FDA's architect of mercury cover-up: Not for MY grandchildren

[Guest guest]

----- Forwarded Message ----From: Brown <brownchas@...>

“Not

for MY grandchildren.” That’s the position of the chief

architect of the mercury fillings cover-up at the Food & Drug

Administration, Associate Commissioner Norris Alderson. The hypocrisy by

top FDA officials on this issue knows no limits. I

have written a complaint (see below) to FDA Commissioner Von Eschenbach,

who unfortunately is a real do-nothing on the job. That’s

where you come in. Would you write the FDA officials on the

“to” list -- all of them, so someone reads it? Tell them what

you think of FDA leadership who wants no mercury fillings for their families but

could care less about millions of other American families. Besides

writing, you may also want to phone this leader of the cover-up (except for his

family): Norris Alderson, office ph # 301.827-3340. Charlie

Brown 16 April 2008 G. Brown, National Counsel Consumers for Dental Choice 316 F St.,

N.E., Suite 210, Washington ,

DC 20002 Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331 charlie@...,

www.toxicteeth.org From:

Charlie Brown [mailto:charlie@...] April

16, 2008 4:11 PM

randall.lutter@...;

AVonEsch@...; william.mcconagha@...; PKuntze@..., ombudsman@...;

norris.alderson@...; wendy.vicente@...; beverly.chernaik@...

Subject: FDA's architect of

mercury cover-up: "Not for MY grandchildren" Consumers

for Dental Choice

316 F St., N.E., Suite 210 Washington

DC 20002 Phone

202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331 www.toxicteeth.org Commissioner Von

Eschenbach

U. S. Food & Drug Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville ,

land 20847 (via

US mail and e-mail, AVonEsch@...) Re: Norris Alderson,

Architect of FDA’s Mercury Cover-up, Tells Scientists: No Mercury

Fillings For My Grandchildren Dear Commissioner Von

Eschenbach: We

call on you to remove Norris Alderson from being in charge of classifying

mercury amalgam, if not entirely from his role of FDA’s lead

scientist. Alderson has sabotaged your confirmation promise to Senator

Enzi, lied to Congress about a mercury product recall, broken his promise to

two Scientific Advisory Committees to implement their veto of amalgam’s

safety, and now -- worst of all -- shown himself to be the quintessential

hypocrite. In

a meeting with scientists on March 28 to discuss why FDA is covering up amalgam’s

mercury exposure from the American people, Associate Commissioner for Science

Alderson disclosed he was furious that a dentist implanted mercury fillings

into his grandchild -- because of

the mercury exposure from amalgam. This is the same Norris Alderson who

advocates a proposed regulation that requires the disclosure of zinc (yes,

zinc) as a façade so consumers and parents (and grandparents)

won’t learn about the mercury. For the past two years, Alderson has

been the leader within FDA of the malfeasants who illegally block an honest

classification of mercury amalgam. In

his private life, to protect the health of his family, Alderson says: No

mercury fillings. In his public life, drawing a comfortable six-figure

income with the duty to protect the public health, Alderson could care less

about American families outside his elite inner circle. At

the same meeting, Alderson stunned the scientists by saying that FDA would not

move forward to address mercury amalgam unless the pro-mercury American Dental

Association gives the green light. Giving veto power to a powerful

economic group, instead of working based on the science, is an example of the

corruption that pervades FDA on the mercury fillings issue. While

having no problem with mercury in (other people’s) children, Alderson

supports FDA’s ban on mercury products for horses and dogs. Asked at

a Congressional hearing last November to justify such a cold-hearted position,

Alderson lied. He denied that the horse salve Miracle Leg Paint was

removed from the market because FDA discovered it had mercury, even though FDA

news releases made clear that the action was based 100% on the mercury content.

It

is a mystery how Alderson, whose degree is in veterinary medicine rather than

any hard science, emerged as FDA’s top scientist. His veterinary

background apparently played well with veterinarian Lester Crawford, the

Commissioner convicted in federal court of insider dealing to protect his

wife’s enterprises. In

August 2006, you made the following confirmation promise to Senator Enzi

regarding the convening of two Scientific Advisory Panels to address mercury amalgam: “The September panel will be asked to

answer specific questions concerning any possible adverse health effects of

dental amalgam. The proceedings and recommendations of the panel will be

considered by FDA in our regulation of dental amalgam devices.” But after the Senate

confirmed you, Alderson and his staff reneged on that promise. Alderson

released a problematic “white paper” to the media, then called on

the scientific panels for an up-or-down vote on the white paper, without bothering

to ask them “to answer specific questions concerning any possible adverse

health effects of dental amalgam.” (To the dismay of Norris

Alderson, who was FDA’s MC for the event, the panels resoundingly voted

NO on the white paper’s conclusion that amalgam is safe.) Did

you apologize to Senator Enzi for breaking your promise to him? No, sir,

you did not. Did you recall the two Scientific Advisory Committees so

they could make such findings and you then fulfill your promise to Senator

Enzi? No, sir, you did not. Did you discipline Alderson for causing

your confirmation promise to Senator Enzi to be broken? No, sir,

you did not. I have tried to bring this to your attention, but to no

avail, and -- if Alderson is right that FDA kowtows to the

ADA on this issue at the expense of the

science and the consumer groups -- I doubt your staff will even give you this

letter. When

the dichotomy between private behavior and public decision-making reaches this

level of hypocrisy, it’s time to put someone else in charge -- this time

a person who is neutral, qualified, and puts science above politics. Sincerely, G. Brown National Counsel 16 April 2008 cc, FDA: Randall Lutter,

Norris Alderson, Kuntze, and Les Weinstein; cc, counsel: Drake Cutini

(DOJ); McGonagha, Vicente, and Beverly Chernaik (FDA); cc, Senate--Amy Muhlberg

(Senator Enzi), and Dorsey (Senator Kennedy); cc, House--Jaron Bourke

(Chairman Kucinich), Van Buren (Congresswoman ), and Fauls

(Congressman Burton)