AGE OF AUTISM

MERCURY STUDY RELEASED EARLY TO HELP AAP BASH ABC

By Barbara Loe Fisher

The AAP leadership is just not going to give up insisting that it is a very, very good thing to inject mercury into infants and children. They are going to twist themselves into pretzels trying to defend the indefensible premise that a known neurotoxin belongs in childhood vaccines, as evidenced by today's early release of a methodologically questionable "study" by Michael Pichichero, M.D. purporting to exonerate the mercury-based vaccine preservative, thimerosal, from any responsibility for children developing vaccine- associated autism. HERE.

The study, originally scheduled to be published Feb. 4 in the AAP journal, Pediatrics, was released "early" in an effort to blunt the impact of tonight's broadcast of a fictional drama on ABC-TV that highlights the ordeal of a family whose son developed autism after receiving mercury-containing vaccines. HERE.

Here is what all the fuss is about (for today at least): Pichichero claims his study of about 200 babies and children, who were injected with vaccines containing ethyl mercury (thimerosal), showed that measurable mercury levels in the blood of the children were gone within 3.7 days. This, says Pichichero, is much quicker than the average 44 days it takes for methyl mercury (found in fish) to be undetectable in the blood. Ergo, he says, exposure to thimerosal does not cause brain damage or autism!

ELI LILLY, ELI STONE AND A BRIDGE IN NYC

In light of the uproar over the Eli Stone TV show, we ask, "Why should we trust pharmaceutical companies, federal regulators or the doctors who prescribe drugs?"  (Did you know that Eli Lilly created Thimerosal, the mercury based preservative at the center of the controversy?) Time and again they've sold our health down the river for profit. And we're to believe vaccines are exempt from these practices?  I gotta go polish up a bridge I'm selling.....    From the New York Times:  Lilly Considers $1 Billion Fine to Settle Case

And remember when the government told our elderly citizens that buying drugs from Canada could be unsafe? Also from the Times today:  A huge state-owned Chinese pharmaceutical company that exports to dozens of countries, including the United States, is at the center of a nationwide drug scandal after nearly 200 Chinese cancer patients were paralyzed or otherwise harmed last summer by contaminated leukemia drugs.

Last week, The New York Times asked the F.D.A. whether the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group exported to the United States any drugs or pharmaceutical ingredients other than the abortion pill. But after repeated requests, the agency declined to provide that information; it did not cite a reason.  Tainted Drugs Tied to Maker of Abortion Pill

OREGONIAN OPINION: PEDS AGAINST FREE SPEECH?

Our own JB Handley is featured in THIS article from Oregon Live which begins: "When the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) learned that the first episode of a new television series on ABC would feature an autistic child harmed by vaccines, it cried "irresponsible" and demanded that the show be canceled. In turn, activists like Portland's J.B. Handley, founder of Generation Rescue, which supports parents of autistic children, cried: "Censorship."

The article ends with:

The AAP and the CDC would rather the ABC program not air so that parents do not even learn about the vaccine controversy. Most parents are unlikely to use medical information from a fictional television program as the only basis to make health decisions for themselves or their children. But such a program can raise real life issues that trigger personal research so that when medical treatments are considered there is true informed consent. What is the AAP so afraid of?

The middle is pretty good too. Check it out. Thank you Sandra Duffy.

CONCERN, ANXIETY, AND WORRY: GETTING PLAYED BY THE CDC (AND OTHERS)

By J.B. Handley

“The belief that you can inform and warn people, and get them to take appropriate actions or precautions with respect to a health threat or risk without actually making them anxious or concerned. This is not possible…This is like breaking up with your boyfriend without hurting his feelings. It can’t be done.”

- Glen Nowak, Director of Communications, Centers for Disease Control, Presentation at the 2004 Vaccine Summit

Man, did I get played by the CDC. It was the winter of 2003. You couldn’t turn on the T.V. without reading about another child dying from the flu: it’s a particularly bad strain, children are at high risk, flu shot supply is strained, get your child vaccinated while you still can!

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?

By Tim Kasemodel

According to a September 26, 2006 Department of Health and Human Services response to the Coalition for Mercury Free Drugs, the FDA concludes that “exposure to mercury from vaccines is minimal” because routine infant and flu vaccines totaling 28 micrograms of ethyl mercury is “significantly below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculated exposure guideline for methyl mercury of 65 micrograms during the first 6 months of life for a child in the fifth percentile body weight.”  To the uninterested observer that may actually make sense.  To anyone with 6th grade math skills however, it seems a little perplexing.

CRUMBLING TRUST

By Kim Stagliano

Why are parents, particularly those of us in the autism world, skeptical of the AAP, CDC, FDA, and LMNOP?  Remember the reports that Hurricane Katrina survivors were getting sick from their FEMA trailers due to formaldehyde filled materials heating to extreme temps during the day, outgassing and then being breathed in by residents? FEMA fudged the data to prove "NO EVIDENCE OF HARM."  Sound familiar?  (By the way, formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, is in vaccines. But just a skosh, so don't worry.)

CONTACT ABC TO KEEP ELI STONE ON AIR

We've learned that the Immunization Action Coalition has released a press release, complete with "talking points" asking it's "immunization colleagues" to protest the ABC drama Eli Stone.   In short, they want ABC to just shut up and drop the program.

(IAC Funding 2008 to-date Sources of support The Immunization Action Coalition receives funding from a variety of sources, but maintains strict editorial independence in all publications and print materials. Funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is provided for specific projects. Contributions from pharmaceutical companies are in the form of educational grants. The grants are made with the strict understanding that the company does not have input into publication content or our editorial policies.)

We thank the IAC for this press release. It tells us to contact the following people at ABC to voice your opinion.  Saved us a lot of work tracking down names and numbers. So start dialing and emailing!  Make sure you're polite to the people at ABC , they're the good guys (so far.)  You can help prevent the censorship demanded by CDC/IAC.

ABC CONTACT INFORMATION

Nicole Nichols
Senior Vice President of Entertainment Communications for "Eli
Stone"
Email: Nicole.Nichols@abc.com
Phone: (818) 460-5267

Charissa Gilmore
Vice President of Media Relations for "Eli Stone"
Email: Charissa.Gilmore@abc.com 
Phone: (818) 460-7950

Who is the IAC? Think CDC.  From their site:  "The Immunization Action Coalition, a non-profit organization, works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease. The Hepatitis B Coalition, a program of IAC, promotes hepatitis B vaccination for all children 0–18 years; HBsAg screening for all pregnant women; testing and vaccination for high-risk groups; and education and treatment for treatment for people chronically infected with hepatitis B.

This website is exclusively supported by Cooperative Agreement No. U66/CCU524042 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of IAC and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Immunization Action Coalition  |  1573 Selby Avenue  |  St. Paul MN 55104

contact: admin@immunize.org  |  www.immunize.org

tel: 651.647.9009  |  fax: 651.647.9131"

If you want to read the entire press release, it's below.

NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION AND AAP: ELI STONEGATE

By Wendy Fournier

The headlines this week have me sitting at my computer with utter contempt for the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

The AAP is frantic about a fictional TV show scheduled to air on ABC this week.  The show, entitled "Eli Stone" will depict the story of a family who is awarded a multi-million dollar lawsuit based on the theory that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative still used in many vaccines – caused their child to develop autism.  AAP president Renee Jenkins sent a letter to ABC demanding that this show be cancelled.  Has the AAP got nothing better to do than worry about a TV show?

MOM CALLS OUT AAP ON ABC LETTER

Managing Editor's Note: Not long ago, doctors ENDORSED cigarette smoking. Tobacco executives stood before Congress and lied about cigarette safety. To all the Moms and Dads involved in the vaccine safety cause: "Don't Quit."  Angela Warner, who wrote this article isn't. Her husband serves in the US Military and is about to go on deployment. She is a warrior too. Thank you, Angela.

By Angela Warner

Eli Stone, Autism and Vaccines. I Have to Call You out on This One AAP.

January 28, 2007

To the Attention of Dr. Jenkins and the American Academy of Pediatrics:

I don't have much time to email my friends and family anymore, but I will most certainly MAKE the time to email you regarding the letter released today from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

You see I have four children; two of whom have autism, and another who was vaccine damaged in a different way (female). My youngest has
received no vaccines, is 16 months old, and believe it or not, the healthiest of all my children. Autism takes up most of my time these days. I know what caused my boys' autism. The vaccine damage my daughter sustained in two different instances is irrefutable. It is the same with
my boys.

I find it highly disturbing that the AAP would send a letter to ABC President Anne Sweeney requesting them to censor a fictional TV show.

Especially in light of the AAP's position on censorship which was firmly
stated in Pediatrics Vol. 83 No 2 in February of 1989 (pages 314-315).

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly opposes censorship." As a healthcare consumer and one who relied on the advice and guidance of my AAP physician who injected my children with vaccines that caused them harm; I expect you will please clarify this obviously conflictingsituation. Does the AAP strongly support or strongly oppose censorship?

ABC DOESN'T CAVE TO PEDIATRIC GROUP

By Kim Stagliano

From Reuters: "The ABC network said on Monday it will go ahead with plans to air an episode of its new legal drama "Eli Stone" despite objections from pediatricians who say the show may discourage parents from having their children immunized."

Read the complete story HERE.

Do doctors demand censorship of programs where fictional characters engage in unsafe sex? Do doctors demand censorship of programs where underage drinking is shown? 

I think the AAP realizes they have a huge problem on their hands. Parents do not believe that over the counter drugs, prescription drugs or vaccines are 100% safe for 100% of children 100% of the time. Instead of mounting studies to prove that administering dozens of vaccines to infants and toddlers is safe, the AAP screams, "IT'S NOT TRUE! LIES! CRAZY PARENTS!"

Pass the popcorn. I've got a program to watch. Thursday night at 10pm. Eli Stone.

(PS)  Who can tell me why I chose that headline? Tell me in the comments.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism, a Huffington Post blogger and blogs HERE. She and her husband have three daughters with autism.