Mother pushes for vaccine ban.

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Mother pushes for vaccine ban http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/apr/16/mother_pushes_vaccine_ban/?city_local A bill considered by a legislative committee has Kansas joining a global debate about the link between mercury and autism By Scott Rothschild Sunday, April 16, 2006 Topeka — Legislation that a Lawrence mother says will protect children and parents from the kind of mercury poisoning that happened to her son is sitting idle in a Senate committee. Senate Bill 537 would lead to a state ban of vaccines that contain thimerosal, a compound that is made up of 50 percent mercury, which is a known toxin that affects

the nervous system. Thimerosal is a preservative used to ward off bacterial and fungal contamination in some vaccines and other health care products, and it is the focus of a raging debate. Federal and state officials say it is safe, but thousands of parents have blamed thimerosal for their children’s disorders and the recent increase in the number of autistic children. Linda Weinmaster said her son Adam, now 14, was poisoned by thimerosal from shots she received during her pregnancy and vaccines Adam received later as an infant. He has a number of impairments because of the adverse effects of thimerosal, she said. “These damaged children are not only costing the taxpayers millions in special education services, but many will not be able to hold jobs and will have to be taken care of for the rest of their lives, putting even more of a burden on parents and society,” she said. Like many parents nationwide,

Weinmaster said government studies that fail to show links between thimerosal and autism are flawed and biased by ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The controversy over thimerosal has been fought in capitals around the world. Several countries, including Denmark, have banned the use of thimerosal. No action taken Weinmaster said SB 537, similar to legislation filed in nearly 30 states, would save Kansas millions in tax dollars from avoided health care costs in the future. A public hearing on the bill occurred in March, but the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee has taken no action on the measure. Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, who is a physician, said there had never been a proven link between thimerosal and autism, a position that’s also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. High levels of mercury are known to

cause neurological disorders. A recent University of California-Davis study found thimerosal can disrupt the immune system in mice. The study’s authors cautioned that the findings did not link use of thimerosal with autism, but many autistic children experience immune problems. Barnett said parts of the bill also would ban the use of some travel vaccinations containing thimerosal. And he said the process to override the proposed ban on thimerosal in the event of a public health emergency, such as a flu pandemic, would be cumbersome. “The bill did not have support to come out of committee, particularly the second part, which would have prohibited the availability of any medicine in the state of Kansas in 2008 of containing thimerosal,” Barnett said. Health officials’ concerns The bill would prohibit the use of any vaccine containing more than 0.5 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 milliliter dose for any child 8

years old or younger or any pregnant woman, starting Jan. 1, 2007. Under the bill, the state would have prohibited the use of any level of mercury in any vaccine by Jan. 1, 2008. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment had concerns about the bill. Currently, most childhood vaccines in the United States contain little or no thimerosal, doctors say. But most flu shots do. Only about 10 percent of the 80 million doses of injectable flu vaccine produced this year were thimerosal-free, according to Dr. Howard Rodenberg, director of the division of health for KDHE. “The limited amount of thimerosal-free vaccine would likely mean that not all those who need to be vaccinated could be vaccinated,” Rodenberg said. He also noted the ban starting in 2008 could prevent Kansans from getting travel vaccinations, such as those against encephalitis. Rodenberg said it also could affect the availability of snake and spider

antivenins, which contain mercury preservatives, as well as products for the eyes, ears and nose. The bill could “call into question the integrity of the vaccine supply,” Rodenberg said, and drive down the rate of childhood immunizations in Kansas, which already are among the nation’s lowest. The American Academy of Pediatrics also opposes the bill even though the academy has called for the phaseout of thimerosal in childhood vaccines. Dr. Dennis Cooley of Topeka, of the academy’s Kansas chapter, said pediatricians opposed thimerosal as a precaution. But he said banning a government-approved substance would create a dangerous precedent. “Certain people feel antidepressants are dangerous and shouldn’t be used,” he said. Question of money But Weinmaster said the bottom line is about money. Thimerosal-free vaccines cost from 25 percent to 30 percent more because they must be kept in

single-use vials. With single-use vials, the product must be used immediately once the seal is broken. In multidose vials, thimerosal is used to prevent contamination once the seal is broken. While scientists debate whether thimerosal is specifically the culprit for the increase in autism, she said, there is no debate that high mercury levels cause neurological disorders. Weinmaster said she and a group of families, including others from Lawrence, intended to keep fighting for the legislation. “The bottle of thimerosal has a skull and crossbones on it because it’s poison, and it’s wrong to poison American children,” she said. --- Vaccine risk Wednesday, December 21, 2005 To the editor: I am concerned by the mixed

messages sent by our public health officials. They continue to urge high-risk groups, pregnant women and children over six months of age to receive the flu shot. The package insert on this year’s flu vaccine lists the thimerosal concentration at 1:10,000. This is equivalent to a concentration of 100,000 parts per billion (ppb). Since this material is 50 percent mercury, this puts the mercury concentration, in the vaccine vial, at 50,000 ppb. To put this in perspective, liquid waste that exceeds 200 ppb is considered hazardous waste. Drinking water cannot exceed 2 ppb. It’s hard to imagine that injecting pregnant women, the elderly and infants with levels of mercury, 250 times higher than hazardous waste regulations, is safe. Ask the health department what is done with the remaining flu shots since they are considered hazardous waste. Besides being a cumulative systemic poison, thimerosal is a strong, but dangerous, immune system

“activator” with strong autoimmune effects. A recent PowerPoint presentation by the American Academy of Pediatrics at Miami Children Hospital states, “Factors that influence the relative increase in developmental delays and behavioral problems: More use of immunizations and antibiotics.” It is hard to convince those that make a living giving vaccines to look at the research. Please visit nomercury.org for more information on the risk of mercury-containing vaccines. Kerry Weinmaster, Lawrence --- Vaccine hazard Friday, September 23, 2005 To the editor: As we head toward winter, be prepared for the media barrage promoting flu vaccines. If I was not so well versed in vaccine information, I would have a difficult time understanding the recommendation

for small children and pregnant women to receive the flu shot containing mercury. The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement published in “Pediatrics,” July 2001, says, “Mercury in all of its forms is toxic to the fetus and children, and efforts should be made to reduce exposure to the extent possible to pregnant women and children as well as the general population.” According to my son’s team of MD’s, he has heavy metal toxicity due to the mercury-containing RhoGAM shot I received during my 28th week of pregnancy and his thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines. His endocrinologist is treating him for an array of medical issues caused by mercury exposure, including pituitary and endocrine dysfunction, hypothyroidism, low growth hormone, metabolism disorder, hyperinsulinemia and hyperlipidemia. Please inform patients of the mercury content in vaccines so they can make an informed decision on vaccines. Sometimes

the cure is worse than the disease they intend to prevent. Linda Weinmaster, Lawrence - Vaccine inaction a sore point Parents say state missed chance to lead on mercury-autism link By Scott Rothschild Monday, April 19, 2004 Linda Weinmaster is tired of being patronized. The Lawrence mother of three sons has been lobbying state and federal officials to take seriously the alleged connection between thimerosal and autism. Thimerosal is a mercury compound used as a preservative in vaccines. "What we normally get is a pat on the head, and ‘I'm so sorry you have a sick kid,'" said Weinmaster, whose youngest

son, 12-year-old Adam, is autistic. Weinmaster believes Adam's disorder was caused by an Rh immune globulin injection she received while she was pregnant. Now, Weinmaster and other Kansas parents are seeing movement on the federal level and in the state legislative bodies of Iowa and Missouri toward restricting the use of mercury in vaccines. And they are wondering why nothing is being done in Kansas. "Kansas could've been a leader in the country," Weinmaster said. "This was brought to the attorney general in Kansas, and they had an opportunity to be a trailblazer, to really make a statement that we are going to hold those responsible for damaging these kids," she said. Last July, a group of parents laid out their allegations before Atty. Gen. Phill Kline and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' staff in separate meetings. After the meetings, Kline said he would discuss it further with his assistants before deciding what course to take.

Sebelius' office said it would rely on federal health agency assurances that rejected the link between thimerosal and neurological problems found in children. Recently, the attorney general's office said it was taking a wait-and-see approach. "We are monitoring this on a national level. Based on national research, we've been told that there will be some studies in the next year or so that will clarify this one way or the other," said Jan Lansford, a spokesman for Kline. In Iowa, lawmakers have approved legislation limiting the amount of mercury to trace amounts in pediatric vaccines, and in Missouri, officials are considering a bill that would prohibit mercury in vaccines. In Congress, the Mercury-Free Vaccine Act has been filed, which would require that no childhood vaccine have more than one microgram of mercury by January 2005. The same limit would apply to flu shots administered to children this year, and eventually all

mercury would be removed by 2007. The measure is sponsored by U.S. Reps. Dave Weldon, a Maryland Republican and doctor, and Carolyn Maloney, a Democrat from New York. "We don't seem to be getting the kind of response in Kansas as we are in other areas," said Bobbie Manning, who recently moved from Lawrence to upstate New York so that her autistic son, 8-year-old Michael, could attend a specialized school. "We will keep going to attorney generals' offices and wherever we have to, until we get those powers that be to acknowledge that this warrants an investigation," she said. Weinmaster and Manning said that mercury needs to be removed from vaccines to prevent further damage, and that those responsible in private industry and the government for covering up the alleged health problems need to be held accountable because the cost to society to take care of harmed children will be astronomical in future years. "All my life, I have

been a fiscal conservative, and now I have a child that is going to have to live off the government as an adult, and it breaks my heart," Weinmaster said. ------- READERS COMMENTS: Posted by Ragingbear (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 1:14 a.m. (Suggest removal) What upsets me is that the beurocrats are pulling the same thing as High Voltage power lines, and possible cell phone causing brain tumors. They refuse to actually look into it, and instead just try to act like nothing can possibly be wrong because of

it. Posted by pundit (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal) The length of the article gives the issue far more credence than is deservered. The Institute of Medicine published a comprehensive review of the significant research regarding this issue, including several of the studies quoted by the thimerisol opponents. Verdict: no causal relation. Keep looking for the black helicopters if you want. Posted by KarenMcD (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 8:45 a.m. (Suggest removal) Thimerosal is a potent neurotoxin and one only needs to read the material safety data sheet for this substance to understand that. "Thimerosal contains mercury...... mercury may cause moderate to severe mental retardation and moderate to severe motor coordination impairment" It seems that anyone who speaks out against thimerosal bans either has conflicts of interest, or lacks the ability to see the deceptive ways of our health agencies. Thimerosal was developed prior to the development of FDA safety regulations - and as of today, there are still no credible studies showing it is safe. Furthermore, there is much clinical science to support the thoery that thimerosal has contributed to the current epidemic of autism in our country. These studies can be accessed at Generation Rescue's

website. Posted by ljreader (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal) I know a Native American family who, several years ago, lost a baby boy after he received vaccinations. Before dying, the child went blind, and experienced a general failure to thrive.They didn't connect the dots until speaking with an elder who said male children on her reservation suffered similar problems after being vaccinated. Although they couldn't get anyone in the medical community to acknowledge the vaccinations as the cause for their child's death, the parents successfully fought having their subsequent children vaccinated before entering school. Posted by Wallythewalrus (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 12:31 p.m. (Suggest removal) pundit: "They" are far more stealthy. I am wondering if you are not the gov. rep. for debunking? If lead paint dust, in the parts per billion, is considered poisonous to children; then I ask how could Mercury be healthful? Posted by superduper (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal) How about all the other "safe" drugs that the FDA approves and says are "safe" until a few years and millions of profited dollars later pull it off the market because it is killing people. There's nothing wrong with being cautious. Drug companies are evil and willing to tell you anthing to keep their drugs on the market. If it contains mercury I wouldn't let them give it to my kid. Posted by progrock (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal) Thimerosal is not used in vaccines any more. There is a different preservative that contains water soluable mercury. Water soluable means it would

be impossible to have levels high enough to poison anyone. Posted by rkrakow (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal) Great article. In response to some of the comments by other readers: Thimerosal is still used in many vaccines. In particular, most flu vaccines, now recommended by CDC for annual injection of kids ages 6 months to 5 years of age. There are plans to use it in avian flu vaccine. The commenter who states that there is a "different preservative that contains water soluable mercury" is incorrect. There is only one mercury containing preservative used in vaccines, and it is bioactive, crosses into the brain, and

causes enzyme disruption, among many other avenues of harm to humans. The comment is ignorant. As to the comment that IOM exonerated thimerosal, the IOM said there is no evidence of a vaccine-autism link (based on statistical studies only that have serious flaws). The IOM conceded that thimerosal and mercury is neurotoxic and immunotoxic. The IOM never retracted its report showing links to neurodevelopmental disorders. Mr. "black helicopter" - you can bury your head in the sand if you want - this has nothing to do with conspiracies, but rather is based on parents' actual experience with their kids. Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal) Thimerosal IS still in vaccines today. In fact, you are required to sign a form at the health department as to whether or not you have a "sensitivity" to thimerosal. I have repeatedly been told at our local health department that both the flu and MMR vaccines they stock contain thimerosal. I have even went to the extent of specifically requesting only thimerosal-free immunizations on the face sheet I filled out prior to the shots, only to find out after they were injected that they were not thimerosal free. As to the cynical comment as to the merit of this concern, as a mother of five who has a child who has been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder ( he was COMPLETELY without any developmental concerns until after receiving immunizations and multiple doses of injectibles such as rocefin IM, and absolutely no family history of the disorder or any like disorder, as well as no prenatal situations that

would be implicit), I would suggest you look no further than the symptoms listed for mercury poisoning in any medical resource to give pause for thought. Thimerosal is economical, but not safe for internal use in humans, particularly considering that, like any other substance, the younger the subject, the lower the requisite amount necessary to negatively impact the body: nicotine, alcohol, and various prescription meds impact a full grown adult much differently than a 3 month old infant. Studies staged or aided by any with a financial iron in the fire are highly unlikely to ever do justice to the question at hand. Many meds and additives once believed to be perfectly safe have since been pulled from the shelves. Most parents are unwilling to allow their children to play with a mercury-filled glass thermometer. Why should it be acceptable to inject a derived substance into your children? As to the dilema of reducing immunization rates, simply make a safe,

thimerosal free vaccine supply,and stop making pharmaceutical company profits the top priority in physical well being and you will have an increase in the current levels of immunizations. As to the "dangerous precedent" set by questioning current federal guidelines, I find this a dangerous and frightening set of reasoning, as all logical reasonably mature human beings should constantly use critical thinking to evaluate the data presented and feel free to question potentially flawed findings, particularly where the health of our infants and toddlers are concerned. Posted by sarahandpad (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal) One problem: THERE IS NO PROOF THAT THIMEROSAL CAUSES ANYTHING. I thought I would mention that, just in case anyone is interested. Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal) Sara: Please explain, without any "studies" funded or co-funded by pharmaceutical companies or their interests, exactly how you can logically deduce thimerosal is not a human neurotoxin, and then help us out by giving us the cumulative quantity of thimerosal found in the various tissues of an average infant receiving all immunizations within the recommended schedule, hypothesizing they are multi-use stock and contain thimerosal. I

want you to back up your statement with more than CAPS. Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 4:18 p.m. (Suggest removal) Thimerosal is a form of organic mercury (aka merthiolate). It is toxic, a known neurotoxin. I can provide you with data as to the treatment for ingesting organic mercury. Also as to the extreme toxicity of thimerosal. This information can be easily located on government and collegiate websites. Why do you think it is no longer in most meds used on dogs and cats, or in contact lens solution? I am offended by the cavalier notion that this is a substance we should routinely inject into the most

vulnerable of our populace. It is not a necessary element in vaccines. And stop sending our thimerosal-containing vaccines to third world nations.... They have enough problems as it is. Posted by lawrencechick (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 6:03 p.m. (Suggest removal) I'll be the first to admit I don't know enough facts to have an educated opinion about mercury in vaccines. What I do know is that me, my kids, hundreds of kids of relatives and friends of mine have all been vaccinated and not ONE is autistic or mentally retarded. There was one British study linking mercury to autism and that was completely rescinded last year as bogus. Where is the

living, breathing evidence? The increase in autism is partly due to the inclusion of the vague Asberger's syndrome which in many kids is blatently due to the enviornment in which they are raised ,not mercury. Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 6:46 p.m. (Suggest removal) Lawrencechick: I appreciate your candor as to your lack of factual knowledge on this subject. I notice you are quoting studies. However I must comment on your rather snide and incorrect comments in regards to Asberger's: I hope you take some time to actually research this/speak to some families affected by this prior to opining in the near future. The "living, breathing evidence" is this: there are government warnings to avoid eating certain fish contaminated by organic mercury. Thimerosal is organic mercury. It is highly toxic. It is not a necessary component in vaccines, but does much to enrich the bottom line of the pharmaceutical industry. I would also like to mention that some in the medical field believe that behavioral diagnosis such as ADD/ADHD/ODD and others may in actuality be in the same category as Autistic Spectrum disorders, so if anyone in the "hundreds" of people you know suffers from those problems, you just might know someone affected by thimerosal. The bottom line is this: Unless you are a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry, I find it dificult to believe you would purposely eat organic mercury contaminated fish or inject organic mercury into your body when it is not necessary. This does not mean you don't get vaccinated.... It simply means you assure our vaccine supply is

free of known poisons that are currently used to fatten the bottom line of an already bloated industry. Posted by Jamesaust (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 7:08 p.m. (Suggest removal) One would wonder if countries that removed thimerosal (from public pressure not because they believed that there was a problem) have shown a reduction in diagnosis of autism in children. (Hint: no, there is not a measured reduction.) Indeed, one would expect autism to have virtually disappeared if you buy into this "theory." (I hesitate to call it a theory since it does not postulate the means by which one thing (thimerosal) causes the other (autism); it merely notes a vague

correlation in time.) One might also wonder why the characteristics of autism are attributed to thimerosal, where mercury is a component, when the the characteristics of mercury poisoning are both well-known and different. Autism is a highly specialized illness (hence, the lack of identification until the 20th century). Mercury poisoning is a broad neurological illness. How would mercury indiscriminately attack the neurological system but mercury-contained thimerosal would attack only certain select systems? Its akin to saying that immersing a computer keyboard in H20 will cause the electrical system to short and the keys will stop working but if the immersional liquid is H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) then only the "h" key and sometimes the "p" key stop working. The conspiratorial references to pharmaceutical profits are a joke. One of the few things the average joe knows about vaccines is that they've been getting harder to obtain precisely because

there's no profit to speak of in them for their producers - even after significant government subsidy. Posted by lawrencechick (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 8:05 p.m. (Suggest removal) Sanderson, you said you have 5 children. Did they all receive vaccines? Does only one have autism? That wouldn't make sense. And since the onset of autism is usually between 18 months and 3, showing signs of it after booster shots is pure coincidence. Doctor after doctor who aren't on any payrolls have stated that. Posted by jayhawk01 (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 8:49 p.m. (Suggest removal) Thimerosal is composed in part of ETHYLmercury not methylmercury. methylmercury is the type of mercury associated with toxicity. There are several factors that discount the role of thimerosal as a possible cause of regressive autism: 1. There are no published studies of known ethylmercury poisioning. 2. Furthermore, ataxia, tremor, visual disturbance, etc are noted complications of METHYLmercury poisioning, but do not characterize the symptoms of autism. 3. Males with autism outnumber females with autism yet they are equally immunized4. Theoretically, preemies should experience a higher risk of toxicity associated with neonatal Hep B immunization due to their small size resulting in

higher Hg load per gram of weight and their immature liver resulting in decreased ability to metabolize Hg, yet prematurity has not been found to be a risk factor for ASD.5. Pichichero (2002) demonstrated that children exposed to vaccines containing thimerosal were not at risk of achieving dangerous blood mercury levels. furthermore mercury was excreted in stools and eliminated in the blood stream six times faster than the predicted studies based on METHYLmercury. no child ever achieved a blood level of mercury that exceeded ther EPA safe level, and furthermore the lvels never reached high enough levels to put the children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Posted by KarenMcD (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal) jayhawk- My autistic child has documented ataxia and visual disturbances, as do many children on the spectrum. The reason males with autism far outnumber females with autism is because testosterone is a synergistic toxin with mercury. This has been shown in the lab of Dr. Boyd Haley, PhD., University of Kentucky; and Dr. Mark Geier has also found that children with ASD consistently have abnormally high testosterone levels. You do not reference any studies to support your claim that preemies are not at higher risk for autism. Pinchichero's study is useless because in ASD kids, mercury is bound tightly in the cells and tissues, so blood levels are inconsequential. Thomas Burbacher, PhD. University of Washington showed in his recent study using infant primates that once ethylmercury gets into the brain it is rapidly converted into inorganic mercury

where it stays for much longer than methylmercury. The flawed population studies commissioned by the CDC (a conflict in itself) were altered no less than five times to achieve the desired results. There are far too many children losing their "autism" diagnosis after undergoing treament for mercury toxicty to deny this any longer. Posted by letsgetwise (anonymous) on April 16, 2006 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal) I have looked into vaccinations some, but will admit not enough to have a huge debate. I know enough to be leary of them. There are several things I just don't trust, thimerosol being one. I had a fairly bad reaction to the thimerosol

that was in the contact solution I was using, probably 15-20 years ago when it was still in the solutions. When my eye doctor told me this was "fairly common" probably "40% or more" have a reaction to the thimerosol, I couldn't believe my ears. How could that large of a percentage have a reaction like mine, and this product still be on the market and in the products it was in? Somewhere along the line it came out of many of the eyecare products. There is something not trustworthy here. Also, lets face it...if the drug companies were to admit there is a problem with the mercury in the vaccines, what a can of worms that would open. How many people would demand to sue somebody? I have a brother, who is about 54, that by all the information we can gather, probably got polio from the vaccine. Things have changed in the vaccine, but nothing has ever been done to help my brother. And, certainly does not help me "trust" these chemicals. About 20 years (or so) ago, college age kids

started coming down with the measles...and a large majority of them had been vaccinated, only to find out that "something" wasn't quite up to par with the vaccine. Okay, so my question becomes does anyone really know how the not quite right vaccine effects the body? I mean have there been any studies that show what happens if the vaccine just isn't what they thought? Now we're having trouble with mumps, and "they're" not sure what's going on here. You know, just too many what ifs for me and my family. Too many waivers to sign. I'm supposed to take responsiblity for my family, yet I have to sign all these waivers to take all these supposedly safe vaccines. I just don't buy it. Posted by Jamesaust (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 12:40 a.m. (Suggest removal) KarenMcD - Where to begin with such gibberish? Since its late: "...shown in the lab of Dr. Boyd Haley, PhD., University of Kentucky;" Indeed, there is such a Haley. He's most famous not for his scientific work but for his extraordinary insensitivity of insisting on referring to autism as "Mad Child Disease." Real scientists are not very interested in what Dr. Haley has "shown" in his lab but in his peer-reviewed, scientific publication of these "findings." And those would be where? Well....no where. Indeed, testosterone has been shown to be PROTECTIVE of the nervous system and leading to INCREASED exrection of mercury. Estrogen by contrast seems to have an opposite effect. (But then that assumes away the stark differences between mercury poisoning versus autism.)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query... "The reason males with autism far outnumber females with autism is because testosterone is a synergistic toxin with mercury." No, the reason is that males have a higher incidence of developmental disorders. Period. Regardless of mercury. Regardless of vaccination. And apparently (even with the absence of non-modern diagnosis) they have been so forever. Posted by KarenMcD (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal) Jayhawk, since you mentioned peer-reviewed studies, where are the studies that show that thimerosal is safe?? As I mentioned in my first post, the MSDS for thimerosal states...."Thimerosal contains mercury....mercury may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment..." Um, I don't think any parent who reads this statement would knowingly inject it into their child. Unless, of course, they are a criminal, with the intent of injuring the child. Your personal attack on Boyd Haley is typical of those who cannot debate this issue with facts. Posted by TeresaConrick (anonymous)

on April 17, 2006 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal) Here is some of the current research for those who do not understand this issue. If you are here trying to deny the connection between mercury/thimerosal to autism, you are either: -uneducated about it so please read. -a paid rep from the Pharm Industry so you need to "disprove" this. -a stockholder who will also lose on thimerosal poisoning. -a doctor, government health employee, or member of a medical organization who either cannot fathom emotionally that you are responsible for injecting a known neurotoxin, or that liability concerns are keeping you up at night. Bottom line is the truth is out and now we need to help the children currently affected by thimerosal exposure and stop it from ever injurying another child, here and around the world. Mercury and autism: Accelerating Evidence?Neuroendocrinology Letters, Oct 2005.Joachim Mutter, M.D. [Freiburg University, Germany].This recent study from Germany summarizes many of the recent scientific advances. Excerpt:"The causes of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders are unknown. Genetic and environmental risk factors seem to be involved...Repetitive doses of thimerosal leads to neurobehavioral deteriorations in autoimmune susceptible mice, increased oxidative stress and decreased intracellular levels of glutathione in vitro. Subsequently, autistic children have significantly decreased level of reduced glutathione. Promising treatments of autism involve detoxification of mercury, and supplementation of deficient metabolites." Comparison of Blood and Brain Mercury Levels in Infant MonkeysExposed to Methylmercury or Vaccines Containing Thimerosal.Environmental Health Perspectives, Aug 2005Thomas Burbacher,

PhD [university of Washington] - showed thatethyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in thimerosal, not onlyends up in the brain, but leaves double the amount of inorganicmercury as methyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in fish. Thimerosal Neurotoxicity is Associated with Glutathione Depletion:Protection with Glutathione Precursors.Neurotoxicology, Jan 2005.S. Jill James, PhD [university of Arkansas] -demonstrated thatThimerosal lowers or inhibits the body's ability to produceGlutathione, an antioxidant and the body's primary cellular-leveldefense against mercury. Large Brains in Autism: The Challenge of Pervasive Abnormality.The Neuroscientist, Volume 11, Number 5, 2005.Martha Herbert, MD, PhD [Harvard University] - discussedneuroinflammation and how it appears to be present in autistic braintissue, suggesting that chronic disease or an external environmentalsource (like heavy metals) may

be causing the inflammation. Evidence Of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: AMedical Controversy, 2005David Kirby, St. Martin's Press Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal) This issue is quite simple: If it's not necessary to the efficacy of the vaccines, remove it. If there is even the slight potential of harm and it's not absolutely imperative to the product, only produce the safest vaccines possible: Vaccines free of this preservative. Case Closed. Posted by 75x55 (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal) Having read through all these postings - I've now been alerted that my BS meter is now pegged in the red zone. Guess I'll have to look to more authoritative resources than LJW mudflinging/commentary section for real information. That, or maybe all these problems are caused by the chemtrails being sprayed on an unsuspecting populace...and I'm sure there are some 'chemtrail' folks lurking out there in larrytown somewhere. Posted by sandersen (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal) 75x55: What an asinine and arrogant response to a deep concern by those of us merely want to see done for human vaccines what was done for our household pet vaccines years ago: remove an unnecessary and potentially harmful preservative. It is quite obvious that some find it entertaining to argue in favor of thimerosal without any real reason: What does it benefit YOU if this chemical remains in our vaccine supply? What vested interest do you personally have in this argument? This is not mudflinging, merely an effort to do whatever is necessary to assure the safety of those who are most vulnerable. Your sly reference to conspiracy theories is an unwarranted disservice to those of us whose families have been devastated by a group of disorders that appeared only years after Eli Lilly

produced and marketed thimerosal and it was added to vaccines. What possible hostility could you have towards a group of people who merely want to do anything possible to stop this from even potentially causing harm? Why don't you tell us why you feel it is so imperative to continue the use of thimerosal in vaccines. You seem to forget science is a river, not a pond. New information and data are discovered every day. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a concerned person who has been impacted by this tragedy to take action. This is not about litigation, this is about prevention. Posted by 75x55 (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest

removal) Sorry to step on your sacred cow, but look at the sum total of the various 'revelations' offered by both sides here - NOTHING is made clear at all. Anyone wanting to find out any REAL information isn't going to walk away from here with anything they can consider reliable. Face it, all that one sees above is a bunch of overwrought proponents and their corresponding fearmongering. Indeed, if the threat was as real and pervasive as some would say it is, then a whole generation would have all of the problems spoken of. As far as the so noble cause of 'prevention' - that is the same argument for the banning of various insecticides. The net effect being a tremendous resurgence of malaria and other insect-borne diseases in many third world countries - and the concurrent massive increase in deaths from these afflictions. As far as anything asinine in anything I mentioned previously, it would be the reference to

'chemtrail' people - but then again, they get as upset with people who don't just accept what they say at face value. If the hard science is there - and it doesn't seem to be, other than a few second-hand associations of various mercury compounds to potential effects, then I for one would sit up and pay attention. But then, as I pointed out.... that isn't information I'm going to be able to determine by the information available in this venue, is it? Posted by adala60 (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal) This is a no brainer folks! Mercury has no business being injected into anybody and those who say there is no

evidence that thimerosal causes autism are just sticking their heads in the sand. The bottom line here is that we are poisoning ourselves in many different ways be it fake food, synthetic drugs, toxic chemicals and yes! vaccines. All you have to do is take a look at the list of ingredients in vaccines to know it isn't good for you, but then I guess these same skeptics are the ones who think they are getting real food at the grocery store too!!!! Do you really think the food and pharmaceutical industries really care about our health. NO!!!! they just want to make a buck at our expense. Get a grip people and take charge of your own health cause no one who's in the food and medical industry really cares about anything but the almighty dollar, even at the expense of our children. Posted by 75x55 (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal) "Do you really think the food and pharmaceutical industries really care about our health? NO!!!" Of course not, since they surely don't consume the same products and services as they are selling.... They must all be healthfood fans and holistic health gurus.[sheesh] Now you're just getting hysterical. Posted by melott (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal) This article is in the

same vein as one last month where they had a big headline over 3 medical profs signing an anti-evolution statement. No judgment. This lady has managed to buffalo a lot of people into taking her fetish seriously. It's a problem, but one you have to live with in a democracy. I'd like to make a few comments. 1. Water is toxic. It should be banned. Proof: consuming over 100 lbs of water is always fatal.Water immersion for more than 20 minutes is always fatal. Comment: everything is toxic at some level. The question is how much. 2. Tomatoes cause criminal behavior. They should be banned. Proof: every serious felon interviewed has been shown to eat tomotoes at one time or another. Comment: Not very far, really, from this woman's logic. She has decided to blame mercury rather than tomatoes.A major heartbreak like raising a child with these problems has to find blame. 3. In a more serious

vein, I have no doubt that there exists some bias in industry-funded research. However, it is rare that the truth can be suppressed totally, because you "can't bullsh** mother Nature". Lots of things have been found dangerous by industry research, when the results are compelling. They don't want to be sued! 4. I hold her and people like her responsible for every death that occurs because someone did not get immunized out of this scare campaign. If this needlessly raises the price of vaccine, and some people don't get it due to the price increase, I hold them responsible for all the additional deaths that take place. ' Posted by TeresaConrick (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 8:20 p.m. (Suggest removal) mellot: The issue here is not stopping vaccination. It is an issue of removing thimerosal, which can be done. You can ask for a thimerosal-free vaccine and check the package insert to make sure. Vaccine manufacturers have said they can meet demand so why are you even bringing this up? You are the one fearmongering. Also, you're sarcasm and lack of empathy reflect your lack of knowledge regarding thimerosal. Posted by SusanDarstWilliams (anonymous) on April 17, 2006 at 10:02 p.m. (Suggest removal) I've known Linda Weinmaster all my life. She is somebody who truly cares. She has worked hard and spent an enormous amount of time and her own money accomplishing positive changes in our educational system and our society for others as well as for her own kids. She is an astoundingly thorough researcher; I have never known her to stretch the truth or get the big things wrong and have to go back on anything she has said. I pray that the powers that be will listen to her. She has answers for why so many more boys than girls have autism -- has to do with testosterone and its inability to handle the onslaught of mercury -- and the other concerns expressed in these comments. She has convinced me, and I just hope people will give her a chance. "Our ideal is not the spirituality that

withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." - Aurobindo.

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