Legislation Introduced to Require First Comparative Study of Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated Populations

EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, one of the best friends autism families have in Washington, has just reintroduced the bill to authorize a study of health outcomes in vaccinated vs. never-vaccinated Americans. We at Age of Autism have a particular interest in this bill, which is sometimes called the Amish Bill for the reporting we've done on the apparently low incidence of autism in less-vaccinated populations like the Amish (HERE). The list of co-sponsors appears to be growing, and includes a Kennedy and the Chair of the House Science and Technology Committee. Stay tuned, and keep up the pressure. -- Dan Olmsted

WASHINGTON, DC – MALONEY REINTRODUCES BILL TO STUDY NEVER-VACCINATED

Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Christopher Smith (R-NJ) have introduced the “Comprehensive Comparative Study of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Populations Act of 2009,” HR 3069, (HERE) legislation that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive, peer-reviewed, comparative study of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, which has never before been completed.

“Vaccines have been instrumental in reducing the incidence of many once-common diseases, but we owe it to parents and children to study and resolve the questions that have arisen over the possible link between vaccines and neurological disorders,” said Maloney.  “What is ultimately needed to resolve this issue is a comprehensive national study comparing outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated children.  As the most scientifically advanced country in the world, we should be jumping at the chance to resolve the questions that have been raised.  Parents deserve answers, and children deserve no less than absolute certainty and safety.” 

“Vaccines have been a truly revolutionary contribution to global public health that I have strongly supported. At the same time, it would be unconscionable if we did not fully investigate every aspect of vaccine safety, including varying vaccines schedules, to ensure that individuals were not being exposed to unnecessary risks,” said Smith. “This study would explore critical questions about our children’s health. Only a comprehensive, national examination of data that contrasts vaccinated children to unvaccinated children will answer some of the questions many if not all parents have about the safety of the vaccines we give our children. Congresswoman Maloney and I feel strongly that this will add greatly to the body of knowledge for the healthcare community and the public.”

Other original cosponsors of the bill include Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chair of the House Science and Technology Committee, and Reps. Dan Burton (R-IN), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Virginia Brown-Waite (R-FL), and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

Background: Maloney and Smith have also introduced  legislation H.R. 2618 (HERE) that would improve the current system for vaccine safety monitoring in this country by assigning responsibility for the nation’s vaccine safety to an independent agency within the Department of Health and Human Services; and another (HERE) (H.R. 2617) that puts in statute definite timelines for the elimination of mercury from vaccines.

Maloney introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress.  Click (HERE) for more information.

Comments

[m nagy]

does this scare anyone else. the government agencies will finally do the study, they will pay who they have to, and announce the study has been done and they once again have shown no association. then they will announce again that they have been right the whole time, and then they will add a few more vaccines on to the mandated list to make up for the money they had to pay to buy the results.

[Autism Grandma]

Re: Cynthia Cournoyer Post

"Remember Big Pharma is the Biggest Lobby."

Why has Big Pharma gotten away with avoiding this study for the last 20 years, and why does the vaccine industry get away with murder?

American Medical Lobbying ("No Wonder!!!")

The following totals are for [only] the first quarter of 2009:

To estimate annual expenditures multiply x 4

[Example: Combined Medical System 4 x 42 million = 168 million in order to keep getting what they want from our government and the American public]

1) $42 Million: Health Care, Health Insurance, & Pharma
2) $31 Million: Oil
3) $20 Million: War
4) $17 Million: Telecoms
5) $15 Million: Financial
6) $10 Million: Automotive
7) $7 Million: Life Insurance
8) $6 Million: Biotech

See a full list of what specific corporations are investing in sculpting public policy in their favor:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18394.cfm

Here is the list of combined American Medical: [The reason Health Care Reforms have gotten nowhere all this time on all fronts = 168 million annually to maintain the status quo.] Result: Big Medicine makes Big Money while the American Public pays the Big Price.

Health Care, Health Insurance, & Pharma
3. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America: $6,910,000
6. Pfizer, Inc: $6,140,000
12. American Medical Association: $4,240,000
18. American Hospital Association: $3,580,000
19. Eli Lilly and Company: $3,440,000
37. America's Health Insurance Plans, Inc: $2,030,000
39. CVS Caremark Inc: $2,005,000
47. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association: $1,800,000
49. GlaxoSmithKline: $1,780,000
63. Merck & Co: $1,500,000
65. United Health Group, Inc: $1,500,000
69. Sanofi-Aventis U.S. Inc: $1,460,000
76. Novartis: $1,347,134
87. Abbott Laboratories: $1,260,000
89. Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP: $1,250,000
92. Medtronic, Inc: $1,238,000

[Cynthia Cournoyer]

Remember Big Pharma is the Biggest Lobby. There is no possible way that this will turn out in favor of backing off of vaccines in any significant way. What will be the definition of "UNvaccinated?" Could it be those who don't follow the recommended "schedule?" Remember that clinical trials of the past compared a new vaccine to the "general population" and found "no significant increase" in encephalitis due to the new vaccine. The "general population" is almost 100% vaccinated! Be suspicious of "absolute certainty and safety" remarks. They want desperately to solve the mystery once and for all. Just like the 14 studies solved the question with certainty and safety. Been there done that, bought the T-shirt.
Cynthia Cournoyer
http://www.whataboutimmunizations.com/

[ejsmom]

Force the government to do this study? The government should have required this type of study before EVER mandating a single vaccine! "For the people..." ??

[rileysmom]

*** To me that's like drafting a law to put out a fire, while it's burning.***
Good one!! The irony in this bill didn't escape me...I can't believe we have to have a bill to FORCE the government into this. It's positively absurd. While I (again) appreciate what the Senator is trying to accomplish here...why does she HAVE to? It should have been a given when it was asked for in the first damn place. AND they wonder why we think they're trying to hide something.

[AL]

HAH!

I just wrote a comment above for Anne's piece bitching about the fact that there hasn't been a real study done on vaccinated vs. unvaccinated.

WTF is the big mystery for these politicians? To me this study should have been done back in 1989. Do we seriously need legislation for this? To me that's like drafting a law to put out a fire, while it's burning.

-AL

[rileysmom]

I have to say I'm with Benedetta here. How independent could this possibly be with HHS running this. I seem to recall that this is the agency I'm actually "suing" right now for vaccine injuries my son suffered. How long will this study take to do? There should be a marked time limit so that they can't drag it on and on so they never have to release the numbers. Much like the CDC waiting 10 yrs+ to do a prevalence (1 in 150) and still not doing one...I have a feeling they'll put it off for as long as possible. Does this study absolutely need to be done by the HHS? Can't it be done by a University or outside entity? One that has no ties to government kick backs or pharma money? (Is there such a place?)
I do however, appreciate Sen Maloney so much for sticking her neck out on this one. She keeps fighting for what is right and for that I am grateful!!!
It is my greatest hope that this is done properly, FAIRLY and justly. Our babies, whether 20yrs old or newborn, deserve no less.

[Adriana]

I feel tremendous gratitude towards Carolyn Maloney for pushing this forward. It's going to be a very anxious experience watching as certain conflicted parties try to kill the legislation. I'm sure all our organizations will be mounting a call campaign soon.

Sadly, the delay in conducting this comparison study reminds me of the assassination of Medgar Evers, when it took thirty-one years to bring a conviction against the killer because of the authorities' refusal to conduct a proper investigation. In 2011, it will have been exactly 31 years since Barbara Loe Fisher's son was injured by DPT and she began sending out the warnings. It's been a long time coming.

[Benedetta Stilwell]

How independent could an agency be if it is still within the Department of Health and Human Services???? I do not trust any study done fairly at this point but I do appreciate the fact some in the government are having to squirm a little bit and pretend to do something.