MERCURY IN VACCINES AND THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC: A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY

Contact: Elizabeth Coxe, Publicist T: 212-674-5151 x525/ E: elizabeth.coxe@stmartins.com   APRIL IS NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH 1 in every 166 children in the United States has autism. What’s causing this epidemic? Is it possible that the FDA has made yet another grave oversight?  Evidence of Harm Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic A Medical Controversy David Kirby Did mercury in vaccines cause an epidemic of autism, ADD, ADHD, speech delay and other childhood disorders? Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy (St. Martin’s Press, April 2005, $26.95 Hardcover, ISBN: 0-312-32544-0), by New York Times contributor David Kirby, is a disturbing, important book that examines both sides of this brewing controversy—the personal stories of the affected families and the unfolding political drama in the courts and halls of Congress. Evidence of Harm is essentially the story of a handful of parents with autistic children who, upon learning that their kids received levels of mercury in their vaccines that far exceeded Federal safety limits, set out to take on Big Business, Big Science and Big Government with a radical new theory on the cause. These parents have uncovered compelling evidence that vaccine mercury, in the form of the preservative Thimerosal, could very well have played a role in the disease, and their medical, scientific, legal, and political allies are getting closer to establishing their claim. In November 2002, Kirby was researching alternative autism treatments on spec for a women's magazine when he came across the Thimerosal theory. He thought it was interesting, but a little far-fetched. One week later, the House of Representatives passed the Homeland Security Act, which included a secret and scandalous rider immunizing Eli Lilly and Co. from liability for any damage caused by Thimerosal in vaccines. The journalist in Kirby knew that something was fishy here. If Thimerosal were harmless, as government and drug industry leaders insisted (while also moving to phase it out of pediatric vaccines), then why was the cloak-and-dagger provision inserted anonymously in the middle of the night? By most assessments, autism is now epidemic in the United States. In the 1990's reported autism cases among American children began spiking, from about 1 in 10,000 children in 1987 to a shocking 1 in 166 today.  In this period, new shots containing Thimerosal were added to the nation's already crowded vaccination schedule. In 1999, the FDA announced that children were being exposed to mercury at very young ages at levels far exceeding federal regulations, but the public health establishment failed to take parental concerns about the impact seriously. Evidence of Harm explores both sides of this issue, which has pitted families and their allies against the federal government, public health agencies, medical academies, and powerful pharmaceutical giants.  It examines:  Story of Thimerosal: a mercury-based additive approved by the FDA in the 1930's as a vaccine preservative and never subsequently tested by the Agency   Increase in reported autism cases and apparent parallels to the increase in number and frequency of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations in the 1990s.   Private meeting at which FDA, CDC, medical and pharmaceutical company representatives discussed data on neurological childhood disorders related to mercury in vaccines   Mysterious rider to the 2002 Homeland Security bill, which would free drug companies of liability in lawsuits regarding Thimerosal   New biological research indicating a link between Thimerosal exposure and neurological disorders vs. government-sponsored epidemiological data which fails to show a link   Preliminary Federal investigations currently underway into allegations of fraud, malfeasance, and conflict of interest at pharmaceutical companies and among officials at the FDA and CDC   Recently discovered CDC data showing a shockingly high correlation between Thimerosal exposure and autism, ADD and other childhood disorders DAVID KIRBY has been a contributor to The New York Times for seven years, where he covers science and health, among other subjects, and has been a writer for over fifteen years.  He lives in Brooklyn, New York. For more information, please contact: Elizabeth Coxe, Publicist, St. Martin’s Press: 212-674-5151 x525/ elizabeth.coxe@stmartins.com Vicki Lame, Publicity Assistant, St. Martin’s Press: 212-674-5151 x540/ vicki.lame@stmartins.com   Jane Rohman, Publicist, Jane Rohman & Associates: 413-848-1407/ jrohman@earthlink.net   © David Kirby, all rights reserved. Web development services provided by Wendy's Web, LLC