Unfortunately, No One Is Immune To Stupidity

25 Adar 5781

While acknowledging that this is a very sensitive subject, not normally suitable for mixed company, I think the consequences of not publicizing the following information overrules the requirements of modesty.  This information has got to get out!!

It comes via the Nishmat website.  Nishmat is a higher institution of learning for religious women in Jerusalem.

Nishmat was founded in 1990 by Rabbanit Chana Henkin to open the gates of higher Torah learning to women. Now situated in its beautiful campus in Jerusalem’s Pat neighborhood, south of Katamon, Nishmat has become a world center for women’s scholarship, leadership, and social responsibility, and a world leader in paving a new path for women in Jewish life. Ten years after its founding, Nishmat created the new religious role of Yoatzot Halacha, women halachic advisors, opening the way for women in religious leadership.

Following is an example of that exemplary education as expressed in the politically correct counsel given in reply to this question... 

Q.  I’m scheduled to get my first dose of Corona vaccine tomorrow.  I’ve heard some rumors that women are having spotting after the shot.  Do you know if there’s any basis to that? I’m nervous it might make me niddah.

A.  Congratulations on getting the vaccine!

First, it’s important to emphasize that the FDA-approved Corona vaccines are considered safe, including for women of reproductive age.

We have heard some anecdotal reports of spotting following vaccination.  Since women experience spotting for many different reasons, we cannot know to what extent these cases are connected to the vaccine, and to what extent they are coincidence. At this point, no correlation between the vaccine and staining has been documented.  In any case, an association between vaccination and spotting would not be indicative of any negative reproductive effects.

The benefits of vaccination against Corona outweigh theoretical concerns of becoming niddah or delaying mikveh during one or two cycles.

...If you do experience spotting or any side effect, you can report it to your health care provider, local health authorities, and/or the company that manufactured the vaccine:

Israel Ministry of Health

US Department of Health and Human Services

Pfizer

Please get back to us with any further questions.

We wish you continued good health!

There is so much wrong with this response, I don't even know where to begin.  I think for most people, the problems should be self-evident.  A major one is that according to their calculations, no adverse effect can ever be proved against the vaccine; therefore, they don't really exist.  And another major one is this persistent misinformation that these injectables are "FDA approved"...

Listen HERE at 30 secs in.

The worst, however, is the line I highlighted in red: ...an association between vaccination and spotting would not be indicative of any negative reproductive effects.  There is simply no scientific basis whatsoever for such a statement.  No one could possibly know such a thing for a fact at this point in time.  It can take up to two generations for some problems to appear, as in DES.

DES was discovered in 1938 and introduced for medical use in 1939.  From about 1940 to 1971, the medication was given to pregnant women in the incorrect belief that it would reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and losses.  In 1971, DES was shown to cause clear-cell carcinoma, a rare vaginal tumor, in girls and women who had been exposed to this medication in utero.  The United States Food and Drug Administration subsequently withdrew approval of DES as a treatment for pregnant women.  Follow-up studies have indicated that DES also has the potential to cause a variety of significant adverse medical complications during the lifetimes of those exposed.

The United States National Cancer Institute recommends women born to mothers who took DES to undergo special medical exams on a regular basis to screen for complications as a result of the medication.  Individuals who were exposed to DES during their mothers' pregnancies are commonly referred to as "DES daughters" and "DES sons".  Since the discovery of the toxic effects of DES, it has largely been discontinued and is now mostly no longer marketed.

Meaning it is still in use.  And note that this drug was FDA-approved, the approval being withdrawn after the damage had already been done.  

The icing on this cake is the final insult - the reference to "theoretical" concerns.  Once they admitted to knowing of cases as described, all possibility of "theoretical" concerns ceased to exist.  It's very reminiscent of the old-style medical attitudes of doctors patronizing and condescending  to their patients.  Just who are you to question The Doctor?   You can almost feel the pat on the head.  

Higher education is no cure for stupidity.   Never let your better judgment be overruled by an unhealthy respect for people with titles and letters after their names.