(Vaccine Court) The Cedillo Decision

[Guest guest]

http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/02/the-cedillo-decision.html#more

February 13, 2009

The Cedillo Decision

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

I'd thought that even if the case went against us that I'd be able to

understand the court's opinion. After all, we know how incredibly

well-funded the pharmaceutical companies are and the positive

research they can generate. It can be difficult for a person who

does not live our lives to understand what we have witnessed, and the

holocaust we see in this current generation of children.

But I must say that Special Master Hastings will forever

occupy a special place in history for those who lack intellectual curiosity.

In the decision he concedes there was a period of apparently normal

development, notes that Cedillo has suffered from severe

gastro-intestinal problems, and that her fever and rash were

contemporaneous to and probably linked to her MMR shot. He also

acknowledges that the amount of medical literature in this case was staggering.

I find it incompatible that at one place he can state there is

probably not a reliable method for testing whether there is a

persisting measles virus infection and the go onto say that the

measles virus theory is so out of the realm of possibility that its

promotion by physicians is tantamount to being misled. It's one

thing to claim that something cannot be reliably found with existing

technology, but another to say that even if found, it wouldn't be

important. How can one know? Especially when in the next sentence

he goes on to reference the case of an eleven-year-old contracting a

herpes virus and becoming autistic. The person of merit is one who

struggles to find an answer, not one who closes off all inquiry.

I also find his stance regarding thimerosal to be puzzling. While he

acknowledges the dangers of mercury, and that in-vitro studies have

found damage similar to that which was alleged by petitioners, he

doesn't think that rises to the level of even questioning whether

something similar might be happening in human beings.

On the issue of the well-documented condition of acrodynia, caused by

the mercury in teething powders used up until the 1950s, he also

comes down unaccountably on the side of the government. The truth is

that there is currently no answer to the question of whether those

who suffered from it did so because they got a high amount of

mercury, or whether they were unable to remove the mercury from their

bodies. However, he comes down squarely on the side of it being

because of the mercury dosage, rather than any difficulty their

bodies have in excreting it.

Following along with Hastings' complete lack of intellectual

curiosity is how he explains the gastro-intestinal problems of

Cedillo. Despite abundant evidence of poor digestive

function, he seems uninterested in suggestive findings from endoscopy

and viral examinations.

In his closing remarks he notes that the decision was not even close,

and that the Cedillos have been misled by physicians who saw an

opportunity to take advantage of a family who thought their child had

been injured by a vaccine.

As much as those of who have children with autism and choose to help

them are under great stress, I just viscerally respond to this attack

against those physicians who are doing their best to help our

children. They choose to enter this fight, knowing they will be

attacked, but strengthened by the conviction they can help some of

our children. To many of them, we owe our children's future. And

when they have not been able to find the answer, they continue to fight.

It is apparent to anybody who looks at this unfolding tragedy that

the pharmaceutical companies have no interest in helping us, the

medical universities and research facilities can offer us no help,

and now we know we have no friends in the vaccine court.

I cannot recall a time when I have felt so disillusioned. My only

hope is that there have been those people sitting on the sidelines,

knowing we are right, but unwilling to offer their voice, or share

what they might know. If such people do not come forward, it will

continue to be a long road for us.

But have no doubt that we will continue this fight.

Kent Heckenlively is Legal Editor for Age of Autism.

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

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

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

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

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