Thimerosal-Ban Bill Passes in Missouri

[Guest guest]

[ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NOMERCURY. News article follows.]

NoMercury, on behalf of the children, parents, grandparents of Missouri,

is proud to announce that Missouri SB 74 has passed both the House of

Representatives on May 10, 2005 (157-1) and passed the Senate (29-2) on

May 11, 2005 at 12:13 pm Central! It is on its way to Governor Matt

Blunt. The Governor has already agreed to sign the bill (in fact, the

bill has an emergency clause regarding a separate funding issue that was

part of the bill but unrelated to the mercury provisions so I imagine he

will sign it either tomorrow or Friday). It protects pregnant women and

children to age three.

<>Additionally, the legislators have agreed, thanks to Senator

Loudon, to hold a Scientific Symposium later this summer (perhaps after

veto session) and agreed to consider the possibility of increasing the

age of those protected next session. A sincere thank you goes out to

*Senator Loudon*

<mailto:john_loudon@...?subject=Thank%20you%20for%20fighting%20for%20o\

ur%20children%20on%20SB%2074%21%21>

for fighting to protect those children over the age of three. He tried

until the very last minute to convince his colleagues to support an

amendment to protect all Missourians from this poison. He is not only a

respected State Senator, but also a wonderful father and friend to

children suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders. He is a hero to

the children and parents of Missouri! He will not let this issue rest

until Missouri protects all citizens from mercury, a known neurotoxin,

in vaccines! We will join with the efforts of Senator Loudon to

protect even more citizens next session.

We are so proud of these legislators and parents for putting another one

in the *_WIN_* column!!

Only 47 more states to go. So let’s keep working! We can do this one

state at a time.

Lujene G.

President & Co-Founder

NoMercury

Alan D. , M.D.

Medical Director & Co-Founder

NoMercury

www.NoMercury.org <http://www.NoMercury.org>

__________________________________________________

ADVOCACY [FROM SCHAFER REPORT]

Missouri Senate Votes to Limit Mercury In Childhood Vaccine

By Goodwin for the News-Leader

springfield.news-leader.com/news/today/20050512-Senatevotestoli.html

Jefferson City — Immunizations for pregnant women and children ages 2

and younger could contain only trace amounts of mercury under a bill headed

to Gov. Matt Blunt's desk.

The Senate voted, 29-2, Wednesday to give final approval. The House

adopted the measure Tuesday.

The ban would take effect in April 2007.

Many proponents of a ban believe mercury, a preservative in vaccines,

triggers autism in children.

Scientists disagree on any connection, but states nonetheless have

begun limiting exposure.

" My attitude is what can it hurt to get (mercury) out? " said Sen.

Norma Champion, R-Springfield, the bill's sponsor.

Originally, her legislation called for a ban on thimerosal and other

mercury-based vaccines for children 6 and younger.

The age was later raised to 13 and younger, after childhood

immunizations no longer are administered. However, the limit couldn't find

enough support.

The limit was lowered after negotiations including Blunt's

representatives and public health officials.

Nixa resident Rita Schreffler, a member of the board of the National

Autism Association and the mother of two children with autism-related

disorders, said Wednesday that passage of the law was " an important step in

protecting Missouri's children from unnecessary exposure to a known

neurotoxin, " but the law doesn't go far enough.

" Older children and even adults are known to to suffer adverse

neurological reaction from exposure to mercury.

" Eventually we'd like to see mercury taken out of all vaccines, for

people of any age. I think it's barbaric that mercury was ever injected into

humans in the first place. "

Champion said she was happy getting the bill passed, even if the age

limit is lower than some prefer.

News-Leader reporter Kathleen O'Dell contributed to this story.