Long Island Midwife Falsifies Immunization Records for 1,500 School-Aged Children, Receives $300,000 Penalty
In a shocking revelation, the New York state Department of Health has announced that a Long Island midwife, Jeanette Breen, has been found guilty of falsifying immunization records for approximately 1,500 school-aged children. As a result, the department has issued a hefty $300,000 penalty against Breen, who operated Baldwin Midwifery in Nassau County.
The violation committed by Breen is in direct contravention of the Immunization Registry Law. She reportedly administered a staggering 12,449 fake immunizations as a pretext for submitting falsified information into the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS). This act of deception has far-reaching consequences, as it puts lives at risk and undermines the very system that exists to protect public health.
State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald emphasized the seriousness of this offense, stating, “Misrepresenting or falsifying vaccine records puts lives in jeopardy and undermines the system that exists to protect public health. 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.”
Breen’s fraudulent activities began at the start of the 2019-2020 school year, just three months after non-medical exemptions were no longer considered for required school immunizations. To deceive her patients, Breen provided them with the “Real Immunity Homeoprophylaxis Program,” which is described by the state Health Department as “a series of oral pellets marketed by an out-of-state homeopath as an alternative to vaccination.” It is important to note that these pellets are neither authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor recognized and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the state Health Department.
It is crucial to highlight that the fraudulent vaccinations administered by Breen did not include COVID vaccinations. However, they did involve falsified immunizations for a range of diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus toxoid-containing and pertussis vaccine (DTaP or Tdap), hepatitis B vaccine, measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), polio vaccine, varicella (Chickenpox) vaccine, meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), booster doses of MenACWY, the Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (HiB) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), flu vaccine, and hepatitis A vaccine.
Breen’s deceptive practices extended beyond Nassau County, with children statewide falling victim to her scheme. The impact of her actions was far-reaching, with 28 false vaccinations given to children on Staten Island, 113 in Brooklyn, and a staggering 488 in Nassau.
In response to this incident, the Health Department has outlined strict requirements for affected children who wish to return to school. They must either be fully up to date with all required immunizations or be in the process of receiving any missing vaccinations. This measure is essential to safeguard the health and well-being of students and restore public trust.
The settlement reached between the Health Department and Breen includes a $300,000 penalty, permanent exclusion from NYSIIS, and a prohibition on Breen from ever administering a vaccination that must be reported to NYSIIS again. This enforcement action marks a significant milestone as it is the result of a first-of-its-kind investigation conducted by the Department’s Bureau of Investigations and Division of Legal Affairs. The collaboration between these departments and the New York State Education Department has been instrumental in bringing this wrongdoer to justice.
Director of Investigations Joseph Giovannetti expressed his gratitude to the New York State Education Department for their assistance in this case. He also issued a stern warning to anyone involved in immunization fraud, stating, “Rooting out, combating, and preventing all forms of vaccination fraud is a top priority for the Bureau of Investigations, and we will continue to bring enforcement action against any offender who endangers the health of our communities and abuses our public health systems with this type of illegal activity.”
The repercussions of Jeanette Breen’s actions are significant and far-reaching. The falsification of immunization records not only endangers lives but also erodes public trust in the healthcare system. It serves as a stark reminder of the importance of upholding the highest standards of health and well-being within our educational institutions. The New York state Department of Health’s swift action in penalizing Breen sends a clear message that such violations will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face severe consequences.
