 1998 Australian Measles Control Campaign, the AVN initiated a campaign against it, asking their members to "Do anything and everything you can to ensure that this vaccination campaign does not take place."[99] Beginning on 9 July 1998, they issued media releases accusing the Federal Government of using bullying tactics, overstating the effectiveness of the vaccine and understating the potential side effects. The release included statements that the vaccine was not safe nor effective and that the campaign could result in over 300,000 adverse reactions.[100] Later that month, the AVN issued another release stating that they were instigating a Federal Court injunction against the campaign,[101] however the injunction never proceeded. The AVN's statements prompted the Federal Minister for Health to describe the group as "deceitful crackpots",[30] while the results of the campaign showed there were just 89 adverse reactions, and that the campaign resulted in a large increase of measles and rubella immunity levels.[102][103]

At a Perth anti-vaccination seminar on 1 June 2010, Dorey was critical of the government's introduction of the measles vaccine to Australia in 1970, saying "We introduced a vaccine for a disease which was killing almost nobody and one has to ask, why?"[104] Mortality data shows that during the decade 1966 to 1975, there were 146 certified deaths from measles in Australia[105] while in the decade 1996 to 2005, there were zero deaths directly attributed to measles, and one death due to the measles complication SSPE.[106] The decline in mortality is attributed to Australia's high measles vaccination rates achieving the elimination of endemic measles transmission in Australia.[105]

In 2014 Australia was declared by the WHO as having eliminated local strains of measles. But as of 2015/16 deadly measles cases had returned and this was no longer the case.[107]

Campaign against the meningococcal vaccine

The AVN campaigned against the introduction of a meningococcal vaccine to Australia in 2002. Meryl Dorey accused the government of wasting A$41 million on the vaccination program, claimed that the vaccine had shown a large number of adverse reactions in the United Kingdom and had never been tested for effectiveness. However the vice-president of the AMA, Trevor Mudge, refuted her claims, pointing out that meningococcal disease is extremely dangerous and that "Vaccination really is the only strategy for this condition that is likely to work". He said the vaccine had been extensively tested and contrary to Dorey's claims had been found to be safe and highly effective in the UK.[48][108][109] During an online debate covering meningococcal vaccination in 2005, Australian infectious disease specialist Peter McIntyre[72] warned parents "not to be fooled by the limited and biased information from [the] AVN website."[110]

The rate of invasive meningococcal disease in Australia fell by more than 60% between 2002 (when vaccination commenced) and 2009, after doubling during the previous decade.[111][112] Mortality data from the UK shows that meningococcal deaths decreased from 67 to 5 in the two years following implementation of the vaccine. The NSW HCCC criticised the AVN for selectively using information to support its position, when there is no evidence to support their claims, and that the evidence suggests that the most effective meningococcal strategy is to widely vaccinate.[18]

Campaign against the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine

Following the death of four-week-old Dana McCaffery from pertussis (whooping cough) in March 2009, and the subsequent government campaigns to improve pertussis immunisation, the AVN launched a campaign against the pertussis vaccine.

The day after Dana's death was reported in a local newspaper, the AVN's Meryl Dorey contacted the Director of Public Health for the NSW North Coast, Mr Paul Corben, disputing that Dana had died from pertussis and demanding he provide confidential details of her death, including personal medical records and the results of diagnosing tests. Corben refused to release the information, citing privacy legislation. He later wrote to the McCafferys that the AVN's "callousness and disregard for you and your family is chilling indeed".[76] In response, Dorey admitted contacting Corben, but disputed his account of their conversations. Dorey has never acknowledged the cause of the infant's death, instead stating she had "supposedly" died from pertussis. The parents have accused the AVN of conducting a constant campaign of harassment since Dana's death.[21][113]

AVN members continued to harass the McCafferys through to July 2010 by sending emails, letters and AVN brochures to the family. Former AVN president Meryl Dorey wrote another blog disputing the McCafferys' version of events, the treatments and effects Dana suffered and the diagnosis of pertussis. Dana's mother was forced to publicly defend the facts of the case again, pleading to be left alone by Meryl and other AVN members.[114] In a subsequent television interview for ABC Lateline, Dorey admitted she had accused the McCafferys of "turning their daughter into a martyr because she supposedly died of whooping cough".[21]

The AVN's public campaign against the pertussis vaccine began with an article in the May 2009 issue of Living Wisdom written by Meryl Dorey, which questioned the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine and the dangers of whooping cough itself. Critics pointed out that Dorey's article contained numerous errors of fact and omission.[31] While the article correctly stated that Sweden had previously withdrawn pertussis vaccination in 1979 due to research showing it was ineffective, she failed to reveal that the vaccine then used in Sweden was different to the effective vaccine used in other countries such as Australia,[115] nor did she reveal that Sweden reintroduced pertussis vaccination in 1996 and this had resulted in huge incidence reduction, with cases falling by 80-90% within 3 years.[116] In the article, Dorey claims that "Whooping Cough is not a vaccine-preventable disease". Critics point out that evidence has shown that the acellular vaccine is 84% efficacious,[117] and prevents 99.8% of infant hospital admissions after a completing a full course of three doses of the vaccine.[118]

Their campaign against the vaccine continued during two Channel 7 Sunday Night television programs, where Dorey made the claim that "no-one ever dies of Whooping Cough".[67] During the debates, the facts surrounding the death of Dana McCaffery from whooping cough were disputed by Dorey and other AVN members, and it was alleged that the infant's parents had received hatemail from AVN supporters for their public pro-vaccination stance following the death of their daughter. The filming of this program was the catalyst for the formation of the Stop the AVN group.[28]

In February 2010, the AVN re-published a previous Living Wisdom article on pertussis vaccination and incentives. In the article, Meryl attacked Nobel Prize laureate, Professor Peter Doherty and accused the federal government of "manufacturing a Whooping Cough epidemic" in 1997. Meryl stated that there was only one case of whooping cough in NSW between 1 November 1996 and 1 January 1997.[119] However a review of the actual pertussis statistics showed a total of 1153 cases in NSW during this period.[120]

In 2012 the AVN continued to target the McCafferys. AVN member[16] and University of Wollongong researcher Judy Wilyman was published on AVN's website accusing the State Government of using the imagery of four-week-old Dana's death to push the vaccine stating it was the "Government and the media who have been using the McCafferys to promote a vaccine". She also questioned whether the McCafferys had been paid to promote the whooping cough vaccine.[121][122] The McCaffery family vigorously denied these claims.[121] In March 2016 Wilyman continued to repeat that such child deaths are "anecdotal"[123][124] and provoke the parents of the deceased children saying they are "promoting the death of their child to whooping cough, and lobby groups ... have provided awards to these parents for their efforts [and] they receive financial rewards from pro-vaccine lobby groups for their efforts".[124]

Campaign against the swine flu vaccine

In September 2009, AVN campaigned against the swine flu vaccine, calling it "madness" to use a vaccine which they claimed was "laden with toxic mercury."[125] Meryl Dorey further argued that more testing was needed on the vaccine before it was offered to the public and that it could prove to be more dangerous than the flu itself.[126] She told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the swine flu should be treated no differently from the seasonal flu and that the government was wasting money by spending over a hundred million dollars on the vaccine.[126] Dorey's claims were rejected by the Australian Medical Association and other medical experts.[127]

Throughout March and April 2010, the AVN repeatedly made claims that the Australian Swine Flu vaccine (CSL Panvax H1N1) was being administered after its use-by date.[128][129] However, critics pointed out that the vaccine has a shelf life of 1-year,[130] trials did not begin until June 2009,[131] approval did not take place until September 2009,[132] and therefore even the first batches of the vaccine were many months from their "use-by" date at the time of the AVN's claims.

Anti-vaccination seminars and public talks

In May 2010 the AVN announced that they would be hosting a seminar in Perth, Western Australia, to be held at the Uniting Church In The City (UCIC) on 14 May. However following a campaign by members of the Church, the medical community and members of the Stop the AVN group, the Church announced that they would not allow the AVN to use their premises for the seminar, as they were "concerned that there may be a public perception that the UCIC does not support childhood vaccinations due to the AVN seminar being held at UCIC's rooms".[133] The AVN rescheduled and relocated the event for 1 June at the State Library of WA. The decision by the Library to allow the AVN to use their premises was widely criticised by the medical community and politicians, with the president of the Australian Medical Association saying he "was worried the use of the venue could give the group credibility"[134] and the Shadow Arts Minister, John Hyde, saying "Why should a group that endangers the lives of WA children be allowed to speak and promote their cause at a taxpayer-funded venue dedicated to learning?"[134] The seminar went ahead and was attended by about 200 people.[135] Two days after the event, Fiona Stanley AC was interviewed by Perth Radio about the seminar, describing the views presented by the AVN as "bizarre", and "so misinformed that it is scary".[136]

In Dec 2011, organisers of the Woodford Folk Festival were criticised for inviting Meryl Dorey to speak.[137][138] The Queensland Health Minister Geoff Wilson advised attendees "not to take [Dorey's] nonsense too seriously".[139] The Australian Medical Association described the group's views as "dangerous", and said organisers "had a responsibility to add speakers who could provide the medically approved side of the argument" so the audience were aware of "the risk of the information being presented [by Dorey]". Community pressure intensified resulting in Andreas Suhrbier, head of the immunovirology laboratory at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, to appear and field questions from the audience.[140]

Objection to "No Jab No Pay/Play"

AVN have promoted the Church of Conscious Living, described in the Sydney Morning Herald as a "fake", and in the Telegraph as a "sham" church set up to provide spurious religious exemptions from vaccination.[141][142] The NSW Health Minister said she was "alarmed that a 'religion' would be created to thwart an important public health initiative."[143] In April 2015 the "no jab, no pay" policy was introduced and the Abbott Federal Government made it more difficult for people to object to vaccination on religious grounds, and required that religions register their objection to vaccination.[144][145] The policy officially came into effect in January 2016 and reportedly "sparked a rush on vaccines as parents fear missing out" on Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement and childcare subsidies.[146]

AVsN president Tasha David and former president Meryl Dorey both appeared on an "expert panel" at a February 2016 anti vaccine event in Mullumbimby (which has the lowest vaccination rates in Australia) at which other ways of evading no jab no play/pay rules were discussed, including falsely claiming "hypersensitivity" to gelatin or yeast, in order to obtain medical exemption. It was reported in the The Daily Telegraph that Tasha David and Meryl Dorey were at the event to "prove that Australia was a testing ground for the rest of the world".[147]

In March 2016 the AVsN announced its intention to legally challenge the Federal 'no jab no pay' laws,[148] with the return of spokesperson Meryl Dorey stating "[w]hat the government is doing is unconstitutional, immoral and illegal, and they need to be shown the error of their ways".[149] In one announcement AVsN falsely stated that Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance also opposed the 'No Jab No Pay' legislation. Both organisations promptly rejected AVsN's claim and clarified they supported the legislation.[150]

Complaints, investigations and criticisms

The AVN has been the subject of several complaints to (and investigations by) Government departments and medical authorities. Medical professionals, scientists and other proponents of vaccination are highly critical of the AVN.

NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC)

HCCC NSW - Public Warning About The Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) 26 July 2010.

In August 2009, Ken McLeod filed a complaint against AVN with the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission.[47] The complaint, which was supported by the group Australian Skeptics, said that the organisation was in breach of the Health Care Complaints Act because it made "unsubstantiated health claims based on 'conspiracy theories', pseudo-scientific evidence and debunked research." The complaint was also supported by Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith.[151]

In response to the complaint, the AVN submitted a 27-page document which argued that they are not actively providing health care service and therefore are not under the jurisdiction of the Health Care Complaints Commission.[152] The submission also listed extensive references they claimed supported their views on adverse events and links between vaccination and various disorders, which they state is "sourced from peer-reviewed medical journals".[153] Dorey called the complaint vexatious and a nuisance tactic.[154]

Tom Sidwell, a Monash University Immunology student, conducted a review of the sources and information provided in the AVN's HCCC reply. He submitted to the HCCC that all of the sources quoted by Dorey in the reply were either not from peer-reviewed journals as Dorey had claimed, or did not actually support the conclusions she was attributing to them.[155][156][157][158] In an article published in the Journal of the Australian Skeptics, Sidwell wrote:

"The collection of references is, on the whole, laughable. At best she hasn't read the papers she cites and includes them out of ignorance, and at worst she is being deliberately deceptive."[159]

HCCC ruling

The HCCC concluded their investigation into the AVN in July 2010. The Commission determined that "the health education service provided by the Australian Vaccination Network on its website provides misleading and inaccurate information on the subject of vaccination".[18]

In addition, the Commission found that the AVN "misleads readers by using reliable and peer-reviewed research, but quoting selectively from it, often in contradiction to the conclusions or findings of the studies themselves".[18]

The Commission ordered the AVN to permanently place the following information in a prominent place on their website within 14 days:

Following the AVN's refusal to display the notice, on 26 July 2010 the HCCC issued a public warning about the group stating

"The AVN's failure to include a notice on its website of the nature recommended by the Commission may result in members of the public making improperly informed decisions about whether or not to vaccinate, and therefore poses a risk to public health and safety."[160]

The NSW HCCC's ruling was further supported by the Chief Medical Officer of Victoria, who agreed that the AVN "should make it clear what their views are and if it's an extreme view about a certain topic it should be clear that it is their view and that they're not speaking on behalf of for example the medical profession".[161]

Supreme Court appeal

The AVN appealed the HCCC ruling to the NSW Supreme Court, arguing that the HCCC does not have jurisdiction over Meryl Dorey or the AVN.[21][37] The court ruled that the AVN is a health care provider, and therefore the HCCC does have jurisdiction over their activities. However, it ruled that the original complaints to the HCCC about the AVN were invalid because the complaints did not include evidence that anyone had actually acted on the incorrect advice provided by the AVN. The court did not make a judgement about the validity of the complaints, nor the information contained within them.[37]

Changes to HCCC Act and new investigation

Following the passage of the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2013[162] by the Parliament of New South Wales, giving the HCCC powers to initiate investigations, and explore medical advice provided more generally than under the previous act, the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell announced[163] that the Health Minister has advised NSW Parliament the Health Care Complaints Commission is launching an investigation into the Australian Vaccination Network.

The HCCC concluded a second investigation into AVN in 2014 and published a new warning statement.[164] The second public warning went further by scientifically addressing specific medical misinformation disseminated by AVN and concluded:

"The Commission has established that AVN does not provide reliable information in relation to certain vaccines and vaccination more generally... AVN’s dissemination of misleading, misrepresented and incorrect information about vaccination engenders fear and alarm and is likely to detrimentally affect the clinical management or care of its readers... the Commission urges general caution is exercised when using AVN’s website or Facebook page to research vaccination and to consult other reliable sources, including speaking to a medical practitioner, to make an informed decision".[164]

NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) investigation

Following complaints that the AVN had been illegally fundraising without authority between 2 July 2007 and 2 June 2009, and a previous warning relating to the AVN being in breach of its fundraising authority conditions (as it did not have a "mechanism to properly and effectively deal with complaints relating to fundraising"), the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) announced in February 2010 that they would conduct a full audit of the groups fundraising activities.[165]

OLGR Ruling

On 4 August 2010, the OLGR announced that their audit of the AVN had "detected a number of breaches of charity fund-raising laws", including:

The AVN was given 28 days to respond to the findings. President Meryl Dorey declined to comment on the issue.[167]

Revocation of authority to fundraise
Public notice. Revocation of A.V.N. Inc's authority to fundraise under Charitable Fundraising Act. NSW State Gazette No.41, 2010, p 5253.

On 14 October 2010, the Hon. Kevin Greene, M.P. revoked the AVN's authority to fundraise, meaning they are no longer permitted to conduct appeals or receive donations from members of the public.[35][36] Reasons for the revocation were given as breaches of sections 31 (1) a, b and f of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991:

In response to the revocation, the AVN issued a media release criticising the OLGR's decision as being politically motivated, and difficult to understand given that the "revocation was based entirely upon the questionable decision by the HCCC", rather than upon "the simple errors" detected by the OLGR during their audit of the organisation. Dorey appealed for the public to make donations to the AVN before the revocation took effect on 20 October 2010.[168]

Supreme Court appeal

As part of their appeal to the NSW Supreme Court in relation to the HCCC complaint, the AVN asked the court to invalidate the OLGR's revocation of their fundraising authority, asking them to grant certiorari. The court rejected the argument and the fundraising prohibition remained.[37]

NSW Office of Fair Trading name change order

In December 2012, the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading issued an order for the AVN to change its name within two months or be de-registered. The letter of action was delivered to the home of the organization's president, Meryl Dorey. It described the name as misleading and a detriment to the community. The Fair Trading Minister, Anthony Roberts, said that issue of vaccination was one of life and death and that the organization's activities endangered people's safety. Mr Roberts has warned other states against the AVN trying to register. Robert Vellar, the NSW Fair Trading Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement, says the AVN's name has misled parents seeking information. Mr Vellar added that the NSW government intended to change definitions in the Associations Act to prevent groups from using names that were in conflict with their charter. The president of the AMA (NSW), Assoc Prof Brian Owler, said the AVN needed to take responsibility for information it gave to parents.[5] The AVN is fighting the renaming order in the courts.[1]

On 25 November 2013 the New South Wales Office of Fair Trading order was upheld by the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.[40] In February 2014 the group changed its name to the Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network.[17]

Apology to the Australian Medical Association

In March 2007, the AVN made certain erroneous comments on their website, including claims that the Australian Medical Association(AMA) received funding from pharmaceutical companies and actively censored information provided to its members. These claims were factually incorrect, and the AMA took legal action against the AVN. The AVN withdrew the claims and issued a public apology on 21 March 2007. The apology read:

"It has been brought to the attention of the Australian Vaccination Network that the comments published not only contained a number of factual errors but were felt to be offensive and embarassing [sic] to AMA (NSW), its officers and employees.

"In particular it has been brought to the attention of the Australian Vaccination Network, the Australian Vaccination Network accepts, that:

1- AMA (NSW) does not obtain any of its funding from pharmaceutical companies;

2- AMA (NSW) has not published any advertisement or advertorial for a pharmaceutical company in the NSW Doctor for a period of at least four years, and at no time has the advertising in NSW Doctor been almost exclusively that of pharmaceutical companies;

3- AMA (NSW) does not actively censor information made available to its members.

"The Australian Vaccination Network unreservedly apologises for any offence or embarassment [sic] the publication may have caused AMA (NSW), its officers and employees." (sic.)[169]

Australian Doctor magazine's "Top 50 Medical Scandals..."

In 2011, the Australian Vaccination Network's advice against vaccination, and their refusal to display the HCCC safety warning on their website, was included in Australian Doctor magazine's Top 50 Medical Scandals of the past 50 years.[170]

Australian Skeptics "Bent Spoon Award"

2009 winners: Meryl Dorey & The Australian (anti)Vaccination Network

The Australian Skeptics awarded their Bent Spoon Award, "presented annually to the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudoscientific piffle", to Meryl Dorey and the AVN in 2009, stating that the award had been earned through their "scaremongering and misinformation about childhood vaccination". In response, Dorey stated that winning the award meant she was "on the right track".[171]

Copyright complaints

In September 2010, the AVN was accused of numerous copyright breaches relating to their sale of information packs containing photocopies of selected parts of old medical journal articles, newspaper reports and cartoons. After receiving complaints from authors and copyright holders, the AVN withdrew the packs from sale on their website. Several authors stated that they had not given permission for the AVN to reproduce the material and would seek payment for their past use. They also criticised the AVN's use of the articles as they were "old and not based on current information".[172]

Comparison of vaccination to rape

In April 2015 the AVsN Facebook page drew international attention for publishing a simulated rape photo ad with text saying that vaccinations are "forced penetration"[173] and asking "do you really 'need' control over your own body?"[174] It drew criticism from the CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria, the Federal shadow Minister for Health Catherine King MP,[173] the Federal Minister for Health Sussan Ley MP, the president of the AMA, the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, as well as supporters of the group.[175] Catherine King MP said that "equating doctors with rapists shows how completely unhinged the AVsN has become".[174] AVsN responded: "This post isn't tasteless - it is honest. What truly IS tasteless is our elected government trying to tell us that we have to vaccinate our children even if we don't believe it is best for their health".[173] President of the AVsN, Tasha David, claimed her organisation did not own or control the page.[175] Within days the Facebook group was reported as have being shut down.[174] It was not the first time AVN had allegedly used vaccination-rape comparison,[176] in 2011 it tweeted "court orders rape of a child" in relation to a court ordering a five-year-old girl to be vaccinated.[173]

Political criticisms

Federal Parliament

Following the AVN's public objections to the Australian Government's 1998 Australian Measles Control Campaign, the then Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge issued a media release which was highly critical of the group, writing:

"I am deeply concerned that media organisations risk giving credibility to the crackpot views of the AVN by publishing, without question, their untrue and deceitful claims. Ultimately, young children who are particularly vulnerable to measles could suffer if their parents were influenced by the anti-science, irrational views of the AVN."[30]

In 2013, Greens Senator Richard Di Natale put forward a motion calling for the Australian Vaccination Network to be disbanded, citing the risks that low-levels of vaccination posed to the health of children in Australia. The motion was passed by the Australian Senate.[177] Senator Di Natale condemned the organisation,[178] stating in a press release:

"The AVN have gone so far as to promote measles as a healthy gift from mother nature and not the deadly disease it really is. As a doctor, I saw first-hand the tragedy these easily preventable diseases can cause.
Today the Senate has joined with the public health community to send a clear and strong message to those who are peddling lies about vaccines – they should pack up and go home."[179]

NSW Parliament

In a response to a parliamentary question about the AVN's statements regarding the MMR vaccine, in September 2012 the NSW Minister for Health and Minister for Medical Research said:

"The Australian Vaccination Network has not provided accurate information to parents about the risks and benefits of immunisation. Any link between the measles vaccine and autism has been conclusively discredited by numerous studies and reviews by credible experts, including the World Health Organisation, the American Academy of Paediatrics and the UK Medical Research Council."[180]

During the NSW parliamentary debate on the Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2013, the NSW shadow Health minister Andrew McDonald warned that the AVN's name and website were "designed to mislead unsuspecting community members to believe that a balanced view about immunisation is being presented" and that "When provoked, Australian Vaccination Network's fellow travellers can and do behave reprehensibly,"[181] while Mr Matt Kean MP described the AVN as "a group of flat-earthers and wing-nuts who believe that vaccination is unnecessary. Indeed, the group has claimed that vaccination is harmful to individuals, which is contrary to all the scientific evidence." In further debate, members of parliament described the AVN as "placing children at risk", "negligent", "misleading" and "disreputable".[182]

The late NSW Greens MLC John Kaye lobbied against, what he called, AVN's "voodoo claims and conspiracy theories". Describing AVN as "disgraceful", he said: "Spreading misinformation about childhood immunisation could be deadly".[183]

In the NSW Legislative Council, the Hon. Peter Phelps described the AVN as "insane", while the Hon. Trevor Khan called the AVN a "danger to public health" for "touting unscientific propaganda".[184]

The Hon. Anthony John Roberts, NSW Minister for Fair Trading said that "It is incredibly irresponsible for an avowedly anti-vaccination group to advertise itself as a balanced source of information on vaccination. Such action is not only misleading to the public but also dangerous to those who believe they are referring to evidence-based medical advice..." The Government, the medical community and the Australian Medical Association led by Associate Professor Brian Owler are in agreement that the name Australian Vaccination Network "is unacceptable".[185]

Queensland Parliament

In December 2011 the Queensland Minister for Health, Geoff Wilson, issued a media statement criticising the AVN with the following comment, "For the small number of people who might be entertained by what Ms Dorey has to say, Woodford Folk Festival has a place for everyone. Just don't take her nonsense too seriously." The Hon. Geoff Wilson also added, "The fact is vaccinations have saved millions of lives. Their invention was a miracle of scientific achievement." [186]

Other criticisms

In 2002 while speaking about low vaccination rates in the NSW Northern Rivers region, the Hon. Brian Pezzutti criticised Meryl Dorey in the NSW Legislative Council:

"only 60 per cent of children in the Byron Bay area in the 12 to 15 month age group—the very young and most vulnerable— are immunised. That is mainly because of the activities of a woman called Meryl Dorey, who lives in Byron Bay and who has decided not to immunise her children and who regularly claims that immunisation is not necessary. She campaigns against immunisation."[187]

Australian entrepreneur Dick Smith, who had previously run a national ad in The Australian asking parents to ignore AVN's claims, has been highly critical of the organisation, stating:

"They are actually anti-vaccination, and they should put on every bit of their material that they are anti-vaccination in great big words. They have every right for that belief but they should communicate it clearly so people are not misled." and
"I think they're choosing not to vaccinate because they don't understand risk management - they are told that there is a risk with vaccination - now everything in life has a risk. There's a minute risk but it's been proved all over the world that the advantages far outweigh the risk."[22][151]

Following the AVN's decision to hold an anti-vaccination seminar at the Western Australian State Library, the Shadow Arts Minister John Hyde criticised the state Government for allowing the group to "push its anti-vaccine message", saying:

"Why should a group that endangers the lives of WA children be allowed to speak and promote their cause at a taxpayer-funded venue dedicated to learning? Their dangerous propaganda which is putting children at risk of polio, smallpox, cholera and other preventable diseases should not be able to gain respectability by using the good name of the State Library."[134]

During an interview on ABC Lateline in July 2010, the 1997 Australian of the Year and 1996 Nobel Prize for Medicine laureate, immunologist Peter C. Doherty described the AVN's attempts to reduce the child immunisation rate as a "Crime against Humanity".[21]

In a 2016 press release responding to questions from AVsN's Meryl Dorey, the Australian Sex Party publicly stated:[8]

"The safety and efficacy of vaccination is not an area of scientific controversy. The claim that governments and scientists are all conspiring to mislead us ... is absurd and irresponsible... The claims of the anti-vaccination movement have been thoroughly debunked. Choosing not to vaccinate your children amounts to medical neglect; this is a serious ethical issue... We at the Australian Sex Party would like to encourage parents who are questioning what’s right for their children, to follow the advice of the scientific and medical communities, rather than charlatans and conspiracy theorists".[188]

Stop the Australian Vaccination Network group

In May 2009, immediately after the filming of the second Sunday Night television program covering the Pertussis death of Dana McCaffery, the Stop the AVN group was formed by Daniel Raffaele to "challenge the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN)".[28][189] Members of the group began investigating the information provided by the AVN, and submitted complaints to the HCCC and OLGR.[47][165] The AVN's Meryl Dorey accused the group of "attacking the AVN unfairly".

In November 2010, the Australian Skeptics collectively presented the 2700 members of the SAVN group with the Skeptic of the Year award, and SAVN members Ken McLeod and Wendy Wilkinson with the Thornett Award For the Promotion Of Reason.[189]

As of 13 February 2016, Stop the AVN Facebook group has grown to 16,681 members.[24]

American Airlines cancels an AVN advertisement

In April 2012, American Airlines pulled an AVN ad that was scheduled to be appear on American Airlines' in-flight TV channel. Dorey stated that "We were offered a three minute slot, but because of the controversy from 'Stop the AVN' we lost it." [190]

Founder of the 'Stop the AVN' group, Daniel Raffaele, who initiated the campaign to stop the ad commented, "Basically when it comes to information the AVN provides misinformation."[190]

Therapeutic Goods Administration complaint

The AVN has been the subject of a complaint over the advertising of black salve, and the complaint was found to be justified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Complaints Resolution Panel.[191] The Panel's determination was issued on 3 December 2012.[192] On 16 May 2013, the delegate of the Secretary to the Department of Health and Ageing decided to order the AVN to carry out actions as the AVN had not fully complied with the Panel's determination.

Dorey and Leon Pittard (of Fair Dinkum Radio) have been the subject of an additional complaint, which was also found to be justified.[193] Dorey has presented a Freeman on the land defence in relation to that complaint.[194]

References

  1. 1 2 Harvey, Eliza (13 June 2013). "Australian Vaccination Network fights court order to change name". PM (ABC Radio). Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  2. "NSW Fair Trading: Incorporated Associations Register". Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  3. "ABR: Historical details for ABN 30 077 002 923". Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  4. Herbert, Bronwyn (27 July 2010). "Anti-vaccination campaigners slapped with safety warning". AM (ABC Radio). Archived from the original on 28 July 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Burns, Andy (15 December 2012). "Minister orders anti-vaccination group to change its name". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. (subscription required (help)).
  6. . (9 September 2015). "AVsN-Financial Statements (NSW Fair Trading)". Retrieved 6 October 2015. This membership number is taken from the AVsN's 2014 financial statement lodged with NSW Fair Trading.
  7. . (20 May 2015). "Australian Vaccination-Skeptics Network Inc (AVsN) [AVN]". Retrieved 6 October 2015. Mrs David succeeded the previous president, Greg Beattie, in July 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Kimmorley, Sarah (16 May 2016). "The Australian Sex Party wrote this devastating response to an anti-vaccination campaigner looking for support". Business Insider. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  9. Benson, Kate (27 July 2010). "Anti-vaccine group a threat". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  10. . (20 November 2015). AVsN's Brett Smith speaking at 'No Jab No Pay' protest in Sydney (mp4) (video). Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  11. Hansen, Jane (8 November 2015). "Anti-vax mob full of jabber". The Sunday Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  12. APN Newsdesk (10 September 2015). "Anti-vaccine groups say they are pro-choice". Sunshine Coast Daily Qld. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  13. . (10 September 2015). AVsN speaking at Health And Ambulance Services Committee (mp4) (video). Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  14. Dorey, Meryl (12 September 2015). "QLD Parliamentary Inquiry into allowing Unvaccinated Children to be excluded from Childcare". No Compulsory Vaccination AVsN. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015.
  15. Dorey, Meryl (12 September 2015). "Testimony of Greg Beattie before QLD Parliamentary Inquiry". No Compulsory Vaccination AVsN. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015.
  16. 1 2 Dorey, Meryl; Wilyman, Judy (4 September 2009). "No Compulsory Vaccination- Letter on Coercive Vaccination campaigns". No Compulsory Vaccination AVN. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 Foschia, Liz (11 March 2014). "Australian Vaccination Network changes name to reflect sceptical stance". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 11 March 2014. The Australian Vaccination Network has changed its name to one that more clearly reflects its anti-vaccination views.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Complainent: Mr Ken McLeod, Mrs Toni and Mr David McCaffery. Respondent: Meryl Dorey/Australian Vaccination Network (NSW Health Care Complaints Commission 7 July 2010). Text
  19. Hansen, Jane (24 June 2012). "Muddying the water on vaccination". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016.
  20. Dunlop, Rachael (16 October 2013). "Anti-vaccination activists should not be given a say in the media". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Cannane, Steve (12 July 2010). "Anti-vaccination group accused of harassing parents". Lateline. Anti-vaccination group accused of harassing parents. National. ABC TV. ABC1.
  22. 1 2 . (7 August 2009). "Dick Smith criticises anti-vaccination 'misinformation'". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 7 May 2010.
  23. . (9 February 2010). "Dr Rachael Dunlop on the AVN's Closure". Interviews. Brisbane. 4ZZZ Radio Brisbane. Archived from the original on 3 November 2011.
  24. 1 2 . "Stop the Australian (Anti)Vaccination Network Facebook Group". SAVN.
  25. Dunlop, Rachael. "Anti-vaccination". The Skeptics Book of Pooh Pooh. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009.
  26. . (20 November 2009). "Stop the Bogus Australian Vaccination Network". Australian Images. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  27. . (10 May 2007). "Australian Vaccination Network". The Millennium Project. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010.
  28. 1 2 3 Raffaele, Daniel (4 August 2009). "Stop the Australian Vaccination Network". Young Australian Skeptics. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010.
  29. . (14 January 2014). "Vaccination Awareness and Information Service". Vaccination Awareness and Information Service. Archived from the original on 14 January 2014.
  30. 1 2 3 Wooldridge, Michael (15 October 1998). "Anti-Immunisation lobby misleading the media". Australian Federal Government, Dept of Health and Ageing (Press release). Archived from the original on 8 March 2010.
  31. 1 2 . (12 May 2010). "Meryl Dorey's Fear Factor: Hypocrisy in print". VaccinateYourChildren. Archived from the original on 1 September 2011.
  32. Cannane, Steve (12 July 2010). "Anti-vaccination group accused of harassing parents". Lateline. ABC TV. Retrieved 2 February 2015. [HCCC report] ... noted accusations that the AVN harassed the parents of a child who died of whooping cough last year, after they'd advocated the importance of childhood vaccination
  33. Dorey, Meryl (13 March 2016). "Email to AVN Group". AVsN. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016.
  34. Gorski, David (7 February 2012). "The vilest antivaccine lie that won't die: Shaken baby syndrome as "vaccine injury"". ScienceBlogs. Retrieved 2 February 2015. ... one of the most disturbing antivaccine claims of all is the assertion that shaken baby syndrome is a "misdiagnosis for vaccine injury.
  35. 1 2 3 . (14 October 2010). "Instrument of Revocation" (PDF). NSW Government Gazette. p. 5253. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 Stewart, John (14 October 2010). "AVN stripped of charitable status". Lateline. AVN stripped of charitable status. National. ABC TV. ABC1. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  37. 1 2 3 4 Australian Vaccination Network Inc v Health Care Complaints Commission (NSW Supreme Court. 24 February 2012). Text
  38. . (17 December 2012). "Anti-vaccine group must change 'misleading' name". The Northern Star. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  39. Penberthy, David (20 December 2012). "Anti-vaccine set forced to fess up". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  40. 1 2 . (25 November 2013). "Australian Vaccination Network ordered to change its name". Office of Fair Trading NSW. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014.
  41. . (2008). "About the AVN". The Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009.
  42. McDonald, Zara (1 March 2016). "The relentless, terrifying rise of the anti-vax movement". Crikey. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  43. . (15 December 2012). "AVN-new name, new president". Australian Skeptics Inc. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Meryl Dorey, the founder and long-term president of the Australian [anti]Vaccination Network, has announced that she has relinquished her position as president of the organisation, effective January 1 [2013]. Her replacement is Queensland-based AVN board member, Greg Beattie.
  44. Dorey, Meryl (2 February 2010). "AVN to close its doors at the end of this month". Living Wisdom - AVN. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011.
  45. 1 2 3 Moore, Rachel (8 July 2009). "To immunise or not to immunise". Eastern Courier Messenger (Adelaide). p. 14.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Watt, Amanda (18 July 2009). "Eye of the Needle". QWeekend, The Courier-Mail. p. 12.
  47. 1 2 3 4 5 Hall, Louise (16 August 2009). "Vaccine fear campaign investigated". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 27. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009.
  48. 1 2 . (21 August 2002). "Sunrise Interview with Dr Trevor Mudge & Meryl Dorey". doctors4health - Australian Medical Association. Archived from the original on 11 April 2011.
  49. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Murray, Kirstin (3 September 2009). "Whooping cough deaths spark vaccination debate". ABC TV. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011.
  50. 1 2 McMillan, Mel (10 July 2007). "The Immunisation Maze Part 1 (transcript available)". Life Matters. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  51. White, Leah (25 February 2016). "'No jab, no pay' for pensioners 'completely untrue'". The Northern Star. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  52. Stevens, Rodney (10 March 2016). "Whooping cough outbreak has Northern Rivers on high alert". The Northern Star. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  53. Dorey, Meryl (2009). "Sponsorship". Informed Voice- AVN. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010.
  54. Dorey, Meryl (22 March 2010). "Australian Vaccination Network Proxy form". AVN. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  55. Annastasha David (19 June 2013). "Submission to Queensland Health" (PDF). Queensland Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2013.
  56. . (22 March 2015). "(Archive) Magazine Back Issues". AVsN. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015.
  57. "NLA catalogue of Informed voice". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  58. McMillan, Mel (12 July 2007). "The Immunisation Maze Part 3 (transcript available)". Life Matters. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  59. "Vaccine myths debunked". PublicHealth.org. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  60. 1 2 Sheperd, Tory (6 November 2009). "A prickly debate". The Advertiser (Adelaide). p. 19.
  61. . (4 April 2013). "Vaccine Safety: Examine The Evidence" (PDF). American Academy of Pediatrics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 August 2015.
  62. 1 2 3 4 5 McMillan, Mel (11 July 2007). "The Immunisation Maze Part 2 (transcript available)". Life Matters. ABC Radio National. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  63. Hawkes, D; Dunlop, RA; Benhamu, J. (14 June 2016). "Calls by alternative medicine practitioners for vaccinated vs unvaccinated studies is not supported by evidence". Vaccine (journal). 34 (28): 3223–3224. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.12.031.
  64. Price, Sarah (30 July 2006). "High cost of kids with flu is avoidable, study shows". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  65. Kata, A (2012). Anti-vaccine activists, Web 2.0, and the postmodern paradigm--an overview of tactics and tropes used online by the anti-vaccination movement. in Vaccine (journal), Vol.30, 2012. Also cited by UNICEF
  66. 1 2 Dorey, Meryl (Winter 2006). "Voodoo Children". Informed Voice - AVN. p. 48.
  67. 1 2 "Sunday Night" archive footage for "Fear and confusion" (4 May 2009) and "A mother's choice?" (26 April 2009) http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunday-night/video/-/page/11/#fop Seven Network TV. Archived at , &
  68. Kabra, SK; Lodhra, R (14 August 2013). "Antibiotics for preventing complications in children with measles". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 8 (.): CD001477. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001477.pub4. PMID 23943263.
  69. GBD 2013 Mortality and Causes of Death, Collaborators (17 December 2014). "Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.". The Lancet (journal). 385: 117–171. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61682-2. PMC 4340604Freely accessible. PMID 25530442.
  70. Atkinson, William (2011). Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (12 ed.). Public Health Foundation. pp. 301–323. ISBN 9780983263135. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  71. . (November 2014). "Measles Fact sheet N°286". World Health Organisation. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  72. 1 2 . (12 October 2009). "USYD Profile: Professor Peter McIntyre". Sydney University. Archived from the original on 12 October 2009.
  73. Shepherd, Tory (5 November 2009). "Low immunisation behind South Australian whooping cough outbreak". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Archived from the original on 7 November 2009.
  74. Lam, Bourree (10 February 2015). "Vaccines Are Profitable, So What?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  75. Offit, Paul (1 May 2005). "Why Are Pharmaceutical Companies Gradually Abandoning Vaccines?". Health Affairs. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  76. 1 2 Mnookin, Seth (February 2011). The Panic Virus (Australian ed.). Black Inc. pp. xx–xxii. ISBN 978-1-86395-518-8.
  77. Dorey, Meryl (8 January 2001). "Australia's Big Brother Card". AVN website. Archived from the original on 18 August 2001.
  78. Keane, Bernard (23 November 2015). "Discover this one amazing trick to make politicians do what you want!". Crikey. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  79. . (27 May 2013). "This is how far the anti-vaccination movement will go". Mamamia Magazine. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  80. Lindberg, Susan (12 April 1996). "Jabs in the mall". The Australian.
  81. . (7 June 2002). "Proposal to extend toddler vaccine program causes concern". ABC News (Australia). [Document abcnew0020020607dy67000b5]. But Professor Rubin says they assess all scientific data available. "The vaccine manufacturers know they've got to through this process and pass all the tests to demonstrate that the vaccine is safe," he said.
  82. 1 2 O'Leary, Cathy (24 August 2004). "Fears over vaccine cocktail for babies". The West Australian. p. 1.
  83. Openshaw, PJ (19 October 1991). "When we sneeze, does the immune system catch a cold?". British Medical Journal. 303 (6808): 935–936. doi:10.1136/bmj.303.6808.935. PMC 1671377Freely accessible. PMID 1954412. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2016.
  84. Goldie, Bernie (23 February 2011). "Vaccination "should be freely debated"". Media Releases - University of Wollongong. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  85. Morton, Rick (28 January 2014). "University paid for anti-vaccine student to attend conference". The Australian. Retrieved 22 March 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  86. 1 2 3 Megan James (18 December 1996). "Just The Shot". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 9.
  87. . (1 March 2006). "10 Reasons why parents question vaccination". The Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008.
  88. Lawrence, Glenda; Robert Menzies; Margaret Burgess; Peter McIntyre; Nicholas Wood; Ian Boyd; Patrick Purcell; David Isaacs (September 2003). "Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation: Australia, 2000–2002". Department of Health and Ageing. Australian Government. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  89. Willacy, Mark (3 May 2000). "Parents lose childcare payments after failing to immunise". AM (ABC Radio). Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  90. Probyn, Andrew (4 May 2000). "Vaccination no-shows lose rebate". Herald Sun. p. 8.
  91. 1 2 Rehn, Alison (10 October 2008). "GPs may refuse child vaccinations if bonus cancelled". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  92. Moynihan, Tim; Beaumont, Lucy (22 February 2004). "Doubt cast on vaccine scare". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  93. Murch SH, Anthony A, Casson DH, et al. (2004). "Retraction of an interpretation". Lancet. 363 (9411): 750. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15715-2. PMID 15016483.
  94. Harris, Gardiner (2 February 2010). "Journal Retracts 1998 Paper Linking Autism to Vaccines". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010.
  95. . (24 May 2010). "Dr Wakefield Knows...". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  96. . (24 May 2010). "Andrew Wakefield struck off over MMR scandal". The Daily Telegraph (UK). Archived from the original on 27 May 2010.
  97. 1 2 Kontominas, Bellinda (11 April 2007). "No immunisation, no job: public health policy". Brisbane Times. p. 3. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  98. . (10 May 2007). "Revised Vaccination Policy For Health Workers". Union News, NSW Nurses' Association. Archived from the original on 4 October 2009.
  99. Dorey, Meryl (May 2000). "AVN Newsletter Editorial". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 9 April 2001.
  100. Dorey, Meryl (9 July 1998). "Federal Government Uses 'Bully Boy' Tactics". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 2 October 1999.
  101. Dorey, Meryl (26 July 1998). "The AVN Pushes Ahead With Its Injunction Against The Government". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 1 October 1999.
  102. NCIRS-VPD (2000). Let's Work Together to Beat Measles: A Report on Australia's Measles Control Campaign (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. Canberra. ISBN 0-642-44682-2.
  103. Gilbert, GL; Escott RG; Gidding HF; Turnbull FM; Heath TC; McIntyre PB; Burgess MA. (October 2001). "Impact of the Australian Measles Control Campaign on immunity to measles and rubella". Epidemiology and Infection journal. 127 (127 (2)): 297–303. doi:10.1017/s0950268801005830. PMC 2869749Freely accessible. PMID 11693507.
  104. Dorey, Meryl; Wilyman, Judy (1 June 2010). AVN Anti-Vaccination Seminar Perth (mp3 audio). Perth. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012.
  105. 1 2 Heywood, Anita; Gidding, Heather F; Riddell, Michaela A; McIntyre, Peter B; MacIntyrea, C Raina; Kelly, Heath A. (2009). "Elimination of endemic measles transmission in Australia" (PDF). World Health Organisation. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  106. Dept of Health (June 2007). "Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination Coverage in Australia, 2003 to 2005". Communicable Diseases Intelligence (CDI). 31 (Supplement). Archived from the original on 1 August 2008.
  107. . (26 April 2016). "Risks far too great to ignore immunisation". The Advocate (Australia). Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  108. Tunkel, Allan (2001). "Efficacy of meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccine in teenagers and toddlers in England". Current Infectious Disease Reports. UK: Current Medicine Group LLC. 3 (4): 350–1. doi:10.1007/s11908-001-0074-8. ISSN 1523-3847. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  109. Miller, E; Salisbury D; Ramsay M. (2001). "Planning, registration,and implementation of an immunisation campaign against meningococcal serogroupC disease in the UK: a success story". Vaccine (journal). 20 Supp 1: 58–67. doi:10.1016/S0264-410X(01)00299-7. PMID 11587814.
  110. McIntyre, Peter (12 July 2005). "Meningococcal Vaccine forum". ABC TV (Australia). Archived from the original on 14 September 2005.
  111. National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (1 June 2010). "Summary tables that include all diseases". Australian Department of Health and Ageing. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  112. "Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Vaccination Coverage in Australia, 2003 to 2005 - Meningococcal". Communicable Diseases Intelligence Journal. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. 31: Supplement. June 2007. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
  113. Hansen, Jane (11 April 2015). "Anti-vax trolls attack baby Riley's grieving parents". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  114. McCaffery, Toni (July 2010). "Toni McCaffery's Response to AVN article, A grieving family and baseless accusations.". Archived from the original on 29 September 2013.
  115. . (7 May 2010). "The Pertussis Vaccine Case". The University of Bergen (Norway). Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.
  116. Olin, P; Hallander, H.O. (1 December 1999). "Marked Decline in Pertussis Followed Re-Introduction of Pertussis Vaccination in Sweden". The Eurosurveillance journal. Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control. 4 (12). Archived from the original on 3 May 2010.
  117. Greco, D; Salmaso S; Mastrantonio P; Giuliano M; Tozzi AE; Anemona A; et al. (1996). "A Controlled Trial of Two Acellular Vaccines and One Whole-Cell Vaccine against Pertussis". The New England Journal of Medicine. 334 (334): 341–8. doi:10.1056/NEJM199602083340601. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  118. Juretzko, P; von Kries R; Wirsing von Konig CH; Weil J; Giani G. (2002). "Effectiveness of Acellular Pertussis Vaccine assessed by Hospital-Based Active Surveillance in Germany". Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Germany. 35 (2): 162–7. doi:10.1086/341027. PMID 12087522. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012.
  119. Dorey, Meryl (24 February 2010). "Vaccine Dangers, No thought allowed". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
  120. Dept of Health (2 June 2010). "National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System - Notifications of a selected disease by State and Territory and year". Australian Government. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  121. 1 2 Cydonee, Mardon (10 June 2012). "Vaccine row: grieving parents slam researcher". The Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  122. Davis, S. Peter (2013). OCCAM's Nightmare. U.S.A.: Lulu Enterprises Inc. pp. 172–177. ISBN 978-1-304-03018-4.
  123. Reasonable, Hank (24 April 2015). "The despicable cruelty of the anti-vaccination movement". Mamamia Magazine. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  124. 1 2 Wilyman, Judith (March 2016). "Newsletter 100 Australian Politicians presenting Myths about Vaccination". Vaccination Decisions. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016.
  125. Rudra, Natasha (20 September 2009). "Swine flu vaccine to cost $6m". The Canberra Times. p. A.14.
  126. 1 2 . (19 September 2009). "Lobby group urges more swine flu vaccine tests". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 26 November 2009.
  127. Egan, Carmel (20 September 2009). "Vaccine claims rejected". The Age. Melbourne. p. 7. Archived from the original on 15 December 2009.
  128. . (30 March 2010). "Pharma Planning to Dump Experimental and Controversial Vaccines in Public Schools". AVN Living Wisdom post. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016.
  129. Dorey, Meryl (23 April 2010). "Do WA parents know that their children were part of a vaccine study?". Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016.
  130. . (18 September 2009). "PANVAX H1N1 VACCINE, H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine (split-virion, inactivated) 10mL multi-dose injection vial" (PDF). Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  131. David, Rachel (29 June 2009). "Trial of Novel H1N1 'Swine' Flu candidate vaccine to take place in Adelaide". CSL Limited. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  132. David, Rachel (18 September 2009). "Panvax H1N1 Approval For Registration For Use in Australia by Therapeutic Goods Administration". CSL Limited. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  133. . (13 May 2010). "Cancelation of Australian Vaccination Network event" (PDF). Uniting Church in the City (Press release). Perth. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 March 2012.
  134. 1 2 3 Taylor, Robert; O'Leary, Cathy (1 June 2010). "Anti-vaccine forum causes row". The West Australian. Perth. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  135. Dorey, Meryl (5 June 2010). "Perth Seminar a great success". No Compulsory Vaccination AVN. Retrieved 5 June 2010.
  136. (Interviewer), Mary (3 June 2010). "Professor Stanley Vaccination (mp3 audio)". Morning Magazine. Perth. 6RTR (FM). Archived from the original on 8 March 2011.
  137. Miles, Janelle (15 December 2011). "Anti-vaccination activist Meryl Dorey needles opponents of her speaking at Woodford Folk festival". The Courier-Mail. Brisbane: News Ltd. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  138. Dunlop, Rachael (December 2011). "Meryl Dorey at Woodford Folk Festival: a hazard to your child's health?". The Conversation. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  139. . (16 December 2011). "Minister needles folk fest speaker". Sunshine Coast Daily. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
  140. Brennan, Rose (30 December 2011). "Vaccination debate gets heated at Woodford Folk Festival". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  141. Medew, Julia (28 January 2015). "Anti-vaccination group encourages parents to join fake church". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  142. Hansen, Jane (9 June 2013). "Real churches denounce cult of anti-vaccine". The Sunday Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  143. Wood, Alicia (20 May 2013). "Anti-vaccine zealots form sham church". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  144. Hurst, Daniel (11 April 2015). "Parents who refuse to vaccinate children to be denied childcare rebates". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  145. Harvey, Claire (20 March 2016). "Saving babies is one legacy of Tony Abbott that nobody can jab at". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  146. Marriner, Cosmina (20 February 2016). "Federal government's 'no jab, no pay' law sparks run on vaccines". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  147. Hansen, Jane (28 February 2016). "An alternative universe where vaccines are the villain, not the hero". The Sunday Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  148. Dobney, Chris (15 March 2016). "No jab no pay penalties from next week". Echonetdaily. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  149. Berkovic, Nicola (30 March 2016). "Anti-vaccination lobby flags High Court challenge to 'no jab, no pay'". The Australian. Retrieved 11 April 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  150. Broome, Hamish (29 March 2016). "Royal College of GPs refutes anti-vaxxers claims". The Northern Star. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  151. 1 2 Brunero, Tim (6 August 2009). "Dick Smith pushes immunisation". Macquarie National News.
  152. Dorey, Meryl. "AVN e-newsletter, October 2008" (PDF). AVN. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  153. Dorey, Meryl (7 September 2009). "HCCC Reply" (PDF). Australian Vaccination Network. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 April 2011.
  154. . (6 August 2009). "Sceptics take aim at vaccination doubters". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 10 November 2012.
  155. Sidwell, Tom (1 March 2010). "Analysis of AVN Articles" (PDF). HCCC Reference 09/1695. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  156. Sidwell, Tom (18 March 2010). "Critical Analysis of Immune Suppression Articles". HCCC Reference 09/1695. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 February 2016.
  157. Sidwell, Tom (7 March 2010). "Source of AVN References" (PDF). HCCC Reference 09/1695. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  158. Sidwell, Tom (25 March 2010). "An analysis of AVN references - Part 4" (PDF). HCCC Reference 09/1695. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  159. Sidwell, Tom (17 March 2010). "The truth behind the AVN Claims". Australian Skeptics. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  160. . (26 July 2010). "Public Warning About The Australian Vaccination Network (AVN)". NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (Press release). Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  161. Hall, Eleanor; Lauder, Simon (13 July 2010). "Top doctor backs disclaimer for anti-vaccination site". The World Today. Top doctor backs disclaimer for anti-vaccination site. Australia (National). ABC. Radio National.
  162. . (14 May 2013). "Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2013". NSW Parliament, Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  163. O'Farrell, Barry (28 May 2013). "Announcement of New HCCC Investigation". NSW Premier via Twitter. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  164. 1 2 . (30 April 2014). "Public statement- warning about the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network, Inc. ('AVN'), formerly known as Australian Vaccination Network Inc.". NSW Health Care Complaints Commission (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  165. 1 2 Mcmillan, Mel (11 February 2010). "Vaccination Network to be Audited". The Northern Star. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010.
  166. "NSW Charitable Trust Act, 1993". AUSTLII. 1993.
  167. Stewart, John (4 August 2010). "AVN asked to defend charity status". Lateline. AVN asked to defend charity status. National. ABC TV. ABC1.
  168. Dorey, Meryl (14 October 2010). "The Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing revokes the AVN's charitable authority". Australian Vaccination Network (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
  169. Dorey, Meryl (21 March 2007). "Mandatory Vaccination". AVN. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008.
  170. Parnell, Kerri (2011). "Top 50 Medical Scandals". Australian Doctor. Top 50 supplement, 7th Edition. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011.
  171. McMillan, Mel (1 December 2009). "Skeptics hand out Bent Spoon". The Northern Star. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  172. Benson, Kate (1 September 2010). "Copyright breaches land group in trouble". Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney: Fairfax. Archived from the original on 3 September 2010.
  173. 1 2 3 4 Schetzer, Alana (22 April 2015). "Australian Vaccination Skeptics Network compares vaccines to rape". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  174. 1 2 3 Campbell, Jamie (24 April 2015). "Anti-vaccination group defends advert comparing immunising children to rape". The Independent (UK). Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  175. 1 2 Dunlevy, Sue (22 April 2015). "Outrage as vaccines compared to rape". News Limited. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  176. Ventura, Jesse (23 April 2015). "Anti-Vaccination Group Pulls Controversial Facebook Ad Comparing Vaccines to Rape" (mp4 video). NewsBreaker Ora TV. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  177. . (25 June 2013). "Senate motion calls on anti-vaccine group to disband". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  178. Reith, Peter (14 April 2015). "Does anti-vaccination lobby have tacit support of Greens?". The Age. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  179. Di Natale; Senator Richard (25 June 2013). "Senate to anti-vax group: Pack up and go home". Australian Greens - media release. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  180. Skinner, Jillian (26 September 2012), "2658—AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NETWORK", NSW Parliament Questions & Answers Paper (119), archived from the original on 20 June 2013
  181. . (26 March 2013). "Legislative Assembly, Hansard transcript" (PDF). NSW Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2015.
  182. . (30 April 2013). "Legislative Assembly, Hansard transcript" (PDF). NSW Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2013.
  183. Dobney, Chris (12 April 2013). "Greens attack 'voodoo' vaccination opponents". The Byron Shire Echo. p. 9. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  184. . (8 May 2013). "Legislative Assembly, Hansard transcript" (PDF). NSW Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2013.
  185. . (9 May 2013). "Legislative Assembly, Hansard transcript" (PDF). NSW Parliament. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016.
  186. Wilson M.P., Geoff (15 December 2011), "Statement from the Minister for Health and the Chief Health Officer", Queensland Government (78177)
  187. Pezzutti, Brian (3 September 2002). "Immunisation". Hansard of the NSW Legislative Council: p. 4402. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012.
  188. Austin, Darren (May 2016). "ASXP responds to vaccination skeptics". Australian Sex Party (Press release). Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  189. 1 2 . (15 December 2010). "Fighting For Reason". The Bay Post. Bateman's Bay NSW. p. 46.
  190. 1 2 Burton-Bradley, Robert (26 April 2012). "Australian Vaccination Network's ad pulled by American Airlines after 'backlash'". Herald Sun. Melbourne: News Corporation. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
  191. . (16 August 2012). "Complaint against AVN over black salve advertising". (Australian) Therapeutic Goods Administration Complaints Resolution Panel. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
  192. . (16 May 2013). "Decision under regulation 9 of the Therapeutic Goods Regulations 1990 in relation to an advertisement about the product 'black salve'". (Australian) Therapeutic Goods Administration. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  193. . (16 August 2012). "Complaint against Meryl Dorey and Leon Pittard over black salve advertising". (Australian) Therapeutic Goods Administration Complaints Resolution Panel. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016.
  194. 'Meryl Dorey's personal representative' (16 July 2012). "Offer to Settle in Private" (PDF). TGA FOI release. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2016.

Further reading

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.