1. Which vaccines still contain
Thimerosal (mercury)?
Most influenza vaccines contain thimerosal &
trace amounts of it are in these pediatric vaccines: DT (Diptheria &
Tetanus toxoids), Td (Tetanus & Dipheria toxoids), TT (Tetanus
Toxoids) & some DTaP & Hep. B
www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t3
Thimerosal content has been reduced since 1999,
but not recalled--even after reported injury.
www.vaccineinjurycompensation.com/
2. What is the cost difference?
It costs about $2 more per dose for mercury-free (single-dose)
vaccines.
www.cdc.gov/nip/vfc/cdc_vac_price_list.htm
Parents & insurance companies typically pay from $20- $80 per dose--
which includes a surcharge that goes into the Vaccine Adverse
Event Reporting System for vaccine injuries & death.
3. How many vaccine reactions are reported each year?
Only about 11,000 vaccine adverse events are actually
reported to the VAERS each year.
www.vaers.org/vaers.htm
Even fewer endure the adversarial National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program (NVICP)--although it has paid out over $1 billion.
www.hrsa.gov/osp/vicp/abdvic.htm
4. Has the CDC ever recommended a vaccine that later proved
to be dangerous for some?
Yes, the 1998-1999 RotaShieldVaccine was recalled.
www.fda.gov/cber/recalls/rota101599.htm
www.vaclib.org/legal/conflict.htm
www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9907/15/kid.vaccine/#1
5. Is autism mercury poisoning?
A growing number of doctors, researchers & parents of autistic children
worldwide believe that mercury in vaccine DOES cause autism.
www.909shot.com/
www.safeminds.org/
www.danconference.com/
www.autismwebsite.com/ari/vaccine/thimerosalreferences.htm
6. What is being done to ban mercury in vaccines elsewhere?
California & Iowa in 2004 passed legislation
eliminating mercury in vaccines--and citizens in
over 34 states are seeking similar legislation in 2005.
Also, mercury-ban legislation is moving
forward in the U.S. Congress.
Permission to use Autism Chart
granted from the Autism Society of America, Vanessa Collier, Feb 10, 2005.
BAN MERCURY FROM
VACCINES:
1) In
the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the number of vaccines in the childhood
immunization schedule was greatly increased, tripling the mercury
level injected into American infants. During the next 10 years, autism
skyrocketed (see chart above). In 1997 Congress asked FDA to report on the
level of mercury in vaccines and other products. In 1999, the FDA reported that
vaccine levels were considerably above federal safety guidelines. At that point,
the AAP, CDC, HHS, and FDA agreed mercury should be removed from childhood
vaccines. There was no recall. Every shot in the pipeline was allowed to be
shipped and used. By 2003, most American infant vaccines were becoming
mercury free. In spring 2004, the CDC announced the 2004-5 flu shot would
have
mercury for infants as young as 6 months. Rep Weldon (R-FL) began legislation to ban mercury (HR4169) – with no
matching legislation in US Senate. Grassroots efforts began in over 30 states nationwide.
2)
2003 Thimerosal MSDS: Danger! Poison! May be fatal if inhaled,
absorbed through skin or swallowed. Contains material which may cause
damage to the following organs: kidneys, respiratory tract, skin, eyes,
central nervous system. Section 8 - Exposure Controls: Personal
Protection: Splash goggles, Full suit, Dust Respirator, Boots, Gloves, a
self-contained breathing apparatus. Section 11 - Toxicology
Information: Acute Oral Toxicity. Extremely hazardous in case of skin
contact (permeator). May be fatal if absorbed. Extremely hazardous in case
of inhalation. May be fatal if inhaled. Extremely hazardous in case of
ingestion. May be fatal if swallowed. Danger of cumulative effects.
http://www.setonresourcecenter.com/MSDS/EMD/Docs/wcd00026/wcd026b4.pdf
3)
Mercury released primarily from coal-fired power plants may be contributing
to an increase in the number of cases of autism, a Texas researcher
said. “The main finding is that for every thousand pounds of environmentally
released mercury, we saw a 17
percent increase in autism rates.”
4)
Thimerosal was banned by FDA in over-the-counter (OTC) drug preparations
because of questions over safety. (Federal Register:
April 22, 1998 (Vol 63, Number 77) [Page 19799-19802].
Dr.
Andrew Wakefield asks why it's in infant vaccines when, "mercury was
taken out of animal vaccines 20 years ago because it was too toxic."
Dr. Stephanie Cave MD says, "Mercury poisoning and autism have nearly
identical symptoms: self-injurious behavior, social withdrawal, lack of eye
contact, lack of eye contact, lack of facial expression, hypersensivity to
noise and touch, and repetitive behaviors."
5) In
January 2004, the nation’s pediatricians received an autism ALARM [an
acronym for an American
Academy of
Pediatrics
communication program -- also sent out by CDC] stating Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD) were affecting 1 in 166 children (90 percent of them are
boys). Behavior/Developmental disorders were affecting 1 in 6 children.
Both are epidemic. Autism rose over 1000% 1991-2004. It’s now 1 in 149
children with ASD.
http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/screening/Autism downloads/AutismAlarm.pdf
6)
Given the CDC/ AAP A.L.A.R.M. numbers, that means that out of 4 million
born in US each year, 24,000 will be devastated with autism, and
perhaps as many as 600,000 with mild to severe learning disorders,
caused in part or whole by neurological destruction of brain cells that
mercury is proven to precipitate. According to Dr. Mark Geier, who has
studied the CDC's own data, "Kids who received 100 mcg of thimerosal were
over ten times more likely to have autism than the kids who received no
mercury containing vaccines.
http://www.toxicteeth.org/Mercury-poisoning-2004.pdf
7) A
1991 Merck memo (just released publicly Feb. 8, 05) shows that at least
one major manufacturer was aware of the vaccine mercury concern much
earlier. The 1991 memo stated 6-month-old children who received their
shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than
guidelines (FDA) for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish.
"When viewed in this way, the mercury load appears rather large," said the
memo from Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman, an internationally renowned vaccinologist
to the president of Merck's vaccine division. "It is reasonable to
conclude" that it should be eliminated where possible, he said,
"especially where use in infants and young children is anticipated."
(LA Times Feb. 8, 05)
8)
Apparently, no one at the National Immunization Program (NIP) within CDC (or
the FDA) did the calculations regarding the cumulative mercury exposure.
The net effect of this was that, in the 1990s, babies in America were
exposed to mercury by injection up to 138 times levels not considered
safe by the EPA for oral consumption by adults. (they would need to be 1380 lb.
to ingest, 1794 lb. to inject). The standard US vaccination schedule
injected 187.5 mcg of Thimerosal into US infants by age 6 months - twice the amount injected in UK, and US vaccine mercury tripled at the same
time Sweden
removed mercury & Thimerosal from their vaccines. Autism rose 1000%+ during
the next 14 years (see chart above).
9) A
turning point came in 1997 when Congress passed a bill ordering an FDA
review of mercury ingredients in food and drugs. Completed in 1999, the
review was described at the time as a first effort to assess the
cumulative mercury dose. In e-mails released at a
congressional hearing, an FDA official said health authorities could be
criticized for "being 'asleep at the switch' for decades by allowing
a potentially hazardous compound to remain in many childhood vaccines, and
not forcing manufacturers to exclude it from new products." It would not
have taken "rocket science" to add up the amount of exposure as the
prescribed number of shots was increasing.
10)
Rep. Weldon, the only physician in US House of Representative continues
to question whether neurological problems were caused in some children by
the high level of mercury contained in many vaccines in the 1990's. In his
2005 THE HILL article, Rep Weldon, MD (R-FL) states: "Unfortunately it
remains in the childhood flu vaccine, and I will again introduce legislation
to eliminate mercury from this vaccine." (HR4169 2004 HR881
2005)
11)
Although they afflict widely different age groups, autism and
Alzheimer’s share a common cause: mercury. Dr. Boyd Haley,
professor and chair of the chemistry department at the University of
Kentucky, and Dr. Bernard Rimland, founder of the Autism Research Institute,
presented evidence at this year’s Doctors for Disaster Preparedness meeting
that connects mercury with these diseases. This heavy metal is highly
poisonous. A
Dartmouth
professor
studying the chemical characteristics of an organic form of mercury –
dimethyl mercury – spilled two drops of it on her gloved hand. The first
sign of mercury poisoning occurred four months later when her
speech began to be slurred. This was followed by difficulty walking and loss
of vision. She then fell into a coma and died. Another person,
attempting to smelt the silver in dental amalgams, heated them in a frying
pan. The mercury vapor thus generated killed him quickly. The two other
family members in the house at the time also died. “Mercury on the Mind”
by Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD
12)
Report: Autism: A Unique Form of Mercury Poisoning: Bernard, et al --
A review of medical literature indicates that the
characteristics of
autism and of mercury poisoning (HgP) are strikingly similar. The
parallels between the two diseases are so thorough as to suggest, based on
total Hg injected into U.S. children, that many cases of autism are a
form of mercury poisoning.
http://www.whale.to/a/pdf/Bernard%20et%20al%202001.pdf
13) A
University of Calgary Faculty of Medicine research team has found that
exposure to mercury causes degeneration of brain neurons in animals. The
researchers’ academic paper is supported by a time-lapse video recorded from
a microscope camera showing how neurons degenerate when they are exposed to
mercury. http://www.fp.ucalgary.ca/unicomm/news/March_01/mercury.htm
14)
‘“More than one child in six born in the
United States could be at risk for developmental disorders because of mercury exposure
in the mother's womb,” according to estimates released last week by EPA scientists.
The agency doubled its estimate, equivalent to 630,000 of the 4 million
babies born each year.’ E.P.A. Raises Estimate of Babies Affected by
Mercury Exposure: The New York Times,
Feb. 10, 2004,
by Jennifer Lee.
15)
Study evaluated concentrations of mercury in urine following a 3-Day
treatment with an oral chelating agent. Overall urinary mercury
concentrations were significantly higher in 221 children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders than in 18 normal controls. The authors conclude DMSA
appears to be an effective and safe chelating agent for treatment of
pediatric overexposure to metallic mercury. A Case-Control Study of
Mercury Burden in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Jeff
Bradstreet, MD et al http://www.jpands.org/vol8no3/geier.pdf
16) EPA
Methyl-Mercury RfD derived in 2003 is 0.1 ug / kg (2.2 lbs) per day. 25 mcg.
of mercury is considered "safe" for a 550 lb. adult using EPA guidelines for
ingestion. Inject is approx 1/3 more lethal than ingest -- safe for 733 lb.
adult.
http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/thi-table-Oct04.pdf &
http://www.epa.gov/EPA-MEETINGS/2000/October/Day-30/m27781.htm
17)
Additional Facts: ● 15% of women in America (Rh Neg) get Rhogam shots
and have 50% of autistic children. The Rhogam shots often have 25-35 mcg.
of Thimerosal. ● Scientists put brain cells in Petri dishes. To some
they added mercury, some estrogen and mercury, and others testosterone and
mercury. The mercury was very toxic. The estrogen somehow protected cells
for only 3% cell death. Testosterone & mercury was much more lethal than
mercury alone, explaining why boys get autism 4 to 1 more than girls. ● In a
study by Dr. William Walsh, Ph.D. of the Pfeiffer Center, of 503 children
with autism, ALL but four showed a Metallothionein (MT) Dysfunction.
The lack of MT signifies the inability to metabolize mercury out of the
body. Even though MT deficiency may be constant in the gene pool, what
changed was tripling of mercury-load in vaccines, and autism rose over
1000%. ● Mercury is a heavy metal & poison, proven to be more toxic than
lead or arsenic, and is the most toxic, non-radioactive element on Earth.
18)
According to Hugh Fudenberg, MD, the world's leading immunogeneticist and
13th most quoted biologist of our times (nearly 850 papers in peer review
journals): If an individual has had 5 consecutive flu shots between 1970
and 1980 (the years studied) his/her chances of getting Alzheimer's Disease
is 10 times higher than if he/she had one, 2 or no shots. Dr. Fudenberg said
it was due to mercury and aluminum that is in every flu shot (and
was in most childhood shots). The gradual mercury and aluminum buildup in
the brain causes cognitive dysfunction. Flu shots contain 25 micrograms of
mercury. One microgram is considered toxic.
(This one explains why we want it out of ALL shots for ALL Tennesseans.
See also #11. Mercury is implicated in autism AND Alzheimer's).
19)
Professor John Oxford of Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry
states: From Alzheimer's disease to a devastating lineup of other
neurological disorders including Parkinsons, ALS, MS, autism and AD -
mercury is known to be a potent neurotoxin that either is the prime cause of
such disorders or certainly is seen to exacerbate them [xxix]. He says, If
there is "any doubt whatsoever" about the safety of mercury in
vaccines then it should be removed.
20) It
costs $2 more per $20-80 vaccine for mercury-free, however the cost in
personal trauma to these 24,000 American children / year who acquire Autism
and their families, plus the economic burden is immeasurable. Autism
IS Treatable with proper biomedical interventions –
however only 2% will receive chelation to remove the 6 times more
mercury found in children with autism than normal children. Chelation
along with much nutritional support will bring 50-70% of this 2% to normal
range. Without chelation and biomedical interventions, 75% ultimately
become wards of the states.
Tennesseans for Safer Vaccines ask the Tennessee Legislature to please
remove all Thimerosal from
ALL VACCINES!!
Thank You!
Excerpts from
"Mercury in Medicine - Taking Unnecessary Risks", a report prepared
by the
Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness, Committee on Government Reform,
United States
House of Representatives, Chairman Dan Burton, May 2003:
"There's no question that mercury does not belong in vaccines. There are
other
compounds that could
be used as preservatives. And everything we know about
childhood
susceptibility, neurotoxicity of mercury at the fetus and infant level,
points out
that
we should not have these fetuses and infants exposed to mercury. There's no
need of it in the vaccines."
"Mercury is hazardous to humans. Its use in medicinal products is
undesirable, unnecessary and should be minimized or eliminated entirely."
"Manufacturers of vaccines and thimerasol (an ethylmercury compound used in
vaccines), have never conducted adequate testing on the safety of
thimerasol. The FDA
has
never conducted adequate testing on the safety of thimerasol. The FDA has
never
required manufacturers to conduct adequate safety testing on thimerasol and
ethylmercury compounds."
"Studies and papers documenting the hypoallergenicity and toxicity of
thimerasol
(ethylmercury)
have existed for decades."
"The amount of ethylmercury to which children were exposed through vaccines
prior to
the 1999 announcement
exceeded two safety thresholds established by the Federal
Government for a
closely related substance - methylmercury. While the Federal
Government has
established no safety threshold for ethylmercury, experts agree that the
methylmercury guidelines are a good substitute."
"The
FDA and CDC failed in their duty to be vigilant as new vaccines
containing
thimerasol were
approved and added to the immunization schedule. When hepatitis B
and Haempohilus
influenza Type B vaccines were added to the recommended schedule of
childhood
immunizations, the cumulative amount of ethylmercury to which children were
exposed
nearly tripled."
"Thimerasol used as a preservative in vaccines
[sic is] likely related to the autism
epidemic. The
epidemic in all probability may have been prevented or curtailed had the
FDA not been
asleep at the switch regarding the lack of safety data regarding injected
thimerosal and
the sharp rise of infant exposure to this known neurotoxin.
Our public
health
agencies' failure to act is indicative of institutional malfeasance
for self-protection and misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical
industry."
