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 Press Room - Recent Releases
January 29, 2008
ABC Drama, Eli Stone, Tackles Autism-Thimerosal Controversy
SafeMinds asks network for balanced viewer information despite AAP pressure
SafeMinds has formally asked ABC to resist the latest attempt by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to stifle public discussion on the link between thimerosal and autism. According to an article published in the New York Times last week, the premiere episode of Eli Stone, an ABC drama, depicts the main character, Eli Stone, successfully bringing a mother’s lawsuit to court against a pharmaceutical company claiming that a vaccine additive, “mercuritol”, in their influenza vaccine caused her son’s autism. ‘Mecuritol’ resembles the real-life mercury-containing compound thimerosal, used in infant vaccines as a preservative. More...
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September 26, 2007
Vaccine Study in New England Journal of Medicine Wrong in Concluding Mercury Exposures are Harmless, States SafeMinds
A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study on the relationship between mercury (thimerosal) in vaccines and children’s brain functioning draws a misleading conclusion, says one of the study’s external consultants, Sallie Bernard, Executive Director of SafeMinds. More...
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May 16, 2007
University of Missouri Study on Link Between Autism and Mercury a Discredit to Sound Science
Undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines, and study sample alteration undermine credibility on controversial topic.
(Cambridge, MA) A recent press release from the University of Missouri announced the results of a study on autism and Rh immune globulin (RhIg) injections, some of which contained a mercury preservative called thimerosal. SafeMinds reviewed information about this study and found several troublesome aspects, including undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines and mercury, and deviation from acceptable scientific practice. More...
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IOM Workshop on Autism and the Environment
At the direction of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Institute of Medicine will conduct a two- day workshop entitled, "Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research." The workshop will take place on April 18 and 19, 2007 in Washington, DC. More...
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February 9. 2007
CDC Autism Prevalence Study Confirms Epidemic, Is Consistent with Role of Environmental Factors
SafeMinds highlights prevalence variations, need for more stringent autism ascertainment and greater urgency
Atlanta, GA -- Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results of a prevalence study of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In an accompanying press release, the CDC stated that the ASD prevalence for children born in 1992 was 6.7 per 1,000, while the prevalence for children born in 1994 was 6.6 per 1,000, implying that the rate was the same over the 2-year time period. A calculation by SafeMinds, however, shows that while the rate for children born in 1992 was 6.7 per 1,000, the comparable 1994 rate for time trend purposes is 7.4 per thousand, a 10% increase in just two years. More...
Download Study
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July 05, 2006
Autism Study by Dr. Eric Fombonne is Inaccurate and Incomplete; SafeMinds Aims to Correct Misinformation
Washington, D.C. - A Quebec study to be published in the July 2006 issue of Pediatrics (download study, 293 KB PDF file), the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, states that it is “very clear” that there is no relationship between mercury-based thimerosal in vaccines and the onset of autism. Dr. Eric Fombonne of the McGill University Health Center bases his opinion on a study among schoolchildren in Quebec, Canada. According to an analysis by SafeMinds, however, the study methodology is unlikely to lend itself to such declarative statements and should be treated with skepticism, for a number of reasons. More...
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April 03, 2006
Autism Community Calls New Study In Journal Pediatrics Misleading, Declares Autism Epidemic Real -- Department Of Education Data Inadequate To Determine Prevalence Over Time
Washington, D.C. - A study appearing in the April 2006 edition of Pediatrics titled "Diagnostic Substitution and Changing Autism Prevalence" is being questioned by the autism community. The report, authored by Dr. Paul Shattuck, uses US Department of Education data to support the hypothesis that real autism rates have not increased over the last two decades, and that reported increases are a function of reclassification of students from learning disabilities and mental retardation categories. This theory has been rejected in a number of scientific studies. The autism community would like to see scientific studies based on more valid databases in order to determine accurate prevalence trends.
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Feb 22, 2006
Frist, Hastert Pull Last Minute Maneuver to Protect Vaccine Manufacturers from Liability
Washington, D.C. - Parents of children impacted by mercury in vaccines are expressing their outrage at two of this country's most powerful politicians. In the waning hours of 2005, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) renewed a time-honored tradition of slipping unpopular language into an important piece of legislation in the hopes of "sneaking one past the American people.
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July 1, 2005
SafeMinds responses to the New York Times Public Editor - blatant character assassination of parents
Washington, D.C. - SafeMinds respectfully asks for an internal review and critique of this history of bias and neglect. We believe that this story is the largest childhood health crisis in our country and deserves an
investigatory mindset. As we offered to Harris and O’Connor and others before them, we are happy to meet with the editorial staff who have set this policy and discuss the issues and evidence.
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April 21, 2005
SafeMinds Recommends Additional Research Funding into the Neurological Impact of the Mercury-Based Preservative Thimerosal
Washington, D.C. - A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and conducted by University of Washington researcher Thomas M. Burbacher, PhD concludes that the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal is more hazardous than medical professionals previously believed. SafeMinds, Sensible Action For Ending Mercury Induced Neurological Disorders, urges further research into the health risks created by the presence of thimerosal in vaccines administered to children and pregnant women.
U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon, M.D. Calls for Aggressive Follow-up Studies
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Representative Dave Weldon, M.D. highlighted a new study to be released Wednesday which strongly challenges the assumptions used by the Government about the toxicity of the mercury compound (thimerosal) contained in childhood vaccines through 2002. Public health officials assumed that since the mercury from vaccines is eliminated from the blood much faster than mercury from food, it was unlikely that vaccine mercury accumulated in the brain. This study undermines this assumption.
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February 25, 2005
SafeMinds Urges Support for HR 881 “Mercury-Free Vaccines Act of 2005”
Washington, D.C. - SafeMinds announced today that it wholeheartedly endorses HR 881. According to Sallie Bernard, Executive Director, “since 1999, SafeMinds has fought to get mercury, a known neurotoxin, out of vaccines, especially those given to children. This legislation will achieve this goal. SafeMinds appreciates the leadership that Representatives Dave Weldon, MD and Caroline Maloney have taken in introducing a bill to assure the removal of mercury from all vaccines. |
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February 25, 2005
SafeMinds Urges Opposition to HR 650
Washington, D.C. - SafeMinds announced today its opposition to HR 650, inappropriately titled “The Vaccine Accessibility for Children and Seniors Act of 2005” which removes a legal remedy for those injured by vaccines. The title of Representative Ric Keller’s (FL-8) bill is deceptive in that it exclusively addresses product liability lawsuits against vaccine makers. |
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November 22, 2004
SafeMinds Report Shows CDC Ignored Autism-Mercury
Washington, D.C. - SafeMinds...has released a report showing that government analysts were aware of a potential vaccine-autism link as early as 1999, but hid that information from the public and Congressional inquiry. |
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April 05, 2004 - Washington, D.C.
SafeMinds Applauds Action By House To Protect Children From Neurotoxin
SafeMinds ... joins NoMercury.org and the Mercury Policy Project in applauding the introduction of HR 4169 by U.S. Reps. Dave Weldon, M.D. (R-Fla.)
and Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), a bipartisan bill that would remove vaccines that
contain Thimerosal mercury from the market... |
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March 23, 2004 - Washington, D.C.
SafeMinds: FDA/EPA Misses Boat on Fish-Based Mercury Warning
SafeMinds ... has issued the following response to the recent joint warning issued
by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). The warning advised women of childbearing age or who were pregnant, and
young children to avoid consuming certain fish known to be high in mercury content
because of the risk it would pose to their health... |
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January 21, 2004 - Washington, D.C.
CDC Orders Premature Merucry-Vaccine Autism Meeting
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has ordered the Institute of Medicine to
conduct a February 9th hearing to discuss the relationship between autism and mercury-based vaccines, where
reports claiming no link between thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines and autism will be allowed with little
response time for opposing scientific views.
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