Inquiry into increased neonatal deaths in Scotland gets underway

Series of open letters to the chair of the expert group

reply received 28th April 2023

Thank you, Ros

Please be reassured that we do indeed have an open mind in regard to the Review outcomes.

Kind regards

Helen

Dr Helen Mactier

Honorary Senior Research Fellow within Medicine, University of Glasgow

email sent 27th April 2023

Dear Helen,

I wondered if you had seen this analysis of data from Public Health Scotland.  At face value, it certainly looks worrying – I am still hoping for confirmation that the inquiry will keep an open mind and will at least look at vaccination status of all mothers with a neonatal death.

Yours,

Ros 

Further letter sent 15th March:

Dear Dr Mactier,

I have received this rather anonymous reply on your behalf to my recent email which did not really answer our question to you. 

I presume the panel will at least review the previous documents to check that vaccination status was considered. Obviously no-one wants to duplicate work already done, but it has been clearly stated that vaccination was not reviewed because of concerns that this might increase vaccine hesitancy.  It would seem to be a total dereliction of duty to not even consider this new vaccine as a possible mechanism or contributory factor for the increased deaths and it should be relatively simple to address assuming that you will have access to the vaccination status with dates.

Once properly analysed, it would enable a prompt rebuttal of any anxieties or alternatively a suspension of vaccination in pregnancy, depending on the result of the investigation.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Ros Jones, retired consultant paediatrician

Reply received 14th March:

Dear Dr Jones

Thank you for your email and interest in the Review of Neonatal Mortality in Scotland.

The purpose of the review is to understand any contributing factors to the national increase in neonatal mortality. The review will assess and determine whether there are any themes, underlying causes or safety factors, from both a clinical and system perspective, and, if there are, should identify key learning points and make recommendations for improvements in the quality of care. The review is currently at an early stage.

The review will not duplicate any matters which are, or have been, the subject of other review, investigation or audit processes. In particular, it will not duplicate or carry out further reviews of individual neonatal deaths.

Kind Regards,

Neonatal Mortality Review Team

Healthcare Improvement Scotland

Letter sent 22nd February 2023

Dr Helen Mactier,

Chair, Neonatal Deaths Expert Review,

Dear Dr Mactier,

I am a retired neonatologist and was delighted to see that you are leading the review into the excess neonatal deaths in Scotland. 

The Herald Newspaper in announcing your appointment, is still stating: “Any link to Covid vaccines has been ruled out on the basis of international evidence demonstrating their safety in pregnancy, but PHS confirmed that it had not checked the vaccination status of any of the mothers affected.” 

It stressed that there was no public health basis to do so, and that such an analysis “whilst being uninformative for public health decision making, had the potential to be used to harm vaccine confidence”. 

I am confident you can be trusted to undertake a thorough investigation of all possible causes, without preconceptions. It would be negligent to rule out any link to vaccination without even asking the question and it should be very simple to look at vaccination status of all the mothers of babies who died and compare them to a matched pregnancy where the baby survived.  

I urge you to read the following letters, the first from Professor Richard Ennos to Professor Sarah Stock and the second addressed to the RCOG from a large number of concerned health professionals and academics.

In addition, this analysis of data released from Scotland found an increase in neonatal deaths if the mother had been vaccinated within the preceding 28 days https://www.hartgroup.org/scottish-pregnancy-data/.

Clearly there are potential mechanisms for concern, especially re possible effects of spike protein on blood vessels and the known increase in clotting problems and in myocarditis associated with the vaccines.

The suggestion previously voiced that an investigation of any role of vaccines might increase ‘vaccine hesitancy’ is clearly a non-argument.  If the outcome of such an investigation showed no link to vaccination status, then surely that should reduce vaccine hesitancy. But if by any chance the vaccines do turn out to have a role in these deaths, then it would be negligent not to act upon such information.

Please can you assure me that vaccination status, including number of doses and time interval between vaccination and delivery, will be a definitive question in your investigation? In particular, the definition of ‘vaccinated’ must of course be from the date of the injection rather than as in many publications, where subjects are listed as ‘unvaccinated’ until 14 or 21 days post first or even second dose. Please read Professor Norman Fenton (Professor in Risk Information Management at Queen Mary University of London) on the statistical biases that have occurred.

With very best wishes

Dr Ros Jones, MBBS (Hons), DObstRCOG, MD, FRCPCH

Retired consultant paediatrician and neonatologist, convenor of Children’s Covid Vaccines Advisory Council

   and 90 health professionals and academics below ……

Dr Nichola Ling, MBBS, MRCOG, Consultant obstetrician, Clinical Advisor to Digital Child Health and Maternity Programme NHS England 

Dr Julia Wilkens, MD, Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (former FRCOG)

Dr John Williams, FRCOG, retired Consultant in Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Professor Angus Dalgleish, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FRCPath, FMedSci, Professor of Oncology, University of London; Principal, Institute for Cancer Vaccines & Immunotherapy

Professor Richard Ennos, MA, PhD, Honorary Professorial Fellow, University of Edinburgh

Professor John Fairclough, FRCS, FFSEM, retired Honorary Consultant Surgeon 

Professor David Livermore, BSc, PhD, retired Professor of Medical Microbiology

Professor Dennis McGonagle, PhD, FRCPI, Consultant Rheumatologist, University of Leeds

Professor Karol Sikora, MA, MBBChir, PhD, FRCR, FRCP, FFPM, Honorary Professor of Professional Practice, Buckingham University

Professor Roger Watson, FRCP Edin, FRCN, FAAN, Professor of Nursing

Lord Moonie, MBChB, MRCPsych, MFCM, MSc, House of Lords, former parliamentary under-secretary of state 2001-2003, former Consultant in Public Health Medicine

Dr Najmiah K Ahmad, BM, MRCA, FCARCSI, Consultant Anaesthetist

Julie Annakin, RN, Immunisation Specialist Nurse

Helen Auburn, Dip ION MBANT NTCC CNHC RNT, registered Nutritional Therapist

Dr Ancha Bala-Joof BSc BSc MBChB MRCGP General Practitioner

Dr David Bell, MBBS, PhD, FRCP(UK), Public Health Physician

Dr Mark A Bell, MBChB, MRCP(UK), FRCEM, Consultant in Emergency Medicine 

Dr Michael D Bell, MBChB, MRCGP, retired General Practitioner

Dr Alan Black, MBBS, MSc, DipPharmMed, retired Pharmaceutical Physician

Dr Gillian Breese, BSc, MB ChB, DFFP, DTM&H, General Practitioner

Mr John Bunni, MBChB (Hons), DipLapSurg, FRCS, Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon

Dr H Burger, MRCGP, DRCOG, General Practitioner

Dr David Cartland, MBChB, BMedSci, General Practitioner

Caroline Cartledge, RM, BA (hons), Midwife

Angela Chamberlain, BSc (hons), Midwife

Dr Peter Chan, BM, MRCS, MRCGP, NLP, General Practitioner, Functional Medicine Practitioner 

Michael Cockayne, MSc, PGDip, SCPHNOH, BA, RN, Occupational Health Practitioner

Mr Ian F Comaish, MA, BMBCh, FRCOphth, FRANZCO, Consultant Ophthalmologist

James Cook, NHS Registered Nurse, Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Master of Public Health (MPH)

Dr Clare Craig, BMBCh, FRCPath, Pathologist

Dr David Critchley, BSc, PhD in Pharmacology, 32 years’ experience in Pharmaceutical R&D

Dr Sue de Lacy, MBBS, MRCGP, AFMCP, UK Integrative Medicine Doctor

Dr Jayne LM Donegan, MBBS, DRCOG, DCH, DFFP, MRCGP, General Practitioner

Dr Jonathan Eastwood, BSc, MBChB, MRCGP, General Practitioner

Dr Elizabeth Evans, MA(Cantab), MBBS, DRCOG, Co-founder UKMFA

Dr Christopher Exley, PhD FRSB, retired Professor in Bioinorganic Chemistry

Dr John Flack, BPharm, PhD, retired Director of Safety Evaluation, Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Senior Vice-president for Drug Discovery SmithKline Beecham 

Sophie Gidet, RM, Midwife

Dr Cathy Greig, MBBCh(Hons), General Practitioner

Dr Ali Haggett, Mental health community work, 3rd sector, former Lecturer in the history of medicine

Mr Anthony Hinton, MBChB, FRCS, Consultant ENT Surgeon, London

Dr Keith Johnson, BA, D.Phil (Oxon), IP Consultant for Diagnostic Testing

Fiona Jones, BSc(Hons), DipPreSci, Cert Med Ed, FRPharmS, MFRPSII, Clinical Pharmacist Independent Prescriber (retired)

Dr Tanya Klymenko, PhD, FHEA, FIBMS, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Eashwarran Kohilathas, BMBS, doctor and author

Dr Caroline Lapworth, General Practitioner

Dr Branko Latinkic, BSc, PhD, Reader in Biosciences

Dr Theresa Lawrie, MBBCh, PhD, Director, Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy Ltd, Bath

Dr Felicity Lillingston, IMD, DHS, PhD, ANP, Integrated Doctor, Doctor of Humanitarian Services, Research fellow  

Katherine MacGilchrist, BSc(Hons) Pharmacology, MSc Epidemiology, CEO, Systematic Review Director, Epidemica Ltd

Dr Geoffrey Maidment, MBBS, DRCOG, MD, FRCP, retired Consultant Physician

Mr Ahmad K Malik, FRCS(Tr & Orth), Dip Med Sport, Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr Ayiesha Malik, MBChB, General Practitioner

Dr Kulvinder S. Manik, MBChB, MRCGP, MA(Cantab), LLM, Gray’s Inn

Dr Sam McBride, BSc(Hons) Medical Microbiology & Immunobiology, MBBCh, BAO, MSc in Clinical Gerontology, MRCP(UK), FRCEM, FRCP(Edinburgh), NHS Emergency Medicine & Geriatrics

Kaira McCallum, BSc, retired Pharmacist, Director of Strategy UKMFA 

Mr Ian McDermott, MBBS, MS, FRCS(Tr&Orth), FFSEM(UK), Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr Franziska Meuschel, MD, ND, PhD, LFHom, BSEM, Nutritional, Environmental and Integrated Medicine

Dr Alistair Montgomery, MBChB, MRCGP, DRCOG, retired General Practitioner

Dr David Morris, MBChB, MRCP(UK), General Practitioner

Dr Alan Mordue, MBChB, FFPH, retired Consultant in Public Health Medicine & Epidemiology

Margaret Moss, MA(Cantab), CBiol, MRSB, Director, The Nutrition and Allergy Clinic, Cheshire

Theresa Ann Mounsey, BSc (hons) in midwifery studies 

Dr Alice Murkies, MBBS, MD, FRACGP, General Practitioner and Medical Researcher

Dr Greta Mushet, MBChB, MRCPsych, retired Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy

Dr Angela Musso, MD, MRCGP, DRCOG, FRACGP, BS, General Practitioner 

Dr Sarah Myhill, MBBS, Dip NM, Retired GP, Independent Naturopathic Physician

Dr Chris Newton, PhD, Biochemist working in immuno-metabolism

Dr Rachel Nicholl, PhD, Medical Researcher

Sue Parker Hall, certified transactional analyst (CTA, psychotherapy), MSc (Counselling & Supervision), MBACP (senior accredited practitioner), EMDR practitioner, Psychotherapist

Dr Christina Peers, MBBS, DRCOG, DFSRH, FFSRH, Menopause Specialist

Rev Dr William J U Philip, MBChB, MRCP, BD, Senior Minister The Tron Church, Glasgow, formerly doctor working in cardiology

Anna Phillips, RSCN, BSc Hons, Clinical Lead Trainer Clinical Systems (Paediatric Intensive Care)

Angharad Powell, MBChB, General Practitioner

Dr Gerry Quinn, PhD, Microbiologist 

Dr Johanna Reilly, MBBS, General Practitioner

Jessica Righart, MSc, MIBMS, Senior Biomedical Scientist

Mr Angus Robertson, BSc, MBChB, FRCSEd (Tr & Orth), Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Dr Jon Rogers, MBChB (Bristol), Retired General Practitioner

Mr James Royle, MBChB, FRCS, MMedEd, Colorectal Surgeon 

Dr Salmaan Saleem, General Practitioner

Sorrel Scott, Grad Dip Phys, Specialist Physiotherapist in Neurology

Dr Rohaan Seth, BSc (hons), MBChB (hons), MRCGP, retired General Practitioner

Natalie Stephenson, BSc (Hons) Paediatric Audiologist

Dr Noel Thomas, MA, MBChB, DObsRCOG, DTM&H, MFHom, retired Doctor

Dr Livia Tossici-Bolt, PhD, Clinical Scientist

Tanya Wardle, RM, Registered Midwife

Dr Helen Westwood, MBChB, MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, General Practitioner

Dr Carmen Wheatley, DPhil, Orthomolecular Oncology

Mr Lasantha Wijesinghe, FRCS, Consultant Vascular Surgeon

Dr Lucie Wilk, MD, Consultant Rheumatologist

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