Nexus - 1202 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

are immunized with DTP, Hepatitis B and if possible Hib, this who were convinced before the meeting was held that there was year, next year and for many years to come, and that will have to no danger to children from thimerosal or any other vaccine be with thimerosal-containing vaccines unless a miracle occurs component? and an alternative is found quickly and is tried and found to be In one of the closing remarks, Dr Bernier says (page 257): safe." "The other thing I was struck by was the science"—meaning the This is one of the most shocking statements I have ever read or _—_ science expressed by the attendees of the meeting. Then Dr heard. In essence, he is saying that he doesn't care if the vaccines Orenstein adds: "I would also like to thank Roger Bernier who are found to be harmful and destroy the development of children's pulled off this meeting in rather short notice..." brains; these vaccines will be given now and forever. His only Here is a meeting that has been called one of the most impor- concern by his own admission is to protect the vaccine program, tant they have ever dealt with, and we learn that it was pulled off even if it is not safe. Dr Brent refers to this as an "eloquent at short notice. In addition, we are told that the results of this statement". meeting would lead to eventual vaccine policy. On page 253, we again see that these scientists have a double Dr Orenstein then has the nerve to add: "In a sense this meeting standard when it comes to their children and grandchildren. Dr addresses some of the concerns we had last summer when we Rapin raises the point about a loss of an IQ point caused by were trying to make policy in the absence of a careful scientific thimerosal exposure. She asks: "Can we measure the IQ that review. I think this time we have gotten it straight." accurately, that this one little point is relevant?" Then she Well, I hate to be the one to break the news, but he didn't get it answers her own question by saying: "Even in my grandchildren, straight. There was little or no science in this meeting; rather, it one IQ point I am going to fight about." Yet they are saying in was composed of a lot of haggling and nitpicking over epidemio- unison, in essence, "To hell with your children" to the rest of logical methodology and statistical minutiae in an effort to dis- America. credit the data, without success. In It is also interesting that they bring fact, the so-called mercury experts up the history of lead as a admitted they had to do some quick neurobehavioural toxin. Dr Weil homework to refresh their memories notes that the neurotoxicologists and . . and learn something about the sub- regulatory agencies have lowered the Before toxicologists began to ject. acceptable level from 10 to 5 wg. In look at lead asa brain toxin in fact, some say that even lower levels . " " CONCLUSIONS are neurotoxic to the developing children, most experts had This top-secret meeting was held to brain. Before the toxicologists began . . discuss a study done by Dr Thomas to look at lead as a brain toxin in assumed it was not toxic Verstraeten and his co-workers using children, most "experts" had assumed even at very high levels. Vaccine Safety Datalink data as a it was not toxic even at very high levels. Again, it shows that the "experts" can be wrong and it is the project collaboration between the CDC's National Immunization Program (NIP) and four HMOs public who pays the price. (health maintenance organisations). Dr Bob Chen expresses his concern The study examined the records of about this information reaching the public. He remarks (page 110,000 children. Within the limits of the data, they did a very 256): "We have been privileged so far that, given the sensitivity of thorough study and found the following: information, we have been able to manage to keep it out of, let's 1. Exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines at one month say, less responsible hands...". Dr Bernier agrees and notes: "This was associated significantly with the "misery and unhappiness information has been held fairly tightly." Later he calls it disorder" that was dose related; that is, the higher the child's expo- “embargoed information" and "very highly protected information". sure to thimerosal, the higher the incidence of the disorder. This That they knew the implications of what they had discovered is disorder is characterised by a baby that cries uncontrollably and is illustrated by Dr Chen's statement on page 258, where he says: "I fretful, more so than is seen in normal babies, i.e., without known think overall there was this aura that we were engaged in neurological injury. something as important as anything else we have ever done. So I 2. A nearly significant increased risk of ADD with 12.5 wg think that this was another element to this that made this a special exposure at one month. meeting." 3. With exposure beginning at three months, an increasing risk You may remember, Dr Weil emphasised that the data analysis of neurodevelopmental disorder with increasing exposure to left no doubt that there is a strong correlation between neurode- thimerosal. This was statistically significant and included speech velopmental problems and exposure to thimerosal-containing vac- disorders. cines. So if they understood the importance of this finding and It is important to remember that the control group did not com- this was the most important thing they have ever dealt with, why prise children without thimerosal exposure, but rather those at was this being kept from the public? In fact, it gets even worse. 12.5 ug exposure. This means that there is a significant likeli- Just so you will not doubt my statement that this audience of hood that even more neurodevelopmental problems would have experts was not objective, I give you the words of Dr Walter been seen had they used a real control population. No one dis- Orenstein, Director of the National Immunization Program at the _ agreed that these findings are significant and troubling. Yet when Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on page 259. He tells the the final study was published in the journal Pediatrics, Dr group: "I have seen him [Verstraeten] in audience after audience Verstraeten and co-workers reported that no consistent associa- deal with exceedingly skeptical individuals..." "Exceedingly tions were found between thimerosal-containing vaccine exposure skeptical individuals": does that sound like objective scientists who wanted to look at the data with a clear mind, or scientists Continued on page 76 Before toxicologists began to look at lead as a brain toxin in children, most "experts" had assumed it was not toxic NEXUS = 23 even at very high levels. Continued on page 76 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com