From January 19, 2022 post.
GOP Doctors Caucus co-chair Congressman Brad Wenstrup, D.P.M., (R-Ohio), joined House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), House Judiciary Committee Republican Leader Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Oversight and Reform Republican Leader James Comer (R-Ky.), House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Republican Leader Mike Turner (R-Ohio), and fellow Doctors Caucus co-chair Andy Harris, M.D., (R-Md.) at a press conference highlighting President Biden’s failures to protect Americans from COVID-19
Dr. Wenstrup discussed President Biden’s one-size-fits-all vaccine mandates, which stand in the way of the doctor-patient relationship and threaten the health of the American people.
Dr. Wenstrup recently penned an op-ed highlighting the need for clear communication around the pandemic in which he wrote, “Doesn’t a consultation with a caring physician sound better than a government executed vaccine mandate that comes with the threat of losing your livelihood?”
In November 2021, Dr. Wenstrup introduced the Stop Vaccine Mandates Act to block the President’s vaccine mandates on federal employees and federal contractors. He also joined in efforts to use the Congressional Review Act to block the Biden administration’s mandate on businesses with more than 100 employees and mandate on federally-funded health care facilities.
On support for the vaccines and for having honest conversations with your doctor about them:
“Honesty is the best policy. Hopefully, that’s something you all grew up with. People hunger for truth, clarity, and trust. Americans prefer to be educated – not indoctrinated. Americans prefer caring over criticism. Patients prefer good bedside manners from their caregivers.
“Our Doctors Caucus is pro-vaccine. We’ve been vaccinated. And we’re also strongly in favor of treatments for COVID-19 and its symptoms. As doctors, we work to get patients well. We discuss risk versus benefits.”
On vaccine mandates:
“President Biden was wrong to declare, ‘We are looking at a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated [...]' [...] See, every patient is different. Blanket statements can be very dangerous. There are some reported risks associated with the vaccines. There may be an even greater risk if you have certain medical conditions. Patients also want to know about their own natural immunity, if they have it. Patients want to know how to bolster their immunity and stay healthy. The benefits of vaccination may outweigh your risk – they often do more times than not. However, every individual is extremely unique.
"Mandating care and bypassing the doctor-patient relationship is wrong. Americans don’t do well with the order of ‘because I told you so.’ Patients are better served hearing from the physicians that are actually treating patients. With a mandate, where’s the physician? Doesn’t a consultation with a caring physician sound better than a government-executed mandate that comes with the threat of losing your livelihood? Ask yourself that question.”
On natural immunity:
“Where the science is being ignored is natural immunity. You may have a patient who has been vaccinated and has gotten COVID, and their antibodies and T-cells may be through the roof. They may be more protected than anyone else. But we put these restrictions on people when their health is perfectly fine, and they’re probably more protected than others. It doesn’t make sense and is not scientific.”
Background:
Dr. Wenstrup is a co-chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, which is the largest group of health care providers in Congress. He served as a podiatric surgeon in private practice for over 27 years. In 1998, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve, and during his time in Congress, Dr. Wenstrup fulfills his Reserve duty by caring for our troops at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, and by serving as Medical Policy Adviser for the Chief of the Army Reserve at Ft. Belvoir.
Original source can be found here.
