Thats right. This is no joke. Republican Dan Burton of Indiana has actually done something positive on behalf of the American people, namely families dealing with the epidemic of autism. Is there hope for our country yet?
On June 11, 2007, NBC Nightly News broadcast a report from a Dr. Nancy Snyderman and again the next day on the Today Show where she opined on thimerosol, the mercury-based vaccine preservative that many believe is linked to the autism epidemic. Of course, NBC failed to note that Dr. Snyderman has ties to Johnson & Johnson, defendants in the vaccine injury litigation, but hey how could a wonderful news organization possibly know this fact. How about two second Google Search that would show that she was a former Johnson & Johnson Vice President. Link
But back to Burton. By letter dated June 21, 2007, he lets NBC have it:
while commenting on autism proceedings in vaccine court, Dr. Snyderman stated, "...there's no scientific proof that there is a relationship between thimerosal and autism." This is simply factually inaccurate.
Damn right Rep. Burton. He goes on to back up his claim of inaccuracy very effectively and gives NBC a good lesson in just how inaccurate that statement is in his letter. His conclusion:
The bottom line is that mercury is a base element and the most toxic substance known to science outside of radioactive materials; and each of these hard science studies, and more, show that it is biologically plausible for mercury exposure in vaccines to cause the onset of autism and provide tantalizing pieces in the puzzle about how.
Don't blind the good doctor with actual science Rep. Burton. Thats just not fair. How can a good pharmaceutical company hack talking head respond to scientific facts?
But he doesn't stop there.
Another disturbing example of inaccurate reporting occurred further along in the interview when Dr. Snyderman claimed that vaccines no longer contained thimersol. Again, Dr. Snyderman's claim is factually inaccurate. According to the FDA's own website, mercury remains in one formulation of the DTaP vaccine, the pediatric version of the Hepatitis B vaccine, and three of the four formulations of the influenza vaccine normally administered to children and pregnant mothers -and in amounts that exceed FDA and EPA safety guidelines. In terms of all of the 43 currently manufactured U.S. licensed vaccines, mercury remains in 15 of them.
There goes the "no more mercury in vaccines" talking point. Be careful out there parents. This problem has not gone away. Please read the full letter by Burton, he really destroys alot of myths.
Not to be outdone, the National Autism Association, by letter date June 13, 2007, also chimed in. You see it wasn't enough for Dr. Hack Snyderman to appear on the Nightly News she also had to show up the next day on the Today Show to spread disinformation to more Americans. Some highlights of the Today Show appearance:
In her most recent NBC appearance, Dr. Snyderman was asked why parents were filings claims on behalf of their vaccine-injured children, to which she answered matter-of-factly, "money."
Fuck you Dr. Snyderman and NBC. No amount of money will make my son or nephew normal. No amount of money will make my son talk to me or answer my questions or play with other kids the way other kids do. I know you and your corporate partners are driven by money and greed, but this American is not. We want to know why this is happening. And MOST importantly we want to make sure it does not happen to other people and their children because we don't want to see other fellow citizens have to go through what we are going through. It is that simply you greedy, corporate shill.
Credit where credit is due. Rep. Burton is a Republican and I cannot personally remember the last time I said anything good about a Republican. Great letter Rep. Burton, keep up the good work.
The National Autism Assoc. letter and Burton's can also be found at their web site.