By SafeMinds President Theresa Wrangham
Whether personally or professionally, this is the time of year when we all reflect on the year gone by and set goals for the approaching New Year. As we reflect, we also extend our thanks to the many individuals and organizations we have worked with throughout the year and to you our supporters. My sincerest thanks and gratitude also goes to the volunteers that comprise our Board and committees who tirelessly advocate on behalf of our children.
As our readers already know, mercury in vaccines continues to present a danger to public health. This year SafeMinds chose to expand its mission to include environmental mercury and launched an environmental committee to focus on the link between additional environmental mercury exposures and neurodevelopmental disorders. The committee has unveiled a series of articles on mercury and compact fluorescent light bulbs in our newsletter, published an environmental mercury FAQ sheet and, in a joint effort with Autism United, coordinated a press conference on Dr. Raymond Palmer's research which determined that a community's distance to a coal-fired power plant, or other industrial mercury source, significantly predicts later autism rates in the community's schoolchildren. As our readers now understand, mercury is a global issue, due to its persistence in our environment in its many forms and strong voices are needed to advocate for ending its use.
Our goal to end unnecessary and harmful mercury exposures that impact every individual's health will require a strong voice. The year ahead will doubtless be one of change in working with the new administration. Our wish and hope in the New Year is that of your continued support, because our work is far from complete. Whether your support is in the form of a donation, a few hours of volunteer time, or just passing our newsletter on to your family and friends to spread the word - your support makes a difference and is the reason SafeMinds has been able to impact policy and initiate change. In turn, we will continue to be a strong voice in the community and a reliable resource for information. As SafeMinds continues to serve the public in accomplishing our mission, below are some highlights of the year gone by that we would like to share as the year draws to a close.
Research: SafeMinds is expanding the understanding of mercury and its role in autism through the funding studies such as Dr. Thomas Burbacher's "Thimerosal Toxicity" at the University of Washington. SafeMinds also supported, through a $10,000 donation, parent-driven research as part of the Autism Coalition through Autism Research Institute.
We provided timely and publicized critical analysis of studies such as a Critique of Schechter & Grether Paper on California's Autism DDS Data and Thimerosal Exposure and editorial comments on New Findings on Rapamycin Treatment for Tuberous Sclerosis and Possibly Autism, and the Possible Link to Mercury. In addition, we have compiled an extensive online library of science and medical articles on autism, mitochondria and mercury in response to Poling case.
Policy: We continue to make the science supporting our community's concerns known to policymakers through our board members tireless travel across the U.S. to meet with government officials to discuss needed policy change and encourage support of legislation and to participate and attend pivotal committee and agency meetings such as the National Institute on Health Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Planning and Committee. Meetings to advocate for the inclusion of biomedical definitions and investigations of environmental risk factors related to autism in the national research agenda. SafeMinds has also spearheaded community consensus letters on IACC efforts to ensure a unified voice is represented in IACC efforts. Board members also participated in grant review meetings with the Department of Defense and attended meetings held by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and attended the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting to stay abreast of policy changes to come.
Outreach: Throughout the year SafeMinds has reached out to raise awareness on the dangers of mercury. We sponsored David Kirby's Town Hall meetings across the nation to discuss recent developments in vaccines and autism as well as the Age of Autism blog launched by Dan Olmsted. SafeMinds board members contribute articles to Age of Autism and the Huffington Post. We doubled the number of informational e-newsletters sent to the community, distributed thousands of flu brochures across the country and our board members presented at Autism One, DAN! Conferences, NAA Conferences, USAAA Conferences and local meetings. SafeMinds sponsored and hosted a scientific session at the 25th International Neurotoxicology Conference held in Rochester, NY on Environmental Etiologies of Neurological Disorders; Scientific, Translational and Policy Implications and, as a partner of AutismCares, we provided direct financial support to children with autism and their families in crisis.
Thank you for your help in achieving these accomplishments. We wish all of our readers a prosperous and productive New Year!
