Guest guest Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Folders Inbox Sent Mail Drafts Trash Create/Edit Folders Options Address Book POP Mail Manage SPAM Preferences E-Mail Help Move To: (Choose Folder) Drafts Sent Mail Trash Add to Address Book Date: 2005/07/29 Fri AM 01:44:14 EDT To: " !SAReport !SAReport " Subject: Autism - Cut The Crap SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT " Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet " ________________________________________________________________ Thursday, July 28, 2005 Vol. 9 No. 120 COMMENTARY * Autism - Cut The Crap * How Lawsuits Brought On The Flu Vaccine Shortage MEDIA * Autism in France - Special Event On Autism One Radio PUBLIC HEALTH * Teen Charged With Causing Mercury Spill At High School – Felony CARE * Boys Take Stand In T-Ball Case COMMENTARY Autism - Cut The Crap http://tinyurl.com/79ml7 In their public statements, officials within the FDA and CDC, are always claiming that researchers and scientists who conduct studies, not funded by drug companies or the government, are making unfounded claims about a link between thimerosal-laced vaccines and autism, and other neurological disorders, which they claim could lead to reduced vaccine coverage, resulting in preventable outbreaks of disease affecting the entire planet. I say cut the crap. Think about it. Why would so many highly respected scientists, researchers and physicians go to such great lengths to concoct bogus studies and issue false reports, in essence putting their professional reputations on the line, if their was no connection? I want these officials to do two things. First I want them to give me one good reason why these professionals would make this up, and two, I want them to give me one logical alternative theory for the current epidemic of disorders. Let's look at a few of these experts. Dr Bradstreet, is a practicing physician who treats children with autism and other brain-damage disorders. While in the Air Force, he was trained in toxicology and environmental health. His duties as an Officer included the responsibility for military personnel who had exposure to a wide variety of toxins, including mercury. Dr Bradstreet has evaluated well over 2000 children with neurological disorders. He also directs a school for children with neurodevelopmental disorders where his responsibilities include supervising occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and applied behavioral analysts. Dr Bradstreet is a Harvard Certified Medical Education Instructor in autism and has written three peer reviewed papers regarding the relationship between thimerosal, developmental disorders and biological markers for Mercury-Susceptibility. In addition, he has conducted research regarding these disorders and has worked with some of the most highly respected professionals in the country, including Dr Jane El-Dahr of the Tulane University Medical Center; Dr V.K. Singh of the Utah State University Biotechnology Center; the University of Michigan Department of Pharmacology; Dr Vas Aposhian of the University of Arizona; Dr Anne Connolly of the Washington University Hospital; Dr Walter Spitzer of McGill University; the Department of Pediatrics at Wood Medical School; Dr Jim of the University of Arizona; and Dr Jill , a former FDA researcher, now with the University of Arkansas, Department of Pediatrics. Apparently the FDA, CDC, and vaccine makers expect us to believe that this long line of highly respected professionals from Universities all over the country somehow got together and conspired to conduct fraudulent research for decades and then authored 1000s of false reports and other publications. I do not buy it. What would be the payoff? Dr Mark Geier is a medical doctor who holds a PhD in genetics and is board-certified in medical genetics and forensic medicine. He was a researcher at the National Institutes of Health for 10 years and was previously a professor at s Hopkins University. He has studied vaccines for more than 30 years and has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers on vaccine safety, efficacy, contamination and policy. He was instrumental in convincing officials to switch from the whole-cell Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP) vaccine to the safer version (DTaP). In fact, he wrote the article, " The True Story of Pertussis Vaccination: A Sordid Legacy? " which in 2002, won the first annual Stanley W. award for the best paper published in the Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences during the period of 2000 to 2002. Dr Geier has made several presentations to the Institute of Medicine on the adverse effects of vaccines including one on thimerosal in 2004. He and his son, Geier, are the only independent researchers who have ever been permitted to study the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) database of the CDC. Dr Geier has testified before the US House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform Investigating Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic to critique the Hviid study, conducted in Denmark on autism and thimerosal exposure and he has also addressed the FDA Advisory Committee regarding vaccine safety. Finally, Dr Geier has testified as an expert witness in about 100 cases before the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in the US Court of Federal Claims. In one such case, on November 25, 2003, the Special Master French issued an opinion in which he praised Geier's credentials and vast experience and said in part: Dr Geier " ranks high among those who have studied vaccine issues through the medical literature on vaccines, databases, studies, articles and information on vaccine safety and efficacy in vaccine policy. " ... " The tenor of his testimony in this case addressed the importance of statistical databases in providing statistical reliability and validity in interpreting the epidemiology and issues relating to autism and various vaccines. . . . Dr Geier has recently proposed a data-sharing process that would improve the reliability of present statistical data that would include the present VAERS statistical database. It would be helpful in interpreting the epidemiology and issues relating to the autism controversy. " Give me one good reason why this world renowned scientist would put his professional career on the line by lying under oath, not only in court 100 times, but also before a congressional committee? The drug makers and government officials have waged an all out attack on this particular expert in attempt to discount his opinions because Dr Geier speaks in term most people understand. He has reported on the staggering statistical numbers showing the rise in brain-damaged kids who were vaccinated with thimerosal compared to the children who received very little mercury, or mercury-free vaccines, and were not injured. When he speaks, people " get it, " and the powers that be know it. Then there is expert, Dr Lucier, who in the year 2000, retired from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences where he was Director of the Environmental Toxicology Program and Associate Director of the National Toxicology Program. In that capacity, he was responsible for coordinating toxicological research and testing across federal agencies as well as conducting risk assessments for exposure to toxic substances including mercury. He has authored well over 200 scientific publications involving toxicology, pharmacology and risk assessment, including ten articles on mercury. In 1998, Dr Lucier was appointed the Chair of the Organizing Committee for the White House Workshop on Scientific Issues Relevant to Assessment of Health Effects from Exposure to Methylmercury. He has presented his opinions on numerous occasions in various forums and for 28 years, he was the co-editor in chief of the prestigious scientific journal, Environmental Health Perspectives. Why would this guy lie under oath? Another renowned scientist expressing the same view on thimerosal, is Dr Boyd Haley, who is currently a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Chemistry with a joint appointment in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Kentucky. He teaches a class on mercury toxicology and has published more than 110 articles in the peer-reviewed literature including the toxic effects of elemental mercury. Since 1989, his laboratory has been conducting research on the relationship between mercury and neurological diseases, and has performed experiments with thimerosal. In 2001, Dr Haley made a presentation on " In Vitro Studies of Thimerosal Toxicity, " to the IOM. So why would this guy spend 25 year of his life conducting bogus studies, rendering fraudulent results and authoring a 100 dishonest articles? An expert I consulted during my initial investigation of this issue was Dr Ayoub, MD, who when asked how certain he was of the link between autism and thimerosal, told me, " I can state that the certainty of the science supporting mercury as a major cause of autism is probably more overpowering than the science behind any other disease process that I studied dating back to medical school. " Dr Ayoub is the Director of the Prairie Collaborative for Immunization, an organization that is self-funded, which aids organizations, journalists, and legislators obtain accurate information to assist their work. He is also the author of the report, " Pregnancy and the Myth of Influenza Vaccination-Is it safe, is it effective, is it necessary? What the CDC documents reveal. " When asked why so many scientist were now conducting research Dr Ayoud said, " I think a disease that effects more individuals than AIDS or cancer, in previously normal infants and children, has created a sense of urgency amongst researchers. " Flu shots with a toxic dose of mercury are still being given to pregnant women and Rh negative shots with thimerosal are still being given to pregnant women. Even though recent studies have shown that lower IQ levels linked to mercury exposure in the womb costs the US $8.7 billion a year in lost earnings potential, according to a study released in February 2005, by researchers at the Mount Sinai Center for Children's Health and the Environment, who combined a number of previous studies to determine hundreds of thousands of babies are born every year with lower IQ associated with mercury exposure. Lead researcher and pediatician, Leonard Trasande, said annually, between 316,588 and 637,233 infants are born with umbilical cord blood mecury levels linked to IQ loss and about 4% of babies are born with mercury levels between 7.13 and 15 micrograms per liter which at that level, causes an IQ loss of 1.6 points. The drug makers have been marching their own experts into court so lets look at the credentials of some of their experts to see how they match up with those listed above. In the case of Vera Easter verses Aventis Pasteur, although Harvard-educated and the author of some 80 peer-reviewed articles, according to his deposition, Dr Philip Wang's specialty was epidemiology related to antidepressants. Prior to being retained as an expert for the vaccine makers, Dr Wang had not done any evaluations associated with vaccines, had no specific training whatsoever regarding mercury, and had written no articles on the effects of heavy metal exposure. Dr Wang has never investigated any illness claimed to be associated with heavy metal exposure and has never been asked to do a formal epidemiologic evaluation of the hypothesis that the thimerosal could cause neurological disorders or autism. He claimed that he did know that the VAERS database existed prior to being retained as an expert, but had never conducted any analysis on the Vaccine Safety Datalink. Dr Wang's knowledge of vaccines and thimerosal was limited to what he learned in 30 to 35 hours of meetings with defense attorneys and reading the relevant medical literature, most of which was provided by the defense attorneys. Finally, Dr Wang only offered an opinion on the link between thimerosal and autism and not on the issues relevant to the case relating to other neurological disorders. For some reason, I don't think Dr Wang would fare too well if called upon to take the stand to disprove the opinions of the many established experts on the plaintiff's team with their combined decades of research experience in this area of expertise. Another drug maker expert in the case was Dr P , who in her deposition agreed that, prior to the case, her experience with mercury poisoning cases was zero. She has had no experience related to mercury or its neurotoxic effects and conceded that she was not an expert on mercury or the effects of mercury exposure on the human body. I hardly think Dr is a match for the experts above. In fact I think it would be grossly unfair to even throw this gal in the ring with the other heavyweights. I guess it just goes to show how much humiliation some people are willing to endure to make a buck. Partnerships Between Industry and Regulatory Officials In reaching decisions, officials within regulatory bodies seem more concerned about the impact of their decision on global vaccination policies than making an unbiased appraisal of the scientific evidence. In reviewing statements by these agencies, people need to consider the inherent conflicts of interest between the CDC, charged with investigating medical issues; the FDA, charged with regulating vaccines; the Institute of Medicine (IOM), which examines policy issues; and the vaccine manufacturers. After an on-going investigation of several years, the Mercury in Medicine Report was published on May 21, 2003 by the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness of the Committee on Government Reform, and included testimony from numerous experts. The report rendered a number of specific findings. Most significant was its statement that, " The CDC in general and the National Immunization Program are particularly conflicted in their duty to monitor the safety of vaccines, while also charged with the responsibility of purchasing vaccines for resale as well as promoting increased immunization rates. " The report went on to say that the CDC due to its " biases against theories regarding vaccine-induced autism, " had chosen to fund researchers " who also worked for vaccine manufacturers to conduct population- based immunologic studies. . . " But most importantly, it identified Thimerosal as the culprit in plain language and in no uncertain terms: " Thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines is directly related to the autism epidemic. This epidemic in all probability may have been prevented or curtailed had the FDA not been asleep at the switch regarding a lack of safety data regarding injected thimerosal and the sharper eyes of infant exposure to this known neurotoxin. The public health agencies' failure to act is indicative of institutional malfeasance for self protection and misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical industry. " The CDC's decision to promote the publication of research supportive of the vaccine industry to refute this report by a congressional committee, demonstrates just how far it will go to support its partners in crime. Blatant evidence of this partnership can be found in a CDC plan to promote flu vaccine sales which detailed a " 7 step recipe for generating interest in, and demand for, flu (or any other) vaccination. " The document discusses the " best recipe " that would foster interest and demand, including use of terms like " very severe, " " more severe, " and " deadly " to " motivate behavior " and increase sales. For any doubters, this evidence should confirm that the interests of the CDC and the industry are one and the same. In addition, numerous articles published in medical journals between 2001 to 2004, were quoted as key studies relied upon by the Institute of Medicine, which as it turns out, were written by authors and researchers with direct conflicts of interest and real biases in favor of claiming that thimerosal did not cause injuries or autism. Many of the conflicts were not revealed by the authors at the time the articles were written in direct violation of policy rules pertaining to medical journals. For instance, one article relied upon by the IOM, although not a population study, was Pichichero et al. Mercury concentrations and metabolism in infants receiving vaccines containing Thimerosal: a descriptive study, published in Lancet in 2002. Pichichero did not declare any conflicts, despite the Lancet's strict policy requiring that conflicts be disclosed. However, in a subsequent New York Times article, Pichichero admitted that he had done work for Lilly and other drug companies. But a fact that must have slipped his mind was that in an earlier article in American Family Physician, Pichichero had declarated: The author has received research grants and/or honoraria from the following pharmaceutical companies: Abbott Laboratories, Inc.; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; Eli Lilly & Company; Merck and Co.; Pasteur Merieux Connaught; Pfizer Labs; Roach Laboratories; Roussel-Uclaf; Schering Corporation; KlineBeecham Pharmaceuticals; Upjohn Company; Wyeth-Lederle. In defending thimerosal, officials will often refer to the World Health Organization as a body that has found it safe. Well in a June, 2001 WHO report, the agency itself refers to vaccine manufacturers as a full and equal " partner. " When the WHO was worried that regulations had affected drug maker's costs, it stressed the need to get them to stay in the market, and even proposed a " communication strategy that would take account of public concern about adverse effects of vaccines. " So, in a subsequent WHO meeting on April 15-16, 2002, a decision was made to " lobby Ministry of Health and senior regulators " on the thimerosal issue and to " develop a strong advocacy campaign to support the ongoing use of thiomersal. " It can readily be seen that the WHO has similar reasons to those of the CDC to support the industry's position. As thimerosal containing vaccines continue to be shipped to countries all over the world, its becoming more and more apparent that these cozy " partnerships " wield a considerable amount of power when it comes to making decisions related to vaccine safety. Who Knew What And When The well-documented sordid history of thimerosal, including the continuing misrepresentations by its inventor, Eli Lilly, confirms that the product should never have been used in childhood vaccines, and should have definitely been removed prior to the doubling of the content that resulted from the addition of the HIB and Hepatitis B vaccines in the late 1980's to mid-90's. Mercury in vaccines was tested and shown to be lethal many times over the past 40 years. In May of 1967, an article was published in Applied Microbiology, titled " Enhanced Toxicity for Mice of Pertussis Vaccine When Preserved with Merthiolate. " The abstract states: Pertussis vaccines preserved with 0.01% merthiolate (thimerosal) are more toxic for mice than unpreserved vaccines prepared from the same parent concentrate containing the same number of organisms. In this study, twenty mice were injected with a vaccine with no thimerosal and none died. 30 others were injected with the same vaccines, plus thimerosal, and 5 died. The article stated that " it would not be surprising if injection of this vaccine influenced the susceptibility of the mouse towards a mercurial preservative. " The authors also noted that " other laboratories " had observed toxicity of final lots of preserved vaccine when the vaccines themselves were " atoxic or only slightly toxic. " In 1972, Lilly received an article that confirmed that thimerosal had caused 6 deaths when too much of it had been used, which said: " The symptoms and clinical course of the 6 patients suggests subacute mercury poisoning. " In 1975, autopsies on squirrel monkeys treated with thimerosal-containing nose spray, determined that mercury accumulated in the brain " which may represent a potential hazard in the chronic use of thimerosal as a preservative in products intended for human use. " By the late 1970's, vaccine companies realized the need to remove thimerosal because of its poisonous effects. In an October 12, 1979 memo, Merck scientists discussed the " potential problem " of having mercury in its flu and meningococcal vaccines, as well as the Hepatitis B vaccine that was under development and asked: " Should a program of replacement be initiated now to guard against any spontaneous rally to avoid its (thimerosal) use in injectables? " This memo proves that the industry knew about the dangers long before the mercury-loaded Hib and Hep B vaccines were added to the schedule in the 1980's and 1990's. In 1986, an article titled, " Organic Mercury Compounds and Their Toxicity, " noted that thimerosal had caused problems and stated that it was " now accepted that multidose injection preparations are undesirable, and preservatives should not present in unidose preparations. " In the early 1990's, the level of thimerosal in vaccines increased drastically, and in many cases doubled. The drug companies knew that adding 3 or four HIB vaccines and as many as 3 Hep B shots would substantially increase the level of mercury injected into infants at a critical period of brain development. We now know that by 1991, Merck absolutely knew that the increase was harmful. A 1991 internal memo, recently revealed by the LA Times, concluded that exposure in infants within the first six month of life could be 87 times the level determined safe. The memo`s damning revelations said: For babies: the 25 ug of mercury in a single 0.5 ml dose and extrapolated to a 6 pound baby would be 25 times the adjusted Swedish daily allowance of 1.0 micrograms for a baby of that size. The total mercury burden in a baby is unknown, but it has been stated that the blood level of a newborn may exceed that of the mother. If eight doses of thimerosal-containing vaccine was given in the first six months of life (3 DTP, 2 HIB, and 3 Hepatitis the 200 micrograms of mercury given, say to an average size of 12 pounds, would be about 87 times the Swedish daily allowance of 2.3 micrograms for a baby of that size. In the memo even acknowledged that " the best way to go is to switch to dispensing the actual vaccines without adding preservatives. " However, it went on to say that while this was the best solution, there was " a cost consideration the head of Health Services has to consider. Several large ampoules or bottles are more expensive than a smaller number of larger packages. " So in essence, this Merck memo proves that by 1991, vaccine makers knew that they were injecting poison into infants and decided that profits were more important than the country's most precious asset, an entire generation of children. The vaccine makers are fighting hard against the removal of thimerosal for two reasons. The first is the usual suspect, greed. But the second reason is now higher on their list. The industry knows that if thimerosal were to be completely removed from all vaccines tomorrow, the public would not be able to ignore the corresponding decline, not only in cases of autism, but in the epidemic of all the strange disorders that have engulfed the public school system in all 50 states over the past 15 years. The decline is already happening in California, one of the first states to ban thimerosal. In attempt to confuse the issue, officials have tried to avoid any discussion of the evidence establishing an association between mercury and a host of other neurological disorders. In addition to autism, the epidemic includes attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) and speech or language delay and each has its own spectrum of symptoms. For example, autism is characterized by impairments of social interaction, communication, and behavior. ADD/ADHD is typified by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity. Speech and language delay are characterized by sensory and auditory processing disorders impacting on communication. See Immunization Safety Review, Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorder, IOM 2001. Officials should quit using scare tactics to infer a threat to the vaccine program as a whole. The issue is not the vaccines, its the preservative that has to go. And its not just contained in childhood vaccines. Thimerosal is in other products given to unsuspecting victims. The flu vaccine is probably the most commonly used product that still contains the preservative, but there are other shots that have it as well. For instance, I just found out that a shot given to stop contractions in pregnant women who go into labor too early contains thimerosal. I traveled to Wisconsin to be sure that I would be in the hospital at the time of delivery to protect my first grandson from any nurse with a needle looking to stick him with a Hep B vaccine. A few days ago, my daughter began to have early contractions. The doctor told her not to worry, to just come in for a check up. She came home with the great news that a shot stopped the contractions, only to find out a few hours later that the miracle shot may have contained thimerosal. That was three days ago and I am still in shock! While adverse effects of vaccines to a small number of susceptible individuals might seem justified in the interest of the greater good to mankind, the brain-injuring effects arising as a result of the government forcing parents to inject a known poison into their precious children should not be tolerated. Pringle epringle05@... (The author is a columnist for Independent Media TV and an investigative journalist focused on exposing corruption in government) -- > DO SOMETHING ABOUT AUTISM NOW < -- SUBSCRIBE. . . ! .. . .Read, then Forward the Schafer Autism Report. To Subscribe http://www.SARnet.org/ Or mailto:subs at doitnow.com No Cost! _______________________________________________________ • • • How Lawsuits Brought On The Flu Vaccine Shortage One lawsuit seeks $30 billion in damages, even though the entire vaccine market is valued at only $5 billion. Considering such obstacles, why on earth would any business want to make vaccines? They wouldn't. And most don't. By Neal http://www.satevepost.org/issues/2005/0102/445031.shtml If you think the lines for flu shots are long now, imagine what would happen in the event of a global pandemic. Most people who needed flu shots wouldn't get them. The immunization system would collapse. An underground market would appear, disrupting already-distorted supply and demand patterns. Instead of 36,000 U.S. deaths caused by flu each year, there could be hundreds of thousands. Worst-case scenario? Yes. Out of the question? Hardly. " The influenza pandemic is a major public health threat with the potential to cause a rapid increase in morbidity and mortality, " Pien, president and CEO of Chiron Corp., recently told a congressional committee. Pien should know. He's the man at the center of this season's vaccine storm. His California-based company took the fall after regulators declared its Liverpool, England, factory contaminated. In one fell swoop, 47 million flu shots were gone. The 2004 flu vaccine shortage is a case study of what's wrong with America's healthcare system. It's time for politicians to stop pandering to the public's fears and admit the real cause of the shortage. Shortages occur when free markets are missing. Three distinct but related factors have eliminated the free market in vaccines: • The cost of lawsuits and government regulations forced vaccine makers out of the business in the 1980s. Although Congress responded with a law to minimize their liability, most never returned to the marketplace. Today, only five companies make vaccines for U.S. distribution, compared to about 30 before the liability crisis. These firms live with the daily fear of being hauled into court. • In recent years, government has become the number-one purchaser of many vaccines, flu included. " Inevitably, the government strong-arms companies into accepting the lowest possible price--far less than they would be able to charge in a more diverse marketplace, " according to researchers Grossman and Edmund F. Haislmaier of The Heritage Foundation. When companies can't make money on something, they stop producing it. Only three companies produce U.S.-licensed influenza vaccine, compared to more than a dozen 30 years ago. • There's little incentive to produce vaccines in the first place, and even less for flu because the strains are always changing. Huge amounts are spent on research and development of new formulas, yet the slightest miscalculation of demand can send manufacturers into the red. During the 2002-03 flu season, manufacturers lost $120 million on unused vaccine that had to be dumped. Considering all these obstacles, why on earth would any business want to make vaccines? They wouldn't. And most don't. Litigation concerns linger In 1988, Congress created a no-fault system designed to compensate families for adverse effects of childhood vaccines. Without that protection, no manufacturer could bear the risk of the multibillion-dollar lawsuits that trial lawyers routinely threaten on behalf of their clients. Vaccines contain weak or killed microorganisms that cause a particular disease. When these substances enter the body, the immune system is activated in defense. On rare occasion, injury or death occur. Since its creation in 1988, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund has paid out more than $1.4 billion to nearly 1,800 people. Under terms of the law, families who think their children have been harmed by vaccinations must attempt to resolve claims with the fund before going to court. The fund has reduced (but not stopped) the lawsuits. In a pending class-action case, parents of children with autism are blaming vaccines containing mercury for damage to their children's brains during critical stages of development. According to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., one such lawsuit seeks $30 billion in damages, even though the entire vaccine market is valued at only $5 billion. Mercury (thimerosal) is not a covered ingredient under the fund. Also on the rise: lawsuits over adult vaccinations. One litigant claimed that he developed Guillain-Barré syndrome as a result of a flu shot. Similar suits have been filed across the country, prompting congressional action. On Oct. 22, President Bush signed into law a bill that expands coverage of the fund to adults claiming Injury from flu, or hepatitis, other immunizations. One anecdote is revealing. The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, held a hearing in September of 2004 on the flu vaccine shortage, but Chiron was the only manufacturer to show up. " The untold story is that the other firm which makes flu vaccines for senior citizens declined to appear at our hearing because of concerns about lawsuits, " Craig said afterwards. Government needs to get out of the way If excessive litigation hampers the free market, government policies aggravate the distortions. It's no coincidence that flu vaccine makers dropped out of the business just as the government became the chief purchaser of the vaccine for seniors served through federal programs. Incredibly, some politicians want the federal government to negotiate drug prices on behalf of senior citizens enrolled in the Medicare program. According to Heritage researchers Grossman and Haislmaier, " After this year's flu vaccine shortage, we know how the story ends. Government negotiation could drive down prices for a few years with little noticeable effect. But when there is a public health crisis, as happens unpredictably, what manufacturer is going to have the spare capacity and ability to churn out extra Cipro or smallpox vaccine on short notice? Without a fair chance of making a profit, no drugmaker could justify the expense of keeping such capacity at the ready. " Vaccination shortages are not unusual. Since 200l, shortages have occurred in eight vaccines, including those used for tetanus, measles and rubella. The solution is not more lawsuits, government restrictions, or price controls. It's creating a less risky environment for healthcare manufacturers so they can satisfy shareholders and continue to save lives by the millions. At flu vaccination clinics across the country this past fall, police were called to perform crowd control. Does this make any sense in a country that prides itself on its free economy, outstanding medical care, and compassionate concern for all its citizens? Not hardly. Neal is adjunct scholar with the Indiana Policy Review Foundation. Contact her at aneal@... [The opinions expressed in COMMENTARIES are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinions of the Schafer Autism Report.] • • • EVIDENCE OF HARM DISCUSSION LIST HEATS UP AS MERCURY LINK TO AUTISM QUESTION SPREADS An Evidence of Harm email discussion list has been created in response to the growing interest in the book and the issues it chronicles. Now 900+ subscribers. Here is how to subscribe (no cost): EOHarm-subscribe MEDIA Autism in France - Special Event On Autism One Radio Tuesday, August 2nd, beginning at 2:00 pm ET: www.autismone.org/radio e Ferguson, President and Co-founder of the Fondation Autisme based in Paris, France. Fondation Autisme has a mission of helping towards research to: find the causes of, foster the prevention of, and further the efficient and effective treatment of autism. Fondation Autisme wants to provide affected children and their families in France the hope for a future rich in opportunities by improving their world, from school to the professional world. Moms in France are still treated as " refrigerator mothers, " and young children are recommended for institutionalization. Host Teri Small will interview e Ferguson on such topics as: How Fondation Autisme hopes to work in harmony with Cure Autism Now on the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange; how the media in France is embracing the possibility of autism research with excitement; and how e Ferguson would like to make information available to parents in France concerning Thimerosal. • • • PUBLIC HEALTH Teen Charged With Causing Mercury Spill At High School - Felony http://www.woodtv.com/global/story.asp?s=3648768 & ClientType=Printable Kent County, Mich. - A student accused of spilling mercury at Cedar Springs High School is now being charged with a felony. On May 11, authorities say 18-year-old Gorter was caught playing with a dime-sized amount of mercury in class. That prompted school officials to shut down the school for two days while crews cleaned up. The cleanup cost the district more than $40,000. Now Gorter faces charges of malicious destruction of property, which carries up to ten years in prison, as well as unlawful possession of a harmful device. He has been released on bond. Brief comment: But it's ok to put mercury into vaccines for babies. I can see the poor kid in court now, " . . .but your honor, the CDC, the FDA and everybody says this stuff is safe! " -LS. • • • CARE Boys Take Stand In T-Ball Case By Foreman for the Tribune-Review, PA http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/fayette/s_358349.html A Fayette County boy testified Thursday that his T-ball coach offered him $25 if he would hit an autistic teammate in the face in an attempt to sideline him from a playoff game. Reese Jr., 8, was one of two children to speak from the witness stand during a preliminary hearing for Mark R. Downs Jr., 27, of Dunbar. Downs was ordered to stand trial on charges of two counts of criminal solicitation to commit aggravated assault, and one count each of corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person. Downs' attorney, W. Shaffer, maintains the case, filed by state police at Uniontown, is a misunderstanding. Breaking a season-long routine, Downs asked Reese Jr., one of his better players, to practice with Harry Bowers Jr., who is autistic, before a June playoff game, according to prosecution witnesses. Reese Sr. testified he was surprised to see his son playing toss with Bowers, 9. Reese Sr. said he mentioned the unusual pairing to his wife as they sat in the bleachers awaiting the start of the game in a Fayette County youth league. " Harry can't even catch that well, " Reese said. " I thought right away there was something wrong with that. " Both Reese Sr. and his son testified that after the game, which Bowers missed because of injuries he suffered during the practice, Reese Jr. told his stepmother there was an explanation for the pairing. The boy said Downs offered him the money to hit Bowers in the face so the older boy would be unable to play the required minimum of three innings in the June 27 game. +Full story here: http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/trib/fayette/s_358349.html COPYRIGHT NOTICE: The above items are copyright protected. They are for our readers' personal education or research purposes only and provided at their request. Articles may not be further reprinted or used commercially without consent from the copyright holders. To find the copyright holders, follow the referenced website link provided at the beginning of each item. SUBSCRIBE to SAR: http://www.sarnet.org or mailto:subs@... _____________________________________________________________________ ______ Lenny Schafer, Editor edit@... Decelie Miles Ron Sleith _______________________________________________ SAReport mailing list SAReport@... You can unsubscribe at: mailto:unsubscribe@... You can change your options at: http://lists.envirolink.org/mailman/listinfo/sareport delivered to: DSAofLouisville@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.