New York Department of Health Imposes $544,000 Fine for Vaccination Fraud

The New York State Department of Health has imposed a $544,000 civil penalty on Julie DeVuono, a former nurse practitioner from Suffolk County, for falsifying vaccination records of 162 children. This significant penalty is the highest ever levied by the Department for vaccination fraud, following an administrative hearing that found DeVuono in violation of Public Health Law by falsely reporting vaccinations as administered between November 2019 and January 2022.

Dr. James McDonald, State Health Commissioner, stressed the critical role of accurate vaccination records in safeguarding public health, underscoring the Department’s commitment to stringent enforcement against breaches. The investigation revealed DeVuono's submission of false data to the New York State Immunization Information System, impacting children mainly from Long Island, Hudson Valley, New York City, and the Capital District. Corrective measures required deleting the fraudulent entries and demanding affected families provide valid vaccination proof for school enrollment.

This action follows DeVuono's legal issues related to a separate COVID-19 vaccination card scam, resulting in the forfeiture of $1.2 million and the surrender of her nursing licenses after a plea deal. The fraudulent activities spanned various mandatory vaccinations, including DTaP, Tdap, hepatitis B, MMR, MMRV, polio, varicella, MenACWY, and HiB. The Department of Health remains vigilant, collaborating with educational and local health authorities to curb vaccination fraud, encouraging the use of designated channels for reporting such activities. For more information on New York's immunization requirements and vaccine safety, resources are available on the Department’s website.