Milwaukee Health Commissioner Attacked for Statement About Vaccine Safety

Dr. Patricia McManus, the executive director of the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, was recently named as the Interim Health Commissioner of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by an overwhelming majority of the City Council. The vote was 13 to 1 in her favor. She replaced former Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker in mid-January, who was apparently forced to resign because the Milwaukee Health Department allegedly "failed to ensure adequate notification of thousands of families whose children tested positive for elevated lead levels in their blood." The City Council had rejected Mayor Tom Barrett's choice to serve as Interim Health Commissioner and chose Dr. McManus instead. Dr. Patricia McManus has served for almost 30 years as the director of the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, and holds bachelor and master's degrees in Nursing, as well as a Ph.D in Urban Studies - Health Systems. When asked why she was taking the job as Interim Health Commissioner she reportedly stated: "I love what I do at the Black Health Coalition. I listen to my community too, they asked me to do this. I'm not taking a loyalty oath to [Mayor Barrett] or to the council. It's to the community, that's how I see myself." However, after appearing on a local radio talk show recently, she has come under attack for not taking the extremist position on vaccines, and reportedly stated that the "science is still out" on the link between vaccines and autism. Dr. McManus has since made it clear that she is NOT anti-vaccine, as she stated: "My daughter received all of her immunizations as a child, and all of my grandchildren continue to do so as well." As a result of this one comment made on a radio talk show, however, some aldermen have now come out against her, and have suggested that the Mayor should veto her appointment.