FOIA Reveals Troubling Relationship between HHS/CDC & the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
by Maggie Thorp JD and Jim Thorp MD | May 7, 2023
Fast forward to your first obstetrical appointment. Waiting nervously to meet your ob-gyn doctor, you make a mental checklist of issues you want to discuss. You presume conversations you are about to have with your doctor will be confidential. You also presume the medical opinions your doctor is about to give will be transparent and honest, in the best interests of you and your baby, and based on your ob-gyn’s independent medical judgment.
Spoiler alert: some conversations you will have with your ob-gyn have been pre-determined – namely, whether you should consent to take the COVID-19 “vaccine” while you are pregnant. Should you refuse your ob-gyn’s recommendation to take the COVID-19 shot, this will likely be recorded in your medical record, potentially shared with governmental officials, and you’ll be asked again to comply in future appointments.1 In what amounts to the ultimate patient betrayal, these pre-arranged COVID-19 “vaccine” discussions are not necessarily the product of your doctor’s independent medical judgment and do not provide informed consent about the known and unknown risks of the shots to both mother and baby. Rather, these conversations are likely fashioned to push the HHS’s/CDC’s pro-COVID-19 “vaccine” narrative, in what seems to be an attempt to capture ob-gyn doctors and their patients across two continents.
ACOG
Meet the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Founded in 1951, ACOG holds itself out as the “premier professional membership organization for obstetricians and gynecologists” and is the leading organization representing physicians and specialists in obstetrical care.2 ACOG is entrenched across two continents – it has more than 60,000 members and is composed of 12 geographic districts made up of 98 sections spanning North, South, and Central America.3
HHS and COVID-19 Community Corps
Next, meet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On April 1, 2021, HHS formally announced the launch of a COVID-19 “vaccine” propaganda machine called COVID-19 Community Corps – a vast marketing enterprise which exploited private entities and individuals across the country to push the COVID-19 “vaccines.”4 As part of the COVID-19 Community Corps, HHS awarded billions of federal dollars to recruit what HHS referred to as “trusted community leaders” who could push the “vaccines” within our most private relationships.5 Much like modern-day trojan horses, these “trusted messengers” would be unique in their ability to permeate all facets of private life.6 As HHS explained on its COVID-19 Community Corps announcement page – a page which has now been taken down with even the original URL removed7 – “Research shows that, when making the decision to get vaccinated, people want to hear from people they trust, such as medical professionals, their own family and friends, and leaders in their community.”8 These HHS “trusted messengers” infiltrated every nook and cranny of our personal lives, in ways and areas that traditional advertising dollars simply couldn’t reach.
Along with many other influential nonprofit medical organizations, ACOG jumped on board as a founding member of COVID-19 Community Corps9 – ultimately receiving millions in HHS/CDC grant money10 and later recklessly endorsing COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy, even though the clinical trials failed to include pregnant women.
And ACOG is not alone – of approximately 275 organizations listed by HHS as COVID-19 Community Corps founding members, 25 are health and medical organizations.11 Other influential “founding member” medical organizations included the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American Medical Women Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics12 – although women and children seem to be at higher risk for some types of COVID-19 “vaccine” injuries.
HHS and COVID-19 Community Corps: Follow the “Communication Science”
Essential to its strategy, HHS sought to identify trusted community leaders, enlist them to join its COVID-19 Community Corps, and then utilize these “trusted sources” to convince those around them to take the COVID-19 “vaccines.”13 According to a December 23, 2020 article published by CBS News, HHS ran “focus groups” to fine-tune its pro-“vaccine” message for what then HHS Deputy Assistant Sec. Weber referred to as “the moveable middle.”14 As then, Deputy Assistant Sec. Weber also reportedly noted, “Communication science says you need a messenger who resonates as trusted.”15
The focus was on finding people with not just local, but also uniquely interpersonal influence. As Harvard public health professor Jay Winsten,16 who has advised previous administrations, reportedly explained to CBS News in its December 2020 article, “You want to go for the low-hanging fruit, those that are easiest to pick and harvest.”17 Noting that the focus should be on finding locally influential people to push the vaccines, Winsten added, “People trust their own doctors, their own nurses, their own pastors, their own social networks. That’s very, very different from a distant figure.”18
Indeed, the effort was very different from using a distant figure. The marketing methods utilized by HHS to push the COVID-19 “vaccines” – including the creation of COVID-19 Community Corps – were so vastly different from any other HHS propaganda effort that an article was published in the Journal of Health Communication in April of 2022 detailing the process.19 Featuring now-retired HHS Deputy Assistant Sec. Mark Weber as lead author, the article confirms that HHS did, in fact, target interpersonal relationships.20
As Weber and his co-authors explain: “Market research impacted every element of the Campaign from the beginning – from overall strategy to early paid advertising, social media postings, and other mass communication strategies. The need for interpersonal interactions with physicians, ministers, family, and community members was clear from the initial market research conducted in the fall of 2020. While the first phase of the Campaign initially focused on mass media messages, it shifted to more of a trusted messenger, and community orientation, with outreach focused at the community level.”21
Weber’s and his colleagues’ “vaccine” marketing efforts were so successful that, after retiring from HHS, Weber apparently formed his own private company aimed at “Achieving bold goals at the Federal Level”22 – in typical revolving door fashion.
According to Weber and his co-authors, the HHS campaign to push the COVID-19 “vaccines” entered its third phase in 2022 and has evolved into a highly targeted approach using both paid and “earned” media strategies.
As explained in the article, the HHS campaign: “Focuses more on precision marketing to identify subgroups with vaccine hesitancy, working directly with communities and using trusted messengers in those communities to deliver messages without the Federal government being directly involved (even though the information may come from a Federal source).”23
Notably, the article neglects to fully explain – or even recognize – that what HHS engaged in is both deceptive and unethical. This is because HHS used persons and methods targeting trust within interpersonal relationships to push messages that the “vaccines” were safe and effective – but often, government involvement behind the messaging was not fully disclosed. In some instances, as reported by ABC News in a page now removed from the internet, government organizations recruited and paid influential individuals to offer opinions about the safety and/or efficacy of the “vaccines” – as if these were their own independent opinions.24
Near-Perfect Trojan Horses? “Communication Science” Means Access and Influence
Regarding the issue of “trust,” – a pregnant patient’s relationship with her ob-gyn is arguably one of the most intimate and sacred physician-patient relationships in all of medicine. This is not without reason – as one patient and writer notes, “They’re right next to you for the most momentous occasion of your life.”25 Pregnant mothers trust their ob-gyn doctor with the most intimate and sensitive information about their own bodies, their sex lives, and, if pregnant, about the new life growing inside of them. Their ob-gyn is one of the first persons to actually see a mother’s newborn baby, whether reading prenatal images during the pregnancy or during the birthing and delivery process. Some individuals have even reported the development of a non-romantic affection for their ob-gyn that rivals that of the baby’s father in some ways, due to the “complete vulnerability” many women reportedly experience with their gynecological and pregnancy specialists.26 In sum, government capture of ACOG would provide access to and influence over near-perfect “trojan horses” to market the CDC’s pro-vaccine message.
The Ob-Gyn “Trojan Horse”
As for ob-gyn doctors, ACOG’s 60,000 members span two continents, providing tremendous opportunity for access to those who could potentially become “trusted messengers.” In addition, ACOG’s 60,000 members steward one of the most trusted and intimate physician-patient relationships in all of medicine, thus providing tremendous opportunity for wielding influence over the vaccine-hesitant.
The Patient “Trojan Horse”
As for ob-gyn patients, women have been referred to as “A Brand’s Powerhouse.”27 This is not without good reason: marketing studies have shown that women reportedly make a full 90% of all healthcare decisions about their household.28 Convincing women to take the COVID-19 shots was almost a guarantee that they would become pro-COVID-19 “vaccine” messengers within their own families.
Moreover, if the COVID-19 “vaccines” were considered safe enough to administer to pregnant patients (and thereby trans-placentally to their unborn babies) – certainly they were safe enough for everyone. If HHS and CDC could pull off government capture of ACOG, and convince its ob-gyn members to push the shots on their patients, this would be a bonanza for reaching the “vaccine” hesitant – what HHS Deputy Assistant Sec. Mark Weber referred to as the “moveable middle.”29
Cooperative Agreements – Government Capture of ACOG
On February 1, 2021, ACOG was awarded the first of what would be three HHS/CDC “Cooperative Agreement” grants made during the pandemic, in which ACOG would receive over $11 million in grant money over coming years.30 But there was a catch. As the name of the grants indicates – documents obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request show that ACOG’s receipt of COVID-19 grant money was conditioned on ACOG yielding substantial control over the projects which were to be funded by the grants to the CDC.31 Receipt of the grant money was also contingent on ACOG’s full compliance with CDC guidance on COVID-19 infection and control.32
And on April 23, 2021, the CDC’s guidance on COVID-19 “vaccination” for pregnant individuals was made crystal clear. On that day, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced at a White House COVID-19 briefing that the CDC was now recommending all pregnant individuals should receive the COVID-19 “vaccine.”33
Perhaps unsurprisingly, following the lead of the CDC, on July 30, 2021, ACOG, along with the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM), recklessly began endorsing COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy,34 even though the clinical trials failed to include pregnant women.
Bound under the terms and conditions of these Cooperative Agreements grants (which ceded control to the CDC for programs involving COVID-19 grant funding), ACOG played right into the hands of the HHS’ strategy to enlist “trusted messengers” to push the COVID shots. As ACOG explains on its website, a pregnant patient’s ob-gyn had the potential for enormous influence: “[P]regnant people need to feel confident in the decision to choose vaccination, and a strong recommendation from their obstetrician-gynecologist could make a meaningful difference for many pregnant people.”35 In this case, ACOG seems to say the quiet part out loud – a recommendation from an ob-gyn could be a game changer for convincing pregnant women to take the COVID-19 “vaccines.” Here, the targets of the experimental “vaccine” campaign would be society’s most vulnerable – pregnant mothers and their unborn babies.
ACOG’s July 30, 2021, announcement strongly recommending COVID-19 “vaccination” in pregnancy was a sharp about-face from ACOG’s previous stance on the issue. Website archives show that for the months of the pandemic preceding July 30, 2021 (Dec. 2020 through July 21, 2021), ACOG’s official recommendation was to allow pregnant women the freedom to choose, stating throughout the first half of 2021: “In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination.”36 Yet, ACOG’s recommendation abruptly changed on July 30, 2021.37 In place of patient autonomy, independent clinical judgment, and informed consent about the known and unknown risks of the COVID-19 “vaccines,” ACOG’s recommendations would now follow CDC’s guidance, announced by CDC director Walensky on April 23, 2021.
The FOIA Request
To learn more about COVID-19 funding received by ACOG during the pandemic, as well as who (and what) might have been behind ACOG’s about-face on July 30, 2021, I made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to HHS in 2022. My request was simple – it sought only to obtain documents involving the three $11 million “Cooperative Agreement” grants HHS/CDC made to ACOG during the pandemic.38 These grants were listed on a publicly accessible open data source for federal spending, USASPENDING.gov.39 My FOIA request struck gold – triggering 1400+ pages in government databases related to these three “Cooperative Agreements” awarded to ACOG. But my request also struck a nerve – approximately half of the information produced on those 1400+ pages of federal grants was redacted by HHS, ACOG, or both. Although specific program information and details about the grants have been redacted (based upon work-product, attorney-client, trade secret, and other privileges), the FOIA documents disclose the existence of the following grant programs between CDC and ACOG:
“Engaging Women’s Health Care Providers for Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations”40
“Improving Ob/Gyn’s Ability to Support COVID-19 Vaccination, Mental Health, and Social Support”41
An ERR- Emergency Resource Request Tool,” made by a “Requestor” from the CDC and needed by April 30, 2021 (before ACOG began recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant individuals), in which “ACOG will use the $300,000 funding level to support its COVID-19 response efforts, targeting ob-gyns, other women’s health care practitioners, and the patients they serve.”42
A grant in which communications giant APCO Worldwide, a global public health communication vendor,43 “will support three key initiatives within the COVID-19 scope,” including:
Support ACOG in developing a COVID-19 Earned and Social Media Communications Toolkit.44
Conduct “Virtual Training for Members” to promote the COVID-19 communications toolkit, including hosting one 1.5-hour live virtual training session for ACOG members to “be recorded so it can further be amplified and used by other members.”’45
In partnership with ACOG, assist with producing and launching a COVID-19 podcast series, sharing information on the latest COVID-19 recommendation for ACOG members.46
A grant in which ACOG will, by September 29, 2023
“develop one COVID-19 tool kit for District Managers” and
“launch a paid social media campaign targeting areas with low vaccination rates and high vaccination hesitancy.”47
An ERR- Emergency Resource Request Tool,” made by a “Requestor” from the CDC and needed by March 11, 2022, which will “continue and expand upon work being done during Years 1 and 2 of this collaboration. In year 3, ACOG will focus on developing, maintaining, and promoting tools to combat misinformation on COVID-19, which has emerged as a significant barrier to the uptake of vaccination during pregnancy. ACOG will also asses which of their districts and sections are the most in need of additional education and outreach and focus their efforts on those communities.”48
An ERR – Emergency Resource Request Tool, made by a “Requestor” from the CDC and needed by March 11, 2022, for a second PILOT project involving both the American Academy of Pediatrics and ACOG, which notes, “the ACOG-related activities between the two projects are complementary and not duplicative.”49
Even with the significant redactions, the FOIA documents revealed startling information. By the terms and conditions of the Cooperative Agreements, ACOG must fully comply with all existing and future guidance from the HHS regarding the control and spread of COVID-19.50
If it sounds like government capture of ACOG – it is. Even more disturbing, CDC is surreptitiously working through ACOG, exploiting ACOG’s authority and sway, to influence not only doctors and patients – but a host of others – including public health entities and “partner organizations.” One lengthy provision in the Cooperative Agreement is particularly telling, making it difficult to tell where ACOG ends, and CDC begins:
“ACOG is currently in regular communication with CDC and other partner organizations to collaborate on the COVID-19 pandemic response. Moving forward in Year 3 of this project, ACOG will continue to collaborate with CDC to ensure that activities and funding are coordinated with and complementary to efforts supported under other CDC programs. ACOG will continue to leverage the strong relationship with the CDC to share information, review data, discuss recommendations, and convene subject matter experts to ensure that recommendations are aligned between the two organizations. ACOG will continue to participate in monthly meetings with CDC, and additional meetings as needed when emerging issues related to COVID-19 and other emerging threats arise. Additionally, ACOG staff will work closely with CDC to monitor program development, implementation, and evaluation throughout its life cycle.”
“ACOG will continue to build on partnerships and collaborations with organizations that play key roles in reaching clinicians, patients, and public health entities that play an important role in preventing and controlling the spread of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. This will include participating in webinars, conference calls, and other outreach opportunities with partner organizations similar to the collaborative work that has occurred in Years 1 and 2.”51
Similar to what former HHS Deputy Assistant Sec. Mark Weber writes about, HHS and CDC seem to be using ACOG to “deliver messages without the Federal government being directly involved (even though the information may come from a Federal source).”52 Until the FOIA documents were obtained, the CDC’s influential role in ACOG’s COVID-19-related activities and recommendations for pregnant patients was obscured from public view.
More FOIA Documents – COVID-19 Vaccination “Conversations” Between Ob-Gyn Doctors and Their Patients
Of particular interest, the FOIA documents reveal two Cooperative Agreement grants, totaling over $5,000,000 in grant money to ACOG, for a project called “Engaging Women’s Health Care Providers for Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations.”53 Another separate grant is for a project entitled “Improving Ob/Gyns’ Ability to Support COVID-19 Vaccination, Mental Health, Social Support.”54 Another perhaps similar project appears to have received grant money in excess of an additional $1 million, funded at the same time – but this project was apparently so controversial that ACOG and HHS/CDC chose to redact it from public view.55
While specific details about the program entitled “Engaging Women’s Healthcare Providers for Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations” was redacted, ACOG’s own website might provide a hint about what this project could have entailed. This is because ACOG’s website contains a special “Conversation Guide” page for ob-gyn physicians.
Entitled “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians,” the page is, by ACOG’s own admission, “intended to help guide [clinicians’] conversations with pregnant patients.”56 Thanks to this page, there is no need for a ob-gyn to exercise independent medical thought or clinical judgment regarding whether a particular patient should take the COVID-19 shot. Nor is there reason to provide informed consent to the patient about the known and unknown risks of the shots.
Moreover, if the CDC’s “Engaging Women’s Healthcare Providers for Effective COVID-19 Vaccine Conversations” grant is any hint – ACOG’s “Conversation Guide” page may have been drafted in participation with and/or under the purview of the CDC. Key recommendations from ACOG’s “Conversation Guide” page include:
“Vaccination may occur in any trimester, and emphasis should be on vaccine receipt as soon as possible to maximize maternal and fetal health. This recommendation applies to both primary series and booster vaccination.”57
“For patients who do not receive any COVID-19 vaccine, the discussion should be documented in the patient’s medical record. During subsequent office visits, obstetrician–gynecologists should address ongoing questions and concerns and offer vaccination again.”58
The nutshell version? Urgently push the COVID-19 shots in pregnant patients blindly and repeatedly, without the need for offering informed consent. If you cannot convince the patient to take the COVID-19 “vaccine,” document this discussion in the patient’s electronic medical record for what is likely reporting to the CDC.59
ACOG’s “Conversation Guide” webpage also conveniently includes “Key Messages” for its ob-gyn physicians, intended to nullify the need for informed consent and dismiss a pregnant patient’s concerns about safety:
“None of the COVID-19 vaccines available for use under emergency use authorization or U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) license causes infertility or spontaneous abortion.”
“There is no evidence of adverse maternal or fetal effects from vaccinating pregnant individuals with the COVID-19 vaccine, and a growing body of data demonstrates the safety of such use.”60
Sources Flash Danger
Yet, multiple sources (which we have written about here), including the government’s own data contained in VAERS,61 casts doubt on the veracity of these “Key Messages.” At this point in time, continuing to blindly push COVID-19 “vaccination” in pregnancy without informed consent could invite lawsuits brought by any woman who has suffered a complication following the shots, including a complication to her baby.
Most recently, the Defender, a publication which is affiliated with Children’s Health Defense (an organization that advocates for greater vaccine safety founded by Democratic Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy), reports alarming data. Calling into question the veracity of ACOG’s/CDC’s “Key Messages,” the data reported on by the Defender suggest that authorities knew of health risks with the mRNA shots, but assured pregnant mothers it was safe anyway.62 According to a recent troubling report from Naomi Wolf’s organization, DailyClout, the April 2023 batch of Pfizer clinical documents released under court order demonstrate that both Pfizer and FDA knew the mRNA shots caused serious harm to both fetuses and infants – yet CDC pushed the shots anyway.63
More Questions than Answers
ACOG’s July 30, 2021, page recommending the COVID-19 “vaccines” for pregnant individuals does not disclose that ACOG – a membership-driven non-governmental organization – was operating under the purview of the HHS and CDC regarding its COVID-19 guidance for pregnant women at the time that recommendation was made.64 Which begs multiple questions: When ACOG changed its official COVID-19 “vaccination” position on July 30, 2021 – choosing to follow CDC’s April 23, 2021, recommendations that COVID-19 “vaccines” be given to pregnant women – why didn’t ACOG simply disclose it was following the CDC’s recommendations? Was this July 30, 2021 recommendation also ACOG’s own independent recommendation? If so, what exactly was ACOG’s independent recommendation based upon? Was it based on the CDC’s highly influential but statistically flawed study published April 21, 2021, by CDC Immunization Safety Office Director, Dr. Tom Shimabukuro?65 In tactics reminiscent of totalitarian societies, in which the totalitarian state pursues an agenda or goal to the exclusion of all others, the landing point here is always the federal government.
Regarding the FOIA documents involving three Cooperative Agreement grants made to ACOG during the pandemic (showing ACOG partnered with and was essentially bound by the CDC regarding its COVID-19 protocols), why weren’t all pages released, providing full transparency? After all, these grants directly impact pregnant women and their unborn children – two of the most vulnerable groups with respect to the COVID-19 shots – and evidence of partnerships between ACOG and the HHS/CDC, administered by US public agencies and supported by tax dollars.
Lastly, if ACOG truly believes (as it states on its “Conversation Guide” page), that there has been “no evidence of adverse maternal or fetal effects from vaccinating pregnant individuals with the COVID-19 vaccine,”66 then why in the world has it, together with or separately from HHS, invoked “attorney-client,” “work product” and “trade secret” privileges with respect to the redacted FOIA pages? I can’t help but wonder: has ACOG communicated with its 60,000 members to ask their clinical opinions about whether the COVID-19 vaccine should be blindly administered, without informed consent, in any trimester of pregnancy? Has ACOG asked its 60,000 members what they are seeing clinically?
Finally, the fact that ACOG is under the purview of and must comply with the CDC regarding COVID-19 vaccination recommendations in pregnancy is troubling for yet another reason – a potential conflict of interest via the CDC’s nonprofit support entity, the CDC Foundation.67
Donation records show that the CDC Foundation has, in past years leading up to the pandemic, received donations from Pfizer, Inc.,68 the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,69 and a host of other pharmaceutical companies and private entities.70 Essentially, this puts not only the CDC inside the patient room with you and your ob-gyn while discussing the issue of taking the COVID-19 “vaccination” during pregnancy, but also pharmaceutical manufacturers and others who stand to profit most if you comply.
References:
1 See webpage maintained by: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians. COVID-19 “vaccination” Key Recommendations from ACOG’s clinician “Conversation Guide” are as follows (emphasis added):
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends that pregnant individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19. Given the potential for severe illness and death during pregnancy, completion of the initial COVID-19 vaccination series is a priority for this population.
mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are preferred over the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine for primary series, additional doses (for immunocompromised persons), and for booster vaccination.
ACOG recommends that pregnant and recently pregnant people up to 6 weeks postpartum receive a bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster dose following the completion of their last COVID-19 primary vaccine dose or monovalent booster.
Vaccination may occur in any trimester, and emphasis should be on vaccine receipt as soon as possible to maximize maternal and fetal health. This recommendation applies to both primary series and booster vaccination.
For patients who do not receive any COVID-19 vaccine, the discussion should be documented in the patient’s medical record. During subsequent office visits, obstetrician–gynecologists should address ongoing questions and concerns and offer vaccination again.
COVID-19 vaccines may be administered simultaneously with other vaccines, including within 14 days of receipt of another vaccine. This includes vaccines routinely administered during pregnancy, such as the influenza and Tdap vaccines.
Pregnant patients who get vaccinated should be encouraged to sign up for the v-safe safety monitoring program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
2 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “About.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/about#:~:text=ACOG ... ommunities.
3 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “About.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/about#:~:text=ACOG ... ommunities.
4 See Thorp, Maggie and Jim Thorp. 2022. “Tentacles of a Covert and Exploitative Propaganda Machine Compliments of the US Government.” America Out Loud, October 28, 2022. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.americaoutloud.com/tentacle ... overnment/
5 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
6 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
7 Even the HHS’ original url to the HHS announcement page, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/04/ ... paign.html (accessed May 6, 2023), has been taken down. When navigating to the HHS announcement page’s original url, which would be searchable on internet archive websites, the HHS’ original url now displays as https://public3.pagefreezer.com/browse/ ... index.html (accessed May 6, 2023).
8 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
9 You can find HHS’ “Full List of COVID-19 Community Corps Founding Members: Public Health & Medical Organizations” on this page: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
10 USASPENDING.gov. 2023. “Spending by Prime Award.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?has ... cbe34c6321.
11 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html
12 You can find HHS’ “Full List of COVID-19 Community Corps Founding Members: Public Health & Medical Organizations” on this page: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
13 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2021. “U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Launches Nationwide Network of Trusted Voices to Encourage Vaccination in Next Phase of COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.” (Screen Snapshot captured on April 1, 2021, at 22:51:02, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 1, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210401225 ... paign.html.
14 Kates, Graham. “Inside the $250 Million Effort to Convince Americans the Coronavirus Vaccines are Safe.” CBS News, December 23, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vacc ... -campaign/.
15 Kates, Graham. “Inside the $250 Million Effort to Convince Americans the Coronavirus Vaccines are Safe.” CBS News, December 23, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vacc ... -campaign/.
16 Harvard T.H. Chan: School of Public Health. 2023. “Jay A. Winsten, Ph.D.” Accessed May 6, 2023. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/jay-winsten/.
17 Kates, Graham. “Inside the $250 Million Effort to Convince Americans the Coronavirus Vaccines are Safe.” CBS News, December 23, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vacc ... -campaign/.
18 Kates, Graham. “Inside the $250 Million Effort to Convince Americans the Coronavirus Vaccines are Safe.” CBS News, December 23, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vacc ... -campaign/.
19 Mark A. Weber, Thomas E. Backer & April Brubach. “Creating the HHS COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign: Applying Systems Change Learnings.” April 25, 2022. Journal of Health Communication, 27:3, 201-207, DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2067272.
20 Mark A. Weber, Thomas E. Backer & April Brubach. “Creating the HHS COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign: Applying Systems Change Learnings.” April 25, 2022. Journal of Health Communication, 27:3, 201-207, DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2067272.
21 Mark A. Weber, Thomas E. Backer & April Brubach. “Creating the HHS COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign: Applying Systems Change Learnings.” April 25, 2022. Journal of Health Communication, 27:3, 201-207, DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2067272 (emphasis added).
22 LinkedIn. 2023. “Mark Weber (He/Him): “Your success is my success!” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-weber-595918a/.
23 Mark A. Weber, Thomas E. Backer & April Brubach. “Creating the HHS COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign: Applying Systems Change Learnings.” April 25, 2022. Journal of Health Communication, 27:3, 201-207, DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2067272 (emphasis added).
24 Anderson, James. “US Turns to Social Media Influencers to Boost Vaccination Rates.” ABC News, August 21, 2021. (Screen Snapshot captured on August 31, 2021, at 00:09:25, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 5, 2023). https://web.archive.org/web/20210831000 ... s-79373529 .
25 Pickworth, Carin. “I’m in Love with my Obstetrician, and I’m not Alone.” News.com.au. KidSpot, April 5, 2018. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.kidspot.com.au/pregnancy/la ... 53acecce56.
26 Pickworth, Carin. “I’m in Love with my Obstetrician, and I’m not Alone.” News.com.au. KidSpot, April 5, 2018. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.kidspot.com.au/pregnancy/la ... 53acecce56.
27 WCA_FemalePowerhouse_Infographic_2018.pdf. https://womenschoiceaward.com/wp-conten ... c_2018.pdf.
28 WCA_FemalePowerhouse_Infographic_2018.pdf. https://womenschoiceaward.com/wp-conten ... c_2018.pdf. (Pg. 8).
29 Kates, Graham. “Inside the $250 Million Effort to Convince Americans the Coronavirus Vaccines are Safe.” CBS News, December 23, 2020. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-vacc ... -campaign/.
30 USASPENDING.gov. 2023. “Spending by Prime Award.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?has ... cbe34c6321.
31 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See pp. 569-575. Specifically, p. 573 states in connection with a COVID-19 related grant awarded to ACOG on July 13, 2022:
Substantial Involvement by CDC: This is a cooperative agreement and CDC will have substantial programmatic involvement after the award is made. Substantial involvement is in addition to all post award monitoring, technical assistance, and performance reviews undertaken in the normal course of stewardship of federal funds (Emphasis retained).
32 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Accessed May 3, 2022. Documents responsive to FOIA Request can be accessed at https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945.
33 Coleman, Justine. “CDC Recommends Pregnant People Get COVID-19 Vaccine.” The Hill, April 23, 2021. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5 ... 9-vaccine/.
34 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases ... ndividuals.
35 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases ... ndividuals.
36 The first appearance of ACOG “Conversation Guide for Clinicians” page was Dec. 31, 2020. From the first appearance of this url ACOG through mid-July of 2021, ACOG recommended that pregnant individuals should be able to make their own decision.
Dec. 31, 2020 ACOG recommendation: “ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals should be free to make their own decision in conjunction with their clinical care team.” https://web.archive.org/web/20201231213 ... clinicians . (Screen Snapshot captured on Dec, 30, 2020, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023) (emphasis added).
Feb. 28, 2021 ACOG recommendation: “In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination.” https://web.archive.org/web/20210228211 ... clinicians. (Screen Snapshot captured on Feb. 28, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
Mar. 31, 2021 ACOG recommendation: In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination. https://web.archive.org/web/20210331111 ... clinicians. (Screen Snapshot captured on Mar. 31, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
Apr. 26, 2021 ACOG recommendation: In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426181 ... clinicians. (Screen Snapshot captured on Apr. 26, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
May 21, 2021 ACOG recommendation: In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination. https://web.archive.org/web/20210521184 ... clinicians. (Screen Snapshot captured on May 21, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
June 18, 2021 ACOG recommendation: In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618020 ... clinicians. (Screen Snapshot captured on June 18, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
July 16, 2021 ACOG recommendation: In the interest of patient autonomy, ACOG recommends that pregnant individuals be free to make their own decision regarding COVID-19 vaccination. https://web.archive.org/web/20210716225 ... clinicians (Screen Snapshot captured on July 16, 2021, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 3, 2023).
37 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases ... ndividuals.
38 USASPENDING.gov. 2023. “Spending by Prime Award.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?has ... cbe34c6321.
39 USASPENDING.gov. 2023.Accessed May 6, 2023. https://www.usaspending.gov/ .
40 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 439.
41 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 439.
42 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 878
43 APCO Worldwide. 2023. https://apcoworldwide.com/. Accessed May 7, 2023. See also Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. APCO Worldwide is identified on page 963.
44 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See pp. 963-965, 964.
45 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See pp. 963-965, 964.
46 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See pp. 963-965, 964.
47 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 1000.
48 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 1112.
49 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945 . Accessed May 3, 2023. See p. 1112.
50 Supra nn. 31-32.
51 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945. Accessed May 3, 2023. Page 1000. (Emphasis added).
52 See Mark A. Weber, Thomas E. Backer & April Brubach. “Creating the HHS COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign: Applying Systems Change Learnings.” April 25, 2022. Journal of Health Communication, 27:3, 201-207, DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2022.2067272 (emphasis added).
53 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945. Accessed May 3, 2023. Page 435-439, 439.
54 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945. Accessed May 3, 2023. Page 435-439, 439.
55 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945. Accessed May 3, 2023. Page 439.
56 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians.
57 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians.
58 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians.
59 Notably, the Cooperative Agreement grant contains a provision stating, “the recipient is expected to provide to CDC copies of and/or access to COVID-19 data collected with these funds.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2023. Documents responsive to FOIA Request. 2023. https://centersfordiseasecontrol.sharef ... 942fe74945. Accessed May 3, 2023. (Pg. 440).
60 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians.
61 Thorp, Maggie and Jim Thorp. 2022. “Pushing COVID-19 Shots in Pregnancy: The Greatest Ethical Breach in the History of Medicine.” America Out Loud, February 12, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.americaoutloud.com/pushing- ... -medicine/.
62 Bell, David, MD. “COVID Vaccines Were Never Sage for Pregnant Women, Pfizer’s Own Data Show.” the Defender: Children’s Health Defense News &Views, April 28, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defe ... pregnancy/ .
63 Kelly, Amy. “Report 69: Bombshell – Pfizer and FDA Knew in Early 2021 that Pfizer mRNA COVID “Vaccine” Caused Dire Fetal and Infant Risks, Including Death. They Began an Aggressive Campaign to Vaccinate Pregnant Women Anyway.” DailyClout, April 29, 2021. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://dailyclout.io/bombshell-pfizer- ... en-anyway/.
64 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “ACOG and SMFM Recommend COVID-19 Vaccination for Pregnant Individuals.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases ... ndividuals. This page states:
ACOG encourages its members to enthusiastically recommend vaccination to their patients. This means emphasizing the known safety of the vaccines and the increased risk of severe complications associated with COVID-19 infection, including death, during pregnancy,” said J. Martin Tucker, MD, FACOG, president of ACOG. “It is clear that pregnant people need to feel confident in the decision to choose vaccination, and a strong recommendation from their obstetrician–gynecologist could make a meaningful difference for many pregnant people.” (Emphasis retained).
See also, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians. This page states:
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly recommends that pregnant individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19. Given the potential for severe illness and death during pregnancy, completion of the initial COVID-19 vaccination series is a priority for this population.
65 Thorp, Maggie and Jim Thorp. 2022. “Pushing COVID-19 Shots in Pregnancy: The Greatest Ethical Breach in the History of Medicine.” America Out Loud, February 12, 2023. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.americaoutloud.com/pushing- ... -medicine/.
66 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). 2023. “COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy: Conversation Guide – Key Recommendations and Messaging for Clinicians.” Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.acog.org/covid-19/covid-19- ... clinicians.
67 The CDC Foundation. 2023. “Supporting CDC and Public Health.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/supporting-cdc.
68 The CDC Foundation. 2023. “Corporations, Foundations & Organizations: Fiscal year 2018 Report to Contributors.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/FY2018/organizations. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/FY2018/organizations. (Screen Snapshot captured on June 9, 2019, at 02:46:13, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 6, 2023).
69 The CDC Foundation. 2023. “Corporations, Foundations & Organizations: Fiscal year 2018 Report to Contributors.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/FY2018/organizations. https://www.cdcfoundation.org/FY2018/organizations. (Screen Snapshot captured on June 9, 2019, at 02:46:13, by Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Accessed May 6, 2023).
70 American Society of Hematology. 2023. “CDC Pressed to Acknowledge Industry Funding.” Accessed May 3, 2023. https://ashpublications.org/ashclinical ... ry-Funding.