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Your Name Here Your Address Here Your Address Here Your Email Here Your Telephone Here [date] Marc Holland, CEO Elizabeth Montgomery, Executive Producer Altitude Media, Inc. 4111 West Alameda Avenue, Suite 505 Burbank, CA 91505 Phone: 818-762-6400 Fax: 818-688-0111 Re: Meryl Dorey’s Interview for Executive Report: anti-vaccination propaganda Dear Mr. Holland and Ms Montgomery, It has come to my attention that your firm produces “Executive Report” for American Airlines. According to a press release from the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN), an interview with its founder, Meryl Dorey, will be aired on all flights in July and August. I am writing to ask you to remove this segment from all your programming. Airlines is planning to run disproved and dangerous anti-vaccination propaganda from The Australian Vaccination Network (AVN), via it's in-flight "Executive Report" media and "American Way" magazine. Citing fraudulent research, Ms. Dorey makes a number of false claims: that vaccines cause autism; that whooping cough vaccination "is not working" and is causing "a much more deadly disease". She also falsely suggests that the measles and mumps vaccines are losing their efficacy. The piece then directs passengers to the AVN website. A 2010 investigation into the AVN by the Health Care Complaints Commission of New South Wales resulted in findings that the AVN's website: 1) Provides information that is solely anti-vaccination. 2) Contains information that is incorrect and misleading. 3) Quotes selectively from research to suggest that vaccination may be dangerous. With no scientific backing or medically-qualified staff, the AVN lobby against the Australian Government's successful "Immunise Australia" program. Their website provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete and have signed a Conscientious or Medical Objection to vaccination form, which they provide. Altitude Media Page Page 2 of 2 While clearly promoting an "informed choice" against vaccination they state: "...the AVN disclaims any and all responsibility for that choice." International travel is a primary means by which vaccine-preventable diseases are spread. For example, the 2008 measles outbreak in San Diego was caused by a San Diego boy who acquired the infection in Europe. By allowing misinformation that is against all medical advice on disease prevention, Altitude Media is complicit in denying its passengers full protection under health and safety. High levels of whooping cough and accompanying infant fatalities in Australia and the USA are linked to low immunization levels. The CDC reported the highest number of measles cases in 15 years for 2011. 90% of the cases were were imported from overseas. 86% were unvaccinated or of unknown vaccination status. The CDC also fears the USA is at risk of a measles outbreak as travelers return from the London Olympics. In her interview, Ms. Dorey gives credence to the thoroughly disproven notion that autism is linked to vaccination. Repeating this failed hypothesis serves only to scare parents about the safety of vaccines. By enabling Dorey to spread this myth, Altitude Media is compounding a most serious public health issue. I urge you to remove Ms. Dorey’s segment from your July-August programming. Sincerely, [Your name]