From Dan Burton to his colleagues:
Facts and Fiction About Thimerosal in Vaccines
November 18, 2002
Dear Colleague:
During the past 24 hours, a number of incorrect statements have been made
about the vaccine provisions in the Homeland Security Act. The facts are
simple. These provisions severely restrict the legal rights of parents who
believe their children have suffered neurological damage due to vaccines.
The scientific debate remains unresolved. These provisions do not belong in
the Homeland Security Act. I hope the following points will help separate
fact from fiction.
FICTION: Scientists have concluded that there is no causal connection
between mercury-containing thimerosal and neurological disorders such as
autism.
FACT: In 2001, the respected Institute of Medicine concluded that a
connection between thimerosal and autism, while unproven, is "biologically
plausible." The IOM called for further research, stating, "the evidence is
inadequate to accept or reject a causal relationship between exposure to
thimerosal from vaccines and neurological developmental disorders of autism,
ADHD, and speech and language delays."
FACT: Researchers in the state of California concluded this year that there
is no statistical explanation for the nearly 300% increase in cases of
autism in that state. "It is astounding to see a threefold increase in
autism with no explanation," said Dr. Robert Byrd, an epidemiologist who led
the study. "There's a number of things that need to be answered. We need to
rethink the possible causes of autism."
FACT: An internal HHS document produced to the House Government Reform
Committee during its investigation into vaccine safety described what it
referred to as a "weak signal" in its data linking thimerosal to
neurological disorders:
"Preliminary screening of ICD-9 codes for possible neurologic and
renal conditions following exposures to vaccines containing thimerosal
before 3 months of age showed a statistical association for the overall
category of neurological developmental disorders and for two conditions
within the category, speech delay and attention deficit disorder."
FACT: If there were no concerns that scientific research would demonstrate
a connection between thimerosal and autism, Sections 1714-1717 would not
have been tacked onto the Homeland Security Act in the eleventh hour with no
debate.
FICTION: Sections 1714-1717 do not eliminate the rights of vaccine-injured
individuals to sue manufacturers of vaccines and their components.
Proponents of these provisions have stated that once individuals have gone
through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program they can still choose to
file a civil law suit.
FACT: For many families who believe their children were injured by
mercury-based thimerosal, these provisions do eliminate their right to file
suits. The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has a narrow 3-year statute
of limitations. Because many families were unaware of the program, they
were unable to file a petition on time. Sections 1714-1717 take away their
only remaining legal recourse.
FICTION: Thimerosal has now been removed from all childhood vaccines and is
therefore no longer a concern.
FACT: While thimerosal has recently been removed from most pediatric
vaccines used in the United States, it is still used in the flu vaccine
given every year to millions of Americans, including children as young as
six months old.
FACT: The argument that thimerosal has been removed from most pediatric
vaccines is beside the point. Because the FDA was painfully slow to seek
the removal of thimerosal during the 1990's, millions of children across the
country were exposed to this mercury-based preservative at a time when
concerns about its health effects were emerging. The legal rights of these
children should not be curtailed.
Please vote to strip Sections 1714-1717 from the Homeland Security Act.
Fifteen years ago, only 1 in 10,000 children was autistic. Today that number
has skyrocketed to 1 in 250. Let's not be stampeded into cutting off the
legal rights of these children without hearings and a full public debate.
Sincerely,
Dan Burton
Chairman
House Committee on Government Reform
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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