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DISCLAIMER – The Autism Resource Foundation provides general information to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources, and the Autism Resource Foundation does not independently verify any of it, nor does it necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of the Autism Resource Foundation. Nothing on this website should be construed as medical advice. Always consult your doctor regarding the needs of your family.
Excerpt from Autism Facts.com
1980
Forstrom noted in his study, "Merthiolate Hypersensitivity and Vaccination":
Dr. Matheson reported in "Mercury Toxicity Induced by Long-Term Injection of Gamma Globulin" in the "Journal of Pediatrics" about a case of human poisoning that occurred with infusion of large volumes of plasma containing Thimerosal as a preservative. The patient developed acrodynia, or pink disease. Inorganic mercury accounted for about 50% of the total mercury in the patient's blood samples, compared to methylmercury blood levels which accounts for 10% of total inorganic mercury.
Autism appeared for the first time in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) as a developmental disorder. The DSM-III included childhood onset and it listed the symptoms of Asperger's disorder. Both were defined under atypical autism.
October 19, 1980An advisory committee for the FDA delivered its report on over-the-counter products. It reviewed 18 products containing mercury and found them all either unsafe or ineffective for their stated purposes of killing bacteria to prevent infections. They stated:
The panel cited the 1935 study of the effectiveness of Thimerosal in killing staphylococcus bacteria on chick tissue which determined that Thimerosal was 35 times more toxic to the heart tissue it was meant to protect than the bacteria it was meant to kill.
In Terms of safety, the panel cited a number of studies demonstrating the highly allergenic nature of Thimerosal and related organic mercury products. For instance, they cited a Swedish study that showed that 10 percent of school children, 16 percent of military recruits, 18 percent of twins, and 26 percent of medical students had hypersensitivity to Thimerosal. They stated that:
They determined that ethylmercury was unsafe in over-the-counter topical ointments and skin creams. By way of summarizing, they stated the following:
In regard to Thimerosal directly, they found evidence from 1950 that concluded that:
The FDA began a lengthy regulatory process to remove ethylmercury products in over-the-counter products like topical ointments, diaper rash creams, and contraceptives by way of issuing a Notice of Proposed Rules. They concluded:
No individuals sought to appear before the advisory committee in defense of mercury-containing products and there was no opposition to this action. They did not, however, issue an actual ban on Thimerosal in these products until 18 years later.
1981
A study published by Roger Bernier, who later worked on and co-authored the CDC study and was largely responsible for Thimerosal continuing to be used in vaccines, along with Dr.s Frank and Nolan published a paper in the "American Journal of Diseases of Children" called, "Abcesses Complicating DTP Vaccination" in which they found that streptococcus infections were traced back to multi-dose vials of DTP vaccines which were contaminated after being opened. These vaccines all contained Thimerosal which is used to kill such bacteria.
January 5, 1982
The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced but is not given to children or infants. It is put on the schedule for adults who are "high risk", such as IV drug users and adults with more than one sexual partner. The Hep B vaccine contains Thimerosal.
The FDA issued a second proposed rule to ban Thimerosal in OTC topical ointments. In addition to raising questions about the general effectiveness of Thimerosal for preventing infections, the FDA found that Thimerosal was too toxic for OTC use. Among the findings that they published were the following:
No individuals sought to appear before the advisory committee in defense of mercury-containing products and there was no opposition to this action. The FDA still did not issue the ban on Thimerosal in over-the-counter products.
An NBC documentary "DTP: Vaccine Roulette" aired concerning the risks about the DTP vaccine. Vaccine manufacturers and physician organizations began to heavily lobby the United States Congress to establish legislation to protect them in vaccine injury lawsuits. The National Vaccine Information Center, established by parents of vaccine-injured children, fought to insert vaccine safety provisions into the legislation that would require mandatory physician reporting and record keeping of vaccine reactions. Health officials opposed this asserting that vaccines had no true risks and that children who died or were injured after receiving them were genetically doomed to die or become disabled even without the vaccines.
April 1982
Two microbiologists at the Centers for Disease Control Mycology Division in Atlanta, Georgia, P.G. Standard and L. Kaufman, published a study, "Safety Considerations in Handling Exoantigen Extracts from Pathogenic Fungi" in the "Journal of Clinical Microbiology." They stated:
May 1982
Dr. Kravchenko of the State Research Institute of Standardization and Control of Medical and Biological Pharmaceuticals at the Ministry of Health in Moscow, Russia published, "The Cytotoxic Action Of Absorbed DPT Vaccine And Its Components On Cells Of The Continuous L132 Line" concerning Thimerosal. They stated:
June 25, 1982
The CDC recommendation is made that all infants born to mothers with Hepatitis B be given a Hep B Immunoglobulin at birth and a Hep B vaccine at 3 months of age. The Hep B immunoglobulin is a prophylactic medication to prevent the infant from contracting Hep B from the mother. The immunoglobulin contains Thimerosal with 25 mcgs. of mercury. The vaccine contains Thimerosal with 12.5 mcgs. of mercury.
1983
In a reference book found in emergency rooms and poison control centers nationally, the "Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products" by Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge, the 5th edition contained this statement:
Another label change occurs for Eli Lilly & Company for Thimerosal:
March 1983
A Russian article by Dr. A.T. Kravchenko titled, "Evaluation of the Toxic Action of Prophylactic and Therapeutic Preparations on Cell Cultures" concluded that:
He published this in a Russian Epidemiology journal and it was titled, "The Detection Of Toxic Properties In Medical Biological Preparations By The Degree Of Cell Damage."
In another paper, he noted that the concentration of Thimerosal contained in 1 vaccination was found to damage cells and that all of the medical and biological preparations (MBP) containing Thimerosal had the ability to damage cells. He concluded:
1984
Dr. J. Rohyans reported a case in the "Journal of Pediatrics" of severe poisoning with treatment of an infected ear using Thimerosal in a paper titled, "Mercury toxicity following Merthiolate ear irrigations."
Mid-1980's
Eli Lilly is now completely out of the business of manufacturing or selling Thimerosal-containing products. However, Thimerosal continued to be used in vaccines. Some other companies chose to cease production of products such as Merthiolate and mercurichrome, as well.
Autism rates are estimated at between 1 and 4 in 10,000 individuals in the U.S.
Hans Asperger's work finally became well known in the United States but was still not fully recognized by the medical community as its own separate disorder. Rett's Syndrome was also not recognized as such. Both were simply being recognized as forms of atypical autism.
1985
One study by Magos, Brown, Sparrow, Bailey from the Toxicology Unit, Medical Research Council Laboratories in England that compared the toxicology of ethyl and methylmercury was published in "Archives of Toxicology". The study was titled, "The Comparative Toxicology of Ethyl and Methyl Mercury". The researchers exposed rats to ethyl and methylmercury to:
This study found that both ethyl and methylmercury caused damage to the brain and kidneys. It also found that male and female rats were affected differently:
They showed that:
They stated:
Walter Orenstein, M.D. and his colleagues at the CDC in Atlanta published an article in "Pediatrics" titled, "Outbreaks of Group A Streptococcal Abscesses Following Diphtheria-Tetanus Toxoid-Pertussis Vaccination." Two outbreaks of Streptococcus Abscesses occurred after the administration of DTP vaccines with different manufacturers. They stated that challenge studies indicate that a strain of Streptococcus in one of the patients:
Dr. Orenstein then discussed the cost effectiveness of switching to single-dose vials of the vaccine to avoid using Thimerosal. He justified the continued use of Thimerosal by showing that it wold cost the vaccine manufacturer more money to switch to Thimerosal-free vaccines than to risk more cases of Streptococcal Abscesses.
The cost of switching to Thimerosal-free vaccines continued to be an issue for vaccine manufacturers later on, despite safety concerns.
Dr. Orenstein later served as Director of the National Immunization Program at the Centers for Disease Control in 1993 to March 2004. He was instrumental in overseeing the CDC Thimerosal Study as well as choosing cost considerations to vaccine manufacturers over the immediate removal of Thimerosal-containing vaccines despite his noted concern during this study that an higher concentrations of Thimerosal content to children may result in a health hazard.
The Hib vaccine is licensed, containing Thimerosal with 25 mcgs. of mercury per shot to be given 3 times in the first 6 months of life and once more by the age of 2 years. Only some "at risk" children were given these vaccines.
1986
Congress passes a Bill called, "The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act" establishing a no fault compensation system for children injured by vaccinations. Parents could no longer sue vaccine manufacturers and would have to go through the government instead, who would be responsible for paying a child for vaccine injury or death instead of the manufacturers.
President Reagan signed the "National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act" into law. Physicians and vaccine manufacturers would no longer be liable for any injury or death caused to a child who was administered a vaccine.
The approval of the recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine is given. Each shot contains Thimerosal with 12.5 mcgs. of mercury and, by CDC recommendations, was to be given within hours of birth plus 2 more times before the age of 6 months. Only some "at risk" children were given these vaccines.
Prior to this, only the DTP vaccine at that time contained Thimerosal at 25 mcgs. of mercury per shot, given 3 times before 6 months of age and once more by the age by 2.
Dr. Winship, a medical officer at the U.K.'s Department of Health and Social Security conducts an extensive survey of literature on organic mercury compounds. His study titled, "Organic mercury compounds and their toxicity" he states about Thimerosal and recommending a consideration to replace organic mercurial preservatives.
April 1986
Dr. Kravchenko and his colleagues published, "Use of a Diploid Cell Line for Detecting the Toxic Components in Medical Immunobiological Preparations." He stated:
1987
Congress established the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to provide compensation to families of individuals who suffer vaccine injuries. The program is funded by an excise tax on vaccines. Petitions are adjudicated before a team of special masters with the Justice Department representing the Federal government. The program was begun so that vaccine manufacturers would not be sued in the rare case of an adverse reaction to vaccines.
The DSM-III Revised Edition lists Asperger's Syndrome symptoms and all other subtypes of autism other than classic Kanner's autism under Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS).
1988
Cox and Forsyth, published a study titled, "Thiomersal Allergy and Vaccination Reactions". They stated:
June 10, 1988
The CDC recommendation is made that all infants born to mothers with Hepatitis B be given the Hep B Immunoglobulin and the Hep B vaccine at once within 12 hours of birth with both shots containing Thimerosal. The total mercury contained in these is 37.5 mcgs.
The Hib vaccine is now added to the Recommended Childhood Vaccine Schedule for "at risk" children by the CDC. It is to be given at 18 months. The vaccine contains Thimerosal with 25 mcgs. of mercury.
September 8, 1988
The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) Safety Working Party did a reassessment of Thimerosal. The Report was titled, "Assessment of the Toxicity of Thiomersal (Thimerosal) in Relation to its Use in Medicinal Products". They found that exposures to mercury in sources other than vaccines could total 80 to 100 micrograms per year, such as in a mother's breast milk, etc. This cumulative amount would be in addition to the mercury received by Thimerosal in vaccines.
December 1988
Drs. Chervonskaia, Kravchenko, and Runova published a study in Russia titled, "Cytotoxic Action of the Chemical Substances Found as Admixtures in Medical Immunobiological Preparations." They stated:
They also found that:
At this point, the DTP and Hib vaccine contained Thimerosal (methiolate) with 25 micrograms of mercury each. The lowest dose of Thimerosal in vaccines in the United States was in the Hep B vaccine with 12.5 micrograms of mercury .
1989
The MMR vaccine is now recommended to be given twice.
1990
The FDA issues its third Notice of Proposed Rules regarding Thimerosal in over-the-counter products, but still no ban is issued. No individuals sought to appear before the advisory committee in defense of mercury-containing products and there was no opposition to this action.
The CDC recommendation is given that all mothers who are Rh-Negative be given Rho-Gam or BayRho during the pregnancy as well as directly after. If complications occur during the pregnancy, more shots are to be given. Before this time, all Rh-Negative drugs were given after the birth. Rho-Gam contains Thimerosal with 10.5 mcgs. of mercury per shot. Bay-Rho contained 35 mcgs. per shot. Many women begin to receive multiple shots during their pregnancies and during fetal development.
It is recommended by the CDC that a second Hib vaccine be given to all children at 15 months of age. Now, all children are receiving one vaccine at 15 months and one at 18 months, both of which contain Thimerosal with 25 mcgs. of mercury each.
The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System is established (VAERS) by the CDC to monitor the safety of vaccines. However, the reporting system is voluntary and the CDC estimates that only approximately 10% of actual adverse reactions seen with vaccines are reported by physicians or parents. This very low estimation continues today.
1991
The FDA issues its fourth Notice of Proposed Rules regarding Thimerosal in over-the-counter products. No individuals sought to appear before the advisory committee in defense of mercury-containing products and there was no opposition to this action, but still no ban is issued.
The Hepatitis B vaccine is added to the Recommended Childhood Vaccine Schedule by the CDC with 3 shots for all children, primarily based on the fact that those at high risk of acquiring Hep B (drug IV users, sexually active) were not voluntarily getting vaccinated. The first vaccine is to be given within hours of birth. Two more would follow at ages 2 months and again between 6 and 18 months. Each vaccine contains Thimerosal with 12.5 mcgs. of mercury.
The CDC Hib vaccine recommendations change, adding a third and fourth vaccine to the list. The schedule called for 3 shots to be given between 2 and 6 months and a fourth at 15 months of age. Each contained Thimerosal with 25 mcgs. of mercury.
Children who are born beginning in 1988 and 1991 show a jump in autism rates. A large portion of the autistic children are born to Rh-Negative mothers. Also, a large portion are born to Autoimmune mothers or those with autoimmune disease in their families.
Other disabilities such as ADD, ADHD, Speech and Language Disorders, Behavioral and Emotional Disorders and others also begin to jump, as does Juvenile Diabetes, Asthma and allergies.
The Institute of Medicine was asked to evaluate the science on a possible connection between vaccines and autism. They published "Adverse Effects of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines" and confirmed that pertussis and rubella vaccines can cause brain and immune system damage.
At the time, an increasing number of parents reported that their previously normal children were regressing into autism after the DTP or MMR vaccine. The IOM rejected the link between pertussis vaccine and autism because "...no data were identified [in the medical literature] that address the question of a relation between vaccination with DTP or its pertussis component and autism."
Eli Lilly, who ceased manufacturing and sales of Thimerosal, show in their licensing agreements that they will continue to receive profits by Thimerosal until at least 2010.
The DSM-IV lists Asperger's Syndrome and Rett's Syndrome as their own separate disorders under pervasive developmental disorders.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation creates "All Kids Count", a national program to set up electronic vaccination registries and tracking systems to follow preschool children in order to enforce vaccination compliance. Grants totaling $9 million were given to 22 cities to set up a system.
"All Kids Count" is a section of the Task Force for Child Survival and Development at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia headed up by former President Jimmy Carter.
"Every Child By Two", a national campaign to vaccinate all children with all CDC endorsed vaccines by the age of 2 years, is co-founded by Betty Bumpers and former First Lady Rosalyn Carter. It is funded in part by Merck, Lederle, and Connaught pharmaceutical companies who are all major vaccine manufacturers.
The DTaP vaccine, a safer vaccine meant to replace the DTP which is highly associated with serious adverse reactions, is licensed for children age 15 months to 6 years. It is not added to the schedule for children for another 5 years.
March 1991
An internal memo at Merck Pharmaceuticals, written by vaccinologist Dr. Maurice Hilleman, senior Vice President of Merck, to CEO Dr. Gordon Douglas, head of Merck's Vaccine Division, shows that executives and a panel of vaccine experts at Merck had serious concerns about the recommended changes in the Childhood Vaccine Schedule as it would be giving high doses of mercury to infants. The memo stated that babies would receive 89 times the legal acceptable limit of mercury exposure:
Merck did not remove Thimerosal in its vaccines.
August 3, 1991
Seal commented in the "Lancet" in an article, "The Case Against Thiomersal":
September 18, 1991
A Dutch report by the "National Coordination Center for Travel Advisory" cautioned that traveling pregnant women should not be administered Thimerosal-containing Immunoglobulins because exposure to ethylmercury may cause harm to the fetus.