Autismo, Thimerosal y vacunas !!!   

Data-Medicos 
Dermagic/Express No. 4-(114) 
15 Mayo 2.002 / 15 May  2.002 

EDITORIAL ESPANOL 
================= 
Hola amigos de la red, DERMAGIC de nuevo con ustedes con este EXPRESS NO 
DERMATOLOGICO titulado: AUTISMO, THIMEROSAL Y VACUNAS, tema bien caliente 
hoy en dia, por el hecho de que recientemente MUY PROBABLEMENTE LA INCIDENCIA DE 
AUTISMO EN EL PLANETA, este aumentando a causa de las MISMAS VACUNAS que NOS 
PREVIENEN DE OTRAS ENFERMEDADES. 

EL AUTISMO es un desorden neurologico caracterizado por el deterioro del lenguaje y 
comportamiento social y cognositivo. Los sintomas usualmente aparecen en los dos primeros años 
de edad. 

Inicalmente el AUTISMO fue atribuido al trato de la madre hacia el niño: madres "FRIAS" y de 
poco amor a sus hijos, posteriores estudios evidencian que tambien esta asociado a trastornos del 
sistema inmune, gastrointestinal y neurologico. Y ultimamente LA TOXICIDAD CON MERCURIO 
a tomado mucho auge, sobre todo el contenido en LAS VACUNAS. 

EL MERCURIO es el segundo elemento SOBRE EL PLANTETA MAS TOXICO, despues del 
PLUTONIO. La toxicidad por mercurio a sido asociada a numerosas enfermedades incluyendo el 
AUTISMO, dificultad del aprendizaje, enfermedad de alzheimer, esclerosis multiple, fibromialgia, 
sindrome de la fatiga cronica, artritis, depresion, y desordenes bipolares. La cantidad de mercurio 
contenida en un termometro ES SUFICIENTE PARA CONTAMINAR UN PEQUEÑO LAGO. 

En el año de 1946 tres enfermeras murieron de LUPUS ERITEMATOSO SISTEMICO como una 
manifestacion de MULTIPLES vacunas a que fueron sometidas, durante un trabajo de investigacion, 
hecho que marco una clara evidencia que UNA VACUNA a parte de prevenir una 
ENFERMEDAD, PUEDE DESENCADENAR OTRA. 

Recientemente EN 1.995 se ha descrito la APARICION DE LIQUEN PLANO (desorden 
dermatologico) despues de vacunacion CONTRA LA HEPATITIS B. y muchos otros efectos 
secundarios han sido descritos despues de la colocacion de vacunas, entre ellos desmielinizacion (en 
animales de experimentacion.) 

En el año de 1.943 el Dr Leo Kanner, psiquiatra del Hospital Jhon Hopkins diagnostico por 
primera vez el AUTISMO, y posteriormente el pediatria Austriaco Hans Asperger. Ambos 
Doctores sugirieron que la enfermedad podia estar relacionada con los genes, pues se habia 
encontrado miembros de una misma familia con AUTISMO y transmision directa de padres a 
Hijos. 

Previamente FREUD habia dicho que los PROBLEMAS PSICOLOGICOS de los niños NO 
ERAN GENETICOS, inculpando al entorno familiar, sobre todo la falta de amor materno el 
origen de las enfermedades del comportamiento humano. 

En 1.981 la Dra Lorna Wing, una psiquiatra britanica publico un estudio muy interesante donde se 
reavivo el interes por las teorias de Kanner y Asperger, sobre el ORIGEN GENETICO DE la 
enfermedad. 

Lo que NUNCA sospecharon estos eminentes investigadores era que EL SIMPLE 
THIMEROSAL, compuesto que contiene MERCURIO y que es utilizado en las VACUNAS que 
utilizamos en nuestros hijos, podia SER el desencadenante de AUTISMO. 


LOS HECHOS: 
---------------- 

1.) El thimerosal fue introducido por primera vez en las vacunas como preservativo en l.930. Los 
estudios estadisticos antes de 1.970 revelan una prevalencia de autismo de 1 en 2000. En estudios 
desde 1.970 a 1990 el promedio fue de 1 en 1.000. Este fue el periodo en que se incremento la 
vacunacion con la VACUNA TRIPLE (DPT) que contenia THIMEROSAL. 

2.) Para comienzos de los años 1.990 se encontro una prevalencia de Autismo de 1 en 500, y en el 
2.000 de 1 en 150. En los años 80 y 90 se agregaron 2 nuevas vacunas con contenido de 
THIMEROSAL a los esquemas tradicionales, la HIB (multidosis) y la vacuna contra la hepatitis B. 

3.) La vacuna TRIPLE MMR (sarampion, paperas y rubeola) ha sido una de las mas cuestionadas 
en la inducion del AUTISMO. 

4.) Para los comienzos de el año 1.982 la FDA propuso la remocion del thimerosal de los 
PRODUCTOS OTC (Venta libre), pero dicha regulacion no finalizaria hasta 1.998. 16 años 
despues expertos de la FDA concluyeron que el THIMEROSAL es inseguro, inefectivo como 
bacteriostattico y causa daño celular. Durante estos 16 años y aun hoy dia el thimerosal a 
continuado usandose aun sabiendose que es una NEUROTOXINA. La exposicion al MERCURIO 
puede causar desordenes neurologicos en 60.000 niños cada año. 

5.) En Julio de 1.999 la FDA pidio a los fabricantes de vacunas remover el thimerosal de sus 
productos porque los esquemas de inmunizacion resultaron en algunos niños en una ALTA 
EXPOSICION de cantidad de mercurio, mas que la establecida como segura. 

6.) En Julio 11 del 2000 se reporta la alta toxicidad del mercurio y su posible relacion con la 
afectacion de 60.000 niños al año. 

7.) En Julio 4 -26 del 2.001 se revela que los efectos de la exposicion al Ethilmercurio en niños 
NUNCA FUE ESTUDIADA. 

8.) LA FDA en el año de 1.999 reconocio que las cantidades de ETHYL MERCURIO 
(THIMEROSAL) contenidas en las vacunas pediatricas ESTABAN INVOLUCRADAS EN EL 
ALARMANTE aumento de la INCIDENCIA DEL AUTISMO en toda la nacion, sobre todo New 
Jersey y California, y recomendo a los LABORATORIOS FABRICANTES DE VACUNAS 
disminuir al maximo el contenido de Thimerosal. 

9.) PARA Marzo del 2.000 LA FDA informa que la mayoria de las VACUNAS QUE 
ACTUALMENTE se estan utilizando tienen solo TRAZAS de mercurio y en algunas de ellas el 
MERCURIO FUE ELIMINADO TOTALMENTE, lograndose disminuir en un 98 % la cantidad 
de THIMEROSAL DE LAS MISMAS. 

10.) En Enero 3 del 2.002 un reporte secreto del CDC de ATLANTA encontro un aumento del 
riesgo en 2.48 veces mas para que un niño adquiera autismo expuestos a MAS DE 62.5 
microgramos de MERCURIO ANTES DE LOS 3 PRIMEROS MESES DE VIDA, a traves de 
vacunas pediatricas, lo cual confirma LA TEORIA DE QUE VERDADERAMENTE la 
VACUNACION provoco un aumento de los casos de AUTISMO. 

..." En el caso de las vacunas un riesgo relativo mayor de 2.0 establece que hay una probabilidad de 
mas del 50% que los daños sean causados por la vacuna" 

CONCLUSIONES: 
-------------------- 

1.) El primer caso de Autismo inducido por THIMEROSAL fue roportado en TEXAS, Austin,, 
conocido bajo el nombre de Joseph Counter. A este le siguieron muchos otros mas. 
Todos ellos lograron DESTAPAR LA OLLA de que realmente EL THIMEROSAL contenido en 
las vacunas habia sido el causante. 

2.) DEBE ELIMINARSE TOTALMENTE EL THIMEROSAL de las vacunas. Si LA FDA ha 
concluido que es INEFECTIVO COMO BACTERIOSTATICO y preservativo, PORQUE hay 
actualmente TRAZAS de mercurio en ALGUNAS VACUNAS. ??? 

3.) LOS ADJUVANTES que son colocados en CASI TODAS LAS VACUNAS desencadenan 
respuestas inmunologicas en los niños, podria ser que estas TRAZAS de mercurio, AUN SIENDO 
BAJAS, y algunos otros componentes provoquen en niños geneticamente susceptibles EL 
AUTISMO. 

4.) Pasaron 16 años desde que en 1.982 la FDA reconocio el problema del THIMEROSAL EN 
LAS vacunas HASTA hoy dia, UNA GENERACION de niños AUTISTAS QUE ME HACE 
RECORDAR a aquella TRISTE generacion provocada por LA THALIDOMIDA. Donde estuvo el 
ERROR ??? SIMPLEMENTE FUE HUMANO, nunca se penso ni se estudio LOS EFECTOS 
dañinos DEL THIMEROSAL en nuestros niños. 

5.) Geneticamente se ha demostrado una asociacion de LOS ANTIGENOS DE 
HISTOCOMPATIBILIDAD HLA DbR1 con AUTISMO. Esto ratifica que Asperger y Kanner 
tenian razon en cuanto a la predisposisicion genetica. En este caso particular muy probablemente EL 
CONTENIDO DE MERCURIO u OTROS ADJUVANTES DE LAS VACUNAS FUERON EL 
DETONANTE para que los niños geneticamente predispuestos DESARROLLARAN AUTISMO. 

6.) FREUD TAMBIEN en parte TENIA LA RAZON, muchos niños no nacen AUTISTAS, pero 
no eran LAS MADRES FRIAS las desencadenantes, EL Thimerosal los convirtio en AUTISTAS y 
AISLO a estos niños DE nuestro MUNDO metiendolos en una DIMENSION que apenas estamos 
comenzando a conocer. 

7.) En toda familia donde existan niños Autistas o con problemas de aprendizaje, si va a nacer 
nuevos niños hay QUE VIGILAR muy de cerca los esquemas de VACUNACION, y tratar de 
determinar SI las VACUNAS fueron las causantes de estas condiciones. 

8.) Esta revision es un TRIBUTO A Joseph Counter Y TODOS aquellos NIÑOS SANOS que por 
causa de una SIMPLE VACUNACION se CONVIRTIERON EN AUTISTAS, y una 
REFLEXION a nuestros GRANDES EXPERTOS en la ciencia medica para que cosas como esta 
no vuelvan a ocurrir. 

En VENEZUELA EL THIMEROSAL O TIOMERSAL es VENDIDO como PRODUCTO DE 
VENTA LIBRE BAJO EL POPULAR NOMBRE DE MERTHIOLATE....!!!! 

Si tiene algun amigo o familiar con niños AUTISTAS envieles este correo, quiza le sea UTIL !! 

En las referencias los hechos 

Saludos a todos 

Dr Jose Lapenta R. 

EDITORIAL ENGLISH 
================= 
Hello friends of the net, DERMAGIC again with you with this NON DERMATOLOGIC 
EXPRESS Titled: AUTISM, THIMEROSAL AND VACCINES, topic very hot today in day, for 
the fact that recently VERY PROBABLY THE INCIDENCE OF AUTISM IN THE PLANET, is 
increasing because of the SAME VACCINES that PREVENT US OF OTHER ILLNESSES. 

The AUTISM is a neurological disorder that is characterized by impairments in language, cognitive 
and social development. Symptoms usually manifest in the first two years of life. 

Initially the AUTISM was attributed to the mother's behavior toward the boy: "COLD" mothers and 
of "little" love to their children, later studies evidence that also is associated to dysfunctions of the 
immune, gastrointestinal and neurological system. And lately THE TOXICITY WITH MERCURY 
had taken a lot of popularity, mainly the THIMEROSAL content in THE VACCINES. 


MERCURY is the SECOND most toxic element on earth to plutonium. Toxicity of mercury has 
been linked to many different diseases, including autism,learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s, multiple 
sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, depression, and bipolar disorder. 
The amount of mercury found in one mercury thermometer is ENOUGH TO POLLUTE A SMALL 
LAKE. 

In the year of 1946 three nurses died from SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS as a 
manifestation of MULTIPLE vaccines to that were subjected, during an investigation work, fact that 
I mark a clear evidences that A VACCINE to part of preventing a ILLNESS, it can UNCHAIN 
OR CAUSE ANOTHER. 

Recently IN 1.995 the APPEARANCE OF LICHEN PLANUS (dermatologic disorder) has been 
described after vaccination AGAINST THE HEPATITIS B. and many other secondary effects have 
been described after the placement of vaccines, among them demyelination (in experimentation 
animals.) 

In the year of 1.943 the Dr Leo Kanner, psychiatrist of the Hospital Jhon Hopkins diagnoses the 
AUTISM for the first time, and later on the Austrian pediatrics Hans Asperger. Both Doctors 
suggested that the illness could be related with the genes, because it had met members of oneself 
family with AUTISM and parents'direct transmission to Children. 

Previously FREUD had said that the PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS of the children NOT 
They were GENETIC, inculpating to the family environment, mainly the lack of maternal love the one 
origin of the illnesses of the human behavior. 

In 1.981 the Dra Lorna Wing, a British psychiatrist publishes a very interesting study where she 
revives the interest for the theories of Kanner and Asperger, on the GENETIC ORIGIN OF the 
illness. 

What these eminent investigators NEVER suspected was that THE SIMPLE THIMEROSAL, 
compound that it contains MERCURY and that it is used in the VACCINES that we use in our 
children, it could BE the CAUSE of AUTISM. 

THE FACTS: 
------------- 

1.) The thimerosal was introduced for the first time in the vaccines like preservative in l.930. The 
statistical studies before 1.970 reveal a prevalence of autism of 1 in 2000 In studies from 1.970 at 
1990 the average was of 1 in 1.000. This was the period in that increment the vaccination with the 
TRIPLE VACCINE (DPT) that THIMEROSAL contained. 

2.) For beginnings of the years 1.990 the prevalence of Autism was 1 in 500, and in the 2.000, 1 in 
150. In the years 80 and 90 2 new vaccines were added with content from THIMEROSAL to the 
traditional outlines, the HIB (multidosis) and the vaccine against the hepatitis B. 

3.) The TRIPLE vaccine MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) it has been one of those but 
questioned in the inducion of the AUTISM. 

4.) For the beginnings of the year 1982 the FDA issued to proposed regulation calling for the 
removal of thimerosal from over the counter products, but these regulations were not finalized until 
1998, 16 sixteen years after the FDA expert panel concluded thimerosal was unsafe, ineffective like 
to bacteriostatic agent, and caused cell damage. For the 16 years, and even today, thimerosal was 
continued in it uses regardless of the known fact that it is to NEUROTOXIN. Mercury exposures 
may causes neurological problems in 60,000 children every year. 

5.) In July 1.999 the FDA urges to the makers of vaccines to remove the thimerosal of its products 
because the immunization outlines were in some children in a HIGH EXHIBITION of quantity of 
mercury, but that the established one as sure. 

6.) In July 11, 2000 it is reported that Methyl-mercury exposure is to “widespread and persistent 
problem in the environment” and may causes neurological problems in 60,000 children born in the 
U.S. each year. 

7.) In July 4 - 26, 2.001 it is revealed that the effects of the exposure to the Ethylmercury in 
children WERE NEVER STUDIED. !! 

8.) THE FDA in the year of 1.999 recognized that the quantities of ETHYL-MERCURY 
(THIMEROSAL) contained in the pediatric vaccines they were INVOLVED IN THE 
ALARMING increase of the INCIDENCE OF THE AUTISM in the whole nation, mainly New 
Jersey and California, and it recommended to the MANUFACTURING LABORATORIES OF 
VACCINES to diminish to the maximum the content of Thimerosal. 

9.) FOR March of the 2.000 THE FDA informs that most of the VACCINES THAT AT THE 
MOMENT are using, they have single TRACES of mercury and in some of them the MERCURY 
was ELIMINATED TOTALLY, achieving to diminish in 98% the quantity of THIMEROSAL OF 
THE SAME ones. 

10.) In January 3 of the 2.002 a secret report of the CDC of ATLANTA found an increase of the 
risk in 2.48 times but so that a boy acquires autism exposed MORE THAN 62.5 micrograms of 
MERCURY BEFORE OF THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF LIFE, through pediatric vaccines, that 
which confirms THE THEORY THAT the VACCINATION TRULY causes an increase of the 
cases of AUTISM. 

..."in a vaccine case, a relative risk greater than 2.0 establishes that there is a greater than 50% 
chance that the injury was caused by the vaccine." 

CONCLUSIONS: 
------------------- 

1.) The first case of Autism induced by THIMEROSAL was reported in TEXAS, Austin, a children 
under the name of Joseph Counter. To this, they continued him many other but. 
All they were able to UNCOVER THE "POT" that really THE contained THIMEROSAL in the 
vaccines had been the causing one. 

2.) It should BE ELIMINATED THE THIMEROSAL of the vaccines TOTALLY. If THE FDA 
had concluded that it is INEFFECTIVE LIKE BACTERIOSTATIC and preservative, WHY there 
are TRACES of mercury at the moment in SOME VACCINES. ??? 

3.) THE ADJUVANTS that are placed in ALMOST ALL THE VACCINES they cause 
immunologic events in the children, it could be that these TRACES of mercury, be EVEN LOW, 
and some other components cause in genetically susceptible children THE AUTISM. 

4.) 16 years passed since in 1.982 the FDA recognized the problem of the THIMEROSAL IN THE 
vaccines UNTIL nowadays, A GENERATION of AUTISTIC children THAT MAKES ME 
REMEMBER that SAD generation caused by THE THALIDOMIDE. Where the ERROR was??? 
It was SIMPLY HUMAN, it was never thought neither study THE harmful EFFECTS OF THE 
THIMEROSAL in our children. 

5.) Genetically an association of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) HLA DbR1 has been 
linked with AUTISM. This ratifies that Asperger and Kanner had reason as for the genetic 
predisposisicion. In this particular case THE MERCURY or OTHER ADJUVANTS OF THE 
VACCINES were very probably THE TRIGGER so that the children genetically predisposed they 
DEVELOPED AUTISM. 

6.) FREUD ALSO partly HAD THE REASON, many children are not born AUTISTIC, but they 
were not THE "COLD" MOTHERS, the cause was THE Thimerosal that converted them in 
AUTISTIC and I ISOLATE these children OF our WORLD putting them in a DIMENSION that 
we are beginning to know. 

7.) In all family where Autistic children exist or with learning problems, if he will be born new 
children it is necessary to WATCH OVER the outlines of VACCINATION very closely, and to try 
to determine IF the VACCINES were the causing of these conditions. 

8.) This revision is a TRIBUTE TO Joseph Counter AND ALL those HEALTHY CHILDREN that 
BECAME IN AUTISTIC by reason of a SIMPLE VACCINATION, and a REFLECTION to our 
BIG EXPERTS in the medic science so that this doesn't happen again. 

In VENEZUELA THE THIMEROSAL OR TIOMERSAL are SOLD as PRODUCT OF FREE 
SALE (OTC) UNDER THE POPULAR NAME OF MERTHIOLATE....!!!! 

If you has some friend or family with AUTISTIC children sends them this mail, be maybe he 
USEFUL!! 

In the references the facts 

Greetings to all 

Dr José Lapenta R. 
================================================================== 
REFERENCIAS BIBLIOGRAFICAS / BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES 
================================================================== 
1.) Autism and Mercury, Coincidence or Cause and Effect? 
2.) AUTISM CAUSED BY CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS CONTAINING THIMEROSAL 
OR MERCURY 
3.) Link Between Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Thimerosal Remains Unclear 
4.) Have be you been injured by a thimerosal vaccine ? 
5.) Unraveling autism 
6.) Dangers Of Mercury 
7.) Secret CDC vaccine study Thimerosal an autism risk 
8.) The FDA REPORT ABOUT VACCINES AND AUTISM 
9.) Vaccines, Mercury Toxicity and Skyrocketing Autism: 2002 Update Report 
10.) Vaccine Induced Autism 
11.) Major CDC Study on Thimerosal Flawed 
12.) Effects of Ethylmercury Exposure in Infants Never Studied 
13.) ER Exploits MMR Vaccine Myth 
14.) Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning 
15.) Adverse Effects Of Adjuvants In Vaccines 
16.) Thimerosal info 
17.) Thimerosal litigation 
19.) Vaccine Information 
18.) Lawyers Claim CDC Cooked Books on Mercury: Secret Report Reveals 
20.) The facts about vaccine and autism by date 
21.) vaccines that contain thimerosal 
22.) The national, Newspaper of Venezuela from 4/05/02 
23.) [Lichen planus and vaccination against hepatitis B] 
24.) ALERTAS SOBRE LA SEGURIDAD DE MEDICAMENTOS 
NOTA INFORMATIVA DEL COMITÉ DE SEGURIDAD DE MEDICAMENTOS SOBRE 
TIOMERSAL 
25.) Strong Association of the Third Hypervariable Region of HLA-DRb1 with Autism 
26.) Vaccine Induced Demyelination 
============================================================== 
============================================================== 
1.) Autism and Mercury, Coincidence or Cause and Effect? 
============================================================== 
Source: autism-mercury.com 

Autism is a neurological disorder that is characterized by impairments in language, cognitive and 
social development. Symptoms usually manifest in the first two years of life. Once considered a rare 
disorder with an incidence of only 1-3 per 10,000 births, autism is now reaching epidemic 
proportions with an incidence of 20-40 per 10,000 births and “clusters” of 1 per 150 have been 
reported in New Jersey and California. Autism now ranks third among childhood developmental 
disorders, making it more common than Down’s syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis and Cystic Fibrosis. 

Initially thought to be psychiatric in nature, autism was attributed to a child’s exposure to an uncaring 
or “refrigerator” mother. Currently, autism is undergoing more scientific scrutiny and as a result, 
abnormalities in the immune, gastrointestinal and neurological systems have been documented. 
Another abnormal finding is the presence of heavy metal toxicity, notably mercury, in autistic 
children. When considering a source for exposure to mercury in the first two years of life, one 
possible source is immunizations. 

In June 1999, the Food and Drug Administration discovered that “Infants who receive thimerosal 
containing vaccine at several visits may be exposed to more mercury than recommended by Federal 
guidelines for total mercury exposure.” Thimerosal, a preservative used in some vaccines to prevent 
contamination, is 49.6% mercury by weight. Infants who are being vaccinated using multi-dose vials 
with thimerosal can receive 62.5 micrograms of mercury per visit. For an average sized child this 
represents an exposure approximately 100 times the 0.1 micrograms per kilogram of daily exposure 
considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. The manufactures safety data sheet for 
thimerosal states, “Highly toxic…Danger of cumulative effects…Avoid prolonged or repeated 
exposure… and the Chemical, physical, and toxicological properties have not been thoroughly 
investigated.” 

Next is the question of cause and effect, in other words, is a high dose bolus exposure to mercury a 
possible explanation for the myriad of abnormalities found in the child suffering from autism? I believe 
the answer to this question is yes. Mercury is known to cause neurotoxicity, especially in small 
infants whose brains are still developing. Mercury also disrupts cell physiology through its covalent 
binding to sulfur which results in widespread dysfunction of enzymes, membranes, and structural 
proteins. Symptoms of mercury toxicity in young children mirror those of autism. The recent 
increase in the numbers of children diagnosed with autism directly correlates with the addition of 
hepatitis B and HIB vaccine to infants in the early 1990s. 

News Flash!! 

The first known civil suit alleging that thimerosal causes mercury poisoning and symptoms similar to 
autism has been filed in Austin, Texas. The case is called Joseph Counter, et al v. Abbott 
Laboratories, Inc., et al (Cause No. GN100866 ) and is pending in the 200th District Court for 
Travis County, Texas. The suit alleges that cumulative exposures to the mercury-based thimerosal 
preservative found in many pediatric vaccines contributed to cause a body burden of mercury that, 
in certain susceptible individuals, causes significant neurological disabilities, developmental problems 
and other symptoms. The case has been filed by Waters & Kraus, a national law firm with its 
headquarters in Dallas, Texas. The firm anticipates filing additional cases. If you are interested in 
having your potential case considered by a firm that specializes in these types of cases, please click 
here. If you prefer to speak to Waters & Kraus, the toll free phone number is 1-866-NOHGVAX. 

The issue of mercury in vaccines is the subject of further investigations at this time. Please return to 
this website for current updates as they become available. 

To go to the website http://www.safeminds.org/, click here. 

This site is being developed by a mother, Lyn Redwood, whose son, Will, was exposed to mercury 
in excess of federal guidelines via thimerosal in vaccines. After developing normally, in his second 
year of life he began to slip away...losing speech, eye contact and becoming withdrawn and 
despondent. Ultimately, he was diagnosed autistic. When the announcement by the FDA that some 
infants had been exposed to mercury in excess of federal guidelines, Lyn began further investigations 
into her son's level of exposure and indeed, he was one of those infants. Analysis of his baby hair (at 
the age of 20 months) revealed toxic levels of mercury. It is her hypothesis that this may be the cause 
of his autism. Her goal is to conduct and support efforts toward research and treatment of Autism 
spectrum disorders and to educate parents into this area. If you have any questions or would like to 
contact her, e-mail her at [email protected]. 

============================================================== 
2.) AUTISM CAUSED BY CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS CONTAINING THIMEROSAL 
OR MERCURY 
============================================================== 
Source: Ashcraftandgerel.com 

A full generation of children in America was exposed to dangerous doses of highly toxic ethyl 
mercury from 1990 through 2000. Children were injected with the toxic mercury that was a major 
ingredient in a chemical product called thimerosal, an additive and biological preservative packaged 
into multi-dose vials of many childhood vaccines. With each dose of vaccine that contained 
thimerosal, a child would also get an injection of toxic mercury. Each one of those mercury injections 
exposed the child to levels of toxic mercury in excess of the federal government's own safety 
guidelines. 
Mercury is widely known to cause neurological damage, often permanent. Current clinical and 
epidemiological research suggests that the mercury-laden thimerosal so widely given to children by 
the drug companies in the 1990's might cause a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental 
injuries, including autism. Compounding this public health disaster is that the toxic exposure was 
entirely avoidable. The thimerosal was added merely as product packaging for the multi-dose vials, 
and is not needed as a preservative when the vaccines are packaged in single-dose vials or 
single-use syringes. Thimerosal had nothing to do with vaccine safety, and everything to do with the 
profits and convenience of packaging for the pharmaceutical companies. 

Ashcraft & Gerel has participated in the early stages of legal activities seeking to have Thimerosal 
removed from childhood vaccinations but has not yet committed to representing individual claimants 
for injuries alleged to have been caused by by Thimerosal. This web page will be updated at such 
time as we decide to become involved in litigating individual claims 

============================================================== 
3.) Link Between Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Thimerosal Remains Unclear 
============================================================== 
For Immediate Release 
Source: nationalacademies.org 

Date: Oct. 1, 2001 
Contacts: Saira Moini, Media Relations Officer 
Cory Arberg, Media Relations Assistant 
(202) 334-2138; e-mail <[email protected]> 


WASHINGTON -- Current scientific evidence neither proves nor disproves a link between the 
mercury-containing preservative thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders in children, says a 
new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. While very few vaccines given 
to children in the United States today still contain thimerosal, prudence dictates that precautionary 
measures be taken to decrease thimerosal exposure even further. 

Thimerosal is used in some vaccines and other pharmaceutical products to prevent bacterial 
contamination. Vaccines against measles, mumps, and rubella; varicella; and polio have never 
contained the preservative. However, until recently, several other vaccines on the recommended 
childhood immunization schedule in the United States did. They are now manufactured without 
thimerosal, but an unknown, probably small number of vaccine doses for hepatitis B; diphtheria, 
tetanus, and pertussis; and haemophilus influenzae type B, a form of bacterial meningitis, are still on 
clinic shelves. These supplies should not be used when alternatives are available, said the committee 
that wrote the report. 

"Most children in the United States being immunized today and in the future are unlikely to receive a 
vaccine that contains thimerosal," said committee chair Marie McCormick, professor of maternal 
and child health at Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. "In those few cases where only 
supplies containing the preservative are available, the vaccines should be administered rather than 
foregoing immunization. While the health effects of thimerosal are uncertain, we know for sure that 
these vaccines protect against real, proven threats to unvaccinated infants, children, and pregnant 
women." 

A connection between exposure to certain forms of mercury and nervous system abnormalities has 
long been recognized. People exposed to high mercury levels can experience difficulties with 
coordination, vision, and learning. Most studies of the effects of low-level exposure have focused on 
methylmercury from fish and seafood products. Thimerosal contains a different chemical form called 
ethylmercury. 

The committee's comprehensive assessment of the scientific literature on thimerosal included analyses 
of published and unpublished studies proposing an association with disorders such as autism, and it 
found them to be inconclusive. No evidence currently exists that proves a link between 
thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, speech or 
language delays, or other neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Mercury can build up in the body with each additional exposure, whether from vaccinations or other 
sources, such as fish consumption. It is medically plausible that some children's risk of a 
neurodevelopmental disorder could rise in part through increased mercury exposure from 
thimerosal-containing vaccines. Because safety guidelines were established specifically for 
methylmercury, however, it is not clear whether additional exposure from ethylmercury could result 
in an unsafe cumulative level. 

However, as another precaution, policy-makers in the United States should consider changing 
existing policies to reduce exposure to thimerosal as much as possible. For example, professional 
societies and government agencies should review their policies about nasal sprays, eye drops, and 
other products that contain thimerosal and are used for infants, children, and pregnant women, the 
report says. 

For more than half a century, thimerosal was added to some vaccines that protected children against 
serious diseases. In 1999 the U.S. Public Health Service, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and 
the American Academy of Family Physicians issued precautionary recommendations limiting mercury 
exposure of infants and young children, a measure that prompted development of thimerosal-free 
versions of routine childhood vaccines. By mid-2000, thimerosal-free vaccines against hepatitis B 
and bacterial meningitis were widely available. A combination vaccine for diphtheria, pertussis, and 
tetanus also is available today without thimerosal. 

The preservative is still used in a few vaccines, including influenza vaccine, which is given annually 
during the viral flu season to adults and some children. The Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention recommend that protecting pregnant women and high-risk children during flu season take 
precedence over any possible risk from thimerosal exposure. 

Public trust in vaccine safety must be maintained, the committee said. To this end, it is important to 
understand more fully the possible effects of thimerosal. Future research should include population 
studies of the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders before and after thimerosal was removed 
from most vaccines. Levels of women's prenatal and postnatal mercury exposure from medicinal 
products and sources such as fish consumption should be examined as well. Clinical research also 
should examine how the bodies of children, including those diagnosed with neurodevelopmental 
disorders, absorb and process heavy metals like mercury and which medical therapies are effective 
in ridding the body of them. This second study in a series on vaccine safety was sponsored by the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious 
Diseases. The Institute of Medicine is a private, nonprofit institution that provides health policy 
advice under a congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences. A committee 
roster follows. 
Copies of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders are available from 
the National Academy Press; tel. (202) 334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at 
http://www.nap.edu/. The cost of the report is $25.00 (prepaid) plus shipping charges of $4.50 for 
the first copy and $.95 for each additional copy. Reporters may obtain a copy from the Office of 
News and Public Information (contacts listed above). 

============================================================== 
4.) Have be you been injured by a thimerosal vaccine ? 
============================================================== 
Source: thimerosalautism.com 
yourlawyer.com 

Thimerosal is the most common preservative that is used in vaccines and biologics that are marketed 
in the United States. Thimerosal is used to help prevent a vaccine from spoiling, for inactivating 
bacteria used to formulate several vaccines, and in preventing bacterial contamination of the final 
product. Several of the vaccines recommended routinely for children in the United States contain 
thimerosal. However, reports have surfaced linking thimerosal to mercury poisoning in infants often 
causing autism. 

On July 7, 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued with the US Public Health 
Service (USPHS) a joint statement alerting clinicians and the public of concern about thimerosal, a 
mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines.The reason for the warning is that himerosal 
contains a related mercury compound called ethyl mercury. Mercury is a toxic metal that can cause 
immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions. 

The Food and Drug Administration suggested that some infants, depending on which vaccines they 
receive and the timing of those vaccines, may be exposed to levels of ethyl mercury that could build 
up to exceed one of the federal guidelines established for the intake of methyl mercury. Symptoms of 
mercury toxicity in young children are extremely similar to those of autism. 

This can explain the recent increase in the numbers of children diagnosed with autism since the early 
1990's. The numerous amount of children diagnosed with autism seems to directly correlate with the 
recommendation of both the hepatitis B and HIB vaccine to infants in the early 1990s. Autism is a 
neurological disorder that is characterized by impairments in language, cognitive and social 
development. 

Autism symptoms are usually encountered iin the first two years of life. In the past autism was 
considered a rare disorder with an incidence of occurance of aprroximately 1-3 per 10,000 births. 
More recently however, Autism is being diagnosed much more frequently with an incidence of 
occurance of 20-40 per 10,000 births and reports of of 1 per 150 births have been reported in 
several states including New Jersey and California. 


============================================================== 
5.) Unraveling autism 
============================================================== 
Source: nurseweek.com 



Health experts tackle escalating incidents of developmental disorders 

By Nancy Devine 
November 20, 2000 
Photo: M.I.N.D. Institute, UC Davis 


Developmental pediatrician Robin Hansen, MD, works with a young patient at the M.I.N.D. 
Institute at UC Davis. Scientists are trying to pinpoint a cause and relieve symptoms for autistic 
children who have become isolated and unable to respond to others. 

After giving birth to her son, Lyn Redwood, MSN,FNP, of Tyrone, Ga., and her physician-husband 
tracked his development up to 15 months. After a series of vaccines, the boy started to regress, so 
Redwood had him tested. The diagnosis: severe developmental delay. 

Redwood began to investigate the vaccines that preceded the diagnosis and found that all contained 
thimerosal, a preservative containing 49.6 percent ethylmercury by weight. By examining her son’s 
records, she found that he had received 237.5 micrograms of ethylmercury in the first 18 months of 
life. 

"I sent a piece of my son’s baby hair for mercury testing and it came back with a report stating it 
contained 4.8 parts of mercury per million," Redwood said. "That’s five times the allowable level for 
mercury. Research studies of children in the Faroe Islands whose mothers were eating 
mercury-contaminated seafood during pregnancy reported blood levels of 15 to 30 micrograms at 
birth, resulting in developmental delay. So I started looking at all the diagnostic markers for autism 
and found all those diagnostic markers to mercury. Looking back at it now, my son’s symptoms for 
mercury poisoning were classic. My husband’s a physician and he didn’t see it, and I’m a nurse 
practitioner, but I had never seen a child with mercury poisoning." 

Thimerosal – scientifically associated with a number of neurological disorders including autism, 
attention deficit disorder, speech delays and tics – was originally determined to be dangerous and 
was recommended to be withdrawn from nonprescription products by FDA experts in 1982, 
Redwood said. Some manufacturers dropped it; others didn’t. In 1998, thimerosal was banned for 
use in over-the-counter products by the FDA, yet it continues to be used in some pediatric 
vaccines. 

Redwood and the Coalition for Safe Minds filed a petition Oct. 24 in Washington’s federal district 
court to obtain an immediate recall of all pediatric vaccines containing thimerosal or other toxic 
mercury compounds. She has written several research papers on mercury toxicity, and the 
Washington Post published a column by Marguerite Kelly on Nov. 1 that discussed the need for 
mercury-free vaccines. 


~ Nancy Devine 


Imagine living in a world where fluorescent lights scream like chainsaws, sunlight pierces like a laser 
and visual images shatter into fragments. More than half a million Americans live in some variation of 
that red-alert, anxiety-filled world – those individuals diagnosed with autism or some form of 
pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that usually appears during the first three years of life. 

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects normal brain development, according to the 
Autism Society of America. Several related disorders are grouped together under PDD, all 
characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in social interaction and communication skills. 

The disability, which may be mild or severe, is four times more prevalent in boys, and about 75 
percent of affected individuals test in the range of mental retardation. Those who test above normal 
I.Q. are called "high functioning" and may hold jobs. 

No cause, no cure 
The prevalence rate for autism, estimated by the CDC to affect one in 500 individuals, has escalated 
at an alarming rate in certain regions, where increases of up to one in 150 individuals have been 
reported. 

Health experts have responded with more studies and treatments for a disorder with no proven 
cause or cure, even as existing services for developmentally disabled patients are overwhelmed. 
Scientists and parents are pursuing every possible connection or treatment that could pinpoint a 
cause or relieve painful symptoms for children who have become profoundly isolated and unable to 
respond to others. 

"We have several medical intervention studies, one of which is a double-blind placebo control study 
of children within the PDD spectrum taking risperidone, which is approved for adults for problems 
such as inattention, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behavior or aggressive and self-injurious 
behavior," said Kathy Koenig, MSN, an associate research scientist at Yale Child Study Center in 
New Haven, Conn. 

"We also have social skills intervention studies because early training can help these children, and 
one new study is on explicit explanations of eye contact skills, turn-taking in conversation and others. 
Any improvement is progress." 

Autism is treated with speech/language therapy, physical therapy, sensory integration, occupational 
therapy, applied behavior analysis, medications and dietary interventions, but more research is 
needed to determine the most effective treatments for each disability. Early diagnosis and intervention 
are crucial. 

Researching a reason 
Many experts are looking for possible biomarkers in blood or genes that could indicate a child’s 
predisposition to autism, while others are examining levels of medications or chemicals that may be 
involved in triggering the disability to cause the increase in prevalence. 

"Very often, autism develops after a series of vaccines, or maternal measles, or a series of antibiotics 
for infections – these things tend to precede the diagnosis," said Sharla Perel, MS, OT, who has 
worked with autistic children at P.S. 77 in Borough Park, N.Y., for 10 years. "There’s enough 
evidence for correlation that one has to look at these things." 

One team developed the Defeat Autism Now protocol, a guide for parents and practitioners to 
reduce food allergies, mineral deficiencies, yeast overgrowth and medication toxicities that, when 
eliminated, have helped autistic individuals progress, according to Maureen McDonnell, RN, owner 
and director of Health Education Services in Pennington, N.J. 

Another group has identified a preservative in some pediatric vaccines, thimerosal, as a trigger for 
autism. Thimerosal contains 49.6 percent mercury by weight and has been scientifically associated 
with a number of neurological disorders including autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays 
and tics, said Lyn Redwood, MSN, FNP, president of the Coalition for Safe Minds in Tyrone, Ga. 

"We feel strongly this epidemic has been the result of mercury exposure," Redwood said. 

In 1998, parents and physicians launched the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental 
Disorders Institute in Davis because they believed a possible link existed between environmental 
contributions and neurodevelopmental disorders. The institute received $34 million from the state of 
California in June to pursue 19 studies, which now are under way. 

"Estimates from the NIH show that 17 percent to 29 percent of all American children have 
neurodevelopmental disorders," said David Amaral, Ph.D., professor at the UC Davis department of 
psychiatry. 

"I’m a neuroscientist, not an immunologist, and it might be environmental exposure or some change in 
pediatric care policy, but we’re facing an incredible lack of knowledge. 

"It’s a win-win to conduct the vaccine study in a neutral way. If investigations show a clear link 
between vaccines and autism, then we could prevent future cases," said Amaral, who is also the 
institute’s research director. "If, conversely, we can’t demonstrate a link, that would be reassuring to 
parents." 

Meanwhile, autistic children can greatly benefit from applied behavior analysis at schools like the 
ABC School in Sacramento. 

"We use a set of principles to reinforce specific behaviors," said Michelle Williams-Wenell, ABC 
school public relations and development specialist. "Our data shows that 40 percent of the kids who 
come here before the age of 4 years and 1 month have gone on to full-inclusion settings." 

============================================================== 
6.) Dangers Of Mercury 
============================================================== 
Source: Thimerosal-autism-Symptoms.com 

Mercury is the second most toxic element on earth to plutonium. Toxicity of mercury has been linked 
to many different diseases, including autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, 
fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, depression, and bipolar disorder. The amount 
of mercury found in one mercury thermometer is enough to pollute a small lake. 

Health effects of mercury toxicity have been a concern because of the potential for it to act as a 
poison. Toxic doses of mercury can cause developmental effects in the fetus, as well as affecting the 
kidney and the nervous system in children and adults. Mercury exists in a number of different 
chemical forms, each one consisting of different levels of toxicity. The forms of mercury can also be 
converted from one to another in the environment and in the body, so symptoms caused by mercury 
poisoning depends on the precise chemical forms involved. 

Mercury can be toxic when inhaled, eaten, or when placed on the skin. Low concentrations of 
mercury may appear to have no effect but signs of toxicity can develop later or become more 
noticeable with continued exposure. When toxicity in humans takes place loss of feeling or a burning 
sensation in arms and legs, psychological effects, loss of memory, loss of vision, loss of hearing, 
paralysis, congenital malformations, kidney toxicity, and death may occur. Prenatal toxicity can result 
in a child with normal appearance at birth but who later exhibits a developmental delay in the ability 
to walk and/or talk. Because of the long latent period for observable effects, the need for treatment 
may be recognized too late. 

Health effects vary according to the amount of mercury exposure is taken into the body. The health 
risks of mercury at low levels of exposure remain uncertain, but this continues to be a highly 
debatable topic with ongoing scientific investigation. Fetuses, infants and small children appear to be 
particularly sensitive to mercury because their brains are still developing. Vaccines with mercury have 
been considered to contribute to autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other 
neurological conditions, and an FDA review conducted in 1998 determined that, at the time, children 
who received the full complement of childhood vaccines were potentially exposed to levels of 
mercury that were sometimes 30 to 50 times the acceptable levels established by the EPA. 

High-level exposures to mercury can cause serious effects or even be lethal. Several historical 
examples of epidemic mercury poisonings in other parts of the world provide classic examples of 
investigative epidemiology and toxicology and serve to highlight the reasons why regulators are 
concerned about mercury. Effects on the brain and nervous system are frequently seen with 
high-level exposures to mercury and can be quite severe. 


============================================================== 
7.) Secret CDC vaccine study Thimerosal an autism risk 
============================================================== 
Source: whale.to 

AUTISM FIRST STEPS 
AUTISM DAILY NEWSLETTER 
Thursday January 3, 2002 
SPECIAL EDITION 


An unreleased confidential report by Center's for Disease Control (CDC) scientists reveals that 
exposure to significant amounts of mercury during the first months of life significantly increases a 
child's risk of developing autism, according to an attorney with the law firm of Walters & Kraus. The 
firm is a part of a coalition of law firms, representing families in at least 25 states, that has filed 
lawsuits in an attempt to force drug companies to investigate the possible link between mercury and 
developmental disorders. 

Attorney Andy Walters says that the unreleased CDC report, obtained by the SAFEMINDS 
advocacy group, found a 2.48 times increased risk of autism in children exposed to more then 62.5 
micrograms of mercury before they were 3 months of age. In a press release, Walters and Kraus 
notes that "in the United States, courts of law have generally held that a relative increased risk of 2.0 
or higher is sufficient to substantiate that a given exposure causes disease." Walters says that in many 
of the cases that his firm has evaluated, autistic children have received more than 62.5 micrograms of 
mercury through pediatric vaccines. 

A report made public by the CDC in the fall claimed that the thimerosal, the mercury containing 
preservative used in many vaccines, could not be linked to autism, while calling on Physicians to 
avoid thimerosal containing vaccines when possible. However, according to Walters & Kraus, the 
confidential CDC report states: "As for the exposure evaluated at 3 months of age, we found 
increasing risks of "neurological developmental disorders" with increasing cumulative exposure to 
thimerosal... within the group of "developmental disorders"... for the subgroup called "specific 
delays," and within the this subgroup for the specific disorder "developmental speech disorder," and 
for "autism" "stuttering" and "attention deficit disorder". 

Walters says the report's contents, and the fact that it was kept secret, are "shocking, but 
unfortunately not surprising, given the political influence of pharmaceutical companies and the 
tremendous liability they face if they are forced to compensate thousands of families for the costs of 
care that these children require". 

Press Release, Walters & Kraus, 2001 

****************************** 
PRESS RELEASE 

An announcement was made today by the law firm of Waters & Kraus, the firm that filed the first 
known lawsuit alleging that a mercury preservative in children's vaccines caused neurological damage 
to an infant ultimately diagnosed with autism. Waters & Kraus is leading a consortium of ten firms in 
as many states that are actively prosecuting cases of this nature (firms listed below). Andy Waters, 
the lead attorney in the cases, announced that his firm is now in possession of a previously 
unreleased confidential report authored by Centers for Disease Control scientists which studied 
autism as a potential neurological injury caused by mercury in children's vaccines. A different version 
of the report was made public and has been cited by the recent Institute of Medicine study as 
inconclusive on the issue of whether the mercury-based vaccine preservative known as Thimerosal 
has contributed to cause a nationwide epidemic of regressive autism and other neurological disorders 
in small children. The confidential version of the study, however, clearly demonstrated that an 
exposure to more than 62.5 micrograms of mercury within the first three months of life significantly 
increased a child's risk of developing autism. Specifically, the study found a 2.48 times increased 
risk of autism _ that is to say, children with the exposure were more than twice as likely to develop 
autism as children not exposed. Click here to view the full report. (27 pages formatted in TIFF) In 
the United States, courts of law have generally held that a relative increased risk of 2.0 or higher is 
sufficient to substantiate that a given exposure causes disease. As but one example, in the case of 
Cook v. United States, 545 F.Supp. 306, at 308 (Northern District _ California 1982) the Court 
stated that, "in a vaccine case, a relative risk greater than 2.0 establishes that there is a greater than 
50% chance that the injury was caused by the vaccine." Waters indicated that, in many of the cases 
his firm has evaluated, including the case filed in a Texas state court on behalf of the Counter family, 
the affected child received more than 62.5 micrograms of mercury through pediatric vaccines in the 
first three months of life. The confidential report, which was obtained by the SAFEMINDS support 
and advocacy group, states: "As for the exposure evaluated at 3 months of age, we found increasing 
risks of 'neurological developmental disorders' with increasing cumulative exposure to thimerosal ... 
within the group of 'developmental disorders'... for the sub_group called 'specific delays,' and within 
this sub_group for the specific disorder 'developmental speech disorder,' and for 'autism,' 'stuttering' 
and 'attention deficit disorder.'" The report also contained the graph depicted below which illustrated 
the report's findings of a child's increasing risk of developing the neurological symptoms of autism 
after receiving increasing amounts of thimerosal.Graph 3: Relative risk 95 % CI of Autism after 
different exposure levels of thimerosal at 3 months of age, NCK & GHCWaters pointed out that the 
confidential study's lead author, Thomas Verstraeten, has since left the Centers for Disease Control 
and is now employed by GlaxoSmithKline, a manufacturer of thimerosal_containing vaccines for 
many years that is a defendant in numerous suits pending nationwide. "We have asked 
GlaxoSmithKline to provide Mr. Verstraeten's deposition in order to understand if conflict of interest 
issues may have played a role in the CDC's decision to keep this report confidential, and specifically, 
their failure to reveal it to the Institute of Medicine."Waters called the report's contents and the fact 
that it was kept from the public as "shocking, but unfortunately not surprising, given the political 
influence of pharmaceutical companies and the tremendous liability they face if they are forced to 
compensate thousands of families for the costs of care that these children require." Waters added 
that "no amount of money can give these children back the potential that they were born with, and no 
amount of money will comfort the parents that watched helplessly as their children literally just 
slipped away." The purpose of the lawsuits his firm is currently prosecuting, said Waters, is "to bring 
to the surface the truth on this issue, a truth that government agencies seem unwilling to admit, 
perhaps for fear that parents will stop vaccinating their children, and to force the companies that 
profited from this disastrous mistake to shoulder the responsibility that so many families now bear on 
their own, often without even the aid of health insurance benefits." Media inquiries should be 
directed to Melissa Miles at 214-357-6244.Client inquiries should be directed to Victoria Gibson, 
toll-free at 1-866-829-7529, or to the firms listed below.Other firms working with Waters & Kraus 
to prosecute individual cases involving thimerosal exposure are:ANDERSON & KRIGER, 
APLC40925 County Center Drive, Suite 210Temecula, California 92591Telephone: 
909.296.5090DOGAN & WILKINSON726 Delmas AvenuePascagoula, Mississippi 
39567Telephone: 228.762.2272 DORAN & MURPHY, LLP1234 Delaware AvenueBuffalo, New 
York 14209Telephone: 716.884.2000EVERT & WEATHERSBY, L.L.C.3405 Piedmont Road, 
Suite 225Atlanta, Georgia 30305-1764Telephone : 404.233.8718HENDRICKSON & LONG214 
Capital StreetP.O. Box 11070Charleston, W. VA 25339Telephone: 304.346.5500JONES, 
MARTIN, PARRIS, &TESSENER LAW OFFICES, PLLC410 Glenwood Ave., Suite 
200Raleigh, North Carolina 27603Telephone: 919.821.0005LEACH, SCHWARZ 
&STRASSBERG11 Bala Ave.Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania 19004Telephone: 
610.668.7964MARTZELL & BICKFORD338 Lafayette StreetNew Orleans, Louisianna 
70130Telephone: 504.581.90653555 College AvenueWISE & JULIAN, PC3555 College 
AvenueAlton, Illinois 62002Telephone: 618.462.2600 

To View this CDC Unreleased reportit will be found in the 2nd paragraph: click on the link that 
states: Click here to view the full report (27 pages formatted in TIFF) or click below 
Mercury - Autism Links 

This story and the link listed above is found here at: 
http://www.autismfraud.com/00000121.tiff 


Link to the Never Released CDC Report: 

http://www.autismfraud.com/00000121.tiff 

============================================================== 
8.) The FDA REPORT ABOUT VACCINES AND AUTISM 
============================================================== 

STATEMENT BY 
KAREN MIDTHUN, M.D., DIRECTOR 
OFFICE OF VACCINES RESEARCH AND REVIEW 
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICS EVALUATION AND RESEARCH 
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 
BEFORE THE 
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM 
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 26, 2001 
INTRODUCTION 


Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I am Karen Midthun, M.D., Director, Office of 
Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR), Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency). OVRR regulates the development and 
licensure of vaccines. We appreciate the opportunity to participate in this hearing on autism and to 
respond to the Committee's concerns regarding a potential link between vaccines and autism. It is 
important to note that to date, the existing data do not demonstrate a causal relationship between 
vaccines and autism. Nevertheless, we want to assure this Committee, the public, and, especially the 
parents that are here today, that FDA takes these concerns very seriously and we want to explain 
FDA's ongoing efforts in response to the issue of vaccines and autism. 

Childhood vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction of vaccine-preventable diseases, 
(e.g., polio, measles, and whooping cough). In fact, vaccine preventable infectious diseases are at an 
all-time low and now it is rare for American children to experience the devastating effects of these 
illnesses. Before vaccines were routinely administered, there were over 175,000 cases of diphtheria 
annually (1920-22), over 147,000 cases of pertussis (1922-25), and over 503,000 cases of 
measles (1951-54) reported in the United States (U.S.). These diseases have essentially 
disappeared in countries with high vaccination coverage, such as the U.S. Up until 1985 and the 
introduction of an infant vaccine, an estimated 20,000 cases of invasive Haemophilus type b disease, 
primarily meningitis, occurred annually in the U.S. Now, because of vaccination, the number of cases 
of invasive Haemophilus b disease has been decreased by more than 98 percent. All of the diseases 
mentioned above were associated with significant mortality and morbidity. 

BACKGROUND 

Like all products regulated by FDA, vaccines undergo a rigorous review of laboratory and clinical 
data by highly trained scientists and clinicians to help ensure the safety, purity, and potency of these 
products. From an FDA regulatory perspective, there are four stages in vaccine development: the 
pre-investigational new drug (IND) stage (before the product is used in people), the IND stage 
(where human use occurs under limited study conditions), the license application stage for vaccines 
(where FDA reviews the results of the clinical studies and the manufacturing process), and the 
post-licensure stage (following approval of the product for marketing). 

A sponsor seeks licensure of a complete product as it is formulated for use, not of individual 
components. Evidence of any acute toxicity from the use of an investigational drug, including 
vaccines, is included in safety data from human clinical studies, as required under Title 21, Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 312. If any ingredient or ingredients causes acute toxicity, the 
pre-market safety data would most likely indicate acute toxicity from use of the vaccine product. 
Such data, however, generally would not show whether any particular ingredient or combination of 
ingredients is the source of toxicity. 

Like other approved drug and licensed biological products, vaccines licensed for marketing may also 
be required to undergo additional, Phase IV, studies to further evaluate the vaccine or to address 
specific questions about the vaccine. For example, the manufacturer of Varicella Virus Vaccine 
committed to perform a post-licensure study with fifteen years of safety follow-up. These studies will 
provide information about the effects of the vaccine in a population larger than that exposed during 
clinical trials. If additional side effects are identified during the post-marketing phase, either pursuant 
to adverse event reports filed by health care providers or consumers, or pursuant to Phase IV 
studies, FDA would take appropriate regulatory action to protect the public health such as, among 
other options, changing the product's labeling information to reflect the possible side effects, or, in 
cases of imminent or substantial hazard to the public health, ordering a recall of the product. 

Because of the complex manufacturing processes for most biological products, each product 
undergoes thorough laboratory testing for purity, potency, identity, and sterility. Manufacturers may 
release lots only after this testing is documented. FDA may require lot samples and protocols 
showing results of applicable tests to be submitted for review, and where appropriate, further testing 
by FDA. The lot release program is part of our multi-part strategy that helps ensure product safety 
by providing a quality control check on product specifications. 

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System 

Licensure of all vaccines marketed in the U.S. is based on a benefit-to-risk analysis of the safety and 
efficacy data submitted by sponsors to FDA. During the pre-market review process, manufacturers 
and FDA focus on identifying and understanding risks before an overall risk-benefit decision can be 
made on the product's licensure. When using any drug or medical product, a patient runs the risk of 
experiencing reactions. For pharmaceuticals, including vaccines, these reactions are commonly 
termed "side effects." They usually are identified in clinical trials conducted before licensure and are 
described in a product's labeling. Known side effects, discovered in the course of clinical trials, upon 
which a product's licensure or approval is based, comprise the majority of reported adverse events 
after licensure. 

Like all other medical products, vaccines are not entirely risk-free. While serious complications are 
rare, they can occur. Vaccines are unique medical products in that they are generally administered to 
a large number of healthy individuals, primarily children. Therefore, it is very important to identify 
even rare adverse reactions. CBER and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
jointly manage the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a cooperative program for 
vaccine safety. VAERS is a post-marketing safety surveillance program that collects information 
about adverse events that occur after the administration of U.S. licensed vaccines. An "event" is 
simply an outcome. However, any outcome that an individual, whether a health care provider or a 
consumer, believes may have resulted from the administration of a vaccine may be reported to 
VAERS. Such report will be included in the system, regardless of whether there appears to be a 
causal relation to the vaccine. Under FDA regulations, 21 CFR, Subpart D - Reporting Adverse 
Experiences, section 600.80, licensed vaccine manufacturers must report to FDA adverse 
experience information, and establish and maintain records. 

It should be emphasized that adverse event reports can be made by anyone, including health care 
professionals, patients, and parents. If a patient's physician does not file a VAERS report, the patient 
can do so. FDA protects the confidentiality of patients for whom an adverse event has been 
reported. FDA encourages individuals to report to VAERS any clinically significant adverse event 
occurring after the administration of any vaccine licensed in the U.S. Individuals who want to make a 
report to VAERS can call VAERS at a toll-free number, 1-800-822-7967, to obtain a reporting 
form. Forms and reporting instructions also are available on the Internet at 
www.fda.gov/cber/vaers.html and at www.vaers.org. 

Follow-up Study of VAERS Autism Reports 

FDA has taken seriously VAERS reports of developmental delay following vaccination and wants to 
assure the public that the Agency is researching any possible relationship between vaccines and 
autism. CBER proposes to conduct a follow-up study of VAERS reports of autism. As part of the 
study, CBER, in conjunction with outside autism experts, will review available medical records and 
develop an interview questionnaire for parents and others who have reported autism after 
vaccinations. The goal of the interviews is to gather information about demographics, clinical 
features, potential risk factors, family history, vaccines administered, time interval from vaccination to 
autism onset, rapidity of symptom onset, and interval from diagnosis to submission of reports. 
Though this study cannot determine whether vaccines cause autism, it might suggest hypotheses that 
could be further evaluated in subsequent controlled, epidemiologic studies. 

Autism-related Laboratory Activities 

FDA is actively pursuing research involving the characterization and development of the first 
virus-induced animal model for autism - Borna disease virus (BDV) infection of the neonatal rat. 
There is no direct evidence for any relationship between BDV infection and human autism. However, 
BDV is used as the environmental damaging agent because it infects the brain of newborn rats. It is 
important to note that BDV is not a cause of autism. The damage it does and the disease syndrome it 
produces in rats are used only as a "model" to study general biological principles of autism. The 
features of this model, which FDA scientists have developed over the past ten years, have excellent 
correlation with what is known about human autism including neuroanatomical, behavioral, and 
neurochemical correlations. This model is being used in laboratories throughout the U.S. and 
internationally. 

Thimerosal 

FDA, together with other U.S. public health agencies, recognizes and supports the goal of reducing 
exposure to mercury from all sources. Consistent with this goal, FDA has encouraged manufacturers 
for several years to develop new vaccines without thimerosal as a preservative and to remove or 
reduce the thimerosal content of existing, licensed vaccines. This joint effort by manufacturers and 
FDA is reflected by the licensure of thimerosal-free products such as Comvax [Haemophilus b 
Conjugate Vaccine and Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant) manufactured by Merck & Company, 
Inc.], licensed October 2, 1996, Infanrix [Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis 
(DTaP) manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline], licensed January 29, 1997, and Prevnar 
(Pneumococcal 7-valent Conjugate Vaccine manufactured by Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines and 
Pediatrics), licensed on February 17, 2000, and the removal or reduction of thimerosal from 
previously licensed products. 

In response to section 413 of the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA) of 
1997, FDA conducted a review of the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines. Our review revealed 
no evidence of harm caused by thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines, except for local 
hypersensitivity reactions. Under the U.S. recommended childhood immunization schedule, the 
maximum cumulative exposure to mercury from thimerosal, at the time of this review in 1999, was 
within acceptable limits for the methyl mercury exposure set by FDA, the Agency for Toxic 
Substances and Disease Registry, and the World Health Organization. Of note, such guidelines 
contain safety margins and are meant as starting points for evaluation of mercury exposure, not 
absolute levels above which toxicity can be expected to occur. However, the maximum cumulative 
exposure level exceeded the more conservative limits of the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA). The clinical significance of exceeding EPA's limits is not currently known. 

Nevertheless, reducing exposure to mercury from vaccines is warranted. This is achievable, in part, 
because it is possible in the U.S. to replace multi-dose vials with single dose vials, which do not 
require a preservative. 

We are pleased to be able to report substantial progress in the effort to reduce thimerosal exposure 
from vaccines. At this time, all routinely recommended licensed pediatric vaccines that are currently 
being manufactured for the U.S. market, contain no thimerosal or contain only trace amounts of 
thimerosal. The vaccines with trace amount of thimerosal licensed to date contain less than 0.5 
micrograms of mercury per dose, that is, a given dose of vaccine contains less than 1 part per 
million. 

Our efforts over approximately the past year and a half to accomplish this goal include the licensure 
of a thimerosal free Hepatitis B Vaccine (Recombinant) manufactured by Merck and Company in 
August 1999. FDA licensed another hepatitis B vaccine with trace amounts of thimerosal, 
manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in March 2000. A supplement for a new formulation of Aventis 
Pasteur's DTaP Vaccine with only a trace amount of thimerosal was approved in March 2001. 
Additionally, Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines and Pediatrics now only markets a single-dose, 
thimerosal-free formulation of its Haemophilus b Conjugate Vaccine in the U.S. 

Therefore, all routinely recommended U.S. licensed pediatric vaccines are now available in either 
thimerosal-free formulations or in formulations that contain only trace amounts of thimerosal. The 
routinely recommended vaccines include hepatitis B Vaccine, Haemophilus b Conjugate Vaccine, 
Measles Mumps and Rubella Vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, DTaP Vaccine, 
Inactivated Polio Vaccine, and Varicella Vaccine. Prior to the recent initiative to reduce or eliminate 
thimerosal from childhood vaccines, the maximum cumulative exposure to mercury via routine 
childhood vaccinations during the first six months of life was 187.5 micrograms. With the newly 
formulated vaccines, the maximum cumulative exposure during the first six months of life will now be 
less than three micrograms of mercury; this represents a greater than 98 percent reduction in the 
amount of mercury a child would receive from vaccines in the first six months of life. 

Thimerosal and the National Toxicology Program 

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) was established in 1978 by the Secretary of the 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS or the Department) to coordinate toxicology 
research and testing activities within the Department, to provide information about potentially toxic 
chemicals to regulatory and research agencies and the public, and to strengthen the science base in 
toxicology. The NTP has become a world leader in designing, conducting, and interpreting animal 
assays for toxicity and/or carcinogenicity. 

NTP uses a chemical nomination and selection process as a means to best use its resources with 
respect to the testing of chemicals of greatest health concern. Member agencies of the NTP, 
including FDA, are the primary sources of nominations to the NTP. Because of the continued 
interest on the part of the public, as well as public health agencies, to better characterize the potential 
toxicity that could have accompanied an exposure to thimerosal from vaccines, FDA is in the 
process of nominating thimerosal to the NTP for further study to adequately assess gaps in 
knowledge regarding, among other things, neurodevelopmental toxicity. 

CONCLUSION 

Vaccines provide a great public health benefit in reducing or eliminating vaccine preventable 
diseases. Like all medical products, there are risks with vaccines and FDA is committed to 
continuing its efforts to ensure the safety of vaccines. We have worked diligently with manufacturers 
to eliminate or reduce exposure to mercury from thimerosal in vaccines. As stated previously, all 
licensed vaccines currently being manufactured for the U.S. market that are on the routine childhood 
immunization schedule have formulations that are thimerosal-free or contain only trace amounts of 
thimerosal. Although no causal relationship between vaccines and autism has been established, FDA, 
along with other DHHS agencies, continues to pursue research activities to increase our 
understanding of any relationship between vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders. 

We thank you for your leadership in this area. I would be happy to answer any questions you might 
have. 

============================================================== 
9.) Vaccines, Mercury Toxicity and Skyrocketing Autism: 2002 Update Report 
============================================================== 
Source: tetrahedron.org 

by Ingri Cassel-Harkins 

Dear Friends: 

Please read the following three articles that should make it very clear why the concept of "safer" 
vaccines is an oxymoron (i.e., the 2 words that basically are recited together are oppositional and 
"make no sense.") We need to be clear when we communicate to others that: 

1. all "vaccine preventable" diseases are not scary; most well fed and cared-for children and adults 
recover from them with natural immunity (immunity that lasts a lifetime) provided they are not already 
"immune compromised" by nutritional and hygienic neglect and abuse. 

2. Most vaccines use thimerosal in the manufacturing process and this is not always mentioned in the 
package insert of ingredients. In fact, if the vaccine is thimerosal-free, they often double the amount 
of other adjuvants such as aluminum phosphate (or other "activating" ingredients which are often 
heavy metals.) 

3. Vaccines are toxic and we are experiencing skyrocketing epidemics of disabled and neurologically 
impaired children because of them. Now more than ever before. ~The damage to the entire human 
genome of this grand and coerced medical experimentation is unparalleled in history and catastrophic 
to our survival as a species. 

Source: http://www.autismsocietyofberks.org/pages/news.html California has just experienced the 
largest quarterly increase in the number of new cases of level one autism in it's history. According to 
DDS, between July 6, 2001, and October 4, 2001, a record number 705 new cases of DSM IV 
autism entered California's developmental services system. As with all of DDS's autism case growth 
reporting, the 705 new cases do NOT include other autism spectrum disorders such as PDD, NOS, 
Asperger's, etc. The 2001 Third Quarter report represents a 54% increase over year prior, and 
shows that autism accounts for 8 new children entering the system PER DAY. In October 2000 
level one autism accounted for 28% of the total number of all new intakes (autism, cerebral palsy, 
mental retardation, epilepsy, and conditions similar to mental retardation). Now in October 2001 
level one autism accounted for 36% of all new intakes. California's numbers are significant because 
they are one of the few states to actually track, record and report. Source: California Department of 
Developmental Services (DDS). read the full text at http://www.feat.org 

-------------------------------------------------------------- 

LAWYERS CLAIM CDC COOKED BOOKS ON MERCURY; SECRET REPORT 
REVEALED A leading vaccine injury law group announced today that their firm is now in 
possession of an unreleased confidential report authored by Centers for Disease Control scientists 
which studied autism as a potential neurological injury caused by mercury in children's vaccines. An 
announcement was made by the law firm of Waters & Kraus, the firm that filed the first known 
lawsuit alleging that a mercury preservative in children's vaccines caused neurological damage to an 
infant ultimately diagnosed with autism. Andy Waters, the lead attorney in the firm, warned that a 
different version of the report was eventually made public and has been cited by the recent Institute 
of Medicine study as inconclusive on the issue of whether the mercury-based vaccine preservative 
known as thimerosal has contributed to cause a nationwide epidemic of regressive autism and other 
neurological disorders in small children. The confidential version of the study, however, clearly 
demonstrated that an exposure to more than 62.5 micrograms of mercury within the first three 
months of life significantly increased a child's risk of developing autism. Specifically, the study found 
a 2.48 times increased risk of autism - that is to say, children with the exposure were more than 
twice as likely to develop autism as children not exposed. For your own copy of the new report, 
please email [email protected]. (at Waters & Kraus.) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
another site----- source: http://forums.parenthood.com/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=55&Topic=617 
(Email forum) 

We should be past the point of wasting time with claims that the amount of mercury in shots is 
"miniscule." 

Study Finds Excessive Mercury in Hair of Infants: 'Cause for Concern' 1: Neurotoxicology 2001 
Oct;22(5):691-7 

Mercury (Hg) is considered one of the world's most toxic metals. Current thinking suggests that 
exposure to mercury occurs primarily from seafood contamination and rare catastrophic events. 
Recently, another common source of exposure has been identified. Thimerosal (TMS), a 
preservative found in many infant vaccines, contains 49.6% ethyl mercury (EtHg) by weight and 
typically contributes 25 microg of EtHg per dose of infant vaccine. As part of an ongoing review, the 
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in 1999 that infants who received multiple 
TMS-preserved vaccines may have been exposed to cumulative Hg in excess of Federal safety 
guidelines. According to the centers for disease control (CDC) recommended immunization 
schedule, infants may have been exposed to 12.5 microg Hg at birth, 62.5 microg EtHg at 2 months, 
50 microg EtHg at 4 months, 62.5 microg EtHg at 6 months, and 50 microg EtHg at approximately 
18 months, for a total of 237.5 microg EtHg during the first 18 months of life, if all TMS-containing 
vaccines were administered. 

Neurobehavioral alterations, especially to the more susceptible fetus and infant, are known to occur 
after relatively low dose exposures to organic mercury compounds. In effort, to further elucidate the 
levels of ethyl mercury resulting from exposure to vaccinal TMS, we estimated hair Hg 
concentrations expected to result from the recommended CDC schedule utilizing a one compartment 
pharmacokinetic model. This model was developed to predict hair concentrations from acute 
exposure to methymercury (MeHg) in fish. Modeled hair Hg concentrations in infants exposed to 
vaccinal TMS are in excess of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) safety guidelines of 1 
ppm for up to 365 days, with several peak concentrations within this period. More sensitive 
individuals and those with additional sources of exposure would have higher Hg concentrations. 
Given that exposure to low levels of mercury during critical stages of development has been 
associated with neurological disorders in children, including ADD, learning difficulties, and speech 
delays, the predicted hair Hg concentration resulting from childhood immunizations is cause for 
concern. Based on these findings, the impact which vaccinal mercury has had on the health of 
American children warrants further investigation. PMID: 11770890 [PubMed - in process] 

======== 
Ingri Cassel, 
President Vaccination Liberation - Idaho Chapter 
P.O. Box 1444 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816 
(208)255-2307/ 765-8421 
[email protected] 
www.vaclib.org 
"The Right to Know, The Freedom to Abstain" 

Courtesy of Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz and Tetrahedron Publishing Group 
206 North 4th Avenue, Suite 147 Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 
http://www.tetrahedron.org 
Toll free order line: 888-508-4787; 
Office telephone: 208-265-2575; 
FAX: 208-265-2775 E-mail: [email protected] 
See also: http://www.healingcelebrations.com for vaccine injury treatment recommendations. 

============================================================== 
10.) Vaccine Induced Autism 
============================================================== 
Source: mercola.com 

Rick Rollens is a parent advocate who presented this testimony last week in Washington D.C. to a 
packed hearing room. The immediate reaction in the room at the end of his speech was stunned 
silence, reports Rick. 

Mr. Chairman and Members: 

My name is Rick Rollens. I currently reside in Granite Bay, California which is located 30 miles east 
of Sacramento with my wife of 23 years, Janna, and my two sons, Matthew, 13 and Russell, 8. 
Thank you for inviting me to testify today. For me, this is somewhat of a homecoming. In 1973, I 
had the privilege of serving on the Washington staff of former Representative Jerome Waldie of 
California. Following my service in the House, I embarked upon a 23-year career of public service 
with the California State Senate. Working through the ranks, I was elected by the Members of the 
Senate to serve as the Secretary of the Senate until I chose to resign my position in 1996, in order to 
dedicate myself to the pursuit of effective treatments and a cure for my son, Russell. 

I am here today to share with you the story of my son's case of vaccine induced autism, and to 
report on the growing autism epidemic in California, and the pandemic of autism sweeping across 
this country. Russell began his life as a normal, healthy, and robust child, meeting all his age 
appropriate milestones. At seven months old, within 72 hours after receiving his third DPT and his 
first HIB vaccinations, Russell developed a high fever and shrieked with a high wailing scream for 
days. After these vaccinations, he started losing eye contact, smiling less, losing interest in people, 
developed constant croup and was chronically sick. At seven months old, Russell's life had begun to 
change along with the lives of all who know and love him. Within days after his first MMR 
vaccination at 18 months old, Russell began his final journey into the abyss of what my wife and I 
now know as autism -- losing most of his remaining skills, developing severe sleep irregularities, 
chronic gastrointestinal problems, and expressing constant pain exhibited by harrowing days of 
endless crying. 

Russell was officially diagnosed at two and a half years old with autism. After many months of 
medical investigation of Russell's condition, including state-of-the-art brain scans, immunological, 
neurological and genetic work-ups, we consulted a noted pediatric neurologist who thoroughly 
examined Russell and reviewed all of Russell's medical history. He advised us that, in part, Russell's 
brain dysfunction had very likely occurred as a result of some form of encephalitis, resulting in 
bilateral damage to the temporal lobes of his brain. Based on the facts that we have absolutely no 
family history of autism or any other type of brain disorders in our family, that he was born a normal, 
healthy child. That there exists the strong temporal relationship between the timing of the DPT 
vaccination he received at seven months and the onset of his autistic condition, his classic DPT 
vaccine reactions, coupled with the 18 month old hit from the MMR and the subsequent 
deterioration of his condition, as well as the scientific evidence that one of the many serious adverse 
effects of DPT vaccine is encephalitis and brain damage, I believe that Russell is a victim of 
vaccine-induced autism. 

My story is far from unique. Mr. Chairman and members, next week when you return home to your 
districts, talk to your constituents, many of whom are among the growing number of parents who 
have children with autism. I can assure you that you will hear first-hand accounts from those parents 
about their normally developing children, about the introduction and reaction to a vaccine or multiple 
complications that accompany the acquired autistic condition. The first rule of medicine is to listen to 
the patient. A child born today in California will have received his first vaccination between six to 
eight hours old. By the time that child is 6 months old he will have received 15 doses of vaccines 
and by the age of five years old, 33 doses of vaccines. 

Vaccine contains numerous active agents such as live viruses, killed bacteria and toxic chemicals 
including aluminum, mercury and formaldehyde. Where are the safety studies on the short or long 
term effects of the interaction of these numerous multiple vaccines and their agents on the developing 
brain and immune systems of our children? Where is the science? Many safety studies of individual 
vaccines only include a few days follow-up period for reactions, but the CDC tells parents and the 
news media that the onset of autism after vaccination could only be an "unrelated chance 
occurrence." Show me - CDC - the science. Show me the studies Dr. Satchir. 

Is it appropriate to continue to entrust the CDC and the indemnified vaccine manufacturers with the 
responsibility of guaranteeing parents of this country that these vaccines do not cause autism or other 
brain disorders when these same groups are the most aggressive promoters of vaccine use? The 
situation can easily be likened to charging the tobacco industry to undertake independent scientific 
studies to find out if there is any relationship between lung cancer and smoking. This science on the 
safety of vaccines and their relationship to the development of autism is not there. Not there 
because the pleas of parents have been ignored. I suffered the ultimate betrayal of trust by blindly 
allowing my child to be injected with a multitude of vaccines . . .trusting my government had made 
sure that my child would not become autistic after his vaccinations. 

Responding to the outcry of parents, professionals, and educators over the concern of the rapidly 
increasing number of children with autism and autism spectrum disorders, the California Legislature 
and two Governors of different political parties responded within the past 12 months by requiring a 
study on whether autism was increasing in the State and, after finding that there was a huge, 
unexpected increase, appropriated several million dollars for independent research as well as an 
independent follow-up study into the real factors causing the increase. Under the leadership of 
former State Senator, now U.S. Representative Mike Thompson, last year the Legislature required 
the Department of Development Services to report on the increase of autism in California from 
1987-1998. The report was released earlier this year and documents a very conservative 237% 
increase in the number of new children with autism entering the developmental services system; 1685 
new children last year alone when incidence projection would have predicted 105 - 263 new 
children. 

The report led the Los Angeles Times to declare that the state has an epidemic of autistic children. 
We all know there is no such thing as a genetic disease epidemic, so clearly other factors are 
involved. According to the Department, from January 6 to July 7 of this year, 1,027 new children 
were added to the system; which means that California alone added on average six new autistic 
children a day, seven days a week . . .or one new child every four hours! Besides the immeasurable 
human cost on child and family, the thousands of autistic children already in our system along with 
these 1,027 new children are, according to the Department, going to cost the taxpayers of California 
and the country a minimum of $2 million each for their lifetime of care. Surely any intelligent, 
thoughtful person cannot with a straight face suggest that the huge increase in one of the most easily 
recognizable of all childhood disorders is all due to genetics, better recognition, or to minor changes 
in the diagnostic criteria that occurred 10 years after the massive increase in autism had already 
begun over two decades ago. 

Earlier this year, the national and local news media extensively covered the story of the observations 
by parents in Brick Township, New Jersey that there were a lot of kids with autism in their 
community. In fact, the CDC publicly announced that they had discovered a cluster of autism in 
Brick was 1 in 150 children. 1 in 150 children with autism represents a prevalence rate 12 times 
higher than the published prevalence rate. My family and I reside in a community approximately 
three thousand miles from Brick Township, a community that is almost in every way as different from 
Brick as two communities in America can be. Where we live, our children are served by a single 
public elementary school district. The prevalence of autism in our elementary school district is 1 in 
132 children. Mr. Chairman and Members, Brick Township, New Jersey and Granite Bay 
California are not "clusters" of autism, but snapshots of what is occurring everywhere. 

Numerous parent organizations around the world, including the Autism Research Institute, the 
National Vaccine Information Center, Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT), Autoimmunity 
Research Project, Cure Autism Now, and Allergy Induced Autism are all constantly hearing from 
scores of parents reporting vaccine-related autism. You will find these children throughout the 
neighborhoods of your own districts. Vaccine policy has always been a cost-benefit proposition. I 
am here to tell you today that the once numerically rare sacrificial lambs that society has been willing 
to tolerate for the good of the whole could now, very likely before our eyes, be turning into herds of 
casualties of the most precious resource we have - our children and grandchildren. We must act 
quickly, by investing in good, independent research and science to pursue the truth about the link 
between vaccines and autism. If we don't discover all the causes, we will never find a cure. Thank 
you. 

============================================================== 
11.) Major CDC Study on Thimerosal Flawed 
============================================================== 
Author Admits Findings Incorrect 

Source: autism.about.com 

Dateline: 07/25/01 

The author of a major study of the link between Vaccinations and Developmental Disorders which is 
widely quoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted that the study 
is inaccurate in its findings. Dr. Thomas Verstraeten, of the CDC's National Immunization Program, 
is quoted as saying, "One thing is for sure, there is certainly under-ascertainment of all these 
[conditions] because some of the children are just not old enough to be diagnosed." This was 
confirmed by a professor who has reviewed the research. He stated that there were too few children 
in the study to pick up all cases of autism. 

The study in question has been widely quoted as evidence that Autism and other Pervasive 
Developmental Disorders are in no way linked to the vaccines which are routinely given to children 
around the world. Now it seems this conclusion is invalid and the true relationship has yet to be 
discovered. 

Additionally, it appears that the CDC is now reversing its stand. According to the Sunday Times, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a "statistically significant" link between 
mercury in vaccines and developmental disorders, including Attention Deficit Disorder and speech 
and language delays. The CDC, however, still recommends vaccinations with thimerosal containing 
vaccines, saying there are safety measures in place to prevent overdoses of mercury. 

Autism rates around the world are rising and the rise coincides with the availability of more vaccines 
containing mercury, a lowering of the age at which vaccines are given to babies and the introduction 
of the combined MMR vaccine, which does not contain mercury, but which has been linked to 
Autism by some researchers. 

Now that the research quoted by the CDC and other governmental agencies has been found 
inadequate, and since there are research findings which suggest a link between mercury and 
developmental disorders, it is time to begin serious research into these issues. In addition, the link 
between the MMR vaccine and Autism should be explored further, since it appears to be associated 
in some way with the increased rates. 

In spite of the dangers of mercury exposure in infants, the CDC continues to recommend that, "State 
and local immunization programs or private health care providers should use the vaccines available in 
their stock. All vaccines are safe and effective as stated by FDA." Yet the American Academy of 
Pediatrics and other medical groups has called for the removal of mercury from all vaccines. Why 
then does the CDC continue to state that they should be used? While they say they are working 
cooperatively with vaccine manufacturers to implement a plan to reduce and eventually eliminate 
future purchases of thimerosal containing vaccines for federal programs, it appears that these moves 
may be too little, too late. While the government is, "working cooperatively," with the manufacturers, 
more and more children are being exposed to potentially toxic levels of mercury and more and more 
families are having their lives destroyed by its effects. The time to act is now. 

Congressman Dan Burton (R-Indiana) and others have called for the removal of all vaccines 
containing thimerosal. So far their words have fallen on deaf ears. Vaccines with excessive levels of 
mercury are still being routinely used and there is no clear end in sight. Until adequate research is 
done either proving or disproving the relationship between these vaccines and neurological damage, 
their use should be discontinued. Vaccines which do not contain thimerosal are available and their 
use should be mandated by the federal government 

============================================================== 
12.) Effects of Ethylmercury Exposure in Infants Never Studied 
============================================================== 
Expert Tells IOM No Studies Done 

Source:autism.about.com 

On July 26, 2001, the Institute of Medicine will conduct hearings into thimerosal-containing vaccines 
and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of exposure to them. As a part of their preliminary research, 
the Immunization Safety Review Committee questioned Dr. László Magos, author of "Physiology 
and Toxicology of Mercury" and an internationally known expert in field. 

While many of the answers that Dr. Magos gave were so scientifically complex that the lay person 
could never hope to comprehend them, I found it interesting that two of these answers, perhaps the 
most important two, were perfectly plain, clear and understandable to anyone reading his statement. 


Have there been any studies, including animal studies, which have looked specifically at infant 
ethylmercury exposure and the effect on neurological development? "No, it has not been studied." 
What is thought to be currently the best hypothesis (if any) regarding the mechanism of neurotoxic 
mechanism of neurotoxicity of organic Hg (mercury)? "Unfortunately, there is no answer. Chang 
(1996) suggested four "major thoughts" on the mechanism of actions. These "thoughts" have not 
reached the level of a hypotheses, and even less the level of 'the best hypothesis'." 

Why are these questions so important? The answer is simple. They provide a clue into the direction 
that researchers and government agencies need to go, if we are to ever learn the true relationship 
between mercury based substances such as thimerosal and their effects on the lives of our children 
when they are ingredients in the vaccines we are routinely administering. 

How can we ever believe the reports that attempt to validate the use of vaccines which contain 
thimerosal, when there have been NO STUDIES done on this important question, according to Dr. 
Magos? And how can we believe the theories that have been proposed on how mercury works to 
damage the neurological system of the body, when there hasn't even been a hypothesis made on this 
question. As I remember my studies of the "scientific method," a hypothesis must be made and tested 
and the tests replicated, before a theory can be advanced. We are not at the point of having a 
hypothesis, let alone enough material to propose a theory. 

As parents, we know what happened to our children. We know when their development began to 
regress, but our knowledge is not enough to base policy on, according to the experts. They say we 
must have hard facts and research studies before our "anecdotal evidence" can be believed. Yet the 
scientific community has failed to provide the same standard of evidence in support of their opinions. 
Hearings and inquiries are not enough. Neither are statements that defend the status quo and tout the 
safety of vaccines. Until that research is done, the public will have every right to be skeptical about 
the statements that come out of the medical community regarding the safety of these vaccines 

============================================================== 
13.) ER Exploits MMR Vaccine Myth 
============================================================== 
Alternatives to the MMR Vaccine 
Source|: autism.about.com 

A recent episode of the NBC Television program, ER, featured a story about a child who died of 
measles after his parents refused to have him vaccinated. This storyline exploited the myth that the 
Measles, Mumps and Reubella (MMR) vaccine is perfectly safe and that those who choose to not 
use this combination vaccine are risking the lives of their children. The program has caused people 
across the country to think carefully about the benefits and risks of mandatory childhood 
vaccinations and wondering about their decisions to immunize or not. If you've been keeping up with 
the controversy about the effects of the Measles, Mumps and Reubella (MMR) vaccine and its 
potential for being a cause or trigger for Autism, pay close attention to this article. While it is not 
intended as medical advice, it does provide valuable information which you and your physician need 
to make an informed decision regarding this vaccine. Always consult with your physician regarding 
any medication or vaccination questions you might have. 

For years a controversy has raged in the medical community about the effects of the MMR vaccine. 
Researchers, such as Dr. Andrew Wakefield, have found that the MMR potentially is a trigger or 
even the cause of Autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Further research has found 
that it may be the combination of ingredients in the MMR that is the culprit, not the individual 
vaccines themselves. Because of this, it has been recommended that these multiple vaccines be 
avoided and instead single dose vaccines be substituted. 

I have heard from countless parents who have said they requested the single measles, mumps or 
reubella vaccine and been told, it isn't available. If you are one of those parents, you were either lied 
to or your medical provider is uninformed. The single dose vaccine is available, from the same 
manufacturer who makes the multi-dose version, however many physicians and clinics hesitate to 
purchase it because of the way the vaccine is marketed. It seems that Merck Pharmaceuticals 
requires that it be purchased in minimum lots of 10, which means that to cover your child, the health 
care provider must purchase 30 doses, instead of the 10 required for the multi-dose vaccine. 

It's a matter of basic economics. It costs less to get 10 doses than it does 30, so why spend the 
extra money. Their cost cutting measures could be the reason your child can't get the single dose 
vaccine, and could possibly, if the researchers are correct, be the reason that Autism/PDD has 
increased so dramatically in the past 20 years. Additionally, managed health care plans have put in 
place a system that only allows for a certain number of well-child visits, falsely leading the parents to 
believe they cannot make additional appointments for separated vaccinations. A vaccination 
appointment in nearly every medical office, is not an appointment with the physician and should not 
be billed as such. It is an appointment with the nurse and therefore is not constricted by a managed 
health care's well-child health care schedule. 

What can you do about this? The answer is simple. When you go to your doctor or clinic, arrive 
armed with the correct information which will allow you to counteract their claim that the vaccine is 
not manufactured and can't be purchased. According to information from the FEAT newsletter and 
Elizabeth Bowers of ARMED (Autism Recovery through Medicine, Education & Diet), the item 
numbers below are from the current Physician's Desk Reference (PDN) for the individual dosages of 
the vaccines, manufactured by Merck. Demand that these be purchased for use with your child, and 
put it in writing. If the health care provider refuses, get it in writing that you provided them with the 
information and made a formal written request which was refused. In this way, you have the 
evidence that might help in a potential legal action, should the vaccine injury compensation laws ever 
be changed to cover this type of situation. Without it, it's your word against theirs. 


Measles: # NDC00064709-00, single dose 
Mumps: #NDC00064753-00, single dose 
Rubella (called Meruvac II): #NDC00064747-00, single dose 

==============================================================14.) 
Autism: a Novel Form of Mercury Poisoning 
============================================================== 
S. Bernard, B.A., A. Enayati, M.S.M.E., L. Redwood, M.S.N., H. Roger, B.A., T. Binstock 
Sallie Bernard, ARC Research, 14 Commerce Drive, Cranford, NJ 07901 USA, 908.276.6300, 
fax 908.276.1301 

Source: mercola.com 

Summary 

Autism is a syndrome characterized by impairments in social relatedness and communication, 
repetitive behaviors, abnormal movements, and sensory dysfunction. Recent epidemiological studies 
suggest that autism may affect 1 in 150 U. S. children. 

Exposure to mercury can cause immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions 
similar to traits defining or associated with autism, and the similarities extend to neuroanatomy, 
neurotransmitters, and biochemistry. 

Thimerosal, a preservative added to many vaccines, has become a major source of mercury in 
children who, within their first two years, may have received a quantity of mercury that exceeds 
safety guidelines. 

A review of medical literature and U.S. government data suggests that 


i) many cases of idiopathic autism are induced by early mercury exposure from thimerosal; 

(ii) this type of autism represents an unrecognized mercurial syndrome; and 

(iii) genetic and non-genetic factors establish a predisposition whereby thimerosal's adverse effects 
occur only in some children. 

Introduction 

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome with onset prior to age 36 
months. Diagnostic criteria consist of impairments in sociality and communication plus repetitive and 
stereotypic behaviors (1). Traits strongly associated with autism include movement disorders and 
sensory dysfunctions (2). Although autism may be apparent soon after birth, most autistic children 
experience at least several months, even a year or more of normal development -- followed by 
regression, defined as loss of function or failure to progress (2,3,4). 

The neurotoxicity of mercury (Hg) has long been recognized (5). 

Primary data derive from victims of contaminated fish (Japan - Minamata Disease) or grain (Iraq, 
Guatemala, Russia); from acrodynia (Pink Disease) induced by Hg in teething powders; and from 
individual instances of mercury poisoning (HgP), many occurring in occupational settings (e.g., Mad 
Hatter's Disease). 

Animal and in vitro studies also provide insights into the mechanisms of Hg toxicity. More recently, 
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have 
determined that the typical amount of Hg injected into infants and toddlers via childhood 
immunizations has exceeded government safety guidelines on an individual (6) and cumulative 
vaccine basis (7). 

The mercury in vaccines derives from thimerosal (TMS), a preservative which is 49.6% 
ethylmercury (eHg) (7). 

Past cases of HgP have presented with much inter-individual variation, depending on the dose, type 
of mercury, method of administration, duration of exposure, and individual sensitivity. Thus, while 
commonalities exist across the various instances of HgP, each set of variables has given rise to a 
different disease manifestation (8,9,10,11). 

It is hypothesized that the regressive form of autism represents another form of mercury poisoning, 
based on a thorough correspondence between autistic and HgP traits and physiological 
abnormalities, as well as on the known exposure to mercury through vaccines. 

Furthermore, other phenomena are consistent with a causal Hg-ASD relationship. These include: 


a) symptom onset shortly after immunization; 

(b) ASD prevalence increases corresponding to vaccination increases; (c) similar sex ratios of 
affected individuals; 

(d) a high heritability rate for autism paralleling a genetic predisposition to Hg sensitivity at low doses; 
and 

(e) parental reports of autistic children with elevated Hg. 

Trait Comparison 

ASD manifests a constellation of symptoms with much inter-individual variation (3,4). A comparison 
of traits defining, nearly universal to, or commonly found in autism with those known to arise from 
mercury poisoning is given in Table I. The characteristics defining or strongly associated with autism 
are also more fully described. 

Autism has been conceived primarily as a psychiatric condition; and two of its three diagnostic 
criteria are based upon the observable traits of 


a) impairments in sociality, most commonly social withdrawal or aloofness, and 

b) a variety of perseverative or stereotypic behaviors and the need for sameness, which strongly 
resemble obsessive-compulsive tendencies. 


Differential diagnosis may include childhood schizophrenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive 
disorder (OCD), anxiety disorder, and other neuroses. 

Related behaviors commonly found in ASD individuals are irrational fears, poor eye contact, 
aggressive behaviors, temper tantrums, irritability, and inexplicable changes in mood (1,2,12-17). 
Mercury poisoning, when undetected, is often initially diagnosed as a psychiatric disorder (18). 

Commonly occurring symptoms include: 


a) "extreme shyness," indifference to others, active avoidance of others, or “a desire to be alone”;(b) 
depression, “lack of interest” and “mental confusion;” 

(c) irritability, aggression, and tantrums in children and adults; 

(d) anxiety and fearfulness; and 

(e) emotional lability. 


Neuroses, including schizoid and obsessive-compulsive traits, problems in inhibition of perseveration, 
and stereotyped behaviors, have been reported in a number of cases; and lack of eye contact was 
observed in one 12 year old girl with mercury vapor poisoning (18-35). 

The third diagnostic criterion for ASD is impairment in communication (1). Historically, about half of 
those with classic autism failed to develop meaningful speech (2), and articulation difficulties are 
common (3). Higher functioning individuals may have language fluency but still show semantic and 
pragmatic errors (3,36). In many cases of ASD, verbal IQ is lower than performance IQ (3). 
Similarly, mercury-exposed children and adults show a marked difficulty with speech (9,19,37). 

In milder cases scores on language tests may be lower than those of unexposed controls (31,38). 
Iraqi children who were postnatally poisoned developed articulation problems, from slow, slurred 
word production to an inability to generate meaningful speech; while Iraqi babies exposed prenatally 
either failed to develop language or presented with severe language deficits in childhood (23,24,39). 
Workers with Mad Hatter's disease had word retrieval and articulation difficulties (21). 

Nearly all cases of ASD and HgP involve disorders of physical movement (2,30,40). 

Clumsiness or lack of coordination has been described in many higher functioning ASD individuals 
(41). Infants and toddlers later diagnosed with autism may fail to crawl properly or may fall over 
while sitting or standing; and the movement disturbances typically occur on the right side of the body 
(42). Problems with intentional movement and imitation are common in ASD, as are a variety of 
unusual stereotypic behaviors such as toe walking, rocking, abnormal postures, choreiform 
movements, spinning; and hand flapping (2,3,43,44). 

Noteworthy because of similarities to autism are reports in Hg literature of: 


a) children in Iraq and Japan who were unable to stand, sit, or crawl (34,39); 

(b) Minamata disease patients whose movement disturbances were localized to one side of the 
body, and a girl exposed to Hg vapor who tended to fall to the right (18,34); 

(c) flapping motions in an infant poisoned from contaminated pork (37) and in a man injected with 
thimerosal (27); 

(d) choreiform movements in mercury vapor intoxication (19); 

(e) toe walking in a moderately poisoned Minamata child (34); 

(f) poor coordination and clumsiness among victims of acrodynia (45); 

(g) rocking among infants with acrodynia (11); and 

(h) unusual postures observed in both acrodynia and mercury vapor poisoning (11,31). The 
presence of flapping motions in both diseases is of interest because it is such an unusual behavior that 
it has been recommended as a diagnostic marker for autism (46). 


Virtually all ASD subjects show a variety of sensory abnormalities (2). Auditory deficits are present 
in a minority of individuals and can range from mild to profound hearing loss (2,47). Over- or 
under-reaction to sound is nearly universal (2,48), and deficits in language comprehension are often 
present (3). Pain sensitivity or insensitivity is common, as is a general aversion to touch; abnormal 
sensation in the extremities and mouth may also be present and has been detected even in toddlers 
under 12 months old (2,49). 

There may be a variety of visual disturbances, including sensitivity to light (2,50,51,52). As in autism, 
sensory issues are reported in virtually all instances of Hg toxicity (40). HgP can lead to mild to 
profound hearing loss (40); speech discrimination is especially impaired (9,34,). Iraqi babies 
exposed prenatally showed exaggerated reaction to noise (23), while in acrodynia, patients reported 
noise sensitivity (45). Abnormal sensation in the extremities and mouth is the most common sensory 
disturbance (25,28). Acrodynia sufferers and prenatally exposed Iraqi babies exhibited excessive 
pain when bumping limbs and an aversion to touch (23,24,45,53). A range of visual problems has 
been reported, including photophobia (18,23,34). 


Comparison Of Biological Abnormalities 

The biological abnormalities commonly found in autism are listed in Table II, along with the 
corresponding pathologies arising from mercury exposure. Especially noteworthy similarities are 
described. 

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder which has been characterized as "a disorder of neuronal 
organization, that is, the development of the dentritic tree, synaptogenesis, and the development of 
the complex connectivity within and between brain regions" (54). Depressed expression of neural 
cell adhesion molecules (NCAMs), which are critical during brain development for proper synaptic 
structuring, has been found in one study of autism (55). Organic mercury, which readily crosses the 
blood-brain barrier, preferentially targets nerve cells and nerve fibers (56); primates accumulate the 
highest Hg-levels in the brain relative to other organs (40). 

Furthermore, although most cells respond to mercurial injury by modulating levels of glutathione 
(GSH), metallothionein, hemoxygenase, and other stress proteins, neurons tend to be “markedly 
deficient in these responses” and thus are less able to remove Hg and more prone to Hg-induced 
injury (56). In the developing brain, mercury interferes with neuronal migration, depresses cell 
division, disrupts microtubule function, and reduces NCAMs (28, 57-59). 

While damage has been observed in a number of brain areas in autism, many nuclei and functions are 
spared (36). HgP’s damage is similarly selective (40). Numerous studies link autism with neuronal 
atypicalities within the amygdala, hippocampi, basal ganglia, the Purkinje and granule cells of the 
cerebellum, brainstem, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex (36,60-69). Each of these areas can be 
affected by HgP (10,34,40,70-73). Migration of Hg, including eHg, into the amygdala is particularly 
noteworthy, because in primates this brain region has neurons specific for eye contact (74) and it is 
implicated in autism and in social behaviors (65,66,75). 

Autistic brains show neurotransmitter irregularities which are virtually identical to those arising from 
Hg exposure: 


both high or low serotonin and dopamine, depending on the subjects studied; 
elevated epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma and brain; elevated glutamate; and 
acetylcholine deficiency in hippocampus (2,21,76-83). 

Gillberg and Coleman (2) estimate that 35-45% of autistics eventually develop epilepsy. A recent 
MEG study reported epileptiform activity in 82% of 50 regressive autistic children; in another study, 
half the autistic children expressed abnormal EEG activity during sleep (84). Autistic EEG 
abnormalities tend to be non-specific and have a variety of patterns (85). Unusual epileptiform 
activity has been found in a number of mercury poisoning cases (18,27,34,86-88). 

Early Hg exposure enhances tendencies toward epileptiform activity with a reduced level of 
seizure-discharge amplitude (89), a finding consistent with the subtlety of seizures in many autism 
spectrum children (84,85). The fact that Hg increases extracellular glutamate would also contribute 
to epileptiform activity (90). 

Some autistic children show a low capacity to oxidize sulfur compounds and low levels of sulfate 
(91,92). These findings may be linked with HgP because (a) Hg preferentially binds to sulfhydryl 
molecules (-SH) such as cysteine and GSH, thereby impairing various cellular functions (40), and (b) 
mercury can irreversibly block the sulfate transporter NaSi cotransporter NaSi-1, present in kidneys 
and intestines, thus reducing sulfate absorption (93). 

Besides low sulfate, many autistics have low GSH levels, abnormal GSH-peroxidase activity within 
erythrocytes, and decreased hepatic ability to detoxify xenobiotics (91,94,95). GSH participates in 
cellular detoxification of heavy metals (96); hepatic GSH is a primary substrate for organic-Hg 
clearance from the human (40); and intraneuronal GSH participates in various protective responses 
against Hg in the CNS (56). 

By preferentially binding with GSH, preventing absorption of sulfate, or inhibiting the enzymes of 
glutathione metabolism (97), Hg might diminish GSH bioavailability. Low GSH can also derive from 
chronic infection (98,99), which would be more likely in the presence of immune impairments arising 
from mercury (100). 

Furthermore, mercury disrupts purine and pyrimidine metabolism (97,10). Altered purine or 
pyrimidine metabolism can induce autistic features and classical autism (2,101,102), suggesting 
another mechanism by which Hg can contribute to autistic traits. 

Autistics are more likely to have: 

allergies 
asthma 
selective IgA deficiency (sIgAd) 
enhanced expression of HLA-DR antigen 
and an absence of interleukin-2 receptors 
as well as familial autoimmunity 
and a variety of autoimmune phenomena 
These include elevated serum IgG 
and ANA titers, 
IgM and 
IgG brain antibodies, 
and myelin basic protein (MBP) antibodies (103-110). 

Similarly, atypical responses to Hg have been ascribed to allergic or autoimmune reactions (8), and 
genetic predisposition to such reactions may explain why Hg sensitivity varies so widely by individual 
(88,111). 

Children who developed acrodynia were more likely to have asthma and other allergies (11); IgG 
brain autoantibodies, MBP, and ANA have been found in HgP subjects (18,111,112); and mice 
genetically prone to develop autoimmune diseases "are highly susceptible to mercury-induced 
immunopathological alterations" even at the lowest doses (113). 

Additionally, many autistics have reduced natural killer cell (NK) function, as well as immune-cell 
subsets shifted in a Th2 direction and increased urine neopterin levels, indicating immune system 
activiation (103,114-116). Depending upon genetic predisposition, Hg can induce immune 
activation, an expansion of Th2 subsets, and decreased NK activity (117-120). 


Population Characteristics 

In most affected children, autistic symptoms emerge gradually, although there are cases of sudden 
onset (3). 

The earliest abnormalities have been detected in 4 month olds and consist of subtle movement 
disturbances; subtle motor-sensory disturbances have been observed in 9 month olds (49). More 
overt speech and hearing difficulties become noticeable to parents and pediatricians between 12 and 
18 months (2). TMS vaccines have been given in repeated intervals starting from infancy and 
continuing until 12 to 18 months. 

While HgP symptoms, may arise suddenly in especially sensitive individuals (11), usually there is a 
preclinical "silent stage" in which subtle neurological changes are occuring (121) and then a gradual 
emergence of symptoms. 

The first symptoms are typically sensory- and motor-related, which are followed by speech and 
hearing deficits, and finally the full array of HgP characteristics (40). 

Thus, both the timing and nature of symptom emergence in ASD are fully consistent with a vaccinal 
Hg etiology. 

This parallel is reinforced by parental reports of excessive amounts of mercury in urine or hair from 
younger autistic children, as well as some improvement in symptoms with standard chelation therapy 
(122). 

The discovery and rise in prevalence of ASD mirrors the introduction and spread of thimerosol in 
vaccines. 

Autism was first described in 1943 among children born in the 1930s (123). Thimerosal was first 
introduced into vaccines in the 1930s (7). In studies conducted prior to 1970, autism prevalence 
was estimated, at 1 in 2000; in studies from 1970 to 1990 it averaged 1 in 1000 (124). This was a 
period of increased vaccination rates of the TMS-containing DPT vaccines among children in the 
developed world. 

In the early 1990s, the prevalence of autism was found to be 1 in 500 (125), and in 2000 the CDC 
found 1 in 150 children affected in one community, which was consistent with reports from other 
areas in the country (126). In the late 1980s and early 1990s, two new TMS vaccines, the HIB and 
Hepatitis B, were added to the recommended schedule (7). 

Nearly all US children are immunized, yet only a small proportion develop autism. 

A pertinent characteristic of mercury is the great variability in its effects by individual, so that at the 
same exposure level, some will be affected severely while others will be asymptomatic (9,11,28). An 
example is acrodynia, which arose in the early 20th Century from mercury in teething powders and 
afflicted only 1 in 500-1000 children given the same low dose (28). 

Studies in mice as well as humans indicate that susceptibility to Hg effects arises from genetic status, 
in some cases including a propensity to autoimmune disorders (113,34,40). ASD exhibits a strong 
genetic component, with high concordance in monozygotic twins and a higher than expected 
incidence among siblings (4); autism is also more prevalent in families with autoimmune disorders 
(106). 

Additionally, autism is more prevalent among boys than girls, with the ratio estimated at 4:1 (2). 
Mercury studies in mice and humans consistently report greater effects on males than females, except 
for kidney damage (57). At high doses, both sexes are affected equally; at low doses only males are 
affected (38,40,127). 


Discussion 

We have shown that every major characteristic of autism has been exhibited in at least several cases 
of documented mercury poisoning. 

Recently, the FDA and AAP have revealed that the amount of mercury given to infants from 
vaccinations has exceeded safety levels. The timing of mercury administration via vaccines coincides 
with the onset of autistic symptoms. Parental reports of autistic children with measurable mercury 
levels in hair and urine indicate a history of mercury exposure. Thus the standard primary criteria for 
a diagnosis of mercury poisoning - observable symptoms, known exposure at the time of symptom 
onset, and detectable levels in biologic samples (11,31) - have been met in autism. 

As such, mercury toxicity may be a significant etiological factor in at least some cases of regressive 
autism. Further, each known form of HgP in the past has resulted in a unique variation of 
mercurialism - e.g., Minamata disease, acrodynia, Mad Hatter’s disease - none of which has been 
autism, suggesting that the Hg source which may be involved in ASD has not yet been characterized; 
given that most infants receive eHg via vaccines, and given that the effect on infants of eHg in 
vaccines has never been studied (129), vaccinal thimerosal should be considered a probable source. 
It is also possible that vaccinal eHg may be additive to a prenatal mercury load derived from 
maternal amalgams, immune globulin injections, or fish consumption, and environmental sources. 

Conclusion 

The history of acrodynia illustrates that a severe disorder, afflicting a small but significant percentage 
of children, can arise from a seemingly benign application of low doses of mercury. This review 
establishes the likelihood that Hg may likewise be etiologically significant in ASD, with the Hg 
derived from thimerosal in vaccines rather than teething powders. Due to the extensive parallels 
between autism and HgP, the likelihood of a causal relationship is great. Given this possibility, TMS 
should be removed from all childhood vaccines, and the mechanisms of Hg toxicity in autism should 
be thoroughly investigated. 

With perhaps 1 in 150 children now diagnosed with ASD, development of HgP-related treatments, 
such as chelation, would prove beneficial for this large and seemingly growing population. 


For References Click Here 

Originally published in the FEAT (http://www.feat.org) online newsletter. 


-------------------------------------------------------------- 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: 

This is an excellent review of the mercury-autism link and is well referenced. It has been increasingly 
obvious that mercury should be screened for in autism which is why I have started to aggressively 
screen and treat this problem in the autistic children that I care for. 

This week I post my pediatric mercury detoxification program which is a modification of the program 
that I have used for adults for many years. I will start chelating my first patients in about one month 
as many are in the process of preparing for the chelation process with some homeopathic 
preparations. 

============================================================== 
15.) Adverse Effects Of Adjuvants In Vaccines 
============================================================== 
by Viera Scheibner 

Source: mercola.com 

Systemic lupus erythematosus is one of the innumerable recognized side effects of a number of 
vaccinations. One of the best papers (if not the best on this) is by Ayvazian and Badger (1948), and 
it has not lost any of its punch and relevance since it was published. 

They describe three cases of nurses who were literally vaccinated to death. The authors surveyed a 
group of 750 nurses who trained at a large municipal hospital between 1932 and 1946, and detailed 
the cases of three nurses who were vaccinated with a multitude of vaccines over a period of time and 
developed and succumbed to disseminated lupus erythematosus. 

Typically, these nurses were given the following tests and vaccines in short succession: 

the Schick test; 

three days later, the Dick test; 

seven days later, typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine; 

seven days later, another typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine (a double dose); 

seven days later, the third typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine; 

and seven days later, the fourth typhoid-paratyphoid vaccine. 
Every time, the recipient developed local erythema and/or fever and malaise, but it did not deter the 
doctor from administering yet another series of vaccines, starting only 14 days after the first lot of 
tests and typhoid-paratyphoid vaccines. 

This time, after all these injections, one of the trainee nurses was given her first injection of scarlet 
fever streptococcus toxin with "no ill results". 

One week later, she was given the second injection of streptococcus toxin, after which she 
developed joint pains and fever. She did not report these reactions to the health office. 

Nine days later, she returned and received the third injection of a fourfold dose of streptococcus, 
after which she developed severe joint pain in the fingers and knees and a sore throat. 

She was hospitalized for five days and discharged with the diagnosis "Dick-toxin reaction". Only five 
days later her inoculations were continued, first in lower and then in gradually increasing doses so 
that the series included a total of 10 instead of the usual seven injections. Epinephrine was 
administered with each of these injections of streptococcus toxin and toxin-antitoxin. 

Two months after the last lot, the trainee nurse was re-admitted to the hospital with swelling and pain 
of the ankles and toes and tenderness of the joints of both hands, which had been constant since the 
first Dick test five months earlier. The diagnosis was "rheumatic arthritis". 

She was given aspirin, but two weeks later the pain came back and she developed chills and fever, 
sore throat and cough. One month later, the trainee nurse was readmitted to hospital for two weeks, 
and during this admission a streptococcus vaccine was started in small doses, but because of her 
severe reaction "further vaccines were refused". The diagnosis after this admission was "rheumatoid 
arthritis and infectious mononucleosis". 

Four months later, the trainee nurse noticed skin eruptions over her nose and both cheeks, and her 
saliva became foul. The skin and cheeks, upper lips and the bridge of the nose were covered with 
purplish red, mottled and indurated rash eruptions. Two months later, the eruptions spread over 
much of the body. A year later, the trainee nurse died, but not before developing severe symptoms 
of high fever, tachycardia, diarrhea and showing abnormal blood tests. 

It was not enough that this unfortunate trainee nurse died; there were another two cases reported, 
almost identical to the first case. We shall never know how many of the remaining 747 trainee nurses 
developed less lethal, but still health-incapacitating. reactions. 

If someone said that this type of "medical treatment' had been given to the inmates of the Nazi 
concentration camps, I would not be surprised. However, this type of "medical treatment" was and is 
being given with impunity to millions of babies, children, teenagers and adults in so-called free and 
democratic countries as well as in the Third World. Meanwhile, the health authorities refuse to 
accept that vaccines cause such reactions and even deaths. 

Vaccination: A Safety Warning 

The conclusions which follow the study of relevant medical and immunological literature dealing with 
vaccines and the adjuvants used in vaccines is that the absolute safety of these substances can never 
be guaranteed. 

According to Gupta et al. (1993), the toxicity of adjuvants can be ascribed in part to the unintended 
stimulation of various mechanisms of the immune response. That's why the safety and adjuvancy 
must be balanced to get the maximum immune stimulation with minimum side effects. 

My conclusion is that such balance is impossible to achieve, even if we fully understood the immune 
system and the full spectrum of deleterious effects of foreign antigens and other toxic substances such 
as vaccine and drug adjuvants and medications on the immune system of humans, and particularly on 
the immature immune system of babies and small children. 

Injecting any foreign substance straight into the bloodstream will only cause anaphylactic 
(sensitization) reactions. Nature, over thousands and thousands of years, has developed effective 
immune responses; yet man, without respect for nature, demonstrably causes more harm than good. 

Vaccination procedures are a highly politically motivated non-science, whose practitioners are only 
interested in injecting multitudes of vaccines without much interest or care as to their effects. Data 
collection on reactions to vaccines is only paid lip service, and the obvious ineffectiveness of 
vaccines to prevent diseases is glossed over. 

The fact that natural infectious diseases have beneficial effect on the maturation and development of 
the immune system is ignored or deliberately suppressed. 

Consequently, parents of small children and any potential recipients of vaccines and any orthodox 
medications should be wary of any member of the medical establishment (which is little more than a 
highly politicized business system) extolling the nonexistent virtues of vaccination. 

http://www.whale.to/vaccine/adjuvants1.html 

You can go on to the more technically oriented manuscript which details many of the specifics of 
vaccine adjuvants. 

-------------------------------------------------------------- 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: 

This is an excellent resource that clearly documents all the OTHER material that are in the vaccines. 
One of the worst is thimerosol, a mercury derivative, which US health authorities finally recognized a 
few years may be causing problems. 

Problems with mercury? Yes, indeed. Many experts believe the mercury in the hepatitis B vaccine, 
which was often given to children the DAY OF BIRTH, may be largely responsible for the huge 
increase in autism that we have experienced in the US. 


Adjuvants, Preservatives And Tissue Fixatives In Vaccines 

Vaccines contain a number of substances which can be divided into the following groups: 

Micro-organisms, either bacteria or viruses, thought to be causing certain infectious diseases and 
which the vaccine is supposed to prevent. These are whole-cell proteins or just the broken-cell 
protein envelopes, and are called antigens. 
Chemical substances which are supposed to enhance the immune response to the vaccine, called 
adjuvants. 
Chemical substances which act as preservatives and tissue fixatives, which are supposed to halt any 
further chemical reactions and putrefaction (decomposition or multiplication) of the live or attenuated 
(or killed) biological constituents of the vaccine. 
All these constituents of vaccines are toxic, and their toxicity may vary, as a rule, from one batch of 
vaccine to another. 

In this article, the first of a two-part series, we shall deal with adjuvants, their expects role and the 
reactions (side effects). 

Adjuvants 

The desired immune response to vaccines is the production of antibodies, and this is enhanced by 
adding certain substances to the vaccines. These are called adjuvants (from the Latin adjuvare, 
meaning "to help"). 

The chemical nature of adjuvants, their mode of action and their reactions (side effect) are highly 
variable. According to Gupta et al. (1993), some of the side effects can be ascribed to an 
unintentional stimulation of different mechanisms of the immune system whereas others may reflect 
general adverse pharmacological reactions which are more less expected. 

There are several types of adjuvants. 

Today the most common adjuvants for human use are 

aluminum hydroxide, 
aluminum phosphate 
and calcium phosphate. 
However, there are a number of other adjuvants based on oil emulsions, products from bacteria 
(their synthetic derivatives as well as liposomes) or gram-negative bacteria, endotoxins, cholesterol, 
fatty acids, aliphatic amines, paraffinic and vegetable oils. 

Recently, monophosphoryl lipid A, ISCOMs with Quil-A, and Syntex adjuvant formulations (SAFs) 
containing the threonyl derivative or muramyl dipeptide have been under consideration for use in 
human vaccines. 

Chemically, the adjuvants are a highly heterogenous group of compounds with only one thing in 
common: their ability to enhance the immune response-their adjuvanticity. 

They are highly variable in terms of how they affect the immune system and how serious their 
adverse effects are due to the resultant hyperactivation of the immune system. 

The mode of action of adjuvants was described by Chedid (1985) as: the formation of a depot of 
antigen at the site of inoculation, with slow release; the presentation of antigen immunocompetent 
cells; and the production of various and different lymphokines (interleukins and tumour necrosis 
factor). 

The choice of any of these adjuvants reflects a compromise between a requirement for adjuvanticity 
and an acceptable low level of adverse reactions. 

The discovery of adjuvants dates back to 1925 and 1926, when Ramon (quoted by Gupta et al., 
1993) showed that the antitoxin response to tetanus and diphtheria was increased by injection of 
these vaccines, together with other compounds such as agar, tapioca, lecithin, starch oil, saponin or 
even breadcrumbs. 

The term adjuvant has been used for any material that can increase the humoral or cellular immune 
response to an antigen. In the conventional vaccines, adjuvants are used to elicit an early, high and 
long-lasting immune response. The newly developed purified subunit or synthetic vaccines using 
biosynthetic, recombinant and other modern technology are poor immunogens and require adjuvants 
to evoke the immune response. 

The use of adjuvants enables the use of less antigen to achieve the desired immune response, and this 
reduces vaccine production costs. 

With a few exceptions, adjuvants are foreign to the body and cause adverse reactions. 

Oil Emulsions 

In the 1960s, emulsified water-in-oil and water-in-vegetable-oil adjuvant preparations used 
experimentally showed special promise in providing exalted "immunity" of long duration (Hilleman, 
1966). The development of Freund's adjuvants emerged from studies of tuberculosis. 

Several researchers noticed that immunological responses in animals to various antigens were 
enhanced by introduction into the animal of living Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the presence of 
Mycobacterium, the reaction obtained was of the delayed type, transferable with leukocytes. 

Freund measured the effect of mineral oil in causing delayed-type hypersensitivity to killed 
mycobacteria. There was a remarkable increase in complement-fixing antibody response as well as 
in delayed hypersensitivity reaction. 

Freund's adjuvant consists of a water-in-oil emulsion of aqueous antigen in paraffin (mineral) oil of 
low specific gravity and low viscosity. Drakeol 6VR and Arlacel A (mannide monooleate) are 
commonly used as emulsifiers. 

There are two Freund's adjuvants: incomplete and complete. 

The incomplete Freund's adjuvant consists of water-in-oil emulsion without added mycobacteria; the 
complete Freund's adjuvant consists of the same components but with 5 mg of dried, heat-killed 
Mycobacterium tuberculosis or butyricum added. 

The mechanism of action of Freund's adjuvants is associated with the following three phenomena: 

1. The establishment of a portion of the antigen in a persistent form at the injection site, enabling a 
gradual and continuous release of antigen for stimulating the antibody; 
2. The provision of a vehicle for transport of emulsified antigen throughout the lymphatic system to 
distant places, such as lymph nodes and spleen, where new foci of antibody formation can be 
established; and, 
3. Formation and accumulation of cells of the mononuclear series which are appropriate to the 
production of antibody at the local and distal sites. 
The pathologic reaction to the Freund's adjuvants starts at the injection site with mild erythema and 
swelling followed by tissue necrosis, intense inflammation and the usual progression to the formation 
of a granulomatous lesion. Scar and abscess formation may occur. The reactions observed following 
the administration of the complete adjuvant are generally far more extensive than with the incomplete 
adjuvant. 

The earliest cellular response is polymorphonuclear, then it changes into mononuclear and later 
includes plasmocytes. The adjuvant emulsion may be widely disseminated in varrious organs, 
depending on the route of inoculation, with the development of focal granulomatous lesions at distal 
places. Various gram-negative organisms may show a potentiating effect of the adjuvant, similar to 
that displayed by mycobacteria. 

The earliest use of oil emulsion adjuvants was made with the influenza, vaccine by Friedwald (1944) 
and by Henle and Henle (1945). Following their promising results on animals, Salk (1951) 
experimented with such adjuvants on soldiers under the auspices of the US Armed Forces 
Epidemiological Board. 

He used a highly refined mineral oil, and developed a purified Arlacel A emulsifier which was free of 
toxic substances, such as oleic acid which had caused sterile abscesses at the injection site, and he 
administered the vaccine by intramuscular route. 

Subsequently, Miller et al. (1965) reported their, failure to enhance the antibody and protective 
response to types 3, 4 and 7 adenovirus vaccines in mineral oil adjuvant compared with aqueous 
vaccine. Unpublished studies have revealed the need for an adequate minimal amount of antigen to 
trigger an antibody response to the emulsified preparations. 

Salk et al. (1953) applied Freund's adjuvant to poliomyelitis vaccine, and later followed with 
extensive testing of killed crude as well as purified polio virus vaccine in animals and humans, where 
the reactions in humans were considered inconsequential. 

Grayston et al. (1964) reported highly promising results with the trachoma vaccine using an oil 
adjuvant. 

However, the trachoma vaccine lost its relevance because, as demonstrated by Dolin et al. (1997) in 
their 37 years of research in a sub-Saharan village, the dramatic fall in the disease occurrence was 
closely connected with improvements in 

sanitation, 
water supply, 
education 
and access to health care. 
According to Dolin et al. (1997), the decline in trachoma occurred without any trachoma-specific 
intervention. 

Allergens in Freund's adjuvant deserve special attention because they can be dangerous. These 
dangers include an overdose, i.e., the immediate release of more than the tolerated amount of 
properly emulsified vaccine in sensitive persons, or the breaking of the emulsion with the release of 
all or part of the full content of the allergen within a brief period of time. 

Long-term delayed reactions include the development of nodules, cysts or sterile abscesses requiring 
surgical incision. It is also likely that some allergens used, such as house dust or mould, might have 
acted like mycobacteria to potentiate the inflammatory response. Such reactions have been reduced 
with the use of properly tested and standardized reagins. 

One must also consider that the first application of Freund's adjuvants was made at a time when 
modern concepts of safety were nonexistent Indeed, mineral oil adjuvants have not been approved 
for human use in some countries, including the USA. 

Mineral Compounds 

Aluminum phosphate or aluminum hydroxide (alum) are the mineral compounds most commonly 
used as adjuvants in human vaccines. Calcium phosphate is another adjuvant that is used in many 
vaccines. Mineral salts of metals such as cerium nitrate, zinc sulfate, colloidal iron hydroxide and 
calcium chloride were observed to increase the antigenicity of' the toxoids, but alum gave the best 
results. 

The use of alum was applied more than 70 years ago by Glenny et al. (1926), who discovered that a 
suspension of alum-precipitated diphtheria toxoid had a much higher immunogenicity than the fluid 
toxoid. Even though a number of reports stated that alum-adjuvanted vaccines were no better than 
plain vaccines (Aprile and Wardlaw, 1966), the use of alum as an adjuvant is now well established. 

The most widely used is the antigen solution mixed with pre-formed aluminum hydroxide or 
aluminum phosohate under controlled conditions. Such vaccines are now called aluminium-adsorbed 
or aluminium-adjuvanted. However, they are difficult to manufacture in a physico-chemically 
reproducible way, which results in a batch-to-batch variation of the same vaccine. 

Also, the degree of antigen absorption to the gels of aluminum phosphate and aluminum hydroxide 
varies. To minimize the variation and avoid the non-reproducibility, a specific preparation of 
aluminum hydroxide (Alhydrogel) was chosen as the standard in 1988 (Gupta et al., 1993). 

The aluminum adjuvants allow the slow release of antigen, prolonging the time for interaction 
between antigen and antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes. However, in some studies, the 
potency of adjuvanted pertussis vaccines was more than that of the plain pertussis vaccines, while in 
others no effect was noted. 

The serum agglutinin titres, after vaccination with adjuvanted pertussis vaccines, were higher than 
those of the plain vaccines, with no difference in regard to protection against the disease (Butler et 
al., 1962). 

Despite these conflicting results, aluminum compounds are universally used as adjuvants for the DPT 
(diphtheriapertussis-tetanus) vaccine. Hypersensitivity reactions following their administration have 
been reported which could be attributed to a number of factors, one of which is the production of 
IgE along with IgG antibodies. 

It was suggested that polymerased toxoids, such as the so-called glutaraldehyde-detoxifled purified 
tetanus and diphtheria toxins, should be used instead of aluminum compounds. They are usually 
combined with glutaraldehyde-inactivated pertussis vaccine. 

Calcium phosphate adjuvant has been used for simultaneous vaccination with diphtheria, pertussis, 
tetanus, polio, BCG, yellow fever, measles and hepatitis B vaccines and with allergen (Coursaget et 
al., 1986). 

The advantage of this adjuvant has been seen to be that it is a normal constituent of the body and is 
better tolerated and absorbed than other adjuvants. It entraps antigens very efficiently and allows 
slow release of the antigen. Additionally, it elicits high amounts of IgG-type antibodies an much less 
of IgE-type (reaginic) antibodies. 

Bacterial Products 

Microorganisms in bacterial infections and the administration of vaccines containing whole killed 
bacteria and some metabolic products and components of various microorganisms have been known 
to elicit antibody response and act as immunostimulants. The addition of such microorganisms and 
substances into vaccines augments the immune response to other antigens in such vaccines. 

The most commonly used microorganisms, whole or their parts, are 

Bordetella pertussis components, 
Corenybacterium derived P40 component, 
cholera toxin 
and mycobacteria. 
B. Pertussis Components 

The killed Bordetella pertussis has a strong adjuvant effect on the diptheria and tetanus toxoids in the 
DPT vaccines. However, there are a number of admitted and well-describe reactions to it, such as 

convulsion Reye syndrome 
infantile spasms Guilain-Barre syndrome 
epilepsy sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 
transverse myelitis 

Immunology Principles: Antibody Response 

To explain the action of adjuvants, we should look into immunology. 

The theory of vaccine efficacy is based on the ability of vaccines to evoke the formation of 
antibodies. 

This is of varying efficacy, depending on the nature of the antigen(s) and the amount of antigenic 
substance administered. 

However, the mechanisms for the diversity of immune reactions are complex, and to this day are not 
quite known and understood. There are numerous theories, the favoured one being antibody 
response as the sign of immunization (acquiring immunity). 

Specific immunity to a particular disease is generally considered to be the result of two kinds of 
activity: 

the humoral antibody 
and the cellular sensitivity. 
The ability to form antibodies develops partly in utero and partly after birth in the neonatal period. In 
either case, immunological competence-the ability to respond immunologically to an antigenic 
stimulus-appears to originate with the thymic activity. 

The thymus initially consists largely of primitive cellular elements which become peripheralised to the 
lymph nodes and spleen. These cells give rise to lymphoid cells, resulting in the development of 
immunological competence. 

The thymus may also exert a second activity in producing a hormone-like substance, which is 
essential for the maturation of immunological competence in lymphoid cells. Such maturation also 
takes place by contact with thymus cells in the thymus. 

Stimulation of the organism by antigen results in proliferation of cells of the lymphoid series 
accompanied by the formation of immunocytes, and this leads to the antibody production. 

Certain lymphocytes and possibly reticulum cells may be transformed into immunoblasts, which 
develop into immunologically active ("sensitized") lymphocytes and plasmocytes (plasma cells). 
Antibody formation is connected with plasma cells, while cellular immunity reactions are mainly 
lymphocytic. 

None of the theories for antibody formation comprehends all the biological and chemical data now 
available. However, several principal theories have been considered at length. 

The so-called instructive theory holds that the antigen is brought to the locus of antibody synthesis 
and there imposes in some way the synthesis of the specific antibody with reactive sites that are 
complementary to the antigen. 

The clonal selection theory, evolved by Burnett (1960), presupposes that the information requisite to 
the synthesis of the antibody is part of the genetics. While the body develops a wide range of clones 
of cells necessary to cover all antigenic determinants by random mutation during early embryonic life, 
those clones which are capable of reacting with antigens of the body ("self') are destroyed, leaving 
only those cells which are not oriented to self ("non-self'). 

Upon stimulation by a foreign antigen, the clones of the cells corresponding to the particular foreign 
antigen are stimulated to proliferate and to produce the antibody. 

Other researchers demonstrated that there are at least four different antigens formed by descendants 
of a single cloned cell. By this mechanism, the information for antibody synthesis is contained in the 
genetic material of each cell (DNA) but is normally repressed. 

The antigen then assumes the role of a de-repressor and initiates (provokes) the RNA synthesis for a 
particular messenger, resulting in the corresponding antibody production. 

The antigen would instruct the genetically predisposed capability of multipotential cells as to which 
antibody to produce and might also command the cells to proliferate, resulting in clones of properly 
instructed cells. 

There are two possible mechanisms for the elimination of antibodies against self: 

immunological nonresponsiveness 
and immunological paralysis. 
There are several states of immunological nonresponsiveness; one is illustrated by the exposure of a 
fetus or newborn to an antigen prior to the development of its ability to recognize the antigen as 
non-self (immunological incompetence). Immunological paralysis results from the injection of a very 
large amount of antigen into immunologically competent individuals. Nonspecific immunological 
suppression by cortisone, ACTH, nitrogen mustards and irradiation is also well known. 

Cellular sensitivity, also known as delayed or cellular hypersensitivity, depends on the development 
of immunologically reactive or "sensitive" lymphocytes and possibly other cells which react with the 
corresponding antigen to give a typical delayed-type reaction after a period of several hours, days or 
even weeks. 

Cellular hypersensitivity depends on the original antigenic stimulation and a latent period, and is 
specific in its response. Delayed-type hypersensitivity is characteristic of the body's response to 
various infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, spirochetes and parasites. It is also 
characteristic of the body's response to various chemicals, such as mercury, endotoxins, antibiotics, 
various drugs and many other substances foreign to the body. 

The induction of a hypersensitivity reaction requires the presence in the tissues of the whole organism 
or certain derivatives of it, in addition to the specific antigen such as a lipid in addition to tubercle 
bacillus protein. 

Sensitization to a noninfectious substance must be mediated through the skin or mucous membranes 
which probably provide further necessary cofactors. 

A delayed hypersensitivity reaction may be enhanced experimentally by the employment of the 
antigen in a mineral oil adjuvant with added Mycobacterium tuberculosis or by injection of the 
antigen directly into the lymphatics. 

The delayed hypersensitivity response is accompanied by mild to severe inflammation that may cause 
cell injury and necrosis. The inflammatory response which occurs in delayed-type hypersensitivity 
may not be protective, and in many instances may even be harmful (e.g., rejection of grafts is directly 
linked to delayed hypersensitivity). 

Immunopathology Of Hypersensitivity Reactions: 

Immediate Hypersensitivity 
This is the antibody-type reaction that is a secondary consequence to the beneficial effect of the 
combination of an antibody with its antigen. 

Arthus-type Reaction 
This reaction results from the precipitative union of a large amount of antigen with a highly reactive 
antibody in the blood vessels, and leads to vascular damage. The cascade of events includes spastic 
contraction of the arterioles, endothelial damage, formation of leukocyte thrombi, exudation of fluid 
and blood cells into the tissues, and sometimes ischemic necrosis. 

Periarteritis nodosa results from a similar antigen-antibody reaction and is characterized by 
inflammation of the smaller arteries and periarterial structures. It is accompanied by proliferation of 
the intima and two types of occlusion: 

(a) by proliferation or thrombosis; 
or (b) by the formation of nodules containing neutrophils and eosinophils. 
Anaphylaxis Injection of antigen and its combination with antibody may cause release from the cells 
(especially mast-cell fixed basophils) of physiologically active substances such as histamine, 
serotonin, acetyicholine, slow-reacting substances (SRS) and heparin. 

They act on smooth muscle and blood vessels and cause 

• rhinitis or hay fever • anaphylactic (hypersensitivity) shock 
• asthma attack • accumulation of fluid in the joints 
• allergic oedema 

Atopy is caused by the union of antigen-usually pollens, dust, milk, wheat and animal danders-with a 
peculiar type of antibody (reagin). This reaction is relatively heat-labile and cannot be demonstrated 
by in vitro procedure. It has a special affinity for the skin and for familial predisposition to the 
disease. 

The reaction is nevertheless similar to other immediate-type sensitivities, with the release of histamine 
and its manifestation principally as 

asthma (breathing paralysis), 
hay fever, 
urticaria, 
angioedema 
and infantile eczema. 
Delayed Hypersensitivity The typical pathology of delayed hypersensitivity due to infectious agents 
involves perivascular infiltration of lymphocytes and histiocytes with the destruction of the 
antigen-containing parenchyma in the infiltrated area. The visual manifestations may vary from slight 
erythema and oedema to a violent reaction with progressive tissue destruction and necrosis. 

Local reactions include papular rose spots of typhoid fever, meningitis and a variety of infectious 
diseases, and contact sensitivities to plant and chemical substances manifesting as erythema, followed 
by papule and vesicle formation with resultant tissue damage and desquamation. 

Systemic reactions may accompany severe local reactions or may result from inhalation of the 
allergenic substances. 

Humoral antibodies do not seem to play a role in delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The reactivity is 
transferred only by cells, presumably sensitized lymphocytes, and it is unlikely that histamine or other 
physiologically active substances play a role in the reaction. The reaction extends to any or all tissues 
where the offending antigen may occur. 

Isoimmunological Disease This is the result of an immunological reaction of a member of the same 
species to the tissue of another member of the same species. A blood transfusion reaction in a 
person given an incompatible blood type is a typical example. 

Another example is erythroblastosis fetalis, which results from the transfer of antibodies against the 
red blood cells of the foetus to the foetal circulation. Homograft rejection of tissues or organs 
between nonisologous members of a species is also immunologically based. 

Immunological Disease Resulting from Adsorption of Foreign Substances Under certain 
circumstances, foreign substances such as medications may combine with cells to render them 
antigenic. Subsequent exposure to such a foreign substance results in lytic, agglutinative or other 
types of cell-destructive activity. Such a reaction may involve red blood cells (drug-induced 
anaemias), platelets (drug-induced thrombocytopemc purpura), and leukocytosis (drug-induced 
agranulocytosis). 

Bacteria or viruses may also alter cell surfaces by coating or by unmasking antigens through 
enzymatic activity which may render them vulnerable to immunological destruction. 

Autoimmune Disease Under certain circumstances, the body may respond immunologically to its 
own components or to intrinsic substances which are related antigenically to the host's own tissues. 
The circulating antibody or sensitized cells which are produced are then active in causing cellular 
injury to the tissues or organs of the body which bear the corresponding antigen. 

Waksman (1962) proposed several mecnamsms of autoimmunisation, such as: 

1. Vaccination with organ-specific antigens which are isolated from the lymphatic channels and 
bloodstream and are not recognized as self when brought into contact with the immunologic process. 
They are represented in the central and peripheral nervous systems, lens, uvea, testes, thyroid 
(thyroglobulin), kidneys and other organs. 

2. Vaccination against constituents of tissues which have been altered antigenetically by various 
factors. These include 

myocardial infarction, 
X-irradiation, 
enzymatic or other chemical alteration, 
and changes induced by infectious disease agents or by drugs. 
Erythrocytes, platelets and leucocytes are the most affected cells. Various organs may also be 
affected. 

3. Vaccination with heterologous antigens which are sufficiently different to permit an immunological 
response but sufficiently alike to react with autologous antigens. 

4. Alteration of the immunological apparatus so as to result in the failure of recognition of self. This 
occurs in neoplasia of the lymphatic system and in experimental grafting of immunologically 
competent heterologous lymphatic tissues under conditions which suppress the host's response to the 
graft and give rise to the wasting "runt disease" or "homologous disease". 

5. Possible hereditary or other immunological abnormality. This is represented by a hyper-reactivity 
to antigens or other aberrations without apparent antigenic stimulation. Such mechanisms might be 
related to certain forms of the "collagen diseases", such as systemic lupus erythematosus in which 
there is an antibody against a diversity of antigens. 

6. Experimentally, Freund's mineral oil adjuvant (usually with added mycobacteria) and certain 
bacteria or bacterial toxins may so alter the host as to bring about a ready response to unaltered 
normal homologous tissue. These "experimental autoallergies" include a wide variety of organs and 
tissues, and are now being employed as model systems for investigation of autoimmune phenomena. 

Both humoral antibody and sensitized cells may function in autoimmune disease. Auto-antibodies 
seem to be involved in reactions with cells which are easily accessible, such as the formed elements 
of the blood (in haemolytic anaemia, leucopeni thrombocytopenia), vascular endothelium, vascular 
basement membrane including the glomerulus (in acute glomerulonephritis and ascites cells 
(neoplastic immunity). 

Production of lesions in the solid vascularised tissues appears to depend on delayed hypersensitivity 
reactions with sensitized lymphoid cells (such as in allergic encephalomyeitis, thyroiditis, subacute 
and chronic glomerulonephritis, orchitis, adrenalitis and many other diseases). 

It is quite obvious now that the same autoimmune mechanisms are responsible for the same diseases 
in human beings and that the extent of such damage is enormous and keeps increasing with more and 
more vaccines added to to "recommended" schedule. 

Indeed, vaccines such as the pertussis vaccine are actually used to induce autoimmune diseases in 
laboratory animals, the best and most publicized example being the so-called experimental allergic 
encephalomyelitis (EAE). 

When, as expected, these unfortunate animals develop EAE from the pertussis vaccine, the causal 
link is never disputed; yet when babies after vaccination with the same vaccines develop the same 
symptoms of EAE as the laboratory animals, the causal link to the administered vaccine is always 
disputed and usually considered "coincidental". 

Lately, innocent parents and other carers have been accused of causing the symptoms of vaccine 
darn age by allegedly shaking their babies. 

============================================================== 
16.) Thimerosal info 
============================================================== 
Source:thimerosal-info.com 

Inquiry into vaccine safety is exploding like never before, even in the popular press. Research 
coming from dozens of mainstream medical studies can no longer be easily suppressed, as it has 
been in the past, especially with the prevalence of online information exchange. 

By age two, American children have already received 237 micrograms of mercury through vaccines 
alone, which far exceeds current EPA "safe" levels of .1 mcg/kg. per day. That's one-tenth of a 
microgram, not one microgram. 

In the U.S., EPA mercury toxicity studies have involved contamination from fish, air, and other 
environmental sources. This is inorganic mercury (methylmercury). 

Methylmercury has long been associated with serious neurological disorders, demyelinating diseases, 
gut disease, and visual damage. 

The mercury in vaccines, however, is in the form of Thimerosal, which is 50 times more toxic than 
plain mercury (methylmercury). 

Reasons for this include: 


Injected mercury is far more toxic than ingested mercury. 
There's no blood-brain barrier in infants. 
Mercury accumulates in brain cells and nerves. 
Infants don't produce bile, which is necessary to excrete mercury. 
If you need information about the safety of various children's vaccines information is available from 
the Center For Disease Control & Prevention. The link below will take you to the center's website 

============================================================== 
17.) Thimerosal litigation 
============================================================== 
Source:thimerosal-litigation.com 

A drastic jump has been made in the number of children that have been affected by autism. In 1970 
there was 1 in 2,000 children with autism compared to 1 in 250 in 2000, and the number of children 
diagnosed with learning disabilities is now 1 in 5. Thimerosal vaccines contain mercury, which is 
considered to contribute to autism and learning disabilities, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and other 
neurological conditions. 

Find out some of the US licensed vaccines that still contain thimerosal from the Vaccine Safety 
Institute. Click here. 

As early as 1982 the FDA issued a proposed regulation calling for the removal of thimerosal from 
over the counter products, but these regulations were not finalized until 1998, 16 sixteen years after 
the FDA expert panel concluded thimerosal was unsafe, ineffective as a bacteriostatic agent, and 
caused cell damage. For the 16 years, and even today, thimerosal was continued in use regardless of 
the known fact that it is a neurotoxin. Mercury exposures may cause neurological problems in 
60,000 children every year. 

In July of 1999 the FDA requested that manufacturers remove thimerosal from pediatric vaccines 
because the immunization schedule had resulted in some children receiving a higher amount of 
mercury than the established amount deemed safe. Researchers found that by following the vaccine 
schedule that American children are given would result in exposure of 30 times the minimum 
acceptable level of mercury from vaccines. Yet, thimerosal continues to be stocked on shelves while 
clinics and other healthcare centers use up the stocks of mercury containing vaccines. 

Thimerosal can cause life-altering effects on a child’s life, exposing them to chemicals that may lead 
to neuro-developmental disorders. Drug companies withheld information to doctors regarding how 
much mercury was contained in the vaccines until the FDA ordered them in 1997. We have 
provided contact information for those of you with questions regarding possible suffering that 
thimerosal has caused a loved one. Learn about your legal rights and help get thimerosal off the 
shelves. 

The Dangers of Thimerosal and Mercury 
------------------------------------- 

In June of 1999, the Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products in Europe, the equivalent of 
the U.S.’s FDA, completed an 18-month inquiry into the risks and benefits of using thimerosal in 
vaccines. They concluded that, “although there is not evidence of harm caused by the level of 
exposure from vaccines, it would be prudent to promote the general use of vaccines without 
thimerosal.” It was then that the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) 
confirmed that thimerosal was present in over 30 licenses vaccines in the U.S. in concentrations of 
0.003% to 0.01%. CBER than make the remarkable discovery than the mercury intake through 
vaccination in the first six months of life exceeded the limit set by the EPA. 

Mercury is the second most toxic element on earth to plutonium. Toxicity of mercury has been linked 
to many different diseases, including autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, 
fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, depression, and bipolar disorder. The amount 
of mercury found in one mercury thermometer is enough to pollute a small lake. 

Health effects of mercury toxicity have been a concern because of the potential for it to act as a 
poison. Toxic doses of mercury can cause developmental effects in the fetus, as well as affecting the 
kidney and the nervous system in children and adults. Mercury exists in a number of different 
chemical forms, each one consisting of different levels of toxicity. The forms of mercury can also be 
converted from one to another in the environment and in the body, so symptoms caused by mercury 
poisoning depends on the precise chemical forms involved. 

Find out some of the US licensed vaccines that still contain thimerosal from the Vaccine Safety 
Institute. Click here. 
Mercury can be toxic when inhaled, eaten, or when placed on the skin. Low concentrations of 
mercury may appear to have no effect but signs of toxicity can develop later or become more 
noticeable with continued exposure. When toxicity in humans takes place loss of feeling or a burning 
sensation in arms and legs, psychological effects, loss of memory, loss of vision, loss of hearing, 
paralysis, congenital malformations, kidney toxicity, and death may occur. Prenatal toxicity can result 
in a child with normal appearance at birth but who later exhibits a developmental delay in the ability 
to walk and/or talk. Because of the long latent period for observable effects, the need for treatment 
may be recognized too late. 

Health effects vary according to the amount of mercury exposure is taken into the body. The health 
risks of mercury at low levels of exposure remain uncertain, but this continues to be a highly 
debatable topic with ongoing scientific investigation. Fetuses, infants and small children appear to be 
particularly sensitive to mercury because their brains are still developing. Vaccines with mercury have 
been considered to contribute to autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other 
neurological conditions, and an FDA review conducted in 1998 determined that, at the time, children 
who received the full complement of childhood vaccines were potentially exposed to levels of 
mercury that were sometimes 30 to 50 times the acceptable levels established by the EPA. 

High-level exposures to mercury can cause serious effects or even be lethal. Several historical 
examples of epidemic mercury poisonings in other parts of the world provide classic examples of 
investigative epidemiology and toxicology and serve to highlight the reasons why regulators are 
concerned about mercury. Effects on the brain and nervous system are frequently seen with 
high-level exposures to mercury and can be quite severe. 

============================================================== 
18.) Lawyers Claim CDC Cooked Books on Mercury: Secret Report Reveals 
============================================================== 
Source: goodlight.net 

October 17, 2001 
Press release re internal CDC report on thimerosal and autism 

An announcement was made today by the law firm of Waters & Kraus, the firm that filed the first 
known lawsuit alleging that a mercury preservative in children's vaccines caused neurological damage 
to an infant ultimately diagnosed with autism. Waters & Kraus is leading a consortium of ten firms in 
as many states that are actively prosecuting cases of this nature (firms listed below). Andy Waters, 
the lead attorney in the cases, announced that his firm is now in possession of a previously 
unreleased confidential report authored by Centers for Disease Control scientists which studied 
autism as a potential neurological injury caused by mercury in children's vaccines. 

A different version of the report was made public and has been cited by the recent Institute of 
Medicine study as inconclusive on the issue of whether the mercury-based vaccine preservative 
known as thimerosal has contributed to cause a nationwide epidemic of regressive autism and other 
neurological disorders in small children. The confidential version of the study, however, clearly 
demonstrated that an exposure to more than 62.5 micrograms of mercury within the first three 
months of life significantly increased a child's risk of developing autism. Specifically, the study found 
a 2.48 times increased risk of autism - that is to say, children with the exposure were more than 
twice as likely to develop autism as children not exposed. 

In the United States, courts of law have generally held that a relative increased risk of 2.0 or higher is 
sufficient to substantiate that a given exposure causes disease. As but one example, in the case of 
Cook v. United States, 545 F.Supp. 306, at 308 (Northern District - California 1982) the Court 
stated that, "in a vaccine case, a relative risk greater than 2.0 establishes that there is a greater than 
50% chance that the injury was caused by the vaccine." 

Waters indicated that, in many of the cases his firm has evaluated, including the case filed in a Texas 
state court on behalf of the Counter family, the affected child received more than 62.5 micrograms of 
mercury through pediatric vaccines in the first three months of life. 

The confidential report, which was obtained by the SAFEMINDS support and advocacy group, 
states: "As for the exposure evaluated at 3 months of age, we found increasing risks of 'neurological 
developmental disorders' with increasing cumulative exposure to thimerosal ... within the group of 
'developmental disorders'... for the sub-group called 'specific delays,' and within this sub-group for 
the specific disorder 'developmental speech disorder,' and for 'autism,' 'stuttering' and 'attention 
deficit disorder.'" 

The report also contained the graph depicted below which illustrated the report's findings of a child's 
increasing risk of developing the neurological symptoms of autism after receiving increasing amounts 
of thimerosal. 

Graph 3: Relative risk - 95 % CI of Autism after different exposure levels of thimerosal at 3 months 
of age, NCK & GHC (see www.vaccineinfo.net/autismHg.htm to view graph) 

Waters pointed out that the confidential study's lead author, Thomas Verstraeten, has since left the 
Centers for Disease Control and is now employed by GlaxoSmithKline, a manufacturer of 
thimerosal-containing vaccines for many years that is a defendant in numerous suits pending 
nationwide. "We have asked GlaxoSmithKline to provide Mr. Verstraeten's deposition in order to 
understand if conflict of interest issues may have played a role in the CDC's decision to keep this 
report confidential, and specifically, their failure to reveal it to the Institute of Medicine." 

Waters called the report's contents and the fact that it was kept from the public as "shocking, but 
unfortunately not surprising, given the political influence of pharmaceutical companies and the 
tremendous liability they face if they are forced to compensate thousands of families for the costs of 
care that these children require." Waters added that "no amount of money can give these children 
back the potential that they were born with, and no amount of money will comfort the parents that 
watched helplessly as their children literally just slipped away." The purpose of the lawsuits his firm is 
currently prosecuting, said Waters, is "to bring to the surface the truth on this issue, a truth that 
government agencies seem unwilling to admit, perhaps for fear that parents will stop vaccinating their 
children, and to force the companies that profited from this disastrous mistake to shoulder the 
responsibility that so many families now bear on their own, often without even the aid of health 
insurance benefits." 

============================================================== 
19.) Vaccine Information 
============================================================== 
Source:thimerosal-litigation.com 

A vaccine is a preparation containing the weakened or killed microorganisms that cause a particular 
disease. When these substances are injected or taken orally, the body stimulates the immune system 
to produce the necessary defenses against that disease. Adverse reactions to vaccines can occur 
because of the organisms introduced into the body. 

Vaccine related damage provokes controversy of whether vaccines are good or bad. Vaccines and 
diseases both pose risk so it is hard to decide which side to take. Unfortunately, few studies of the 
long-term risks of vaccines exist. In July, as a pre-cursor to hearings into thimerosal-containing 
vaccines and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of exposure to them, Immunization Safety Review 
Committee questioned Dr. Laszlo Magos, author of Physiology and Toxicology of Mercury and an 
internationally known expert in field. Two questions he was asked with his answers are as included: 

Have there been any studies, including animal studies, which have looked specifically at infant 
ethylmercury exposure and the effect on neurological development? 
"No, it has not been studied." 

What is thought to be currently the best hypothesis (if any) regarding the mechanism of neurotoxic 
mechanism of neurotoxicity of organic Hg (mercury)? 
"Unfortunately, there is no answer. Chang (1996) suggested four "major thoughts" on the mechanism 
of actions. These "thoughts" have not reached the level of a hypotheses, and even less the level of 
'the best hypothesis'." 


While parents struggle to make hard decisions involving the safety of their children with vaccination, 
they receive mixed messages from the experts. Though no vaccines are perfectly safe the FDA has 
gone from deeming thimerosal unsafe to asking vaccine manufacturers to voluntarily phase-out 
thimerosal from their products. People are now wondering if the vaccines containing thimerosal are in 
fact safe to use while clinics are using up the extra supplies they have kept stock of since the 1998 
FDA request. 

Vaccination may damage children in several ways. Live or attenuated virus vaccination can actually 
produce the infection that the vaccine is supposed to prevent. For example, live polio should never 
be administered to a child who comes in contact with an HIV patient, for the attenuated virus can 
"leap" to the HIV patient and produce polio. Reports exist of normal parents who have developed 
polio from the viral vaccine given to their children. 

A second mechanism of damage comes from neurotoxic materials found sometimes in vaccines. 
Thimerosal is the most widely discussed, since it contains mercury. The amount is small. Each 
vaccine is equivalent to the amount of mercury found in a 6 oz. can of tuna fish. Nevertheless, some 
argue that even these levels may be important in a vulnerable child. 

The third, and probably the most important theory of vaccine damage, relates to allergic reactions 
and the development of an autoimmune response, stimulated by the vaccine and its adjuvant. 
Vaccines always contain adjuvants, which are substances known to amplify the body's response to 
the vaccine. These adjuvants are known to sometimes cause allergic and auto-immune responses on 
their own. 

============================================================== 
20.) The facts about vaccine and autism by date 
============================================================== 
Source: Thimerosal-litigation.com 

October 3, 2001, “Chairman Burton Requests Recall Of 

Childhood Vaccines with Thimerosal,” 
Chairman Burton stated, “We cannot in good conscience leave Thimerosal-containing vaccines on 
the shelf until used up, potentially exposing children to chemicals that may lead to 
neuro-developmental disorders. Mercury is toxic to the human body. I will be sending a letter this 
week to Secretary Thompson asking that these products be recalled. In the meantime, I am asking 
every doctor, every health clinic, and every facility that provides childhood immunizations to check 
your vaccine supplies and return all Thimerosal-containing vaccines and request Thimerosal-free 
vaccines.” Read More… 


July 25, 2001, “Major CDC Study on Thimerosal Flawed,” 
The author of a major study of the link between Vaccinations and Developmental Disorders, which 
is widely quoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has admitted that the 
study is inaccurate in its findings. Dr. Thomas Verstraeten, of the CDC's National Immunization 
Program, is quoted as saying, "One thing is for sure, there is certainly under-ascertainment of all 
these [conditions] because some of the children are just not old enough to be diagnosed." A 
professor who has reviewed the research confirmed this. He stated that there were too few children 
in the study to pick up all cases of autism. Additionally, it appears that the CDC is now reversing its 
stand. According to the Sunday Times, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a 
"statistically significant" link between mercury in vaccines and developmental disorders, including 
Attention Deficit Disorder and speech and language delays. The CDC, however, still recommends 
vaccinations with thimerosal containing vaccines, saying there are safety measures in place to prevent 
overdoses of mercury. Read More… 

July 4, 2001, “Effects of Ethylmercury Exposure in Infants Never Studied” 
On July 26, 2001, the Institute of Medicine will conduct hearings into thimerosal-containing vaccines 
and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of exposure to them. As a part of their preliminary research, 
the Immunization Safety Review Committee questioned Dr. László Magos, author of Physiology and 
Toxicology of Mercury and an internationally known expert in field. How can we ever believe the 
reports that attempt to validate the use of vaccines which contain thimerosal, when there have been 
NO STUDIES done on this important question, according to Dr. Magos? And how can we believe 
the theories that have been proposed on how mercury works to damage the neurological system of 
the body, when there hasn't even been a hypothesis made on this question. Read More… 

April 26, 2001, Statement By Karen Midthun, M.D., Director Office of Vaccines Research and 
Review Center For Biologics Evaluation and Research Food and Drug Administration Department 
of Health and Human Services, Before the Committee on Government Reform United States 
Representatives. Read More… 


January 15, 2001, “Healthcast: Vaccines With Mercury Cause Controversy Medical Community 
Debates Safety of Thimerosal” 
While childhood immunizations are important for maintaining good health, WTAE-TV medical editor 
Marilyn Brooks reports that there may be something dangerous in those shots. A mercury-based 
preservative called thimerosal is commonly used in several vaccines, Brooks reports. 

Doctors are debating whether the preservative gives parents cause for concern, but Brooks says that 
mercury-free vaccinations for children are available upon request. 

Congressman Dan Burton recently asked the Food and Drug Administration to recall all vaccines 
containing mercury, but Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, citing extensive safety 
testing, refused the request. 

Brooks reports that no case has been documented which proves that vaccines with thimerosal cause 
mercury poisoning. Read More... 


“Uproar over a little-known preservative, thimerosal, jostles U.S. hepatitis B vaccination policy” 
Read the entire report… 

October 26, 2000, “Chairman Burton Requests Vaccine Recall” 
In an October 25, 2000 letter to HHS Secretary Donna Shalala, Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN), 
Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, requested a recall of all vaccines 
containing Thimerosal. The mercury-based product Thimerosal is added to vaccines as a 
preservative. On July 18, 2000 the Committee conducted a hearing entitled, “Mercury in Medicine: 
Are We Taking Unnecessary Risks?” During the hearing, the FDA admitted that children are being 
exposed to unsafe levels of mercury through vaccines containing Thimerosal. It was also determined 
that symptoms of mercury poisoning mimic symptoms of autism -- a disease that has reached 
epidemic levels in the United States. However, the FDA has chosen to allow pharmaceutical 
companies to merely phase out their use of Thimerosal, leaving mercury-containing vaccines at public 
and private health facilities. Read More… 


June 18, 2000, The committee conducted a hearing entitled, “Mercury in Medicine: Are We Taking 
Unnecessary Risks?” 
During the hearing, the FDA admitted that children are being exposed to unsafe levels of mercury 
through vaccines containing Thimerosal. It was also determined that symptoms of mercury poisoning 
mimic symptoms of autism -- a disease that has reached epidemic levels in the United States. 
However, the FDA has chosen to allow pharmaceutical companies to merely phase out their use of 
Thimerosal, leaving mercury-containing vaccines at public and private health facilities. Read More… 


July 11, 2000, “Mercury Toxicity” 
Methyl-mercury exposure is a “widespread and persistent problem in the environment” and may 
cause neurological problems in 60,000 children born in the U.S. each year, according to a report 
released today by a panel of National Academy of Sciences experts. Read More… 


July 10, 1999, “Mercury Alert: US Urges For Delay For Hepatitis B Vaccine” 
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and vaccine 
manufacturers have announced, that because of potential health risks, thimerosal-containing vaccines 
should be removed from circulation as soon as possible. Thimerosal contains mercury and is made 
from a combination of ethyl mercuric chloride, thiosalicylic acid, sodium hydroxide and ethanol. It is 
used as a preservative in many recombinant vaccines, such as the Hepatitis B, diptheria, pertussis, 
acellular pertussis, tetanus, and Hib vaccines. Read More… 

============================================================== 
21.) vaccines that contain thimerosal 
============================================================== 
DTaP Acel-Imune 
Lederle Laboratories 
Tripedia Pasteur Merieux Connaught 
Certiva North American Vaccine 
DTwP All products 
DT All products 
Td All products 
TT All products 
DtwP-Hib Tetramune 
Lederle Laboratories 
TriHIBit Pasteur Merieux Connaught 
HibTITER (multidose) Lederle Laboratories 
ProHIBit4 Pasteur Merieux Connaught 
Hepatitis B virus Engerix-B 
SmithKline Beecham 
Recombivax HB Merck 
Influenza All 
Meningococcal Menomune A, C, AC and A/C/Y/W-135 
CLI 
Pneumococcal Pnu-Imune 23 
Lederle Laboratories 
Rabies Rabies Vaccine Adsorbed 
BioPort Corporation 
============================================================== 
22.) The secret world of the autism. 
============================================================== 
Source: The national, Newspaper of Venezuela from 4/05/02, t 

Taken of the magazine TIME, by Amy Bonestel/Atlanta 
============================================================== 
23.) [Lichen planus and vaccination against hepatitis B] 
tO: Lichen plan et vaccination anti-hepatite B. 
============================================================ 
AU: Lefort-A; Dachary-D; Vergier-B; Boiron-G 
AD: Service d'Anatomopathologie, Hopital du Haut Leveque, Pessac. 
SO: Ann-Dermatol-Venereol. 1995; 122(10): 701-3 
ISSN: 0151-9638 
PY: 1995 
LA: FRENCH; NON-ENGLISH 
CP: FRANCE 
AB: INTRODUCTION: The association of lichen planus with liver diseases is 
now well established. Lichen planus following hepatitis B vaccination are 
much more unusual. We report here the fifth case of this kind. CASE REPORT: 
A 16 years old girl developed a purely cutaneous lichen planus one week 
after the first injection of hepatitis B vaccine Gen Hevac B (Institut 
Pasteur), which appeared again 3 days after the second injection. The 
histologic features shown lichenoid pattern with intense keratinocytes 
necrosis more in favor of lichenoid drug eruption than lichen planus. 
DISCUSSION: According to our knowledge, only four similar cases have been 
previously reported. Comparison between the different vaccines used shows 
that only the HBs antigen and its epitope S could be involved in the lichen 
planus eruption. Our case is specific due to the early appearance of the 
eruption after the first injection and by its histologic features. 
CONCLUSION: New cases of lichen planus following hepatitis B vaccination 
should help to explain the causal relationship between lichen planus 
eruption and hepatitis B vaccination. 
============================================================== 
24.) ALERTAS SOBRE LA SEGURIDAD DE MEDICAMENTOS 
NOTA INFORMATIVA DEL COMITÉ DE SEGURIDAD DE MEDICAMENTOS SOBRE 
TIOMERSAL 
============================================================== 
Source: www.sefh.es / Sociedad Española de Farmacia Hospitalaria. 

El Tiomersal es un conservante de tipo organomercurial cuya acción antimicrobiana se basa en la 
liberación de etilmercurio. El tiomersal se ha venido empleando durante muchos años en la 
fabricación de medicamentos; en el caso concreto de las vacunas, se utiliza como conservante en el 
producto terminado. Sin embargo, la exposición acumulada a etilmercurio procedente de distintas 
fuentes (alimentos, medicamentos) puede constituir un motivo de preocupación. 

Recientemente el Centro para el Control y Prevención de las Enfermedades (CDC) de Estados 
Unidos ha evaluado los resultados de varios estudios epidemiológicos que fueron diseñados para 
establecer si existe algún riesgo de desarrollar alteraciones neurológicas asociadas a la utilización de 
vacunas formuladas con tiomersal. Los hallazgos derivados de estos estudios no permiten alcanzar 
conclusiones científicamente validas por lo que se hace necesaria la necesaria de más estudios. 

El Comité de Especialidades Farmacéuticas (CPMP) de la Agencia Europea de Evaluación de 
Medicamentos (EMEA), que cuenta con representación española, ha venido promoviendo la 
utilización de vacunas exentas de mercurio en su composición y, en esa línea, ha solicitado a los 
Laboratorios farmacéuticos fabricantes de vacunas que propongan planes de fabricación en los que 
se excluya la utilización de organomercuriales como conservantes en el producto final. 

En concordancia con este objetivo, la Agencia Española del Medicamento hizo pública el pasado 
día 13 de marzo de 2000 la Circular 1/2000 en la que, además de requerir la inclusión en fichas 
técnicas y prospectos de las pertinentes advertencias sobre el riesgo de aparición de reacciones 
alérgicas descritas con los conservantes de tipo organomercurial, insta a los Laboratorios 
productores de vacunas a intensificar sus esfuerzos al efecto de eliminar de forma definitiva la 
presencia de los mencionados conservantes. 

En el momento actual, ninguna de las nuevas solicitudes de autorizaciones de vacunas pendientes de 
aprobación en la Unión Europea incluyen al tiomersal como conservante. Las nuevas vacunas para 
inmunización infantil exentas de tiomersal como conservante están pendientes de aprobación por 
procedimiento centralizado y se prevé que estarán disponibles en Europa a finales de este año. Las 
vacunas de Hepatitis B libres de tiomersal estarán disponibles en Europa en agosto de 2000. Para el 
resto de vacunas se está trabajando actualmente en la eliminación del tiomersal como conservante; 
este proceso va a requerir introducir modificaciones en algunas fases del proceso de fabricación por 
lo que resulta imposible prever el plazo para su conclusión. 

Teniendo en cuenta todo lo anterior, la Agencia Española del Medicamento considera que los 
beneficios de la vacunación en la población general e infantil son muy superiores a los riesgos 
potenciales, si es que existen, derivados de la exposición a vacunas que contienen tiomersal 

EL SUBDIRECTOR GENERAL 
DE SEGURIDAD DE MEDICAMENTOS 
============================================================== 
25.) Strong Association of the Third 
Hypervariable Region of HLA-DRb1 with Autism 
============================================================== 
Source: www.enabling.org 

Copyright by Michael Jones, Bill Elkus, Jim Lyles, and Lisa Lewis 1995, 1996, 1997 - All rights 
reserved worldwide. 

Disclaimer 
Feedback to the Listowners. 


By Reed P. Warren, J. Dennis Odell, W. Louise Warren, Roger A. Burger, 
Alma Maciulis, Wayne W. Daniels and Anthony R. Torres 

The Center for Persons with Disabilities and the Department of Biology, 
Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322. 

Address all correspondence to Reed P. Warren, Ph.D., UMC 6895, Utah 
State University, Logan, Utah, 84322, USA, Telephone: (801) 797-1924, 
FAX: (801) 797-2044, E-mail: [email protected] 


======= 
Summary 
======= 

We reported that the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) including 
the null allele of the C4B gene and the extended haplotype B44-C30-DR4 
is associated with autism. We report now that the third hypervariable 
region (HVR-3) of certain DRb1 alleles have very strong association with 
autism. The HVR-3 of DRb1*0401 or the shared HVR-3 alleles DRb1*0404 
and DRb1*0101, was expressed on extended haplotypes in 23 of 50 (46%) 
autistic subjects as compared to only 6 of 79 (7.5%) normal subjects. 
Another HVR-3 sequence, the DRb1*0701 allele, was carried on extended 
haplotypes in 16 (32.0%) of the autistic subjects as compared to 8 
(10.1%) of the normal subject 
============================================================== 
26.) Vaccine Induced Demyelination 
============================================================== 
Source:healing-arts.org 

Myelination is an essential part of human brain development. Nerves can only conduct pulses of 
energy efficiently if covered by myelin. Like insulation on an electric wire, the fatty coating of myelin 
keeps the pulses confined and maintains the integrity of the electrical signal so that it has a high 
signal-to-noise ratio. When the insulation on a wire is damaged or destroyed, the flow of electrical 
current may be interrupted and a short-circuit occurs. 
Oligodendrocyte cells give white matter its color by manufacturing myelin. If myelin falls into 
disrepair, nerve axons cease to function, even though they themselves aren't damaged. Protecting 
oligodendrocytes after brain or spinal cord injury might keep nerve cells intact. 

At birth, relatively few pathways have myelin insulation. Myelination in the human brain continues 
from before birth until at least 20 years of age. Up until the age of 10 or so, vast areas of the cortex 
are not yet myelinated. Up to the age of 20, large areas of the frontal lobes are not yet myelinated.1 

Myelination begins in the developmentally oldest parts of the brain, like the brain stem, moving to the 
areas of the nervous system that have developed more recently, like the prefrontal lobe and cortex. 
Myelin spreads throughout the nervous system in stages, which vary slightly in each individual. 
Impairment of myelination can alter neural communication without necessarily causing severe CNS 
(central nervous system) damage. 

The prefrontal portions of the cerebrum have a profound influence on human behavior.2 If an 
individual is injected with vaccines,most of which have adjuvants like mercury and aluminum 
compounds, as well as foreign proteins (some from other species in which the vaccines were grown) 
and biological organisms, unprotected nerves may be impacted. The argument for a role of vaccines 
in the development of autistic disorders hinges on these biological effects upon nerves, damaging 
them in a way that influences behavior and learning patterns. 

The argument for adjuvants evoking an auto-immune response does not hinge on any inherent 
neuro-toxicity of these compounds, but on the initiation of an allergic response. 

The model by which adjuvants initiate an immune response is that of Experimental Allergic 
Encephalomyelitis (EAE). To date, EAE is recognized as the best available animal model of several 
degenerative human diseases, like multiple sclerosis and post-vaccinal encephalopathies. EAE3 is 
generally thought to be an autoimmune response to myelin basic protein (MBP). Oddly, MBP can 
also suppress EAE, and many observations suggest that an independent immune response to 
so-called "adjuvant" material is also necessary to EAE induction. Of course, this is why adjuvants are 
used in vaccines, to dramatically increase the likelihood of an immune response to the administered 
biological material. 

Thus, EAE may be a result of a pair of interactive immune responses, one against MBP, and one 
against the adjuvant. If so, the adjuvant should, like MBP, suppress EAE. Root-Bernstein, et al. 
(1986) presented data from experiments on strain 13 guinea pigs demonstrating EAE suppression by 
muramyl dipeptide, an active component of complete Freund's adjuvant. In the past, adjuvants have 
only been classified as immunopotentiators, not immunosuppressants. Apparently, adjuvants are 
both. This study strengthens the argument that adjuvants may be crucial to initiating an auto-immune 
response leading to post-vaccine neurological symptoms. 
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DATA-MEDICOS/DERMAGIC-EXPRESS No 4-(114)  15/05/2.002 DR. JOSE LAPENTA R. 
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