more vaccine info....LONG!!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Vaccines may fuel autism epidemic

            "One reason this isn't getting the attention it needs

      is that the Food and Drug Administration has very close ties

      to the pharmaceutical companies, as does the Department of

      Health and Human Services [HHS] and the Centers for Disease

      Control. . . In some cases it appears that it's a revolving

      door and people leave government health agencies and go to

      work for the pharmaceuticals, which I think have undue

      influence on our health agencies.â€Â  - Rep Dan Burton

            “Neither the Wyeth nor Merck pharmaceutical companies,

      nor HHS or FDA, returned INSIGHT's calls about this matter.â€

       [Readers might recognize that this news has been reported here weeks

ago. While the new research has been extensively covered in the UK, it has

been ignored by the US media -- until only just now.  Source: Insight on the

News.]

http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=39906075 & ID

=infobrix & scategory=Healthcare &

       A new study indicates childhood vaccines containing a mercury- based

preservative may be the culprits behind the surge in autism cases sweeping

the United States. The mother of an autistic child wonders aloud when health

officials will wake up to the epidemic that has claimed not only her son but

hundreds of thousands of other children in the United States, with no end in

sight. She muses, "Maybe someday this will be as important as SARS and we'll

get the same attention. God knows we need it.â€

       Autism is a severely incapacitating developmental disability for

which there is no known cure. According to a recently released report by the

California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) entitled Autistic

Spectrum Disorders, Changes in the California Caseload: 1999-2002, the rate

of children diagnosed with full- syndrome autism in the Golden State between

1999 and 2002 nearly doubled from 10,360 to 20,377. The report further

revealed that "between Dec. 31, 1987, and Dec. 31, 2002, the population of

persons with full-syndrome autism has increased by 634 percent." That is a

doubling of autism cases every four years, and the staggering increases are

not limited to California.

       Shots in the dark? Infants are being inoculated with vaccines

containing toxic ingredients that can be harmful - or fatal.

       According to data provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the

increased autism rate in California is in line with the increases other

states are experiencing. For example, in 1992 Ohio reported 22 cases. A

decade later the number had increased by 13,895 percent to 3,057. In

Illinois the rate of autism cases climbed from just five in 1992 to 3,802 -

an increase of 76,040 percent. Mississippi, New Hampshire and the District

of Columbia reported no cases of autism in 1992, but by 2002 the number of

cases reported were 461, 404 and 144, respectively. Only Puerto Rico can

claim to have an increase of less than 100 percent, with the remaining

states reporting increases of at least 500 percent during the same period.

       Although once considered rare, during the last two decades the chance

of a child being diagnosed with autism has skyrocketed from one in 10,000 to

one in 150. In California, full-syndrome autism now is the No. 1 disability

among children and more prevalent than childhood cancer, diabetes and Down's

syndrome. It is estimated that within the next four years autism cases in

the Golden State will exceed the total number of cases of both cerebral

palsy and epilepsy. To get a better idea of how quickly the epidemic is

spreading one need only consider that in 1987 there were 2,778 persons with

autism in California. By 2002 the number had increased to 20,377, and in

2002 3,575 new cases had been added to the rolls, far exceeding the total

number of cases in the state 15 years earlier.

       For years there has been a debate about the cause or causes of

autism, but the vast majority of finger-pointing has been directed at

childhood vaccines as the culprit. And considering what is put into the

vaccines injected into hours-old infants, it is easy to understand why they

are at the top of the list of suspects: formaldehyde (used in embalming),

thimerosal (nearly 50 percent mercury), aluminum phosphate (toxic and

carcinogenic), antibiotics, phenols (corrosive to skin and toxic), aluminum

salts (corrosive to tissue and neuro-toxic), methanol (toxic), isopropyl

(toxic), 2- pheoxyethanol (toxic), live viruses and a host of unknown

components considered off-limits as trade secrets. These are just part of

the vaccine mixture.

       For those who believe there are elements in vaccines that may be

responsible for the increased number of autism cases and other neurological

disorders, thimerosal currently is at the top of the list of possible

culprits being investigated.

       Despite official insistence that the evidence linking injected

thimerosal to autism is inconclusive, the data suggest otherwise. In 1999

the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) must have

thought there was something seriously wrong when it supported removal of

thimerosal from vaccines, stating that it was "a prudent measure in support

of the public goal to reduce mercury exposure of infants and children as

much as possible." The IOM further urged that "full consideration be given

to removing thimerosal from any biological product to which infants,

children and pregnant women are exposed.â€

       A recently published study in the Journal of American Physicians and

Surgeons by Mark Geier, M.D., Ph.D., and president of the Genetic Centers of

America and his son, Geier, president of Medcon Inc. and a consultant

on vaccine cases, was titled "Thimerosal in Childhood Vaccines,

Neurodevelopment Disorders and Heart Disease in the United States." It

presents strong epidemiological evidence for a link between

neurodevelopmental disorders and mercury exposure from thimerosal-containing

childhood vaccines.

       Specifically, the authors evaluated the doses of mercury that

children received as part of their immunization schedule, then compared

these doses with federal safety guidelines. Furthermore, to compare the

effects of thimerosal in vaccine recipients, the incident rates of

neurodevelopmental disorders and heart disease reported to the government's

Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System were analyzed. The results were

dramatic. The report revealed that "U.S. infants are exposed to mercury

levels from their childhood- immunization schedule that far exceed the EPA

[Environmental Protection Agency] and FDA [Food and Drug Administration]-

established maximum permissible levels for the daily oral ingestion of

methyl mercury.â€

       The authors concluded that "in light of voluminous literature

supporting the biologic mechanisms for mercury-induced adverse reactions,

the presence of amounts of mercury in thimerosal- containing childhood

vaccines exceeding federal safety guidelines for the oral ingestion of

mercury and previous epidemiological studies showing adverse reactions to

such vaccines, a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing childhood

vaccines and neurodevelopment disorders and heart disease appears to be

confirmed.â€

       Smoking gun: The Geiers' research presents evidence for a link

between neurodevelopmental disorders and vaccines containing thimerosal.

       It is no secret among government and health officials that mercury is

toxic and causes serious adverse reactions. In July 1999 the American

Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service issued a joint

statement calling for the removal of thimerosal from vaccines. Five years

after the joint statement, however, it still is difficult for parents and

physicians to be sure that the pharmaceutical companies have indeed removed

the toxic substance from their vaccines.

       According to Mark Geier, "The 2003 Physicians' Desk Reference [PDR]

still shows childhood vaccines containing thimerosal, including diphtheria,

tetanus and acellular pertussis. DTaP, manufactured by  Aventis Pasteur,

contains 25[mu]g [25 micrograms] of mercury, Hemophilus influenzae b (Hib)

vaccine manufactured by  Wyeth contains 25[mu]g of mercury and pediatric

Hepatitis B vaccine, manufactured by Merck, contains 12.5[mu]g of mercury.â€

       Geier continues, "In addition, the influenza vaccine that is

recommended for an increasing segment of the pediatric population in the

U.S. also contains 25[mu]g of mercury. Assuming that the labeling is

correct, it is possible that children in the U.S. in 2003 may be exposed to

levels of mercury from thimerosal contained in childhood vaccines that are

at higher levels than at any time in the past. Possible total childhood

mercury in 2003 is more than 300[mu]g.â€

       Whether the "labeling is correct" is the question du jour. According

to Len Lavenda, a spokesman for Avenus Pasteur, the maker of DTaP, "Avenus

only sells the DTaP vaccine in the preservative- free formulation. The PDR

references both the single and multidose. However, when we received the

license for the preservative-free we ceased sales of the multidose vial. For

some reason, the package insert takes much longer to revise than one would

expect. I believe it is at the FDA waiting for approval, but the fact is we

do not sell or market that product. In March 2001 we stopped all sales of

that product in the preservative formulation. We did not recall the product

at that time because it was our belief that if we did children may go

unimmunized. It's been two years since anyone has been able to purchase the

preservative formulation from us.â€

       Lavenda continues: "The package insert talks about both the single

and multidose vials and it says that the single-dose vial is

preservative-free, and that is all that is sold. The PDR is out- dated, but

parents don't have to worry about their children being administered 25[mu]g

of thimerosal. It just takes time to get the paperwork caught up. The

current package insert does not accurately reflect what is being marketed.â€

       Geier is astounded by Lavenda's admission. "If this is true, they

should be in jail. They can't have an insert on a drug that is totally

wrong. It is against all regulations. If I'm a doctor and I'm giving you a

shot and the insert says such and such is in the shot, it had better be in

it. If doctors can't rely on the instructions that come with what we're

injecting then all bets a\re off. This is a far worse admission than

admitting that thimerosal is still in the vaccine. There are at least 15

laws that say the insert has to match what is in the product. This is

absolutely horrendous. In my entire career in medicine I have never heard of

a drug company claiming that what's in the insert and the accompanying

product don't match. This is total mislabeling and fraud by their own

admission. Legally they should be forced to close down because our clinical

decisions are based on their labeling.â€

       Assuming that the package inserts are correct, Geier tells insight,

"The EPA limit is 0.1 micrograms of mercury per kilogram body weight per

day. It doesn't take a genius to do the calculations when on their day of

birth children are given the hepatitis B vaccine, which is 12.5 micrograms

of mercury. The average newborn weighs between 6 and 7 pounds, so they would

be allowed 0.3 micrograms of mercury but in this one shot they are getting

12.5 micrograms. That's 39 times more than allowed by law. And it gets worse

when you consider that children are getting multiple vaccinations at 2

months. And this limit is for oral ingestion and not injection, which is

much worse.â€

       Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for The

United States According to the 2003 Physicians' Desk Reference  Rhonda

, a spokeswoman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), tells INSIGHT that, except for mere traces, thimerosal has

been removed. "All routinely recommended licensed vaccines," says ,

"that are currently being manufactured for children in the U.S., except

influenza, contain no thimerosal or only trace amounts - a concentration of

less than 0.0002 percent." But according to the 2003 immunization schedule

and the package inserts, there appear to be a number of childhood vaccines

that still contain mercury, including those for tetanus and diphtheria.

       This scenario becomes even more bizarre when one further considers

that thimerosal is not a necessary component in vaccines. It first was

introduced by pharmaceutical giant  Eli Lilly and Co. in the 1930s and is

added to vaccines only as a preservative - the theory being that multiple

doses are taken from the same bottle and that thimerosal will protect

against contamination. However, according to Geier, "the solution to any

such problem is to make vaccines available in a single dose, which will cost

the pharmaceuticals about one penny more. What is interesting is that if you

look up the mumps, measles, rubella [MMR] vaccines in the PDR you'll see

that they do not contain thimerosal because it would kill the live virus.

The MMR is available in multi-dose packaging and, yet, there is no

preservative nothing. What they did was put a label on it that says 'This

product does not contain preservatives. Handle with care.' It's that

simple.â€

       Geier insists, "I'm pro-vaccines, but the bottom line is that our

kids are getting massive amounts of mercury. Mercury has been withdrawn from

everything, including animal vaccines, yet we keep injecting it into our

children. Everyone should absolutely refuse to take a vaccine shot that has

thimerosal in it, and they should insist on reading the vaccine package

insert. Our data showed that the more mercury children received in their

childhood vaccines the more neurodevelopment disorders there are. We've

looked at this every possible way and every time there's massive evidence to

support it.â€

       Personal story: Rep. Burton, standing second from left, became an

advocate for victims of autism when his grandson became autistic after

receiving nine vaccines in one day.

       So, if everyone acknowledges the toxicity of mercury and top U.S.

health officials have called for its removal, why is thimerosal still in

vaccines? "Maybe," concludes Geier, "the mercury isn't being taken out all

at once because if the pharmaceutical companies did that you would see an

unbelievable change in the rate of autism and there would be massive

lawsuits. If you look at the graphs now they go up and up. If you stop the

thimerosal all at once you'd see the numbers fall dramatically.â€

       Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), a longtime advocate for victims of autism,

has a grandson who became autistic after receiving nine vaccines in one day.

Burton recently sent his second request in as many years to the White House

asking for a conference of scientists, researchers and parents to look into

the causes of autism. The Indiana lawmaker tells INSIGHT, "There is no doubt

in my mind that the mercury in vaccines is a major contributing factor to a

growing number of neurological disorders among children, but in particular

autism.â€

       Burton explains that "thimerosal is a toxic substance - mercury - and

should not be put in close proximity of people, should not be injected into

people, especially children who have a newly formed immune system that may

not be able to handle it. To my knowledge there never have been long-term

tests on thimerosal and we never should have used mercury in vaccines,

period. Now what we've got is an epidemic that is absolutely out of

control.â€

       The Indiana congressman continues, "One reason this isn't getting the

attention it needs is that the Food and Drug Administration has very close

ties to the pharmaceutical companies, as does the Department of Health and

Human Services [HHS] and the Centers for Disease Control. I've said in the

past that in some cases it appears that it's a revolving door and people

leave government health agencies and go to work for the pharmaceuticals,

which I think have undue influence on our health agencies. Of course, they

may not want to look at this because there's a possibility that large claims

would be filed and the pharmaceutical companies would have to cough up the

money to take care of these kids who have been damaged.â€

       Burton means business. He insists, "The FDA, CDC and HHS should put

out in a very public way the dangers of mercury, but as soon as they do it w

ill amount to an admission that their mercury is causing these problems. So

the reports that come out of the FDA, CDC and HHS use ambiguous terms. Well,

if they're not sure, and there's the remotest possibility that mercury in

vaccines could cause autism, they ought to get thimerosal off the market.

Too many kids are being ruined for life because of this stuff.â€

       Barbara Loe Fisher is founder of the National Vaccine Information

Center, a charitable organization dedicated to the prevention of vaccine

injuries and deaths through public education. Fisher tells INSIGHT, "There

are many things in vaccines that could be causing these disorders, and

thimerosal is only part of the problem. In the last 20 years, we've gone

from giving children 23 doses of seven vaccines to 38 doses of 12 vaccines.

I think the mercury is part of it for some kids, though I'm not sure it's

the answer for all." But this is a no-brainer, says Fisher. "Mercury

shouldn't be in vaccines. They've taken it out of everything else so why not

the vaccines? The one thing that people really need to look at is the

dramatic rise in chronic disease and disabilities in our kids in just the

last two decades. You have to admit that there is something occurring that a

growing number of children cannot get through without being immune-system

and brain-system damaged. And what is the one thing that we expose every

child to? Those vaccines.â€

       Fisher concludes, "I've always argued that public health is not

measured only by an absence of infectious disease. It also is measured by

the absence of chronic disease. By that score we get a big fat 'F.' So we

don't have measles and mumps, but look what we have now. It's just really

simple: Take the mercury out and let's see what happens.â€

       Even so, based on the Aventis admission that the package insert does

not reflect what is in the vaccine, it will be difficult to know when, if

ever, the thimerosal actually has been removed. This skews the data about

the relationship between thimerosal and autism. More important, it means

parents cannot be sure the vaccinations their children receive are free of

mercury.

       Neither the Wyeth nor Merck pharmaceutical companies, nor HHS or FDA,

returned INSIGHT's calls about this matter.

       "The [vaccine] package insert does not accurately reflect what is

being marketed.â€

       [ O'meara Is An Investigative Reporter For Insight

Magazine.]  Copyright Washington Times Corporation