[PROVE] Voices for Hiding Vaccine Risks: Follow the $

[Guest guest]

VaccineInfo.net

Parents Requesting Open Vaccine Education

<http://www.vaccineinfo.net/index.shtml>PROVE

Home |

<http://www.vaccineinfo.net/subscribe.htm>Subscribe

| <http://www.vaccineinfo.net/contactus.html>Contact Us |

[Dear PROVE Members,

On August 8th, before our email was back up, NVIC

published the following newsletter doing a great

job exposing the money behind those who downplay

and deny vaccine risks. CBS News did an

excellent investigative report into the conflicts

behind many of the well quoted vaccine defenders

– some of these individuals and organization will

be familiar to you, especially to those of you

who have been on our email list for a while.

We wanted to make sure you saw this because now

that we are at back to school time, the vaccine

machine is in full swing pulling out all the

stops to try and scare, coerce, guilt, shame and

even lie to you to get you to fully vaccinate

your child and not use a vaccine exemption for

your child regardless of your health concerns or

even if your child has already had a vaccine

reaction. Over the next week, we will be sharing

with you some of this current coverage, and it is

very revealing to trace back the sources of

criticism on parents making informed decisions to

decline or delay vaccinations right back to many

of these same individuals and groups with strong

conflicts of interest. Sincerely, Dawn ]

Voices for Hiding Vaccine Risks: Follow the $

by Barbara Loe Fisher

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwttv0Uso2Cgl2yZFYrIaY6D9OsZGn9_r3DjccDWWwoU\

DGFbwZRJ0i6G3NhbDneDdTqmNZzwLJbJgQqe8pQvhT-X80t4R43BJjmw1A24q8vuxiTMqRcu0ucm7JTN\

3gmy4DU=>w

ww.vaccineawakening.blogspot.com

www.NVIC.org

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwtvWiIkoUYxHlfQD4Cnuc_Z-FGT-Q03xM1UCUKlWufC\

pCA-a45dijaDyxHTcDbm4qB0Y5cZkDElCP2N4xCkVvvTOqYnnyXfKRJmt-zuW8buug==>www.Stand

UpBeCounted.org

When it comes to hiding vaccine risks from the

people, all you have to do is " follow the money "

to find out who has always done it the best.

There are a number of influential non-profit

organizations such as the American Academy of

Pediatrics (AAP), Every Child by Two, and

Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) that have

been funded by drug companies selling vaccines

and/or have been paid by federal agencies using

taxpayer dollars to push vaccine use.

On July 25,

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvUs46eMD38zNSVEfz4uIs3tXOMDEjcaadOrC8WPGts\

PKArchYFAuezpiHaAF1g74mpQ_SXG13hQPCWVfvtrRkou9uhvILnYLqpZ-pIr3xIOTV7I1-onpsaUvmB\

6yv6OqPK0r20cS8e0sImb0n51UCAJvd2r7y9AusDwMa02Q69C0c6OvpXazUjPlvJL0idF6o=>CBS

News reported on some of the financial ties

between vaccine manufacturers and non-profit

organizations or individuals (i.e., rotavirus

vaccine patent holder Offit, M.D.) who are

aggressively promoting vaccination and refusing

to acknowledge vaccine risks. The report

infuriated a new " non-profit " organization,

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwthvSdQhg3M4vpBcRS_GfTjy8DJs-LRXzOwA03ucsd3\

J8fDL4AjgZnmMxm1_eqw4YLl1hcm5KiCIEhfbAS8xzQWf0ANkWrIGP9yPhDsw7X4IlBl3gDyRmhRaTPc\

OnJu_BJyxuZ0CDP5MPmxnbASFwWwd_dfsdwmiyyqpzWDDtVn918dJxapqCTV4TzOzEjhASWbYwtxo-59\

mw==>Voices

for Vaccines, that demanded CBS News retract its

story and " apologize " for informing the public

about the money connection between the

pharmaceutical industry and individuals and

organizations urging people to buy and use

vaccines. On August 1, CBS News issued a

statement defending the public's right to know:

" Our report last Friday represents one part of

the extensive reporting CBS News has done, and

will continue to do, on the issues surrounding

vaccines and possible links to autism. That

continuing coverage has repeatedly reported on

the critical importance of the nation's

maintaining a robust vaccination program for

children. Reporting on what critics, including

members of Congress, believe to be potential

conflicts of interest for vaccine advocates who

receive funding from vaccine makers is also an

entirely legitimate aspect of our overall

coverage. We believe our report was in no way

defamatory of any institution or individual, and

that no retraction is warranted. "

While parents are doing their own research so

they can make educated vaccine choices for their

children that minimize vaccine risks, celebrities

questioning vaccine safety such as McCarthy

are being challenged by celebrities defending

vaccine safety such as

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwsvQserzZXkVbWubN2Dm5M8IYFFe6fe0HaEL9vxuwtK\

Dg0jOckeyLUUeBltSaPfME-qu-VcLJdVw7nVleXbtECcNHLZKZ0KFW75uF_hOOXMUlI_XeRw02tLOrwn\

s9udxEkB9jXLwDdLcl_KAfi-NjAs>

Peet, Yesterday, Peet became the celebrity

spokesperson for

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwub2HUHP029VLlYg4Kg_PV5-RYLIk2WHUzW2vJQEAc9\

nz1WQ4Nu15_7loM1dAmdHm8vQyiMjrU2B8hJI31Uy1_1Nc2ioMeOLldVinc7EHc1ek3q5SwSqkuWFvKX\

oN6LnZBjad7JDDhmbeJTfb6fEr25S2W3teGc1za47uyUkb3NnOaaFjnl1g2b>Every

Child by Two.

When you connect the dots in a " Follow the

Vaccine Money " exercise, you don't have to look

very far to see who is paying who to promote

unquestioning faith in the safety of vaccines and

one- size-fits-all vaccine policies. It takes a

lot of money for the drug companies and their

allies to persuade parents that it is necessary

to pump 69 doses of 16 vaccines into children

from birth to age 18 to keep them healthy.

Here are some of the major players:

* The Center, founded in 1984 by Jimmy and

lyn is affiliated with

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvZGT7tUeozhfil8A5Smi9CwpJH8bteFvGoFrnIE0sb\

5Z6cAvshLXOg1Qe21anBhHy6QXymqrO1D7A-U6tFgiYSXyNIhpI8i-_Asap7LMQdg-OABlesk-WLycrf\

BeCcR0bkWNweh7MceA==>Emory

University and sponsors vaccination programs

funded by drug companies and operated by former

employees of the CDC. (lyn co- founded

Every Child by Two with Betty Bumpers in 1991

with funding from vaccine manufacturers.) Several

vaccine manufacturers have donated

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwsZZnZ--hKj59f9iIeHEGYcOX-HK-hTn7SEBM_iDN-8\

2p8HmTfgkXG-m5CpWtEUtsRkKrX9w7u0h-OdM9-hTzzFTewxEDxd5QK88SId_tgrFDuWFcib27DNySW3\

tfkeMSw9jWFP6n-37KYiSpzMi7P4YaTI1R2xyUmH5lCzHRyvAjEY7E7x5BzW1qgEWaJfp-c=>more

than $1 million to the Center.

* The International Task Force for Disease

Eradication is sponsored by the Center and

operates programs that are

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwtvvgG5mdhxFn4xz6lWsNLfYwYNkLEE3bALXfnSqRqw\

rrIprZJ3BHQkY2vqxtjVvH08zAmX7YjvpdB2JStS3F5hIcZUodgxsqPuqONu5P4lJawYd0KTdgD_hO1p\

eBhU3ribqjkT4q2KQR28fOjd0wYS>funded

by vaccine manufacturers (see " Health Program

Partners " at ) and directed by present and former

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwuf5uSjHVaU58rDdR6kwApiJ5POeJN8s2HcM64_SdK4\

ETJGaAaEGcTL981XuxznwAAg_n05GfIfYo-nXJ9DTvOZnkl6ttpJ56Zwc8WHBjYEpnWFWjmX0v60lq5L\

H4_bEQoq9hKMNHz8G8NFS327XDnFnw0ircgWmYQ=>CDC

officials for the purpose of eradicating

infectious diseases including polio, mumps and

rubella through mass vaccination programs.

* The Center is a partner with the

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwto2oNOQZTJ-D-wREDzP2nE3VEdmte9iLfwyAY1TpJT\

ie_y3oeedED2bJWHoLl0JQXK6nZs1mASjzk1KJn7wxcSszcun4Cqa5cBkRFy1XgQVTrqM9f5hfRS>Tas\

k

Force for Child Survival and Development, which

sponsors

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwt7Mc115K9_tU6L7WOqW62q-03Q5rMbL4Lh6j0_Zt6m\

Zf6koCrVZbma6Nq8JWGsq4DggrIkjO1XMi7ZSeVJ-aabSPLuecr_F5VRWO-J4AU-RlAX1e57JCcV>pro\

grams

funded by

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwszUZGKfFtGuloh4Bzsv1IgTH6f_1kghIhqiP4uRxW0\

TAwDtC2RYDmfJ_R5RJqUtsA3nD7Viymp94jkxGquu7LcxFnkzrnFIwpEMzNec7dM8rRczS7bezlk>vac\

cine

manufacturers and directed by former CDC

officials such as

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvImEawlifRmavxDTzn-8mp_z1XppqJj9eqNDk6wSG4\

F8-BzlD1dGtCr8ZNPj1Oh5gUy-OGltmpBjf0Mcrg87eNGbo0_Q0ti8xmzqCSvW1jm6EHnRaInydz6g4n\

tfUYByF4BGzvFd8CnkX9nyJi-b1QQXdSGE2IjaU=>

Foege, M.D., M.P.H. and

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwtEPWsjIS7yHH3UPvbUbpqJZDTVetPaJaNHoBTyMVy3\

dFTLEo0c8UV151bXrHcGFNA4ru3sISGYtgLDpfS494P3YDpZoJ9TDRPWxXk6ioJJyyZBNGaAHBb8ZTkS\

5k0yZMkHQqknkvzc7Q==>Alan

Hinman, M.D., M.P.H.

* The Task Force for Child Survival and

Development is sponsoring Voices for Vaccines,

which has a

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvyztFXR6X0mhALQXHAZL4d-xT2DGOLqL7NMSCM9nFj\

xV7EGNjAqh93ZV0rM2EtBnogA5zTDmV9uArH71TetEi5heyOWTCRpOg6xRZ0BaSR2yRovFzECszWOpWF\

x1j6slMWu_aQuTHKcQ==>Steering

Committee composed of individuals employed by an

affiliate of the Center or Every Child by

Two and non-profit organizations, many of whom

receive funding from vaccine manufacturers such

as the

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOws06h-CRrzYLuPNYfcGgYt3Q0yDfw0v9lETS0_-E6MK\

PFaZ9Q3oKyAMRv9WxduLBGSBvGwNhAzYItZAnkoqWu-Pb7GAT39tKGjRs1C6jNAN5I8sr0yGLwaKCnUF\

1ZLPs30=>American

Academy of Family Physicians and

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwtb8xsVX6hxSIrfOdS4MRTFUJdWdTHd0M-m34xbw8mm\

51Khll5ASHZkAbUcu6g3vwdfALWEZjrWb3yP8IYZEHHqtM4nLUBielDujr5oho-9CjcoXNc6KepgRb7N\

yFTF1Hc=>Immunization

Action Coalition and

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvfkipuPtuYxP0VFNtgVhjNVCXQWJ2R5l7IrN-xTx9J\

ADsyDX2vCnXQhKYSDJAZ77fxTuiqFqVYKTnwcpAr8aSnL-dJmf4jUqQCeEEWDctHZXXnlTfQGc6z>P-K\

ids

and

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwtu23Ag7sp5nTs_8j27SAiBI3ZfomajiPlL51HvPKBo\

Wsuj8o3gbq7hzwAl0ss0AeAmUvfl3fz3MCzd2PhjOj3OvW1AlmDvbmDlwLlY9Tk5efkgv7ql8WzF>Fam\

ilies

Fighting Flu.

These are only some of the major players keeping

the Vaccine Machine up and running smoothly in

the U.S. It is a machine powered by a national

and international web of individuals working for

and with major pharmaceutical corporations,

government health agencies, non-profit medical

organizations, world banks, the World Health

Organization and wealthy philanthropic

foundations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundation to make sure that people in every

country continue to purchase and use many vaccines without thinking about it.

The public health program that began with a

mandate to eradicate smallpox from the earth

using smallpox vaccine has turned into a

lucrative ATM for the drug companies. It provides

a kind of money laundering scheme for

" non-profits " who pretend to be free from

conflicts of interest with an industry whose

products they are hawking. It has also become a

money pit for the American taxpayer feeding the

insatiable Vaccine Machine creating hundreds of

new vaccines being tested in

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvhXJ87ytuD7ovFJ8Jm5sY8IBJxCN5AC-gtP7bgt8fP\

VNUyqL_5918dvd2K0GfGwC4jiDT9T16tlubNySnI--y4WE-_f8kN4QgLkg1RHmVFb7iRjmjmlbt-Fniz\

76gWEN3j80MRL0D2I0FedoNUcdwy>more

than 2,000 clinical trials that will no doubt be

candidates for future vaccine mandates.

Peet, who is being coached by doctors to

tell parents to " trust the doctors, " has learned

her lines well but neither she nor McCarthy

will ultimately decide the fate of the vaccine

safety and informed consent movement begun by

parents of vaccine injured children in 1982.

Because what is at stake is not the outcome of a

Hollywood celebrity face- off but the ability of

the American people to free themselves from the

tyranny of the " medical experts " who have

betrayed the public trust by failing to do their job.

For nearly three decades, before and after

passage of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury

Act of 1986, parents have been calling on doctors

in charge of the mass vaccination system to find

out how and why vaccines injure and kill some

children. We have been asking doctors to give us

a good explanation for why so many of our highly

vaccinated children are so chronically ill with 1

in 6 becoming learning disabled; 1 in 9 suffering

with asthma and 1 in 150 developing autism. And

the only explanation we get or action we have

seen is doctors and government health agencies

sticking their heads in the sand and twisting

themselves into pretzels yelling " it's a

coincidence " every time a child regresses into

chronic poor health after vaccination.

The last thing we need to do is return to the

dark ages when we allowed ourselves to be treated

like the infants whose lives we entrusted without

question to paternalistic pediatricians patting

us on the head. You don't have to have an M.D. or

Ph.D. written after your name to become an

informed health care consumer and weigh the

benefits and risks of vaccination in order to

make an intelligent, well considered vaccine

decision for your child or yourself.

Unquestioning faith belongs in a church and not in a doctor's office.

__________________________________________

" Tonight, on the

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwuafiL3fVfe5_SgM9ftOhqtyqirz-AsdZvTKgtzAr42\

tmxp16irr2mi3Iz2Om_AT5cw5tHcVSDlMiJhG4JcSOSrl_AP_7Eq9n5ydEFTRIve3CgQDFJ-vOyn7ieY\

mhnR7aak3Tg19CR9NclTrtA8Q2mQ3ih4Sx6nIM0=>CBS

Evening News, we dig into the allegations of

financial conflicts of interest among some

widely-quoted " independent " voices in the debates

over vaccine safety. We weren't as lucky as

Grassley: The groups we approached refused to

provide us with a full accounting of their

financial relationships. Although two of the

groups receive tax benefits for their non-profit

status, they are not required to file such

details with the IRS and would not provide them

to us, either. In the case of a prominent vaccine

specialist who is routinely offered up as an

" independent " voice to speak on vaccine safety,

he, too, was unwilling to disclose to us how much

remuneration he's received from the vaccine

industry. And the vaccine companies we asked?

They said they would not, or could not give such

information as: financial support they give to

educational institutions, physicians and research

projects; a list of outside physicians who are on

the payroll as researchers, speakers, advisors or

consultants; and an accounting of funding

provided to non-profits, medical organizations

and government entities such as IOM, NIH, CDC and

FDA. " - Sharyl Attkisson, CBS News Blog (June 25,

2008)

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwsJld0T2ROnvsmdNnwMcDr-bGq0wHZnaa6ilKtoMzE2\

6ceeibjrbzEy793PI63uV-FrNGHHcBRz7RWbyik86VECA8FhEMTRisnu5cXk3TogWX6LRfvyLqI9Ux_5\

E3613EQmGfRpBYHiubqF-_CLFQ_NTC6fpaW2SU6pR8zX_vJJWrgaPUyxE0WyvlM4-PB5UqvCwMj9N9-F\

KAEAvPnjKYgg>http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs

/2008/07/25/couricandco/entry4295088.shtml? source=search_story

" The vaccine industry gives millions to the

Academy of Pediatrics for conferences, grants,

medical education classes and even helped build

their headquarters.... Every Child By Two, a

group that promotes early immunization for all

children, admits the group takes money from the

vaccine industry, too - but wouldn't tell us how

much. A spokesman told CBS News: " There are

simply no conflicts to be unearthed. " But guess

who's listed as the group's treasurers? Officials

from Wyeth and a paid advisor to big

pharmaceutical clients. Then there's Offit,

perhaps the most widely-quoted defender of

vaccine safety. He's gone so far as to say babies

can tolerate " 10,000 vaccines at once. " This is

how Offit described himself in a previous

interview: " I'm the chief of infectious disease

at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a

professor of pediatrics at Penn's medical

school, " he said. Offit was not willing to be

interviewed on this subject but like others in

this CBS News investigation, he has strong

industry ties. In fact, he's a vaccine industry

insider. Offit holds in a $1.5 million dollar

research chair at Children's Hospital, funded by

Merck. He holds the patent on an anti- diarrhea

vaccine he developed with Merck, Rotateq, which

has prevented thousands of hospitalizations. And

future royalties for the vaccine were just sold

for $182 million cash. Dr. Offit's share of

vaccine profits? Unknown. " - Sharyl Attkisson,

CBS News (June 25, 2008)

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvUs46eMD38zNSVEfz4uIs3tXOMDEjcaadOrC8WPGts\

PKArchYFAuezpiHaAF1g74mpQ_SXG13hQPCWVfvtrRkou9uhvILnYLqpZ-pIr3xIOTV7I1-onpsaUvmB\

6yv6OqPK0r20cS8e0sImb0n51UCAJvd2r7y9AusDwMa02Q69C0c6OvpXazUjPlvJL0idF6o=>http://\

www.c

bsnews.com/stories/2008/07/25/cbsnews_investigate s/main4296175.shtml

" Voices For Vaccines objects to the defamatory

allegations made by the CBS Evening News on

Friday, July 25, against the American Academy of

Pediatrics, Every Child By Two, and the Vaccine

Education Center at the Children's Hospital of

Philadelphia, with our colleague Dr. Offit

singled out for baseless criticism. It is our

privilege to partner with these institutions in

our mission to disseminate reliable information

about vaccines. These groups advocate for

immunization based on the overwhelming evidence

for the lifesaving power of vaccination, and

motivated by a sincere concern for the health of

America's children. It is preposterous and deeply

offensive for CBS to suggest otherwise by

insinuating that the pharmaceutical industry

improperly influences the views of these vaccine

advocate.... An obvious starting point for an

unbiased reporter assigned to investigate this

possibility would have been to determine whether

the advocates' recommendations were in accord

with the scientific consensus on immunization, as

articulated by neutral bodies such as the World

Health Organization and the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention..... " - Randall,

Voices for Vaccines letter to CBS (July 31, 2008)

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwthvSdQhg3M4vpBcRS_GfTjy8DJs-LRXzOwA03ucsd3\

J8fDL4AjgZnmMxm1_eqw4YLl1hcm5KiCIEhfbAS8xzQWf0ANkWrIGP9yPhDsw7X4IlBl3gDyRmhRaTPc\

OnJu_BJyxuZ0CDP5MPmxnbASFwWwd_dfsdwmiyyqpzWDDtVn918dJxapqCTV4TzOzEjhASWbYwtxo-59\

mw==>http://voicesforvaccines.org/Blog/wp-

content/uploads/2008/08/cbs-vaccine- letter1.pdf

" The new " Vaccinate Your Baby " campaign will

address misperceptions about vaccines that cause

confusion among parents and put children at risk.

" When I was pregnant with my daughter ie, I

had all kinds of questions, including ones about

immunization, " said Ms. Peet. " There is a wealth

of misinformation about vaccines out there,

particularly in Hollywood. My husband and I took

the time to speak to several doctors about our

concerns. What became clear to us was that

delaying vaccines could jeopardize our baby's

life. I have teamed up with Every Child By Two to

help parents get the facts straight on this very

important issue. " Ms. Peet added, " My main

message to parents is that they should not be

taking medical advice from me or any other

celebrity. They should look to their

pediatrician, the AAP and other experts. " - Every

Child by Two Press Release (August 5, 2008)

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwub2HUHP029VLlYg4Kg_PV5-RYLIk2WHUzW2vJQEAc9\

nz1WQ4Nu15_7loM1dAmdHm8vQyiMjrU2B8hJI31Uy1_1Nc2ioMeOLldVinc7EHc1ek3q5SwSqkuWFvKX\

oN6LnZBjad7JDDhmbeJTfb6fEr25S2W3teGc1za47uyUkb3NnOaaFjnl1g2b>http://www.vaccinat\

eyo

urbaby.org/news/releases/2008/080805_peet_ecbt.cf m

July 25, 2008, 4:56 PM

The " Independent " Voices Of Vaccine Safety

Posted by Sharyl Attkisson

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwsJld0T2ROnvsmdNnwMcDr-bGq0wHZnaa6ilKtoMzE2\

6ceeibjrbzEy793PI63uV-FrNGHHcBRz7RWbyik86VECA8FhEMTRisnu5cXk3TogWX6LRfvyLqI9Ux_5\

E3613EQmGfRpBYHiubqF-_CLFQ_NTC6fpaW2SU6pR8zX_vJJWrgaPUyxE0WyvlM4-PB5UqvCwMj9N9-F\

KAEAvPnjKYgg>http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs

/2008/07/25/couricandco/entry4295088.shtml? source=search_story

(CBS)

Sharyl Attkisson is the Capitol Hill Correspondent for CBS News.

For years, members of Congress have been

investigating financial ties between

pharmaceutical companies and the government,

doctors and researchers, research hospitals,

colleges and universities. Sen. Grassley,

who has most recently been digging into money

links between drug companies and the American

Psychiatric Association, puts it this way: " I

have come to understand that money from the

pharmaceutical industry can shape the practices

of nonprofit organizations that purport to be

independent in their viewpoints and actions. "

In a letter to its members, the APA says it

supports complete transparency and plans to

provide Grassley with the information he's

requested: " a complete accounting of APA

revenues, except from advertising in our

journals, from pharmaceutical companies, starting

in 2003. " The APA notes: " We are not alone;

recent public focus on relationships between

medicine and the pharmaceutical industry is a

challenge for the whole field of medicine. "

Indeed, the APA is not alone in being the subject

of public focus and scrutiny for its

relationships with the pharmaceutical industry.

Tonight, on the CBS Evening News, we dig into the

allegations of financial conflicts of interest

among some widely- quoted " independent " voices in

the debates over vaccine safety. We weren't as

lucky as Grassley: The groups we approached

refused to provide us with a full accounting of

their financial relationships. Although two of

the groups receive tax benefits for their

non-profit status, they are not required to file

such details with the IRS and would not provide them to us, either.

In the case of a prominent vaccine specialist who

is routinely offered up as an " independent " voice

to speak on vaccine safety, he, too, was

unwilling to disclose to us how much remuneration

he's received from the vaccine industry.

And the vaccine companies we asked? They said

they would not, or could not give such

information as: financial support they give to

educational institutions, physicians and research

projects; a list of outside physicians who are on

the payroll as researchers, speakers, advisors or

consultants; and an accounting of funding

provided to non-profits, medical organizations

and government entities such as IOM, NIH, CDC and

FDA. With all of those refusals, you might be

surprised to find we had enough information to

put together a story for tonight's CBS Evening

News. But you might be more surprised at what we

did find. And we'll show you tonight.

How Independent Are Vaccine Defenders?

by Sharyl Attkisson

CBS-TV

July 25, 2008

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwvUs46eMD38zNSVEfz4uIs3tXOMDEjcaadOrC8WPGts\

PKArchYFAuezpiHaAF1g74mpQ_SXG13hQPCWVfvtrRkou9uhvILnYLqpZ-pIr3xIOTV7I1-onpsaUvmB\

6yv6OqPK0r20cS8e0sImb0n51UCAJvd2r7y9AusDwMa02Q69C0c6OvpXazUjPlvJL0idF6o=>http://\

www.c

bsnews.com/stories/2008/07/25/cbsnews_investigate s/main4296175.shtml

Washington, D.C. - For years some parents and

scientists have raised concerns about vaccine

safety, including a possible link to autism and

ADD. Many independent experts have sided with

government officials and other scientists who say

there's no possible connection. But how " independent " are they?

But CBS News has found these three have something

more in common - strong financial ties to the

industry whose products they promote and defend.

The vaccine industry gives millions to the

Academy of Pediatrics for conferences, grants,

medical education classes and even helped build

their headquarters. The totals are kept secret,

but public documents reveal bits and pieces.

· A $342,000 payment from Wyeth, maker of the

pneumococcal vaccine - which makes $2 billion a year in sales.

· A $433,000 contribution from Merck, the same

year the academy endorsed Merck's HPV vaccine -

which made $1.5 billion a year in sales.

· Another top donor: Sanofi Aventis, maker of 17

vaccines and a new five-in-one combo shot just

added to the childhood vaccine schedule last month.

Every Child By Two, a group that promotes early

immunization for all children, admits the group

takes money from the vaccine industry, too - but wouldn't tell us how much.

A spokesman told CBS News: " There are simply no

conflicts to be unearthed. " But guess who's

listed as the group's treasurers? Officials from

Wyeth and a paid advisor to big pharmaceutical clients.

Then there's Offit, perhaps the most widely-

quoted defender of vaccine safety. He's gone so

far as to say babies can tolerate " 10,000 vaccines at once. "

This is how Offit described himself in a previous

interview: " I'm the chief of infectious disease

at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a

professor of pediatrics at Penn's medical school, " he said.

Offit was not willing to be interviewed on this

subject but like others in this CBS News

investigation, he has strong industry ties. In

fact, he's a vaccine industry insider. Offit

holds in a $1.5 million dollar research chair at

Children's Hospital, funded by Merck. He holds

the patent on an anti-diarrhea vaccine he

developed with Merck, Rotateq, which has

prevented thousands of hospitalizations.

And future royalties for the vaccine were just

sold for $182 million cash. Dr. Offit's share of vaccine profits? Unknown.

There's nothing illegal about the financial

relationships, but to critics, they pose a

serious risk for conflicts of interest. As one

member of Congress put it, money from the

pharmaceutical industry can shape the practices

of those who hold themselves out to be " independent. "

The American Academy of Pediatrics, Every Child

By Two and Dr. Offit would not agree to

interviews, but all told us they're up front

about the money they receive, and it doesn't sway their opinions.

Today's immunization schedule now calls for kids

to get 55 doses of vaccines by age 6. Ideally, it

makes for a healthier society. But critics worry

that industry ties could impact the advice given

to the public about all those vaccines.

Letter from Voices for Vaccines to Couric, CBS News

Couric, Managing Editor

CBS Television Network

524 West 57th Street

6th Floor

New York, NY 10019-2902

July 31, 2008

Via Facsimile

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwthvSdQhg3M4vpBcRS_GfTjy8DJs-LRXzOwA03ucsd3\

J8fDL4AjgZnmMxm1_eqw4YLl1hcm5KiCIEhfbAS8xzQWf0ANkWrIGP9yPhDsw7X4IlBl3gDyRmhRaTPc\

OnJu_BJyxuZ0CDP5MPmxnbASFwWwd_dfsdwmiyyqpzWDDtVn918dJxapqCTV4TzOzEjhASWbYwtxo-59\

mw==>http://voicesforvaccines.org/Blog/wp-

content/uploads/2008/08/cbs-vaccine-letter1.pdf

Dear Ms. Couric:

Voices For Vaccines objects to the defamatory

allegations made by the CBS Evening News on

Friday, July 25, against the American Academy of

Pediatrics, Every Child By Two, and the Vaccine

Education Center at the Children's Hospital of

Philadelphia, with our colleague Dr. Offit

singled out for baseless criticism.

It is our privilege to partner with these

institutions in our mission to disseminate

reliable information about vaccines. These groups

advocate for immunization based on the

overwhelming evidence for the lifesaving power of

vaccination, and motivated by a sincere concern

for the health of America's children. It is

preposterous and deeply offensive for CBS to

suggest otherwise by insinuating that the

pharmaceutical industry improperly influences the

views of these vaccine advocates.

An obvious starting point for an unbiased

reporter assigned to investigate this possibility

would have been to determine whether the

advocates' recommendations were in accord with

the scientific consensus on immunization, as

articulated by neutral bodies such as the World

Health Organization and the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention. (In fact, all three

subjects of the CBS story do promote vaccination

according to federal guidelines.)

In contrast, Sharyl Attkisson relied solely upon

tangential observations in concluding that the

judgment of these respected authorities has been

co- opted by drug companies. Ms. Attkisson's

choice to pursue her story even after failing to

uncover evidence of malfeasance reveals not bias

on the part of the story's subjects, but on the

part of Ms. Attkisson herself. Professionalism

required her to acknowledge that the targets of

her story have done nothing other than emphasize

to the public that which is well known to science

- that vaccines allow children to grow up safe and healthy.

We call upon CBS to issue a retraction of Ms.

Attkisson's report and an apology to the

individuals and institutions whose good and

honorable work in the field of immunization has

been smeared. We further ask CBS to reflect upon

the fact that it does not befit a user of the

public airwaves to broadcast misleading claims

about the most important public health measure of our time.

Sincerely,

Randall

Interim Executive Director

cc: Boyle, Senior Producer

LaPook, M.D., Medical Correspondent

Sharyl Attkisson, Reporter

Actor Peet Joins with Every Child By Two

and the American Academy of Pediatrics to Urge

Parents to Get the Facts About Immunizations

August 5, 2008

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwub2HUHP029VLlYg4Kg_PV5-RYLIk2WHUzW2vJQEAc9\

nz1WQ4Nu15_7loM1dAmdHm8vQyiMjrU2B8hJI31Uy1_1Nc2ioMeOLldVinc7EHc1ek3q5SwSqkuWFvKX\

oN6LnZBjad7JDDhmbeJTfb6fEr25S2W3teGc1za47uyUkb3NnOaaFjnl1g2b>http://www.vaccinat\

eyo

urbaby.org/news/releases/2008/080805_peet_ecbt.cf m

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Amy Pisani, 202-277-7587, <mailto:amyp@...>amyp@...

August 5, 2008 (NEW YORK, NY): Every Child By Two

(ECBT) and the American Academy of Pediatrics

(AAP) are launching a new campaign with actor

Peet to urge parents to immunize their

children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The new " Vaccinate Your Baby " campaign will

address misperceptions about vaccines that cause

confusion among parents and put children at risk.

" When I was pregnant with my daughter ie, I

had all kinds of questions, including ones about

immunization, " said Ms. Peet. " There is a wealth

of misinformation about vaccines out there,

particularly in Hollywood. My husband and I took

the time to speak to several doctors about our

concerns. What became clear to us was that

delaying vaccines could jeopardize our baby's

life. I have teamed up with Every Child By Two to

help parents get the facts straight on this very important issue. "

Ms. Peet added, " My main message to parents is

that they should not be taking medical advice

from me or any other celebrity. They should look

to their pediatrician, the AAP and other experts. "

Myths about the safety of immunizations are

resulting in real-life consequences. The United

States is now facing its largest measles outbreak

since 1997. According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, 132 people have

contracted measles since the beginning of the

year - many of these cases are a result of

parents choosing not to vaccinate their children on time.

" The recommended schedule for vaccination of

children was developed to protect babies at the

earliest possible opportunity, " said Dr. Renée

, president of the AAP. " Despite recent

theories to the contrary, spreading out vaccines

over time can place your child at risk of

contracting serious and sometimes deadly diseases. "

In fact, ECBT was founded in 1991 in response to

a similar outbreak of measles during which nearly

150 people died, many of whom were young

children. This new campaign is part of ECBT's

efforts to avert a similar tragedy.

Amy Pisani, Executive Director of ECBT, said,

" Vaccines are very safe, but online rumors are

needlessly jeopardizing the health of our

children. Few people realize just how rigorously

vaccines are tested before they are approved for

use and how many safeguards are already in place

to ensure the ongoing safety of vaccines after

they are licensed. Our campaign aims to dispel

these myths and remind parents to get the facts

before they make this critical decision regarding their children's health. "

For more information on the safety of vaccines,

as well as to view new public service

announcements featuring Ms. Peet, please visit

ECBT's new web site,

<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001bkEXFhFHOwsJZzfyfYzw4k2IBnNQHxqN19GPBdSUxHDuh9zP2p8M\

dusOOBab1KfaYS95Ymi1EN7CGM4bmj8tS55bk-y7Ia6sQnMfe-jKtQJLrMJpRBzLZHeDsHeH08r4>www\

..vaccinateyourbaby.org.

PROVE provides information on vaccines, and

immunization policies and practices that affect

the children and adults of Texas. Our mission is

to prevent vaccine injury and death and to

promote and protect the right of every person to

make informed independent vaccination decisions

for themselves and their family.

This information is not to be construed as medical OR legal advice.

Contact Information

<http://vaccineinfo.net/contactus.html>http://vaccineinfo.net/contactus.html

(web site)

Subscribe to PROVE Email Updates:

<http://vaccineinfo.net/subscribe.htm>http://vaccineinfo.net/subscribe.htm

Tell a Friend about PROVE:

<http://vaccineinfo.net/subscribe/friends.shtml>http://vaccineinfo.net/subscribe\

/friends.shtml

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm

Vaccine Dangers & Homeopathy Online/email courses - next classes Sept 08