ICWA Weekly News 1-15-25
SCOTUS denies expedited hearing of Stockton v Ferguson; WA BoH to review water fluoridation science, and re-affirms its pharma marketing role; Secretary Shah departs; 🦠Viral Dating Site Revealed
In this issue: U.S. Supreme Court denies application to decide on injunction against AG Bob Ferguson & WMC; Board of Health rejects Dr. Osmunson’s latest petition, but shows signs of sanity by launching a fluoride science review; the BOH also re-affirms its pharma marketing role in its 2025 legislative statement; Secretary Shah departs while asking everyone to stick together; The 🪱Washington Worm🪱 reports on a 🦠 viral dating 🥰 site that has gone…viral.
January 10 Episode of Informed Life Radio - - notes and links
Health hour: Spirulina: Disease Countermeasure?
Guest: Ted Fogarty explains that spirulina has long been considered a superfood, but its antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects indicate it should be a frontline “countermeasure” for the prevention and treatment of disease in humans and some animals.
Frontiers | Effect of high-dose Spirulina supplementation on hospitalized adults with COVID-19: a randomized controlled trial Aghasadeghi et al, 2024.
Spirulina in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Human Applications Karkos et al, 2010.
Spirulina, an FDA-Approved Functional Food: Worth the Hype? Ahmad et al, 2023
Fogarty’s Formula – make your own purple powder with Spirulina
Healthy Immunity Now - Prevention, Treatments, & Natural Immunity
Liberty hour: Individualism a Pandemic Risk?
Guest: Valerie Borek, policy analyst for Stand for Health Freedom, discusses the report “THE CHANGING FACE OF PANDEMIC RISK” from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), in which “Individualism” is listed as a major driver of pandemic risk. The GPMB is “an independent monitoring and accountability body to ensure preparedness for global health crises” run by the Director-General of the World Health Organization and the President of the World Bank.
Global Preparedness Monitoring Board: Home
The Changing Face of Pandemic Risk: Report 2024
Power of Providers (POP) Initiative | Washington State Department of Health
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Application to Consider Stockton Versus Ferguson Injunction
Last December 4th, 2024, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted a second emergency request for the full court to consider an injunction against the Attorney General Ferguson and the Washington Medical Commission (WMC). The original complaint asks the WMC to stop disciplinary actions against physicians who didn’t agree with their COVID-19 misinformation policy.
Then on January 10th, during a closed-door scheduling session, the group of justices decided against taking on the case, known as Stockton versus Ferguson.
According to Children’s Health Defense (CHD) lead attorney Rick Jaffe, the supreme court gave no explanation for this denial.
The case remains in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where oral arguments are scheduled for the week of May 12th. CHD’s reply on the appeal is due by February 14th.
Dr. Osmunson Sees Hope Even After the Washington Board of Health Rejected His latest Water Fluoridation Petition
After the rejection of his latest petition in November calling for the Washington Board of Health (BOH) to recommend that local communities stop fluoridating their drinking water supplies, Dr. Bill Osmunson began the public comment period at January’s BOH meeting supporting his next petition by citing the study released just days before the meeting. The Defender News covered the new report as well:
This meta-analysis of seventy-four epidemiological studies examining the link between children’s IQ and fluoride exposure found that the more fluoride pregnant women and young children are exposed to, the greater the decrease in a child’s IQ.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, was conducted by scientists from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Toxicology Program (NTP).
The in-depth statistical meta-analysis was the largest and most rigorous ever conducted on fluoride, according to a commentary accompanying the study, and their findings highlight the need to “reassess systemic fluoride exposure, again.”
Dr. Osmunson added his interpretation of what this latest study means:
When we lower the IQ and we look at dental fluorosis, which I treated for years.
And lower wages. We find that it's costing Washington about $4 million a day. That’s what you’re doing. And that doesn’t include the increase in incarceration, increase in special education, and increase in homelessness. That’s what you’re doing.
My petition is specifically saying obey federal law. Are you opposed to federal law? This is an emergency. People are being harmed. That’s grief. You have control of that. This is in your lap.
Before he could continue, Dr. Osmunson was told that his two-minute time limit to speak had expired. He then complained that this public comment was not a forum. He’s repeatedly call for a forum during which to more openly exchange views.
The other public comments included four on fluoride: Two wanted water fluoridation to continue, whereas two opposed it. One public comment [0:33:19] best reflected ICWA’s mission when Mary Long of Conservative Ladies of Washington testified:
Fluoride raises an ethical issue: informed consent. By adding fluoride to public water supplies, we are effectively medicating entire populations without their explicit agreement. Unlike individual prescriptions, water fluoridation does not account for differences in age, weight or underlying health conditions. This blanket approach disregards the basic human right to make informed decisions about what we ingest.
Later that morning, the board took up discussion on Bill’s newest petition, proposing language where the Board of Health simply does not recommend water additives that are meant to treat a health condition:
This petition is for amendment to WAC 246-290-220
(8) In keeping with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act S.433 and the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, Title 21, the Board of Health does not recommend any substance be added to water with intent to treat humans, unrelated to treatment of water as defined in RCW 18.64.011(14)(15) or 21 U.S. Code § 321(g)(1), unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration in compliance with the U. S. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This recommendation does not apply to substances added to water to make water safer as determined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Lauren Jenks, the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Public Health at the DOH, appeared at the speaker’s table, alongside board staff member Shay Bauman, and began her presentation by saying that this was the first time in ten years that she had discussed fluoridated water with the Board of Health. She added that since that time, many new safety signals have appeared.
Ms. Jenks showed a slide, which got a nod of approval from Dr. Osmunson, of a Venn diagram illustrating how the domains of toxicology, epidemiology and intervention science overlap but don’t often work with each other.
We are not listening to one another. We have seen that in the public comments. This is not and should not be the process of science. So, this is what we are going to do next.
She then popped up a proposed schedule for a three month Science Review, which she playfully called a ‘science party’ and that they were still looking for volunteers to be on the committee.
She said that the intent of the timeline through March of 2025 is for the governmental health system to listen to one another and to be able to describe what the science says. “We then plan to bring that back to the board,” she added. “This way, we’ll have a better idea of what a science-based policy would look like.”
During discussion of the timeline, Jenks did admit that the Cochrane report does show lower levels of confidence in the safety of fluoridating water supplies. She added that in February, they will be studying these reports.
The final section of the timeline also brought a smile to Dr. Osmunson’s face. “In March, we would like to hear from our petitioners, people who provided public comment, and we’d like to give an opportunity to hear from people in the community,” Jenks said. “What is it that they know that we don’t know. After that, we’ll be able to come back with what we’ve heard, and we’ll be able to begin the discussion of policy on fluoridation of community water.”
When asked by new BOH member Peter Browning, Jenks said that all the literature that they’ll be looking at will be peer reviewed. She added, “We don’t know what the safe levels, if any, are. We already recommend that baby formula not be made with fluoridated water.” It seemed that everyone in the room was a bit shocked by this admission in such a public forum.
Also during the question and answer period, Jenks said that DOH Chief Science Officer Tao Kwan-Gett would be heading the panel. But when asked how the public would be able to follow these meetings, she answered, “That’s a great question. We’ll be meeting on Zoom. But I don’t know whether those meetings will be open to the public.”
When Browning asked, “Does the Board of Health have the authority to require water fluoridation?” Shay Bauman answered that the board does not have the authority to require water fluoridation.
BOH member Steve Kutz spent much time expressing his concerns about the two-month length for the study on fluoride. When he asked Jenks whether she thought this was enough time, Jenks immediately replied, “Yes, I do.”
Kutz then motioned for the board to decline Dr. Osmunson’s petition, further stating that he was looking forward to seeing where the upcoming science on this would lead to. Dimyana Abdelmalek then seconded the motion. And, as has normally been done with citizen petitions, the board voted unanimously to reject it.
As soon as Lauren Jenks returned to her chair in the seating gallery, Dr. Osmunson sat next to her, leaned toward her, and talked nonstop for five minutes until a board staff member approached them and said that his talking was disturbing the ongoing board discussions. They immediately stepped into the hallway, where Osmunson talked nonstop for over forty-five minutes. Jenks could only nod and smile at him.
Later on, Dr. Osmunson told ICWA about his discussion with Jenks. “She impressed me as a knowledgeable toxicologist, reasonable and balanced scientist. She hinted that not everyone in the Department of Health was blind and closed to science. This tone of scientific objectivity is refreshing.”
He then expressed his optimism about Jenks’s presentation to the board:
Dr. Lauren Jenks, a department toxicologist, presented a jaw dropping, well balanced gentle presentation to the board. Her words were more refined than mine. She gently guided the board to consider a basic truth of science, although her words were more nuanced, that we do not "know it all" and new science has come to light. This was a jaw dropping shock. In my fifteen years of frequently going to the board, an admission that we have things to learn was not ever whispered and now what had appeared to be forbidden and silenced is being spoken.
He also admitted that he once shared the same position as the board when it came to fluoride:
New light? Not really new. Science, laws, ethics, dosage, and harm have been abundantly clear for decades. Fluoridation is not safe and is causing and contributing to many health issues. My dental profession and I were so busy, we didn't spend time carefully considering known risks and known harm. We didn't look at the light to see whether there was harm.
In Related Breaking News: six lawsuits were filed on January 13 against toothpaste makers who marketed fluoride-containing products to children, making them seem ‘super safe.’
Washington Board of Health Affirms Its Marketing Role for Big Pharma
It is safe to say that one of the most evident primary functions of the Washington State Department of Health is to act as a marketing agent for vaccine makers. First, there’s the Department of Health, with its $185 million budget, which lobbies the state legislature to pass vaccine-related bills. Second comes the Vaccine Advisory Committee, which meets quarterly to make recommendations to the Board and Department of Health. Third comes the Washington Vaccine Association with hefty salaries to outside contractors to make bulk buys of vaccines for the larger health care organizations. Fourth, there’s the Power of Providers, an initiative by the DOH that instructs healthcare providers on how to better convince patients to take vaccines. Finally, there is the Washington State Board of Health (WA SBOH), a group of Governor appointees who meet monthly to oversee all of these operations.
At the SBOH meeting on Wednesday January 8, they stayed in line with the work of their peers by including their Immunization stance in the last entry in the Board’s 2025 Legislative Statement:
Immunizations
The Board recognizes the research and data that demonstrate that immunizations reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable disease in our community and protect those who are immunocompromised and not vaccinated. The Board supports legislation that helps reduce the number of children out of compliance with state immunization documentation requirements, assists schools and childcares in monitoring the immunization status of children, and increases immunization rates across all age groups. The Board also supports additional funding to improve and maintain access to the Washington State Immunization System.
The board unanimously approved the the entire legislative statement as presented.
Washington Department of Health Update Turns Into a Farewell Banquet for Dr. Shah
A little less than an hour into last Wednesday’s Board of Health (BOH) meeting, during the Announcements and Board Business agenda, Board Executive Director Michelle Davis said that January 15 would be Dr. Umair Shah’s last day as Washington’s secretary of health. “And so, he plans on dropping by shortly, he has said.”
And right on cue, after public comments had finished, Dr. Shah arrived. Board Chair Patty Hayes said, “Welcome Dr. Shah.” As he settled into his seat, she expressed her gratitude for his service:
And we want to thank you for everything that you have committed to the state of Washington over these years and leading us through the pandemic and really your just energy going out and being with community and support of public health and the health of all Washingtonians. It's inspirational. We're just so grateful to your service. And we are looking forward to hearing from you.
Shah then provided a nonstop eleven-minute retrospective on the four years at his post. The following reflects the flavor of his speech:
I look back on those four years with an incredible amount of gratitude to all of you because you have all been there in some capacity throughout this process.
We also noted, with some irony, his statement at 1:02:52 “I really want to recognize the importance of all of us continuing to work together,” as he was delivering his departure speech. This was especially notable since Dr. Bill Osmunson had just that day confided to us that during his Masters degree in Public Health, one of the takeaways he remembers from a professor was that employees in a public health office must always “stick together” and “do what the director says,” leaving very little room for discussion or dissenting opinions.
Department of Health updates are supposed to be exactly that: updates. But the only update Shah provided was a few words about a retrospective on a transformation plan.
Patty Hayes responded with “Wonderful. Thank you, Dr. Shah. We really appreciate all your comments.” She then said, “I’ll open it up to the board members for questions or comments that they’d like to make.”
But instead of discussing DOH updates, the board members offered only praise to Dr. Shah, such as when Stephen Kutz said the following:
I think I always have comments, but I know that I'm going to miss working with you, I guess. So, we've gone down some long paths together, and done some things that we can't even begin to comprehend how many there were that we worked together on and made a difference. So, just thank you for the leadership you brought.
The only question came from Paj Nandi, who asked what Shah would be doing next, to which he responded that he was going to just rest and relax.
As expected, the board did not delve into any of the policies or misinformation spread by Dr. Shah’s administration, such as the recent 520-page Congressional Report from the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic in which page 327 used the heading “The Government Perpetrated COVID-19 misinformation.” The report highlighted Public Health officials disparaging ivermectin as only for animals and demonizing off-label prescription.
“After Action Review of the COVID Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.”
The reality is that Dr. Shah is as guilty of this as anyone, for in the full Washington Medical Commission news release on the position statement, which was opposed to the common practice of prescribing off-label medications, he said the following in 2021:
It has never been more vital for trusted healthcare professionals to band together against the threat of misinformation. As we battle COVID-19, with so many tools at our disposal to protect ourselves and others, it is viral misinformation, rooted in unfounded scientific claims, that often stands in our way. It is our ethical duty to listen to our patients concerns, course-correct when people fall prey to falsehoods, and help them make informed medical decisions that are guided by research and medical science. Now more than ever we must align with the oath we took to “do no harm,” and part of that means trusting science, listening, educating and caring for our patients according to the guidelines set by the FDA, the CDC, and experts at the state health department as we work to care for and protect the people we treat.
This statement from Dr. Shah and the policy from Washington Medical Commission led to unjustly interrogating doctors Ryan Cole, Scott Miller, Guito Wingfield, Michael Turner, and others for prescribing ivermectin to patients. Furthermore, Shah’s misinformation statement led to the Washington Medical Commission’s persecution of doctors Richard Eggleston for his opinion articles in the Lewiston Tribune, Thomas Siler for his opinion articles in the American Thinker, and Dr. Moon for her testimony at Senator Ron Johnson’s roundtable discussion.
Shah’s audacity shined again in a guest opinion piece in the Spokesman Review when he blamed the spreaders of information for why not everyone was cooperating enough to take the COVID-19 shots:
I say most everyone because there were those who spread misinformation or deliberately targeted specific communities to confuse or dissuade them from taking the same actions to protect themselves and those around them. In this day of incessant sources of chatter, trust in the very institutions that have been the bedrock of our democracy has eroded.
And then there’s the government’s misinformation on masking in which Shah played a part. Indeed, last Wednesday the board members never raised the point made on page 241 in the congressional report, which stated, “Public health officials flip flopping on the efficacy and use of face masks without full scientific transparency caused mistrust in public health establishments.”
This mockery of masking science in Washington held true in August of 2021 when Shah reinstated the indoor mask mandate:
It’s time to mask up again, Washington.
With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surging statewide, state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah reinstated his indoor mask mandate in all public settings, including restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, retail locations and any public-facing office.
Beginning Monday, everyone – regardless of vaccination status – will be required to wear a mask in most indoor settings.
Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday he originally lifted the mask mandate because vaccination rates were increasing earlier this summer, but case rates are now at a point where they “pose a danger for the whole state of Washington.”
As much time as the board members spent on praising Shah, they curiously never praised him for acting like a marketer of the COVID-19 shots for the pharmaceutical companies. As a case in point, during a May 5, 2023 press briefing, Shah said that fighting COVID-19 remains a priority. “We still have to take the vaccines for COVID-19 and other vaccines as well,” he said.
During his closing remarks in that press briefing, Shah thanked the media for their partnership throughout the pandemic. “We continue to be in this together,” he said.
This is important enough to repeat. Shah thanked the media for their partnership.
When did media become a partner to government agencies and elected officials? In a free society, isn’t the media considered the “Fourth Estate?” Aren’t they supposed to be free from government partnerships in order to have journalistic integrity, to question the government, to criticize and dig deep, in order to help preserve freedom and prevent tyranny?
In fairness to Dr. Shah, he should be commended for putting the motion forward at the April 13, 2022 Board of Health meeting to not require the COVID-19 shots for school enrollment, a motion that thankfully passed unanimously. Still, the original proposal should have never been made.
At the same time, however, Shah claimed beforehand that the COVID-19 shots were safe and effective, and all three of his kids in school received the jabs.
It is good to know that the COVID-19 shots turned out to be safe for his children, but what about the 2,346 Washington youths who had adverse reactions reported to VAERS?
Three of those adverse reactions resulted in death.
VAERS ID: 1828901. 17-year-old female who had no preexisting conditions. Excerpts from submitted write-up:
Patient reported symptomatic (non-severe) case of COVID-19 August 2021 and recovered fully. She reported receiving Pfizer COVID vaccine 9/3/21 and second dose 9/15/21. She was presented to the emergency department of my hospital 10/23/21 with chest pain and dyspnea for 48 hours. Was feeling completely well prior to onset of chest discomfort. Simultaneously she had become increasingly tachycardic and EKG appeared more ischemic. Cardiac cath lab was activated and she was about to be transported when she suffered cardiac arrest. Initial rhythm was VT. Received ACLS protocol CPR x 65 minutes including multiple cardioversion, amiodarone, lidocaine, magnesium and other antiarrhythmics. Unfortunately, she was not able to be resuscitated and died. Cause of death possible acute myocarditis.
VAERS ID: 2152560. The onset for this 7-year-old male occurred thirteen days after taking first dose of Pfizer on February 3, 2022. He had no preexisting conditions. Submitted write-up:
Patient presented to Emergency Department (ED) lethargic and listless. He proceeded to a shock state and had a cardiac arrest. He was not able to be resuscitated and died in the ED.
VAERS ID: 2798693. The age listed is 1.75 years old.
The onset began one day after taking a first shot of Moderna on October 12, 2024. No preexisting conditions are listed. All that is written for the submitted write-up is “death.”
After the petting of Shah’s ego had ended, the board members stood up and gathered around him for a few photos taken for posterity. As the others chattered amongst themselves, Shah, wearing a wide grin, made good his escape. (or looked out toward them as he scooted out of the room).
Love – the world’s oldest and newest Gain of Function!
A 🪱Washington Worm🪱 Exclusive
A new spin on gain of function research was introduced by controversial virologist Yoshihiro Kawakoa out of the University of Wisconsin-Madison earlier today. Yoshi announced the launch of his new internet dating site for, you guessed it – viruses! Funded numerous times by the Gates foundation for gain-of-function research, Kawakoa said “People don’t realize how hard it is to get these shy little buggers to hook up in a petri dish. And with all the misinformation and moratoriums on gain of function research these days, we thought, you know, why we don’t try a matchmaking site to see if we can help them find love and mix DNA out in the wild.”
With that speck of infectious inspiration “PassionatePathogens.gov” was born. Now, many virus types, strains and clades from all over the world have added their profiles. Here’s an encouraging sampling of those hoping to replicate what was achieved by the EcoHealth Alliance in the Wuhan labs:
Flirtatious Flu H1N1 posted – “Airborne af and looking for my avian H5N1 soul mate. I know there’s a BioSafety level 3 escapee for me. Baby, let’s genetically reassort together!”
LonelyEbola GCCGAAUA’s profile stated – “I’m too deadly to get going on my own. Looking for my perfect asymptomatic spreader to kick off a pandemic to remember! Must love poetry, spiritual growth and long walks in upper respiratory tracts.”
MatingMarburg simply stated - “I make hearts bleed and nucleocapsids swoon!”
Finally, Kawakoa noted: “Obviously human beings are a little uneasy over the site, but we want to assure everyone that we will be ramping up testing and surveillance to make sure one of our-er, their creations stay close. While love truly knows no boundaries, we want to make sure these little Frankensteinian babies do!” He added with a wry smile, “which science says is six feet.”