Public Resistance Grows as Vaccine Officials Push for Harsh Vaccine Mandates

Earlier this month a national survey commissioned by the Florida Institute of Technology released some interesting findings on the public's views of vaccines. The survey found that only 38 percent believe no link exists between vaccines and autism. That leaves a lot of Americans who feel such a link might exist.

These findings are not surprising to vaccine safety advocates, SafeMinds among them, who have for many years backed up their concerns by pointing to gaps in vaccine safety research coupled with scientific evidence of harm caused by vaccines.

Equally unsurprising: the Florida survey findings fell on deaf ears among vaccine officials. Two physicians from the infectious disease arm of the American Academy of Pediatrics participated in a recent vaccine forum in New Jersey hosted by SafeMinds director Deirdre Imus. Drs. Margaret Fisher and Jeffrey Boscamp misspoke several times, stating that thimerosal had been removed from vaccines and no link existed between vaccines and autism. Showing more concern over vaccine adverse reactions were panelists Ms. Imus, journalist and author David Kirby and physician Lawrence Rosen, who raised questions regarding the sheer number of vaccines given, their toxic ingredients, lack of research on long- term adverse effects connected to chronic illnesses, and links made to autism.

The discussion, "A Forum on Vaccines: All Sides of the Issue", took place October 23, 2008 at Hackensack University Medical Center. It was well attended by health care professionals and families. Besides Drs. Boscamp, Fisher and Rosen, who is with Hackensack University Medical Center, Mr. Kirby and Ms. Imus, the panel included New Jersey Commissioner of the Department of Health and Senior Services Heather Howard.

Dr. Boscamp used graphic pictures of diseased individuals to support his belief that a drop in vaccination rates would occur unless vaccines were mandated by law. Perhaps Dr. Boscamp remains unaware that CDC surveys indicate the vaccination rate in the U.S. is well above what is necessary for "herd immunity". Many found the presentation to be a scare tactic. Mr. Kirby noted that vaccines are not mandated in Europe and that high vaccination rates are achieved as a result of education and not coercion.

Throughout the proceedings Dr. Rosen and Ms. Imus questioned the wisdom and necessity of mandatory vaccination, to which Dr. Fisher, Dr. Boscamp and Commissioner Howard stated that it was integral to maintain the public's health. Many attendees appeared to reject these attacks on freedom of choice for medical decisions. A nurse in the audience commented, "If you think you have a confidence issue now, it hasn't even crested yet . . . parents are going to do whatever we have to do . . . we are not going to stand by idly."

As I viewed this forum it was clear that the majority of public health professionals charged with our children's safety are much like Drs. Boscamp and Fisher. They are unwilling to consider anything outside the mantra of "vaccines save lives." There was no dispute regarding vaccines saving lives from infectious diseases. The question of concern is whether vaccines contribute to chronic diseases like autism and asthma. However, when asked why a study of health outcomes among unvaccinated and vaccinated children had not been conducted, Dr. Fisher responded that such a study would be "unethical" - the same response SafeMinds received earlier this year from the AAP. Oddly, CDC's Director, Julie Gerberding, MD, has stated that a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study is possible and should be conducted . . . yet it has not.

This unyielding attitude raises the public's mistrust. It is time for health officials to adopt a new strategy addressing vaccine safety research gaps. The current scare tactics fool no one, as the Florida Institute of Technology survey shows. The beliefs of the current vaccine officials cannot be allowed to trump personal safety and freedom of choice. Views held by Drs. Fisher and Boscamp and Commissioner Howard declared that the children who cannot survive the adverse effects of a one-size-fits-all vaccine policy are acceptable "collateral damage" in order to protect the common good. Sad and unacceptable news for those of us footing that bill and seeing first hand a generation of children unable to lead happy and fulfilled lives and who are increasingly portrayed as disposable.

SafeMinds Directors Sallie Bernard, Mark Blaxill, Jim Moody and Theresa Wrangham attended the most recent Neurotoxicology Conference held in Rochester, New York October 12-16. The focus of this year's conference was Environmental Etiologies of Neurological Disorders: Scientific, Translational and Policy Implications.

SafeMinds conference poster highlighted the need for neurotoxicologic expertise within the objectives and strategic planning underway by the NIH Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, which may be viewed here. The poster analyses of trends in NIH autism spending demonstrated that research priorities remain unchanged, with continued underfunding and domination by genetics, diagnostics, and behavior. The poster also noted the reluctance of NIH leadership to encourage environmental proponents while promoting advocates of established NIH priorities. SafeMinds purpose in attending the conference was to inform the neurotoxicology community of the need for their commitment to insert themselves into NIH discussions at critical junctures like strategic plan development in hopes of reorienting mainstream medicine to consider the environment in chronic disease management. Directors present networked during the conference to create interest and understanding of the research needs of the autism community.

Autism related sessions encompassed many animal models and demonstrated that the role of the environment and its genetic interaction is under investigation and requires continued exploration to better understand autism's etiology. The session sponsored by SafeMinds, Mercury & Autism, was well attended with many thoughtful questions asked at the conclusion of the session. There were also many presentations on ongoing research made outside of the SafeMinds sponsored session of interest to our community. Our November our newsletter will highlight presentations made during the SafeMinds sponsored session, as well as additional presentations of interest to our community.

Our thanks to Dr. Joan Cranmer and conference organizers for coordinating timely information to our community and the inclusion of autism as a disease state requiring study.

Former SafeMinds Board Member Robert Krakow appears on Newsweek's online video website to discuss vaccines and autism and Dr. Paul Offit's new book Autism's False Prophets. Dr. Offit holds a vaccine patent and has business connections with pharmaceutical giant Merck. Mr. Krakow is an attorney in private practice with a claim pending in the

Recent studies hint that exposure to the toxic chemicals, such as methylmercury can cause harm at levels previously considered safe. A new analysis of the epidemiological evidence in the International Journal of Environment and Health, suggests that we should take a precautionary approach to this and similar compounds to protect unborn children from irreversible brain damage.

Philippe Grandjean of the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, and the University of Southern Denmark in Odense, explains that the causes of suboptimal and abnormal mental development are mostly unknown. However, severe exposure to pollutants during the development of the growing fetus can cause problems that become apparent as brain functions develop - and ultimately decline - in later life. Critically, much smaller doses of chemicals, such as the neurotoxic compound methylmercury, can harm the developing brain to a much greater extent than the adult brain.

Methylmercury is a chemical compound formed in the environment from released mercury. Unfortunately, the methylmercury can be transported quickly around the body and may enter the brain. Serious problems will ensue if important developmental processes are blocked as there will be only one chance for the brain to develop.

Disclaimer: THIS PRESS RELEASE IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN EXPRESS OR IMPLIED ENDORSEMENT OF EITHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. The organizations mentioned below do not favor or oppose any candidate for public office and are committed to alerting the autism community and the public about how the new administration and policymakers plan to address issues affecting both autism and vaccine safety concerns.

San Diego, CA, October 28, 2008 - Parents, scientists and clinicians met last weekend under the auspices of the Autism Research Institute in San Diego to discuss the state of autism research. Organizations representing many thousands of voters are calling for Senator McCain to state his policy position on vaccine safety, and for Senator Obama to clarify his comments made earlier this fall, by noon October 30, 2008, in order that voters can make an informed choice of candidate.

The autism community gratefully acknowledges the commitment at the last debate by both candidates to aggressively research the causes of and treatments for autism, a national health crisis affecting at least one in 150 children. However, some segments of the community are specifically concerned about vaccine safety reforms; issues include the removal of neurotoxic ingredients in vaccines, and alteration of the present vaccination schedule for children who might be at risk due to mitochondrial or some other predisposing disorder.

Emerging evidence in the scientific literature suggests that environmental factors, including vaccines, may contribute to autism. The nation is facing a crisis of confidence in the safety of the vaccine program. The Centers for Disease Control admitted last April that "simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied at the time of licensure." (page 33: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda _recommendations_080404.pdf)

In May, Rebecca Estepp of San Diego, who has a vaccine-injured child with autism, contacted both presidential campaigns for clarification on their positions with regard to vaccine-safety reform. She made a plea for two Executive Orders to be issued within the first one hundred days of entering office: the removal of all mercury from all vaccines, and a moratorium on the addition of new vaccines to the recommended list for children, until the current vaccine schedule can be proven safe.

On October 20th, Estepp received a detailed response from Douglas Holtz-Eakin, senior policy advisor to the McCain campaign, stating that if elected, McCain "will work with all agencies to take all necessary steps in an expedient manner to ensure safe vaccines for every American family." Further, McCain endorsed parental vaccination choice stating, "The key to health care reform is to restore control to the patients themselves." (http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/10/mccain-senior- p.html)

In contrast, Senator Obama never responded to Estepp's requests for improved vaccine safety, responding to her only with regard to his position on autism. Estepp is disappointed: "I truly wanted responses from both parties, and while the concerns of vaccine safety and autism overlap, they are in fact separate issues. I didn't ask either candidate for his position on autism. I asked for vaccine safety improvements on behalf of all children."

Earlier this fall, New Jersey parent Claudine Liss attended an Obama fundraiser with the express intent to get answers similar to those sought by Estepp. Liss explains, "He looked right at me and said, 'I am not for selective vaccination. I believe it will bring back deadly diseases, like polio.'"

Estepp extends a final plea to Senator Obama to clarify his position: "This is a party-neutral issue, and many of our parents are waiting to make up their minds on whom to elect. Senator McCain believes parents have a choice in how they vaccinate their children. I sincerely hope that Senator Obama misspoke that night in New Jersey."

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SafeMinds is forwarding this message on behalf of Autism Action Network, Autism United, Generation Rescue, Moms Against Mercury, No Mercury, Schafer Autism Report, Talk About Curing Autism, Unlocking Autism and U. S. Autism and Asperger's Association.

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The Age of Autism is the nation's first daily Web newspaper for the environmental-biomedical community - those who believe autism is an environmentally induced illness, that it is treatable, and that children can recover. For the most part, the major media in the United States aren't interested in that point of view, they won't investigate the causes and possible biomedical treatments of autism independently, and they don't listen to the most important voices - those of the parents. Visit the website at www.ageofautism.com.