'91 Memo Warned of Mercury in Shots

[barb162]

The Los Angeles Times
'91 Memo Warned of Mercury in Shots

By Myron Levin
Times Staff Writer
Published February 8, 2005


A memo from Merck & Co. shows that, nearly a decade before the first public disclosure, senior executives were concerned that infants were getting an elevated dose of mercury in vaccinations containing a widely used sterilizing agent.

The March 1991 memo, obtained by The Times, said that 6-month-old children who received their shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than guidelines for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish.

snip


Federal health officials disclosed for the first time in 1999 that many infants were being exposed to mercury above health guidelines through routine vaccinations. The announcement followed a review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that was described at the time as a first effort to assess the cumulative mercury dose.

snip

More than 4,200 claims have been filed in a special federal tribunal, the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, by parents asserting that their children suffered autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders from mercury in vaccines. A handful of similar claims are awaiting trial in civil courts. The plaintiffs cite various scientific studies that they say prove the dangers of thimerosal, including at the levels found in vaccines.

snip
----------------

PS I know a man whose young child developed autism very suddenly after vaccines.
I had an 8 year old cat die (1 1/2 yrs. ago)after a "routine" (unnecessary) vaccine that the vets convinced me to get for my cat even though he was never exposed to the disease as he was an indoor cat. I had another cat get terribly ill after a rabies vaccine last year. Had to take him into ER.

I know several people whose pets died from unnecessary vaccines. There are lots of web sites on this subject.

In case you haven't guessed, I am very anti-vaccine.

[mirandapriestly]

1. could be related to autism

I was listening to Air America and a guest had a child who was diagnosed with autism. She had read something that showed a link between autism and mercury in vaccines, so she had his hair tested for mercury and it had mercury in it. She began detoxing him of the mercury and his autism symptoms began to go away. I only caught the second part of this interview, so I am not very good on the details, and I was in my car, so I can't recall any of the names, sorry. Also, she said about half of the articles written on mercury are ghost written by drug company representatives, so you can't trust everything you read. She was adamant about mercury being the cause of autism, although I think the interviewer said sometimes it's inherited so there are other causes.

[barb162]

4. I have read many articles written by drug

company stooges who say there is no connection to the vaccines with autism. Meanwhile there are these parents out there with autistic kids who got autistic rather suddenly. Hmmmmm. Then you read about this memo and you see there really seems to be a connection. Lies, lies, lies by these drug companies and their cover-ups of their products. When I see all the stuff on these recalled drugs recently that have caused many deaths while the drug companies sat back and let it happen, it just drives me up the wall. I believe autism can be caused naturally, but I also believe it can be caused by these vaccines.

[phylny]

17. I've actually read the reverse.

What I've seen is that we all have traces of mercury in our hair, but some children with autism do not - because they cannot handle or excrete it. So, instead of leaving the body (and showing up in our hair), it stays in, causing neurological damage.

I think that the mercury angle is one worth persuing, but perhaps it's mercury in fish or in the environment that's the culprit, not in vaccines.

I'm not saying that the vaccines are safe, but I work with lots of kids with autism, and many have had nieces or nephews with autism, and therefore did not vaccinate their children, but the kids were autistic anyway, even without vaccines. My three kids were vaccinated during the time in question, as were five nieces/nephews, and all are fine. There must be a genetic component as well.

A family that I work with had four children. First daughter, fine, second daughter severely autistic, third daughter (no vaccines until much later), fine, fourth child, son (no vaccines until much later) - severely autistic. Go figure.

Poor kids, something is so wrong.

[barb162]

35. 2 kids in one family severely autistic...very weird

[LeftyMom]

2. My son's reaction was to a "routine" vaccine

for an illness full term infants who aren't in group care aren't at any great risk for. He never should've got the damned thing, but doctors aren't encouraged to tailor the schedule to a child's actual vulnerabilities, or even to tell a parent it's a possibility.

The only thing worse was the treatment we receieved while he was suffering from his reaction. His doctor's office refused to make me an appointment, let me speak to the doctor or report the reaction to the VEARS as required. The emergency room staff had never heard of the shot, had me spell it for thier records (it was Prevnar/pneumococcal conjugate) and after no real examination to speak of told me that all they could suggest was to give tylenol or motrin.

[barb162]

3. I don't know what VEARS is, but you can report this yourself

to the FDA. I know, I did it on my two cats' fatal and severe reactions. A lot of time the MDs don't report these severe reactions; let's face it, they don't make any MONEY reporting vaccine reactions to the government. But unless the government gets the statistical database, nothing will be done becaue nobody will know about it.

I am so sorry; any time you take a child or pet to the doctor for a vaccine you expect it to protect rather than harm or kill. You also should expect the damn professionals to tell you the real risks and I don't think they do. If there is no to very minimal exposure, why get the vaccine at all? Does anyone bother explaining, oh by the way, this stuff has neurotoxin in it? This shit has to stop.

[LeftyMom]

6. Oops, I meant VAERS

The system for reporting vaccine reactions to the federal government. http://www.vaers.org/

LeftyKid doesn't appear to have suffered any long term ill effects, but that was the most hellish week of both our lives. Poor kid. :(

[barb162]

7. oh okay, that is what I used and when my damned EX-vet wouldn't

report this stuff, I did it myself. The FDA people were very nice and helpful and they told me they were making my info as adverse drug events. When I called Merck for an adverse drug event file number, they were snotty and uncooperative but I demanded a file number.

[Spider Jerusalem]

5. The signs of autism generally manifest...

at about the age children are vaccinated. Correlation is not causation, and anecdotal evidence is no evidence at all. There was, in fact, a study which tracked groups of vaccinated vs unvaccinated children to determine if there WAS in fact any correlation between vaccinations and autism, and there was discovered to be no link. The rate of autism was actually higher in the UNvaccinated group.

And pets kept indoors have weaker immune systems and are thus more susceptible to side effects of vaccination.

WOuld you rather have vaccinations, or polio, smallpox, and the infant mortality rates of the nineteenth century?

[LeftyMom]

8. You assume that it's an either or thing

Most of the "vaccien preventable" diseases were on the decline prior to the introduction of thier corresponding vaccines, probably due to better sanitary practices and nutrition. Also, in the case of polio the diagnostic criteria were changed in order to reduce the number of reported cases just as the vaccine became availible, so the numbers are highly suspect.

For that matter, no vaccine has ever been subjected to a lengthy trial vs placebo to determine effectiveness or long term risks, so they're all really experimental drugs.

[barb162]

11. totally agree! I was watching a long expose on PBS

about the drug companies and the FDA and how the FDA is basically funded not by the government but by the drug companies. The drug companies get to the bosses at the FDA and get the good guys at the FDA demoted. It was really something. We have to get this crap cleaned up...right now the FDA isn't really protecting the public like it should.

All these drugs being recalled that were out there for years were based on incomplete and skewed studies by the drug companies. One of the big points the program made was that the drugs usually have very small studies and if things "look" okay they are submitted for approval by the FDA. But the small sample sizes are well known for not showing up any problems and when they do appear after release to the general public the drug companies consistently cover them up for years. The sample sizes used by the drug comapnies are too small. When they are released to the general public, that is when the real problems appear in drug after drug as we have seen with the big recalls the last few months. The PBS show said the general public becomes the guinea pigs.

[LeftyMom]

13. The study for the shot my son reacted to

was designed to minimize reported reactions. The shot was given to low income children (whose parents are less likely to report a problem and more likely to move away durning the surveilance period) who were primarily hispanic (language barriers make reported reactions less likely.) Instead of surveying parents after the fact they simply requested they phone in any reactions, which tends to result in lower numbers than more agressive surveilance. Oh, and it was done by Kaiser Permanente, the original shitty HMO and home of incompetent third world doctors, not a research hospital or something like you'd expect, probably because they have standards.

I nearly crapped a brick when I read that. Nobody had any idea if what they injected in my son was safe.

[barb162]

23. Is your son okay? You must have been scared to death! May I ask

his symptoms (fever?, hives? listlessness? vomiting?) Thanks in advance.

Too bad they don't do some real serious testing on the drug companies CEOs and other officers and drug company stock analysts; I bet they would make sure the drugs are fine if that were the case.

[LeftyMom]

30. Here's what happened

He went rigid, stretching his head and legs out like he was trying to do some yoga backbend and started this real high pitched shriek about an hour after his doctor visit, it was sort of like colic but more frantic. He'd cry inconsolably for a few hours and then sleep for under an hour and then repeat, over and over again for a week. He wasn't running a fever at all but he sweated profusely, even though it was wintertime. He had no appetite, which was wierd for him, the kid eats like there's no tomorrow and always has.

He wasn't quite a year old when it happened.

[barb162]

34. read this on immunization ploys by MDs to parents

http://thinktwice.com/ploys.htm

I sent it to a lady farther down on this thread. And like I said to her, I wish I could send this to every parent in the country
---------------

If that isn't a really, really severe drug reaction your son had, I don't know what is. Geez!

[barb162]

36. you might want to look at this web site where they have a database

of vaccine adverse drug event reports by vaccine

www.sarasotalaw.com

I know nothing about this firm other than it was an ad by google with three others right under the topic article from which I started this thread.

[barb162]

9. I think enough or several cases of anecdotes becomes

evidence. Each case is an anecdote AND evidence. I'd like to see the study you reference as I wonder if it was financed by the drug companies. Gee, ya think? Drug companies have a way of doing inaccurate and incomplete (or no )studies when it is in their interest.

We all know that correlation is not causation but when statistical evidence indicates a problem, well math is math, isn't it. When doctors don't report adverse drug reactions and drug companies don't and patients don't even know their right to report these things themselves, how many events are happening that are actually getting into the statistical database. Try very few, a very small percentage.

As to your last paragraph, red herring. What we have going on now is a lot of useless, potentially or actually harmful, but financially lucrative vaccinating going on.

[Spider Jerusalem]

10. This was an independent study.

Conducted by the University of Helsinki in Finland. An Institute of Medicine study in the US found the same. The Medical Research Council in the UK found no link between vaccination and autism, either. And, since autism is a DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER, which first becomes obvious at the age of about eighteen months to three years (again, within the timeframe for normal vaccination of children), then EVERY case of autism could become obvious after vaccination and it would STILL not mean that there's any link. That's like assuming flies are born out of rotting meat.

And the neurology of autism is such, the differences from "normal" brains so great, that those differences can ONLY have their origin in the womb (and not some time after birth).

[barb162]

12. from Vaccines, Autism and Anti-Psychotic Drugs – The Connection

How do you explain this CDC study that children are 27 times more likely to develop autism after the vaccines? Anecdotes?
------------------------------
Vaccines, Autism and Anti-Psychotic Drugs – The Connection

January 31, 2005

By: Beldeu Singh
Independent Media TV


On Feb 9, 2004, the National Autism Association issued a press release that reported on one of the larger studies under review based on the Center for Disease Control's own Vaccine Safety Datalink. The release reported that under independent investigation, CDC's data concludes children are 27-times more likely to develop autism after exposure to three thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs), than those who receive thimerosal-free versions.

"Think about it, twenty-seven times more likely to develop autismm. "Then consider this, our government had this data for years, but deliberately kept it hidden. This conduct was not due to negligence or laziness, it was a deliberate cover-up. All those involved should be criminally charge, prosecuted and punished, (Evelyn Pringle, 2005, Independent Media).

The focus did not zero in on Thimerosal until 1997, when Congress passed the FDA Modernization Act, which required the FDA to investigate all drugs that contained mercury to determine their adverse effects on humans.

Within one year, the FDA called for the removal of all over-the-counter products that contained Thimerosal. However, the preservative was still included in more than 50 vaccines, until the Public Health Service (which includes the FDA, CDC and NIH), and the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement in July 1999 “urging” vaccine manufacturers to reduce or remove Thimerosal because of “theoretical potential for neurotoxicity.”

http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=10348&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. And there are a half-dozen studies that say the opposite.

Not to mention that thimarosal was removed from vaccines four years ago.

[barb162]

15. let's see how much the drug companies pay off on the autism

claims, that is, if they have any money left over after all their other coverups/debacles on the recently recalled drugs. How many of the half dozen or so studies were actually financed by the drug companies...they have very close ties to the universities too who often do these studies and they pay the university people. In other words, how many of the studies can be truly independent if the drug company is your employer? If you are in a lawsuit do you let the opposing side do your research for you? The damned drug companies have their tentacles everywhere, especially in the highest reaches of government.

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. Why SHOULD they pay off on the claims?

And most of the studies I'm talking about were conducted in Europe, not the US. I'm autistic myself, and I've studied the subject quite exhaustively. I think I have a reasonably good idea whereof I speak, thanks.

[barb162]

19. I am sorry you are autistic, but having been a victim a few times

of vaccine reactions with my cats and watching them suffer and knowing of other people with pets having the same problem and personally knowing people who have had severe reactions to vaccines, I also began studying the situation of adverse vaccine reactions in humans and pets exhaustively. I also worked at a drug company several years ago and worked on many claims involving farm animals that were killed and maimed from the damn vaccines (as in whole herds that were fine one day and the next day they were dead from vaccines).

As to your specific question, having worked in the malpractice liability field, I think there will be large payoffs by the drug companies because of the neurotoxin in the shots and the coverup and the CDC related study showing the 27 times figure, a very damning statistic. The drug companies will pay off the claims because they will be found liable in the courts. And I hope the drug companies get punitive damages thrown at them for the coverup. The only thing the drug companies understand is MONEY.

[phylny]

18. Many parents of kids with autism, kids I've worked with, have said

that they "knew" something was different early on - before vaccines.

They've said, "When I look back at videos of her, I'm amazed that I didn't see how different she was from her sister" and "I knew when I was pregnant with him that something was wrong. He hardly moved, and when he did, his movement was so different, so odd."

[barb162]

20. this doesn't surprise me; I am not trying to make the case that

ALL autism is from vaccines. I am trying to make the case that vaccines are very likely responsible for some autism cases, many illnesses and severe reactions and deaths of people, pets and farm animals. The thing that strikes me about the autism is that from early on in an developing child's life, the MDs and government are mandating or strongly encouraging more vaccines and they were being injected with a deadly poison.

-------

"From the anthropological point of view, there emerge some very interesting facts which should form the basis of a study or Phd. thesis. Firstly, children in the US receive the largest number of vaccines which carry heavy metal (mercury) toxicity very early into the developing brain of babies and toddlers. The highest number of aggressive and disruptive behavior is the highest in American children and teens. The US may also have the largest number of autistic children (1.5 million) and children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These are brain development disorders. Then, the largest number of Alzheimer’s adults, at 4.5 million, is also in the US. This picture deserves top scientific scrutiny and study and if correlation studies also support a link at the significant level, we have a brain developmental disorder precipitated by mercury induced free radical toxicity in the brain beginning from childhood. Well, that means - yes you are right - more information to suppress or cover-up.



A study was conducted in 1990 by three psychiatrists to look for trace element imbalances in the brains of Alzheimers patients. The brains from ten autopsied Alzheimers patients and 12 control patients of the same age were evaluated. The most significant imbalance of metals found in the Alzheimers patients was an elevated mercury level and an elevated level of bromine. Leading Edge Research tells us, "levels of mercury were especially significant in the cerebral cortex, especially in an area called the nucleus basalis of Meynert, a primary center of memory retention. Short term memory loss is initially the most common complaint. Researchers have also found significant levels of mercury in the hippocampus and amygdala, which are also structures that relate to memory." Hippocampus is one area in the brain where new brain cells are produced. Heavy metal toxicity in this area of the brain may cause an earlier termination of neuron production.


A whole new generation of American people has grown who had mercury levels in their brains that exceeded long-established safety limits by the FDA and other agencies. Much depends on the nutrition people received as infants and their antioxidant intake below the age of nine which may help to excrete mercury through chelation. The manifestation of heavy metal toxicity in humans varies in individuals. The high levels of mercury in developing brains of infants will produce behavioral problems in some and mental retardation and developmental disorders in others. The aggressive nature of some of them will become a social or crime-related problem for others.

from the 2nd article I posted earlier.. from the
Original Link: http://www.independent-media.tv

[phylny]

29. Good information, and you may well be right

with regard to some people. I don't doubt it.

It's going to be a heck of a thing to unravel, and so difficult to do so unless we have some truth-tellers amongst those in the "know."

[MsTryska]

21. this is news now?

when we first heard about the flu vaccination shortage, i had mentioned mercury and autism and ADHD, and a coupel fo people here told me i was a conspiracy theorist and needed a tinfoil hat.

*lol*



it's about time y'all caught up. ;-)


but yeah - that's been floating around for years now. I remember first reading it in prolly 98/99? It was in one of my alternative health mags.

[barb162]

22. you wouldn't have gotten any crap from me; A good friend of mine

was in the ER twice last year from severe vaccine reaction from the flu shot last year. The ER doc said "don't get any more flu shots, I'm tired of seeing all of you people with the same symptoms from these flu shots already." I wonder if he reported any of the adverse reactions to the FDA.

I am singing the same tune you are!!!!

[MsTryska]

24. That's very interesting....

i didn't know there was such a high occurence of adverse reactions.


I have never in my life had a flu shot. This pretty much guarantees i never will.

[barb162]

25. I have never had one either and never will. By the way I have

started a few threads about vaccines, other medicines and actively participate in ones started by others when I see them. There are thousands of unreported deaths and severe illnesses a year caused by drugs in humans and animals and these recalls the last few months are just another indication, further proof of what the damned drug companies are getting away with....murder.

[MsTryska]

26. So what are your thoughts on ADD and Hyperactivity

in concurrence with Vaccinations?

[barb162]

28. I think researchers haven't figured it out yet; it could be vaccines,

it could be heredity re the enzymes and dopamine levels, etc., it could be exposure to toxins or combinations of the above.

[IndyPriest]

27. Rep. Dan Burton (R - Indiana) did a lot of work on mercury and

autism connected to vaccines, as well as on amalgam fillings, about a year or two ago. He got into it, apparently, because his grandson (?) is autistic. Burton is/was the chair of a house subcommittee on health and held a series of tough hearings on the whole thing, broadcast on C-Span. I don't know what his other politics are, but on this he's been terrific. Here's his website info on it: http://www.house.gov/burton/wellness.htm

[barb162]

31. thanks a lot for that; I will check this website. I think this guy is a

truly nutcase right winger but if he gets on the case of the drug companies and their coverups, I will be with him

[goddess40]

32. amazing how compassionate they can become

when tragedy comes home to roost.

I'm having my fillings replaced because I'm allergic to nickle and mercury.
Both of my son's have NLD (nonverbal learning disorder) which is on the autism spectrum. The son that has it the worst had more injections as an infant - it sure seems to add up to me.

[barb162]

33. what you are writing adds up for me too I am sorry to say.

These tiny little babies, as they are developing and all these cells are dividing...they get injected with this "stuff" and we as consumers and patients and guardians of others are totally unaware of what is in the "stuff." Have you been on "adverse vaccine reaction" or adverse drug reaction or "vaccination news" web sites. There are a lot of them.

What gets me is that I seem to find one of these stories on drug reactions or the amorality of the drug comapnies every damn day. For example, here's one today from

The Australian



"Drug study excluded those most at risk
Clara Pirani, Medical reporter
February 10, 2005

PEOPLE likely to suffer side effects from the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen were excluded from a study that was influential in making the drug available without prescription.

An article published in the current issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics claims the decision was based on poor, company-sponsored research."
snip
--------
ANd you sure are right about compassion when it affects their personal lives.

I am glad the autism group is not letting the drug companies get away with this crap. The more it gets publicized the more likely the chance the FDA and drug companies will be held accountable and changed for the better. I think right now and in the past we are playing russian roulette every time an injection or drug is given.

---------------
below is on immunization ploys by doctors to parents. (It also works for vets to pet-owners.) I would love to be rich enough to send this out to every parent and pet-owner in the US. because MDs and vets are all playing the same game IMHO.

http://thinktwice.com/ploys.htm

(God bless you and your two sons)

[barb162]

37. see my post 13 re a database of vaccine reactions by vaccine