MERCURY IN VACCINES AND THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC: A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY
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NY TIMES SUNDAY BOOK SECTION 4/17/05; AND INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE 4/26/05: [CLICK HERE TO VIEW]
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER 5/23/05 CLICK HERE TO VIEW
WASHINGTON POST 5/15/05 - Health and Science -
Mercury Rising
Assigning the best minds to the task of developing vaccines to protect against debilitating illness is an unarguably noble goal, but only if those minds can be trusted to act in an unarguably noble fashion. That is an unspoken thesis of David Kirby's Evidence of Harm (St. Martin's, $26.95), which carries the hefty subtitle "Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy."
While the title suggests a balanced consideration of an issue that has pitted mainstream medicine and government agencies against a committed -- and highly vocal -- minority of activists and researchers, that is not what's presented here. Kirby, a science and health contributor to the New York Times, acknowledges as much, and he is well-served by his choice to tell the story of the dispute mainly through the "Mercury Moms." The individual efforts of these parents -- not all women -- to trace the roots of autism in their own sons led them into an alliance with one another and into the heart of an epidemic, one they came to believe was being covered up by the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government.
Whether or not one chooses to embrace their conspiracy theory, Kirby's portrayal manages to make his protagonists seem far from crazy. They have been derided as dangerous anti-vaccination zealots, but Kirby sets their focus on the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal against "modern science's near-religious faith in all things genetic."
Behind the repeated pronouncements, from the CDC and elsewhere, that there is no known link between thimerosal and autism (which is widely understood to be a genetic disorder), the Mercury Moms see manipulation designed to protect against liability. The battle rages on, and while Evidence of Harm offers no prospect of a truce, it does provide crystal clarity on an often misunderstood side of the argument.
-- Gregory Mott
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AMAZON.COM
Avoiding hyperbole while writing about a possible medical catastrophe is no easy task, but David Kirby has created a fine balance of investigative and personal detail in Evidence of Harm. Combining stories from the parents of autistic children with reports, speeches and studies from researchers, pediatricians and government officials, he creates a picture that is as terrifying as anything dreamed up by Hitchcock.The topic at hand is determining whether high levels of organic mercury present in an inexpensive preservative used in vaccinations can cause either autism or autism-like symptoms. Kirby's in a delicate position, searching for the truth between frantic parents (he focuses on the founders of political action group Safe Mind) and the self-protective pharmaceutical industry (the author thanks the nameless person who placed a pro-Eli Lilly litigation rider into the Homeland Security Act of 2002). He's also honest enough of a reporter to admit to the temptation of deciding mercury is the culprit behind a range of disorders, even in light of some inconclusive test results. The ultimate truth isn't clear, and Kirby is direct about each of the reasons his sources have for their biased opinions.
While some of the straight research reports will likely to go over the head of anyone not well versed in the terminology, the book is never dull--there is a continual urgency in the material that resists pedantry. However undecided the experts, readers will likely land firmly in one angry camp or the other. Jill Lightner----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLOOMBERG NEWS 5/2/05 --Is Dramatic Jump in Autism Linked to Mercury in Vaccines?
David Kirby is not the parent of an autistic child.He's a single guy, a New York freelance journalist always looking for a good story to tell.
He found one in 2002, when he began researching a possible link between mercury used in a vaccine preservative and autism, a disorder that affects the development of social and communication skills.
The result is his new book ``Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy'' (St. Martin's Press, 460 pages, $26.95).
Kirby, a New York Times contributor for the past eight years, interviewed dozens of parents to find out how their children had developed autism. He pored over medical journals, clinical studies and government documents. The families he met and the things he learned shook him. ``You cannot help but
feel compassion,'' Kirby, 44, said during a recent interview at a cafe on the Upper West Side.
Kirby rattles off statistics that would make anyone's mouth drop, even if you don't have autistic children (I do) or know anyone with the disorder. Reported autism cases among American children have risen to one in 166
today, from one in 10,000 in 1987, Kirby says. While some attribute that jump to the fact that milder forms of autism are now being diagnosed, others say there has to be another, environmental reason, for what they
call an ``epidemic.''
No Proof
``A little voice told me, `This is the book you've been waiting to write,''' Kirby said.
He doesn't profess to know whether mercury causes autism. What he does insist is that nobody can say for certain that the two are not linked.
Scientists and government officials say there is no ``evidence of harm'' caused by thimerosal, the vaccine preservative made with mercury. But no evidence of harm, Kirby says, is not the same as proof of safety.
As Kirby tells it, the first case of autism was recorded in the early 1940s, a few years after thimerosal was introduced in vaccines. Until 1999, infant vaccines to fight diptheria, tetanus, whooping cough, haemophilus
influenza type b and hepatitis B contained thimerosal.
Raising Questions
Kirby challenges the pharmaceutical companies who made the vaccines with mercury, a toxic heavy metal; the doctors who gave the vaccines and insisted they were safe; the health officials who increased the number of
vaccinations required for entry into public schools; and the scientists who said they could not find a link between autism and mercury.
If there's no ``evidence of harm,'' Kirby asks, then why did government officials begin removing thimerosal from the vaccines in 1999? And why in 2002, did politicians throw a provision into the Homeland Security Act to shield vaccine makers from thimerosal-related lawsuits?
Kirby delivers a well-written story that weaves in startling facts and takes you on a roller-coaster ride into the homes of families devastated by autism. It tells tales of government bureaucracy and political cronyism
that, if true, are appalling.
We learn about nine families struggling to find the answers and help their children. Like Lyn Redwood, an Atlanta nurse practitioner who was stunned to discover that her autistic son received vaccines with mercury levels that were 125 times over the Environmental Protection Act limit.
Real Stories
Or Albert Enayati, a New Jersey chemical engineer whose son stopped talking and started banging his head against the wall shortly after vaccination on his second birthday.
This isn't just a book for the parents of autistic kids. It's really four stories in one, Kirby says: a tale of personal human tragedy, a political whodunit, a medical mystery and a legal courtroom drama.
It took me several weeks to read ``Evidence of Harm.'' Maybe it was the detail-filled narrative from the parents' point of view that made me put the book down every so often and walk away. I shared their pain, their anger, their feeling of helplessness.
Autism symptoms develop before a child is 3 years old, though signs may be present as early as a year. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include delay or loss of speech, as well as obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
Parents' Fight
Redwood and Enayati were among those parents that joined together to uncover evidence that mercury could have played a role in the disorder, Kirby said.
These parents found allies in politicians such as U.S. Representative Dan Burton, who believes his two grandchildren suffered from thimerosal exposure in vaccines.
Kirby says his book reveals data showing a high correlation between autism and thimerosal. The figures were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through a Freedom of Information Act request by parents and researchers.
My husband, an artist, has long believed that mercury contributed to developmental delays in both our children. As a journalist, I was more skeptical. After reading Kirby's book, I'm not so sure there isn't a link.
Today, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal, according to the CDC. If autism rates soon begin to drop, Kirby says, it will be proof that the preservative was linked to the disorder.
To Vaccinate or Not
To be sure, some children with autism were never exposed to thimerosal, and most who got vaccines did not become autistic. But mercury's effects can vary considerably among individuals, depending upon things such as genetics and metabolic rates.
Kirby says that ``Evidence of Harm'' isn't an anti-vaccine book and that if he had children, he would vaccinate them. Still, more and more parents -- my husband and I included -- hesitate to vaccinate until the cause of
autism is found.
``We need to raise these questions, so we can clear up all the confusion,'' Kirby says. ``If we can't prove a link between autism and mercury, fine. Then let's find out what does, so we can all move on.''_______________________________________________________________________
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - ***STARRED REVIEW***
The first serious journalistic account of a highly controversial topic, Kirby's book addresses the front-page question: has a mercury-containing preservative called thimerosal, commonly used in children's vaccines, caused a national epidemic of juvenile autism?
Following the development of the debate through the eyes of a handful of impassioned parents who formed the political action group, Safe Minds, Kirby, an experienced writer for the New York Times, crafts an engrossing David and Goliath story from this controversy, one in which the giant is an amalgamation of big government bureaucrats and corporate pharmaceutical lobbyists.
Whether the association between thimerosal and autism is real remains to be seen, as Kirby points out. The evidence, presented here in excruciating detail but clouded by the parents' editorializing, is inconclusive but suggestive. Readers inclined to believe the parents' case will be convinced that there has been a big conspiracy; readers inclined to be skeptical will likely view the parents as self-serving proselytizers who spin each piece of evidence to suit their forgone conclusions.
Walking the middle line, Kirby acknowledges that "each side accuses the other of being irrational, overzealous, blind to evidence they find inconvenient, and subject to professional, financial, or emotional conflicts of interest that cloud their judgment." And though Kirby clearly sympathizes with the parents' tragic experience of autism in their families and their inherent desire for justice, and though he occasionally demonstrates a lack of understanding about the politics of scientific publication and the wording of scientific articles, his book remains one of the most thoroughly researched accounts of the thimerosal controversy thus far.
This is the book for medical professionals and concerned parents to read. It's accessible in its handling of medical topics and compelling in its recounting of the parents' fight to advance their agenda in the face of both political and scientific roadblocks.
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Kirby follows the tug of war between government health agencies and the parents and their supporters. Kirby does an admirable job of clarifying most of the scientific background (but) doesn't offer his own verdict on the debate -- although he makes the unassailable point that American health agencies lagged in calculating the amount of mercury being injected into babies.” – The New York Times & The International Herald Tribune
“Kirby's portrayal manages to make his protagonists seem far from crazy. They have been derided as dangerous anti-vaccination zealots, but Kirby sets their focus on the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal against ‘modern science's near-religious faith in all things genetic.’ The battle rages on, and while Evidence of Harm offers no prospect of a truce, it does provide crystal clarity on an often misunderstood side of the argument.” – The Washington Post
“Evidence of Harm is a gripping investigation. Much like the 9/11 commission's report, it is an alarming page-turner. Keep your eye on California, where autism cases are closely tracked. If autism-related diagnoses decline over the next year or two following the introduction of thimerosal-free vaccines, the finding will further fuel this simmering controversy.” -- Newsday
“One controversy looks likely to fester. Big Pharma would love to put it to rest, but the publication of a well-researched book is likely to push it to the fore. It isn’t a stretch to say Big Pharma’s fortunes are tethered in part to the Amazon.com sales rank of Evidence of Harm. If a link is found, the potential liability makes asbestos litigation look like belonging to a small claims court. Whichever side the reader ends up believing, Evidence of Harm makes one thing clear: this is an issue that will not go away.” -- Financial Times
“Kirby delivers a well-written story that weaves in startling facts and takes you on a roller-coaster ride into the homes of families devastated by autism. It tells tales of government bureaucracy and political cronyism that, if true, are appalling. It took me several weeks to read Evidence of Harm. Maybe it was the detail-filled narrative from the parents' point of view that made me put the book down every so often and walk away. I shared their pain, their anger, their feeling of helplessness.” -- Bloomberg News
“Perhaps, as evidence accumulates, the thimerosal theory may be validated. Perhaps not. Inquiry into the etiology and treatment of autism continues, though the seeming finality of the IOM report may stifle important research into environmental causes. Kirby’s book, as biased as it is, prompts us to dig deeper into this vital issue. One can only hope that medical and lay readers alike will react to the book responsibly, with both skepticism and an open mind.” -- The Lancet
“An engrossing David and Goliath story in which the giant is an amalgamation of big government bureaucrats and pharmaceutical lobbyists. Walking the middle line, Kirby’s book remains one of the most thoroughly researched accounts of the thimerosal controversy thus far. It's accessible in its handling of medical topics and compelling in its recounting of the parents' fight to advance their agenda in the face of both political and scientific roadblocks..”
-- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) ***“A riveting new book that examines this controversial but biologically plausible link, Evidence of Harm lines up the known evidence while telling the stories of a handful of determined parents forced to become their own detectives. You'll get eye-opening glimpses into the trenches where once normally developing kids slip into the shuttered world of autism and where their parents refuse to be bounced off the walls of seemingly impenetrable bureaucracies. Highly recommended.
– Knight Ridder Newspapers“Kirby creates warm portraits of parents trying desperately to find treatments for their damaged children while, at the same time, carrying on a war with both big government and big business. Kirby does a good job of explaining the scientific issues in an unresolved controversy.” -- Kirkus Reviews
"Evidence of Harm is the inspiring story of a handful of parents of autistic children challenging the powers-that-be with evidence supporting the scientifically plausible theory of a mercury-autism connection and demanding that it be properly investigated. Pursuing the truth, they dare go where establishment business, science and government fear to tread. Kirby does his journalistic duty and presents the conflicting evidence over whether mercury in childhood vaccines contributed to the unprecedented rise in cases of autism. It is an important book. It is important for politicians and policy-makers, lest they forget that theirs is to protect those who put their trust in them; theirs is not preserving a system at the expense of those the system is meant to serve.” – St. Paul Pioneer Press
“Kirby's book is many things -- a David and Goliath story, a multi-layered mystery, a detailed summation of science to date -- but in my opinion it is most important as a work of translation. By presenting these parents' story, Kirby goes a long way toward explaining how they acquired their passionate conviction. Kirby rather convincingly shows that so far science has failed to lay the argument to rest, regardless of what either side declares. The book is meticulously documented and painstakingly researched (and) everyone has a chance to have their say. I think it's time everyone started listening.”
-- The Times-News, (Hendersonville, NC)“Read this book! David Kirby's superb, even-handed account of the investigation into this ongoing, high-stakes controversy is fascinating and compelling. The poignant personal accounts of the families of autistic children are heart-wrenching.”
-- Dr. Bernard Rimland, Autism Research Institute and Autism Society of America
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RANTS & RAVES
Six months from now, this will be the biggest subject that everyone is talking about.” – Montel Williams
“WARNING! -- Reporter David Kirby has recently written a book, ‘Evidence of Harm,’ purporting that there is a link between thimerosal and autism and other developmental disorders. This book is being marketed aggressively. Publicity surrounding the release of this book has the potential to confuse families who are asking appropriate questions about vaccine safety.”
--National Network for Immunization Information“We at CDC are in the process of reviewing Mr. Kirby’s book in detail, but the general issues raised in the book have already been extensively examined, including by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The vast majority of studies have failed to find any association between exposure to thimerosal in vaccines and autism; that is, they have failed to find any evidence of harm.”
-- Dr. Stephen Cochi, National Immunization Program, CDC“‘Evidence of Harm’ is an important book. It is an important book for politicians and policy-makers lest they forget that theirs is to protect those who put their trust in them; theirs is not preserving a system at the expense of those the system is meant to serve.”
– Craig Westover, St. Paul Pioneer Press“It sickens me that there are still scare mongers out there like you worrying the public needlessly. I can't believe you still try to dispute the recent high quality studies that have put this issue to rest. Your book is too late, we don't use thimerisol in vaccines anymore except flu-vax. Make sure you tell Oprah et.al. that when you go out on tour. I hope you and it's publisher lose money on this book, for you should be held responsible for childhood morbidity due to unvaccination that results from your spinning of the truth. -- Email to David Kirby from a pediatrician
"There is a huge publicity campaign afoot, engineered by individuals who seek to bolster their claims that one child's autism caused by a vaccine reaction. That way, they can create a class action, get thousands of parents to join them in their crusade, and influence public opinion, including the opinion of prospective jurors in their cases. I am convinced that 'Evidence of Harm' is an integral component of that publicity campaign. I doubt that Kirby is disinterested. The book is published by St. Martin's, but I strongly suspect that SafeMinds underwrote production of the material that appears at his website. I would like to know whether David Kirby has received any compensation from SafeMinds during preparation of the book. The principals of SafeMinds have a substantial financial interest in the outcome of vaccine lawsuits. If Kirby was paid by them to write the book, he should disclose this.” -- Quackwatch Health Fraud Discussion List Member
Read this book! David Kirby's superb, even-handed account of the investigation into this ongoing, high-stakes controversy is fascinating and compelling. The poignant personal accounts of the families of autistic children are heart-wrenching.”-- Bernard Rimland, Autism Research Institute; Autism Society of America
“A riveting new book that examines this controversial but biologically plausible link. ‘Evidence of Harm’ lines up the known evidence while telling the stories of a handful of determined parents forced to become their own detectives. You'll get eye-opening glimpses into the trenches where once normally developing kids slip into the shuttered world of autism and where their parents refuse to be bounced off the walls of seemingly impenetrable bureaucracies. Highly recommended.
-- Richard Harkness, Biloxi Sun Herald
“I only caught the last 5 minutes or so of the piece with David Kirby, but I can't emphasize enough my dismay at the incomplete information that I heard. Unfortunately, preventive health is never 'media-friendly" because it’s just not that exciting to talk about all the awful disease that didn't happen.” --Letter to Leonard Lopate, WNYC
"The pharmaceutical industry, the CDC, the FDA, and a host of other people do NOT want you to read this book - because they are afraid of it. And they should be. This well-written book is one that all parents should read - and ask why no one from the above mentioned agencies or companies would talk to David Kirby. What are they hiding??? I am a scientist - a Harvard Ph.D. in Genetics and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of MIT - and although there is indeed no absolute proof that mercury in vaccines has caused this epidemic, neither is there disproof. What is abundant in this book is plenty of reason to believe that there is evidence of harm.”
-- John M. Greene, Ph.D., Amazon.com reader
“Everyone’s holding their breath in anticipation of the effect the book will have on everything. Kirby has done a masterful job making a lot of weirdness intolerably believable. I just can't imagine anyone, on finishing the book, going: "Hmm, that's nice." -- Lenny Schafer, The Schafer Autism Report
“A plethora of books and other material on autism is attracting the attention of readers and viewers. The new book with the most buzz is ‘Evidence of Harm’ by David Kirby.” -- The Clarion Ledger, (Jackson, MS)
“Kirby's not alone in asking whether autism is a misdiagnosis for mercury poisoning. An increasing number of families, physicians, scientists, and some in Congress point to a growing body of evidence linking mercury toxicity with otherwise unexplained disorders like autism.” --Coy Barefoot & Alison Bell, The Hook, (Charlottesville, VA)
"Reading 'Evidence of Harm' was almost more than I could bear. Condensed in a few days were the years of searching and anguish each moment re-lived through the unfolding events chronicled by Kirby. David has delivered a top-rate book. If the devil's in the details, Kirby has hunted him to ground with all the skills of a fine investigative reporter. 'Evidence of Harm' captures the scientific evidence and the suffering and sacrifice of parents who did the impossible -- beat big government, big business, and big science with faith in themselves and their cause. It is a terrible tale and a book needing to be written" - Edmund Arranga, Autism One
“A riveting tapestry that will hold the interest of parents of newly diagnosed children, seasoned advocates, and members of the general public. ‘Evidence of Harm’ is a powerful historical account.” -- Teri Small, Autism One Radio
"David Kirby has done a superb job of chronicling history as the truth is uncovered. I sat in the hearing rooms and felt the pain of these parents. I marched by their side at the rallies. Thank God there are parents and researchers, doctors and advocates who will not give up, who will sacrifice their time and careers, who will go without sleep to find the answer to stop this epidemic. I am proud to count them as my friends. Thanks to David Kirby there is a voice loud and strong sending this message to the world. Let the truth be known! Save our children! -- Nancy H. Cale, Unlocking Autism
“The thimerosal issue is not going away, and is likely to heat up even more with the publication of Evidence of Harm. It’s a must-read for parents of children with autism and, for that matter, anyone concerned about our country’s public health.” --Ela Schwartz, Spectrum Magazine
“David Kirby's mesmerizing chronicle of this mega-scandal will shock even the most cynical observer of corporate greed in America. The ultimate David and Goliath tale for a modern age. The FDA, CDC, and pharmaceutical giants have a lot of explaining to do.”
-- Rita Shreffler, National Autism Association
"David Kirby's book is very good and will help to blow the lid off this subject. He has done a thorough job of research. His take on epidemiology is right on the mark. And he writes well. His description of that infamous IOM meeting chaired by Dr. McCormick is gripping. You feel like you are there, in the audience, hoping to see truth and justice prevail.” -- Donald Miller, MD, Professor of Surgery, University of Washington“As a pediatrician, I'm deeply disappointed by your choice to interview David Kirby. Like with the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth campaign, giving media exposure to a completely unsubstantiated allegation perpetuates false information and sews doubt where there should be none. I must waste time discussing how thimerosol is not a risk to a parent's child. I wonder how many of the 2000 or more influenza deaths per year among U.S. children you or your guest are willing to be responsible for? Unfortunately, doubts remain in the minds of parents--just as they did in the minds of voters about John Kerry's Vietnam service. From Fox News, I expect this poor quality of journalism.”--Letter to Leonard Lopate, WNYC Radio
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ST PAUL PIONEER PRESS - "Objective Look Taken at Vaccines, Autism"
By Craig Westover
Objectivity is the first principle of journalism. Presenting a balanced view of all sides of an issue defines a simple (and simplistic) measure; "balanced" is not equivalent to "accurate."
Therein lie the conflicting reactions of praise and condemnation for New York Times contributor David Kirby's new book "Evidence of Harm — Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic, A Medical Controversy."
"Objectivity is something I grappled with the whole time I was writing the book," Kirby told me in a phone interview. "Books have a point of view. But a point of view is different than advocacy.
"The title emerged from the text itself," Kirby said. " 'Evidence of harm' actually appears about 17 times in the book. 'Evidence' is the proper word for the title. There is a growing body of evidence of harm from vaccines containing mercury. 'Proof of harm' uses a very loaded word, and I didn't want to go quite that far."
Interest in Kirby's book (pre-release orders place it No. 78 in the Amazon.com sales ranking) are driven in part by the unprecedented rise in autism rates. Before 1980 the historical rate of diagnosed autism was four to five cases for every 10,000 live births. The CDC pegs the current autism ratio at one case in every 166 live births.
Kirby notes that those figures have compelled officials, however reluctantly, to consider another biological component to autism besides other prevailing genetic theories. There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. What is that biological cause? That's the question Kirby addresses.
On one level, "Evidence of Harm" encapsulates the controversy over the use of the mercury-based preservative thimerosal in childhood vaccines.
Kirby does his journalistic duty and presents the conflicting evidence over whether mercury in childhood vaccines contributed to the unprecedented rise in cases of autism. Often he uses the advocate's own words. Sometimes those words — or lack of them — are damning.
"Many of the public health officials who discount the thimerosal theory were unwilling to be interviewed for this book (or prohibited from speaking by superiors)," Kirby writes. "Readers are invited to reach their own conclusions on the evidence."
On a second level, "Evidence of Harm" is the inspiring story of a handful of parents of autistic children challenging the powers-that-be with evidence supporting the scientifically plausible theory of a mercury-autism connection and demanding that it be properly investigated. Pursuing the truth, they dare go where establishment business, science and government fear to tread.
The notion that vaccines might cause harm, even to a minority of kids, "threatens the very core of what these bureaucrats believe in," Kirby quotes the father of an autistic child as saying. "The whole apparatus is there to do good. … The notion that [vaccinations] are harmful is unthinkable [to them]."
But the parents' fight is more than just another David versus Goliath story. There is a third level on which one can read "Evidence of Harm." Regardless of one's belief or even interest in a mercury-autism connection, "Evidence of Harm" is a devastating picture of ineffectual bureaucratic response to urgent concerns of the very people the system is intended to serve.
So is "Evidence of Harm" an objective examination of the mercury-autism connection?
If one expects a balanced view that considers all arguments equally valid, the answer is no. Kirby points out the misrepresentations and overstatements of each side in the debate, but, as he should, he makes no apologies for nor creates camouflaging cover for weak arguments in the name of "balance."
But if one expects, as one should, that the author has unflinchingly followed where the research led and rendered an accurate account of what he found, then the answer to the objectivity question is undeniably yes.
"Evidence of Harm" is an important book.
It is an information source for parents with autistic children and for prospective parents concerned not only that their children are vaccinated, but that they are vaccinated safely.
It is an important book for politicians and policy-makers lest they forget that theirs is to protect those who put their trust in them; theirs is not preserving a system at the expense of those the system is meant to serve.
And it is an important book for everyone else, for it reminds us, yet again, that securing individual welfare is not to be found in blind trust of bureaucratic systems — however well-intentioned.
That is my objective opinion.
http://www.craigwestover.blogspot.com
KIRKUS REVIEWS
A sympathetic account of parents battling the government and the pharmaceutical industry because they’re convinced a form of mercury used in vaccines is the principal cause of their children’s autism.
Kirby, a science contributor to the New York Times, acknowledges that while there is no proof that mercury in vaccines causes autism, neither is there any proof of its safety. Parents of children, mostly boys, who developed autism after being inoculated with vaccines containing the mercury-based preservative thimerosal have been gathering data that they believe demonstrates a link between the increase in thimerosal-containing vaccinations and the increase in US cases of autism – from 1 in 5,000 in the 1980s to 1 in 166 today. One side calls this an epidemic; the other claims it’s the result of better diagnostics and reporting.
Kirby creates warm portraits of parents trying desperately to find treatments for their damaged children while, at the same time, carrying on a war with both big government and big business. With a wealth of detail, he shows the activists waging battle on four fronts: in the scientific literature and science meetings; in the courts; in Congress; and with powerful government health agencies – the Centers for Disease Control and the FDA.
Although he presents evidence for both sides, the parents, who willingly talked to him, appear in a more favorable light than the bureaucrats, who did not grant him interviews. Kirby points out that while the government agencies and the drug companies reject the activists’ theory that mercury causes autism, its use in pediatric vaccines, except flu shots, is rapidly being phased out in the United States. Further, he notes that an unfortunate result of this affair is the refusal of some parents to allow their children to receive any vaccinations against serious diseases.
With knocks to bureaucrats and kudos to parents, Kirby does a good job of explaining the scientific issues in an unresolved controversy.
SPECTRUM MAGAZINE - "Presenting the Evidence" By Ela Schwartz
This April will see publication of a book that’s a must-read for parents of children with autism and, for that matter, anyone concerned about our country’s public health. Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy (St. Martin’s Press, April 2005) by David Kirby explores the thimerosal debate and how a group of parents took on the government and the medical establishment in their quest to find an explanation for the rapid increase in autism.
In 2002 Kirby, a journalist and frequent contributor to The New York Times, was researching alternative autism treatments when he came across the thimerosal theory. Shortly afterward, his interest was piqued when the House of Representatives passed the Homeland Security Act, which includes a provision at the end granting Eli Lilly and other pharmaceutical behemoths immunity from liability for damages caused by thimerosal used in vaccines.
The book presents the argument of parents and researchers that CDC data from the federal vaccine database that originally found a high correlation between mercury exposure and autism was manipulated until the risk was shown to not be statistically significant.
Kirby notes that although he tried to equally present both sides of the controversy, the book is skewed to the parents’ viewpoint due to the fact that public officials were unwilling or unable to speak on the record. He notes that "evidence" should not be interpreted as "proof" and invites readers to reach their own conclusions.
He hopes the book will encourage the government and the National Institutes of Health to look into thimerosal as well as the activities of the CDC and the FDA and raise awareness of the importance of solving the mystery of rapidly increasing autism rates.
"If thimerosal is not responsible for the apparent autism epidemic in the United States, then it is incumbent upon our public health officials to mount a full-scale quest to identify the actual cause," he says. "At the very least the thimerosal debate has compelled the scientific community, however reluctantly, to consider an environmental component to the disorder, rather than looking for a purely genetic explanation. Autism, by most accounts, is epidemic. And there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic."
Kirby says that even if thimerosal is not the cause, there is still the issue of how mercury is permeating our environment. "We’re swimming in it," he says. "The EPA has established that it’s in our lakes, rivers, and the fish we eat and is much worse in areas where there is a coal-burning plant."
But there are bright spots on the horizon. "I think we’re getting closer to pinpointing the causes and potential cures for autism," he says. Richard A. Buttar, DO, vice chairman of the American Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology and Visiting Scientist at North Carlolina State University, is using a new, more aggressive chelating agent called DMPS, which Kirby says is "a sulfur-based substance and cousin of DMSA, the oral chelation treatment that most parents use on their autistic children." Children undergoing treatment have shown a remarkable improvement in behavior and cognitive skills.
Another promising treatment is giving children injections of methyl B-12, especially when combined with chelation, Kirby says. "A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing low levels of glutathione in autistic children is hugely signficiant in the effort to link mercury exposure to childhood disorders such as autism," he notes. "The work of Jill James of the University of Arkansas, which shows how a genetically altered metabolism can play a role in blocking the body’s ability to excrete heavy metals such as mercury, is one more piece of this complicated puzzle that is dovetailing into a workable theory." ece of this complicated puzzle that is dovetailing into a workable ______________________________________________________________________________
MEDICAL VERITAS - Review by Teri Small
The halls of Congress, to the kitchen table of SafeMinds president, Lyn Redwood, to behind the closed doors of the clandestine CDC Simpsonwood meeting, Evidence of Harm is a Who’s Who of the autism advocacy community and a Whodunnit of the most heinous and far-reaching iatrogenic epidemic known to modern man.
This book reads like a detec-tive novel and a history book all at once. Reading this book as the parent of a child with vaccine-induced autism/mercury poi-soning, and even though Mr. Kirby states facts and makes no judgment, I was constantly covering my mouth with horror and needing to take frequent breaks due to the intensity of the in-formation presented and the repeated implicit reminder that “THEY KNEW” and that, hence, the perpetuation of this tragedy was preventable. Reading this book as a seasoned advocate, I was impressed at the investigative detail presented by Mr. Kirby that held even my interest.
Lastly, reading this book as a member of the autism advocacy community, I appreciated the personal stories and tenacious struggles that Mr. Kirby shared about others in the autism advocacy community, which adds a dimension to the respect that all of us waging this sustained battle should feel towards one another. This book does not rest on sentimentality…. This book contains scientific information substantiating the validity of a Thimerosal-autism connection. And this book contains numer-ous quotes from agency personnel and government officials lending credence to the connection – even an FDA official con-demning the FDA’s failure to do simple high school algebra that could have prevented multitudes of infants from being mercury poisoned.
And HOW did little mercury poisoned, vac-cine-injured, disabled children end up being involved in the rider surreptitiously inserted into the Homeland Security Bill at the eleventh hour? Evidence of Harm raises that question, too. If you DON’T have an affected child and you’re NOT a member of the autism advocacy community, why should you read this book? Precisely because this iatrogenic debacle occurred under the allegedly watchful eyes of some of America’s —even the world’s—most prestigious and trusted public agencies, you must be aware of what has happened.
If the mass poiSoning of thousands upon thousands of children is found to be true, you have paid with your tax dollars and votes for agencies and officials that have let you down. You have paid and will continue to pay with your tax dollars and diminished quality of life for generations of children who are poisoned, brain-damaged, dysfunctional, and maladapted to productive living in our society. You are paying for medical, educational, social service, and adult service programs to handle a vast number of poisoned youths and debilitated adults. YOUR health and the health of YOUR children are in jeopardy, because the same agencies and public servants who were “asleep at the switch” or that tried to cover up the largest iatrogenic tragedy wrought upon America and the world are still in control, are still being protected, and are still protecting the powerful pharmaceutical companies that weigh in heavily on Capitol Hill.
Countries affected by this catastrophe will never be the same: the intellec-tual heritage has been plundered and the future for these chilDren and these countries cannot ever be the same. Evidence of Harm provides substantiation of this preventable disaster to all Americans and the world
© David Kirby, all rights reserved.
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