Swine Flu Timeline

From the date the first person in the U.S. was identfied with the symptoms of a novel A(H1N1) virus on April 17, 2009 it took nine days for our country to declare a state of emergency, eleven days for Obama to request $1.5 billion to fight the virus, two weeks to announce plans for a swine flu vaccine, and five weeks to introduce legislation for a demonstration program to use the nation's primary and secondary schools as influenza vaccination centers. The private and public sectors have come together with astonishing alacrity, focus and efficiency to deliver structure and resources in support of a massive vaccination campaign. The international swine flu conference in Washington DC in August 2009 brings together "a broad range of industries with distinguished scientists, public health officials, law enforcers, first responders and other experts to discuss pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery."

Timeline details are available HERE.

No Forum For Open Dialogue

Given the speed with which the nation's public health and political decision making bodies have kicked into full gear and ramped up planning and implementation, there has been no opportunity to provide input on dissenting and alternative views, including those of the medical, bioethical, vaccination safety and informed consent communities.

The freight train is picking up speed and the U.S. is hurtling towards an unprecedented, comprehensive swine flu vaccination campaign targeted squarely at the nation's children. With public and private industry and the media all aligned in intent, execution and message, what are our options? The average citizen can sit on the sidelines and watch the inexorable machinery unfold. Or we can organize in sufficiently large numbers. We can remind politicians that they serve at the pleasure of the people. We can remind industry that we choose whether to purchase the products they manufacture. We can assert our voice and our will and say, "Enough."

Take Action

For Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathy

We have written an open letter to President Obama and HHS Secretary Sebelius, drafted by a group of dissenting physicians and citizens who are concerned about the upcoming swine flu campaign. It is available here in PDF and Microsoft Word formats. If you are a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy willing to sign the letter, print it out, sign it and e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it a scanned copy with your full name, credentials, address and telephone number clearly printed on the letter. We don't have their direct email addresses but you can click HERE to send a copy to President Obama and HERE to write Secretary Sebelius (or e-mail her webmaster). You'll need to cut and paste the letter and enter the text into their webforms. See details below for the contact information of other people to whom you might send your letter.

For Concerned Professionals, Activists and All Citizens

We have also written a longer "concerned citizen" letter to President Obama and HHS Secretary Sebelius. It is available here in PDF and Microsoft Word formats. Feel free to edit as you wish, cut and paste, or use any version of either letter in its entirety. It's best if you provide your original signature and your name, address, e-mail address clearly printed on the letter. Send your letter to the following people and copy me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

President Obama
HHS Secretary Sebelius
Your representatives in the House of Representatives and the Senate
Your state governor, Senate President and Assembly Speaker
Your state senator and two assemblypeople
Your school superintendent (PDF and Word versions)
National press contacts
Your local press

You can obtain contact information for your elected officials at Congress.org and USA.gov. Other sites for national and local media contacts include CAIR, KFF and Mondo Times.

Overwhelmed?
Click here for some quick tips

What's Your IQ?

Take a quiz and find out

Take Action
Click here

Swine Flu Alert

What was it all about?

Professionals Only

Health Practitioners

Quote of the week

"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

- Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968)