Anti-vaccine chiropractors 61 – the chiropractic immunologist

[Originally published as Anti-vaccine chiropractors
redux 11 – the chiropractic immunologist]

We first met registered chiropractor Ben Phillips in my post which preceded my Anti-vaccine chiropractors series. You could say he, Billy DeMoss and Tony Croke were the catalysts for the series. Phillips was defending DeMoss’ right to return to Australia, on a professional basis. From my post:

Phillips 13 DeMoss original chiro RH post

We can see that Phillips uses his Facebook profile in a professional capacity, noting his place of business and occupation:

Phillips 1 about

Phillips has also used his Facebook profile to promote his profession and place of business from early on:

Phillips 11 2012 Total Lifestyle Chiropractic

Even Phillips’ Facebook profile picture and cover photo show clear links to the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia which he is promoting: “Get your happy back” is the official theme for the CAA’s 2015 Spinal Health Week:

Phillips 1 profile and cover photos CAA promotion

And to wrap up the evidence that Phillips uses his Facebook profile to promote and conduct the business of chiropractic, as a registered health practitioner, he promotes the Australian Spinal Research Foundation (of course he does):

Phillips 12 ASRF 1

And does it again a few minutes later:

Phillips 12 ASRF 2

Right. We can now see that Phillips is using his Facebook profile in a professional capacity, as a registered chiropractor. We can now get on and see how this chiropractor conducts himself in his provision of health information to others – particularly immunisation information – and the manner of his condescending sermonising used to portray some sort of expertise which he clearly does not have.

I was reminded to revisit Phillips after being led to his profile by his friend, anti-vaccine chiropractor Joanne Hayes, who shared Phillips’ bungled legal statement regarding the new federal changes to childcare benefits legislation:

I, Ben Phillips of Springwood, Qld do not support the “No Jab, No Pay” changes which are proposed to be enacted into federal law.

I choose to review science that is not only produced by paid industry schills or bureaucracy sold on 1960s medical dogma.

I do support efforts by our government to actually teach people how to live healthier lives, and how to raise vibrant immunocompetent children, rather than financially force them into a medical procedure against their will, on flimsy ‘herd immunity’ mathematical modelling, built from observing natural infection rates of measles mid last century (observations that incidentally claimed only 60% was necessary to achieve herd immunity!)

I do support learning more about how the body works so we do not need to live in fear…so we have the knowledge and resources to deal with an infectious disease, should a child I know (or an adult for that matter) express symptoms of such.

Why penalise people for not vaccinating if you are so sure of your position? Convince me to vaccinate…don’t force me!

Do the study that compares the overall health of the fully vaccinated with that of the fully unvaccinated…that is your responsibility as a government and health department…a responsibility you steadfastly refuse to accept.

I do support freedom of health choice and will vote accordingly in up-coming local, federal and state elections

Phillips 1 statement shills

There is a sane person on the thread: Phillips’ cousin, Alyson, who points out the recent death of Riley Hughes from whooping cough. Of course Phillips is then provoked into further incorrect assertions regarding immunity, herd immunity, misunderstood pertussis notifications (which he would have learned from Meryl Dorey), Nirvana fallacies, you name it. But, when anti-vaccinationists repeat the lie about deaths from vaccines in their ideological campaign to belittle the real deaths of little babies, like Riley; that’s when their demands for respectful debate must end. And when their JAQing off is conducted with the aim of casting doubt on real causes of death from vaccine preventable diseases; that’s when professional censures are demanded. The callousness of the anti-vaccinationist knows no bounds. And this guy is a health professional in a registered health profession. Who will act?

Phillips 2 assertions re Riley

At least Phillips’ cousin, Alyson, has banned him from seeing her daughter because he is an anti-vaccinationist. There is some comfort in this knowledge, that the poor, selfish victim is saddened by his own actions. The word is out there; it’s okay to say no to unimmunised visitors. It’s your baby. It’s your say:

Phillips 2 not to see niece

Phillips also repeats the anti-vaccine conspiracy lie that Polio has simply been renamed so as to make it appear that the vaccine is effective. I’m still not sure how he can claim he is not an anti-vaccinationist:

Phillips 3 polio renamed

I want to quickly point out another comment, from the same thread, from another anti-vaccine chiropractor who is/was a member of the fundamentalist anti-vaccine pressure group, the Australian Vaccination Network. Clinton McCauley is a South Australian chiropractor who has worked with the ASRF. I have no words for this. This is just ghastly. It is hurtful. It is vile. And chiropractors everywhere should be condemning this grub and reporting him to AHPRA:

McCauley 1 Riley juxtaposed with another dead baby

Elsewhere on his profile Phillips shares this delusional anti-vaccine apologia:

Phillips 4 no antivax movemnt

In this embarrassing post via the ICPA Phillips proves he does not know the difference between measles “eradication”, and mortality (which is what is depicted). Now that raises an eyebrow:

Phillips 5 measles death rates

Phillips defends his attacks on evidence based immunisation policy by citing a YouTube video featuring anti-vaccine chiropractors Gentempo and O’Shea, and anti-vaccine homeopath/doctor Toni Bark:

Phillips 6 herd immunity Gentempo O'Shea Bark

People who vaccinate have blind faith. But, he’s not anti-vaccine:

Phillips 7 blind faith in medicine

Phillips fiercely advocates for everyone to watch or buy the anti-vaccine movie, Bought:

Phillips 8 Bought

The obligatory Gardasil lie, which features in any anti-vaccine collection:

Phillips 10 Gardasil

And because where would any upstanding conspiracy theorist be without an anti-fluoride article from Mercola…here is an anti-fluoride article from Mercola:

Phillips 9 anti fluoride Mercola

The Chiropractic Board of Australia can no longer sit by and issue forth private, petty admonitions to these people who are a threat to public health and safety, and a smear on the chiropractic profession.

This will not do.

Update May 23 2015

Phillips has posted a response which he seems to have done against his will, or better judgement.

Interestingly other stars of this blog add comment to Phillips’ screed: the above featured McCauley, and the anti-vaccine board member of the CAA VIC, Warren Sipser. Also congratulating Phillips for his behaviour is prominent Queensland chiropractor Trent Headlam.

In response all I can say is that the Chiropractic Board of Australia is sitting on its hands whilst the profession burns. I feel real sorrow for the moderate chiropractors in this country who are smeared with the association with these people.

Phillips RH response 1

Phillips RH response 2

Phillips RH response 3

Phillips RH response 4

Phillips RH response 5 Sipser

Phillips RH response 6 Sipser McCauley

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9 Responses to Anti-vaccine chiropractors 61 – the chiropractic immunologist

  1. Here’s the copypaste of Phillips’ whole comment/response from the screenshot above. In a more readable format:

    – Cousin Alyson (the wise):

    “But what about the boy that died of whopping cough Ben? This death could have been avoided if people had their vaccines and this sad death would have been avoided.

    The little boy had no immunity against it and although unsure who was the carrier – majority of adults who contract the disease just have a sniffle and unaware they are carrying it. So it could have been a healthy person who carried it and who passed this disease onto the vulnerable child.

    I was big on anti vac, but after all my research I am all for vaccines now.

    I am 100% behind the government!

    These diseases are preventable.”

    – Phillips’ response:

    “Pity you didn’t discuss it with me like i invited you to. In your question you’ve inadvertently confirmed my point.

    1) Having a booster (as an adult for example) MAY reduce your likelihood of expressing the symptoms we associate with a given infectious disease (and i stress may, because it may not…) but it does not prevent you carrying the organism in your body. It MAY create an artificial boost in your humoral (antibody) immune response but it may not. This may contribute to your body successfully fighting said disease, but it may not…we are learning more and more about the immune system as we learn more about the interrelated function of our entire body and reducing our immune function purely to the humoral component without caring for other vital parts of the immune system is likely why vaccine failures routinely occur.

    2) People are lulled into a false sense of safety by the idea of vaccination…they do not learn how to naturally maximise their bubs immune systems. Why did the child not have the internal resources to fight this disease? Just being exposed to an infectious organism, it does not follow that you will fall symptomatically ill. It is your internal resources that determine if it is a ‘sniffle’ or no symptoms, or a full blown symptomatic expression.

    3) Any child who dies is a tragedy…including those who die or are seriously injured by vaccines. My heart goes out to this family.

    4) Do we know whether the mother and father had any form of immunity either through naturally acquiring the disease (with or without symptoms) as a child or through some form of vaccination?

    5) Do we know whether the symptoms were caused by pertussis or by the similar parapetussis that has no vaccine?

    6) Your question implies that herd immunity protects those ‘unable to be vaccinated’…why in the case of whooping cough did we have a few hundred cases in the early 90s when our vaccination coverage was mid 70s and now we have an epidemic when rates have risen far above 90%?

    7) But finally, if you were told you couldn’t be given government financial support because (as a VERY loose example) you chose to keep rabbits after you had investigated all the risks to yourself and others and had made an informed and conscientious choice, while the government in its wisdom said having rabbits at home was illegal because they pose environmental risk. ..what would be your reaction? There is NO PLACE for political or financial coercion when it comes to making choices about one’s health. They are overstepping their role…”
    14 April at 12:35

  2. wzrd1 says:

    I’ll admit, I do feel a desire to deliver violence to these creatures that I freely associate with the external OS of the rectum.
    But, I *am* retired military, of a US “special” variety.
    Meanwhile, I’m retired and quite tired of violence.

    But, if that bastard had said that of a child of my family, if I couldn’t get him manually, I’d get him by drone.
    Such people are *that* dangerous. Hell, they’re more dangerous than a *real* terrorist.
    The literal danger to human life is actually greater.

    What makes me wonder is both the US and Australia, where self-governing groups entirely refuse to address harm to the entire society.
    I know why that is in the US, an age old “buying” of politicians.
    I’m entirely mystified as to why the government does not enforce law that ensures the health of the populace in its entirety.

  3. Sue says:

    This guy rejects so-called “1960s medical dogma” while practising a totally made-up 19th century dogma. This would be hilarious if it weren’t so potentially harmful to his patients.

  4. At the risk of being moderated out, but to me, that bloke is a deadset dropkick. I was going to say “dickhead”, but thought it could be inappropriate.

  5. Caro says:

    I asked my Gonstead chiropractor (a very professional chap who only concerns himself with my back and never wants to lecture me on lifestyle, vitamins, wholistic health and other stuff) what he thinks of anti-vaxxers. I admit it, I was bracing myself, lest some quackery come out. But he told me he thought Meryl and her mob were morons, who had gotten most of their so called “science” completely wrong. He then told me to make sure my child was vaccinated.

  6. Sue says:

    The update with Phillips’ response is even more concerning.

    1. Argue about whether a public FB page declaring yourself as a Chiro is actually a public FB page declaring yourself as a Chiro
    2. Express even more anti-vax views
    3. Be astounded that people can access your public FB page
    4. See yourself as a victim.

    Again, if not so concerning, this would be even more hilarious.

    Rational Chiros – pls call these people out.

  7. Pingback: Australian chiropractor’s baby book creates antivaxers – in their own words | reasonablehank

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