According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 110 children have autism spectrum disorders, which is strikingly more than just two decades ago. (ASDs are a group of developmental disabilities that can cause communication, behavioral and social challenges.) The National Autism Association calls the 644 percent increase of ASDs among U.S. children since the early 1990s "a tragic epidemic of autism."
Many attribute the increase in the rate of ASDs to children's being exposed to significant quantities of thimerosal, a mercury-based compound that has been used since the 1930s as a preservative in certain vaccines and pharmaceutical products to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination.
According to the CDC's website, however, "to date, the studies continue to show that vaccines are not associated with ASDs. ... The most recent and rigorous scientific research does not support the argument that thimerosal-containing vaccines are harmful. ... Is thimerosal in vaccines safe? Yes."
But PR Newswire reported recently that the Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs exposed a federal cover-up between the CDC and vaccine researchers. Despite the fact that the CDC received an email from CoMeD in 2002 that revealed a causal relationship between the removal of thimerosal from vaccines and a decline in the rate of autism, the CDC encouraged the publication of a study in Pediatrics that ignored certain data and misled the medical community and public by insinuating that thimerosal in vaccines does not increase the risk of autism.
Almost inconceivably, the study in Pediatrics actually purported that autism rates increased after thimerosal was removed. And to add insult to injury, PR Newswire reported, "One coauthor, from Aarhus University, Denmark, was aware of the omission and alerted CDC officials in a 2002 email, stating 'Attached I send you the short and long manuscript about Thimerosal and autism in Denmark ... I need to tell you that the figures do not include the latest data from 2001 ... but the incidence and prevalence are still decreasing in 2001' (emphasis added)."
The deliberate avoidance and falsification of medical data to support CDC bias is heinous enough, but the fact that such information is manipulated to practice medicine on our nation's children is monstrous malpractice and even premeditated malevolence. I agree wholeheartedly with Lisa Sykes, president of CoMeD, who summarized the CDC cover-up: "This type of malfeasance should not be tolerated by those who are entrusted with our children's health and well-being."
But even the Institute of Medicine, the nation's bastion of authoritative health advice, just cleared vaccines as an autism culprit in a recent report.
And just when you think vaccination news couldn't get any worse, the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that the National Biodefense Science Board, which advises the federal government on bioterrorism issues, voted 12-1 to recommend that the Health and Human Services Department endorse and sponsor a study to test the anthrax vaccine in children. (Do these advisory panels not think 36 federally recommended vaccinations for children by age 2 are enough?)
The truth is, as the National Autism Association reports on its website, "there are over 1500 studies and papers documenting the hypoallergenicity and toxicity of thimerosal (ethylmercury) have existed for decades," with recent research revealing commonness of speech delays and tics. The NAA adds, "Recent studies have confirmed the association between the use of thimerosal and autism has moved from 'biologically plausible' (in 2001) to a 'biological certainty.'"
Hence, justification for thimerosal's inclusion in any product is unwarranted at best and dangerous at worst. The NAA categorically states in its series of warnings about thimerosal: "Mercury is hazardous to humans. The use of a toxic poison as a preservative is undesirable, unnecessary and should be eliminated entirely."
That is why the United Nations Environment Programme is proposing a global treaty ban on mercury in vaccines, something SafeMinds, a parental advocacy group, applauds based upon the group's longevity in trumpeting the dangers of thimerosal.
But according to another recent PR Newswire report, though thimerosal is not used in vaccines for measles, mumps, oral polio, yellow fever or tuberculosis, it still is found in many diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and influenza vaccines, especially in developing countries.
Since 2001 in the U.S., no new vaccine licensed by the Food and Drug Administration for use in children has contained thimerosal, except for ones to prevent influenza. Nevertheless, the CDC continues to recommend some routine vaccines with "trace amounts of thimerosal" for children younger than 6.
The FDA has approved many seasonal flu vaccines, which come in both multi-dose vials and single-dose units. Those that are produced in large quantities and are in multi-dose vials contain thimerosal, whereas the single-dose units (including nasal spray) do not contain thimerosal, because they are opened immediately and used only once. (So if you or yours insist on seasonal influenza shots, ensure they are single-dose.)
But do we really want to swap the flu bug for thimerosal? And isn't "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" a total misnomer when the agency allows "trace amounts of thimerosal" in our children's soup of medicines? Are we really going to allow our children to be mercury-laced vaccinated guinea pigs? At the very least, shouldn't we avoid all thimerosal-containing products for precautionary reasons?
Jose Dorea, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Brasilia, hit the health nail right on the head when he recently said: "The evidence continues to mount that mercury in vaccines is not safe, that negative effects happen even with vaccine levels of exposure. We must end the use of thimerosal as soon as possible. No pregnant mother or child should have to trade getting mercury injected into them for the prevention of an infectious disease."
So let the buyer beware! Or, should I say, let the booster beware! Don't check your brain in at the door of your family's health care. And don't ever be afraid to ask the hard questions of your health practitioners -- for example, "What are the exact ingredients in that syringe?"
It is your health, and they are your children, entrusted to you by God, so be bold in ensuring their safety and welfare. You still have the constitutional right to refuse any health care you deem unnecessary.
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