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:

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

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

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:

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):

And does it again a few minutes later:

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

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?

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 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:

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:

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

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 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:

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

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

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

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