JHF-Funded Virulent: The Vaccine Wars Hosts Premier Screening in Pittsburgh

The Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF) attended the Virulent: The Vaccine War Pittsburgh premiere film screening hosted by WQED at the Carnegie Science Center on October 26. JHF was an early funder of the project which examines vaccine hesitancy and denial, tracing the history of anti-vax activists and how COVID-19 is what they practiced for – a national conversation about vaccine safety and mandates.

The documentary film was directed by Tjardus Greidanus and produced by Laura Davis and Greidanus with Dr. Paul Offit serving as medical advisor to the film.

Following the screening, a panel was held including: Dr. Debra Bogen, director of the Allegheny Health Department; Dr. Terrence Dermody, chair of the Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, SVP/Chief Clinical Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Allegheny Health Network; Dr. Peter Salk, president, The Jonas Salk Legacy Foundation; Dr. Todd Wolynn, CEO, Kids Plus Pediatrics; with moderator Bill Flanagan, chief corporate relations officer, Allegheny Conference.

The host committee for the screening included Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein, Deborah Acklin, Jason Brown, Noland Cheung, Rich Fitzgerald, Mark Nordenberg, and Sridhar Tayur.

A brief preview of the film is available here.