School Vaccination Fraud Awareness

The New York State Department of Health protects and promotes health and well-being for all, including keeping children safe from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine fraud is serious, and suspected fraud will be thoroughly investigated. Report all cases of suspected vaccine fraud to stopvaxfraud@health.ny.gov

Spotting a Fraudulent Record

The New York State Department of Health wants to help schools recognize red flags on immunization records to stop fraud. Schools are on the frontlines in the defense against vaccine preventable diseases and have the responsibility to reject immunization records they believe to be fraudulent based on their knowledge and assessment of the facts.

When students are impacted by school vaccination fraud:

  • School administrators must immediately exclude any student who no longer meets school immunization requirements due to a fraudulent immunization record;
  • School nurses or administrators must notify parents that the student must be excluded and which vaccines are required to return to school;
  • School nurses or administrators must notify their county health department of all immunization-related exclusions; and,
  • Excluded students must receive the next required dose for each incomplete vaccine series before returning to school.
  • Students must then stay up to date using the minimum dose intervals in the ACIP Catch-Up Schedule or be excluded again when they become overdue for follow-up doses.

Be aware when reviewing school vaccination records (these directives may be expanded to include records issued by a provider on any date as investigations continue):

  • Isadora Guggenheim, NP, RN (Second Nature Naturopathic Care, LLC) - Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 06/29/2022. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Caroline Hartridge, MD - Banned from providing school vaccination medical exemptions on 12/18/2023, and all existing medical exemptions signed by her are invalid
  • Gabriel Dugue, MD (See Me Doc) – Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 05/17/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Yanick Dugue, PA (See Me Doc) – Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 05/17/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Carlos Juan Rivera, MD (Doc Dash) – Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 02/08/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Mark Nesselson, MD – Is based in New York, NY and currently suspended from using the Citywide Immunization Registry as of 07/31/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Christopher Scianna, DO – Has agreed to no longer practice medicine in New York State as of 01/05/2023. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Guiseppina Benincasa-Feingold, MD (aka Dr. Jo Feingold, Valley Health & Hyperbarics) – Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 04/22/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Maricela Deleon, RN (Valley Health & Hyperbarics) – Currently suspended from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 04/19/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Cynthia D. Nekos, Pharmacist – Permanently excluded from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 12/13/2022. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.
  • Vincent Campasano, MD (a/k/a Jim Campasano) – Permanently excluded from using the New York State Immunization Information System as of 02/16/2024. Paper-only records of vaccinations administered after this date from this provider must not be accepted.

Handwritten statements by any provider that a student has had positive titers must only be accepted if accompanied by official laboratory results confirming immunity. Doctors’ notes alone are not acceptable as proof of immunity.

School vaccination fraud press releases:

Report suspicions of vaccination fraud to stopvaxfraud@health.ny.gov

Send questions about school vaccination requirements to osas@health.ny.gov