I haven't posted anything about this in a long time, but I still get regular emails from a guy who digs up news and reports about autism from around the world.
Mr. Shafer tries to be fairly unbiased in his reporting and has been good to present articles and reports from both sides of the thimerosal issue. The following report, for example.
The glaring problem with this report (and the thing that makes me wonder how incredibly stupid my government really is) is this: Once again, the government has investigated itself and found itself innocent.
Whew.
I feel better. Don't you?
Anyway, here it is for anyone who is interested. I even included the links to the actual government reports in case anyone reads this who can actually muddle through all the double-speak. By the way. David Kirby's book, Evidence of Harm and the link to the entire text of the Simpsonwood event, found HERE, basically negate this entire report. It's still my opinion that the CDC lied about a known relationship between thimerosal and autism. A report that says, "No we didn't," just doesn't change that.
Enzi Report Clears CDC and IOM of Mercury Coverup
From the Autism Speaks Website: Senate HELP Committee Releases
Thimerosal Report
Link to thimerosal report
On Friday, September 28, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP Committee) released a report from
Ranking Member Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), entitled Thimerosal and
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Alleged Misconduct by Government Agencies and
Private Entities. These findings are the result of an 18-month
investigation into allegations of misconduct on the part of individuals and U.S.
government officials related to the use of the preservative thimerosal
in childhood vaccines and its possible contribution to an increase in
rates of autism. While the report does not render an opinion on the
safety of thimerosal in vaccines, it assesses allegations of misconduct by
government officials and private entities in connection with the
thimerosal controversy.
The Committee addressed a total of seven allegations brought to
its attention by family members of children with autism, as well as by
medical researchers active in the autism community. Of the allegations
made, two were substantiated, one was partially substantiated, and four
were not substantiated by the evidence gathered. Senator Enzi is
closing this investigation, while continuing to monitor developments on this
issue.
Link to Enzi Report
Here is the report conclusion.
In summary, the Ranking Member investigated allegations of
misconduct in connection with the finding by public health authorities that
thimerosal does not cause autism. Two allegations were substantiated,
one allegation was partially substantiated, and four allegations were not
substantiated.
The Ranking Member substantiated two allegations:
• Thimerosal does remain in childhood vaccines shipped to
developing countries.
• The EPA mercury guidelines were an inappropriate basis for
evaluating mercury in vaccines.
The Ranking Member partially substantiated shortcomings in the
IoM's conflict screening procedures, but did not find evidence that any
conflicts improperly influenced the IoM's findings. Further with regard
to the IoM findings, the Ranking Member did found the following: 15
Pediatrics, The Process of Public Policy Formulation: The Case of
Thimerosal in Vaccines, Freed, et.al.
Vol. 109 No. 6 June 2002, pp. 1153-1159 16 Pediatrics, The
Process of Public Policy Formulation: The Case of Thimerosal in Vaccines,
Freed, et.al.
Vol. 109 No. 6 June 2002, pp. 1153-1159 17 Pediatrics, The
Process of Public Policy Formulation: The Case of Thimerosal in Vaccines,
Freed, et.al.
Vol. 109 No. 6 June 2002, pp. 1153-1159 18 From the October 5,
2004 testimony of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH available at
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/congress/2004/10052004_testimony.htm
11
• CDC did not interfere with the 2001 and 2004 IoM vaccine
safety studies.
• The ISR Committee did not rely on five studies that were
manipulated by CDC and vaccine manufacturers.
Following an exhaustive investigation, four other allegations of
misconduct proved unsubstantiated:
• The CDC did not convene the Simpsonwood Conference to cover
up findings of causality.
• Dr. Thomas Verstraeten was not pressured into changing his
findings.
• The CDC did not hide the Vaccine Safety Datalink from the
public.
• There was no organized plan to establish numerous
international public health organizations in order to cover up the truth about a
causal link between childhood vaccines and autism.
The Ranking Member did not attempt independently to answer the
scientific question of whether thimerosal, in fact, causes autism. The
answer to this question continues to be controversial, and is the subject
of continuing litigation. Because this question has not been answered
to the satisfaction of the American people, Congress passed the
Combating Autism Act (P.L. 109-416), which funds nearly a billion dollars in
further research, screening, intervention and education.
Great strides are being made in understanding the etiology of
autism and other childhood neurological disorders. The National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development are leading an ambitious research effort to better understand
the causes of autism and options for treatment. A recent report to
Congress from the NIMH19 outlined that across HHS, significant resources
have been devoted to the cause of better understanding autism. These
efforts include a network of 129 researchers at 23 universities, working
with more than 2,200 families to conduct research on the possible
genetic, immunological, neurobiological, and environmental causes of autism in
addition to a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and
EPA collaboration to research the possible environmental aspects of
autism. The Ranking Member of the HELP Committee will continue to support
these efforts and will continue to monitor the progress that is being
made in addressing this important public health concern.
