Tell Our Legislators: Access Does Not Equal Informed Consent
Oppose HB1828 – “Protecting Vaccine Access in Pennsylvania”
What the bill does:
- Replaces CDC guidance (ACIP) with recommendations from private medical organizations like the AAP, ACOG, ACP, and AAFP.
- Requires insurance to cover 100% of all vaccines these organizations recommend — even if the CDC does not — without cost to the customer.
- Transfers decision-making power to private organizations with financial ties to vaccine manufacturers, removing public accountability.
Why it matters:
- Informed consent is ignored: Families lose the ability to make fully informed choices.
- Higher costs for everyone: Mandated coverage of out-of-network vaccines may raise premiums.
- State accountability is reduced: Unelected private groups, not Pennsylvania lawmakers or health authorities, decide what vaccines must be covered.
Example: If ACIP stops recommending a vaccine like hepatitis B for newborns, this bill would still require insurance to cover it if one of these private organizations recommends it.
2 Ways to Take Action Today
1️⃣ Attend or Watch the Hearing
- When: Tuesday, October 7th
- Where: Pennsylvania Capitol, Irvis Building, Room G50
- Time: TBD
- Can’t attend? Watch online — link posted on the PCIC Facebook page.
2️⃣ Call Committee Members
Tell them you oppose HB1828 and support informed consent and transparency:
Democrat Members:
Perry S. Warren – (717) 787-5475
Steven Malagari – (717) 783-8515
Greg Scott – (717) 772-0749
Aerion Abney – (717) 783-3783
Tim Brennan – (717) 772-2361
Morgan Cephas – (717) 783-2192
Jim Haddock – (717) 787-3589
Bridget Kosierowski – (717) 783-4874
Robert Merski – (717) 787-4358
Kyle Mullins – (717) 783-5043
Brian Munroe – (717) 772-1983
Darisha Parker – (717) 787-7727
Christina Sappey – (717) 772-9973
Arvind Venkat – (717) 772-2363
Republican Members:
Tina Pickett – (717) 783-8238
Eric Nelson – (717) 260-6146
Jonathan Fritz – (717) 783-2910
Aaron Bernstine – (717) 783-8322
Ann Flood – (717) 783-8573
Keith Greiner – (717) 783-6422
Thomas Kutz – (717) 783-2063
Thomas Leadbeter – (717) 783-1102
Jeff Oslommer – (717) 783-1102
Louis Schmitt – (717) 787-6419
Dane Watro – (717) 260-6136
David Zimmerman – (717) 787-3531
Talking Points You Can Use
- This bill gives private organizations too much control over vaccine policy in Pennsylvania.
- Access alone does not guarantee informed consent.
- Mandated coverage of all vaccines increases insurance costs for everyone.
- Families deserve transparency, accountability, and choice.
Message to Lawmakers
Access does not equal informed consent. Pennsylvanians deserve freedom, transparency, and the ability to make informed medical decisions.
Vote NO on HB1828.
Quick Actions & Stay Connected
- 📞 Call your legislators today
- 🏛️ Attend or watch the October 7th hearing
- 💻 Follow PCIC for updates and resources
- 📢 Share this call to action to spread awareness
For more information on why the PA legislature is reacting to recent ACIP announcements to please watch the October 4 episode of CHD TV’s “Meryl Nass Show”, Dr. Nass and Barbara Loe Fisher discussed the recent ACIP meeting and the federal role in vaccine policy. Their remarks help explain why some Pennsylvania legislators are rushing to “protect access” just as ACIP is reconsidering long-standing recommendations like the Hepatitis B birth dose. The conversation highlights what happens when vaccine decisions move from public advisory committees to private medical trade groups.
| Time (approx.) | Speaker / Topic | Topic |
|---|
| 00:13:08 – 00:14:18 | Barbara Loe Fisher describes the ACIP discussion on delaying or eliminating the Hep B birth dose, calling it “remarkable.” | “Even ACIP is questioning whether every newborn needs the Hep B shot — a discussion Pennsylvania legislators seem intent on ignoring.” |
| 00:18:45 – 00:19:25 | Meryl Nass explains how Vaccines for Children (Clinton) and Obamacare (Obama) linked insurance coverage to ACIP recommendations. | “This clip shows how federal law already ties coverage to ACIP guidance — HB1828 would hand that power to private trade groups instead.” |
| 00:30:00 – 00:31:14 | Fisher recounts how liability protections grew from 1976 Swine Flu to the 1986 Vaccine Act, reducing accountability. | “A reminder that once private organizations and manufacturers are shielded, transparency fades — exactly the risk in HB1828.” |
| 00:33:33 – 00:34:22 | Fisher urges repeal of mandates and restoration of voluntary vaccination. | “She underscores that mandates erode informed consent — the same principle at stake in HB1828.” |
| 00:35:03 – 00:35:13 | Nass and Fisher discuss how the cost to fully vaccinate a child exceeds $5,000 when mandates expand. | “An insight into why automatic coverage expansions under HB1828 could drive up premiums for all Pennsylvanians.” |

