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PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:               
March 13, 2003                                              

Contact:
Laura Bono, The Right to Fight Mercury Damage Campaign, (919)403-9443
Lyn Redwood, Safe Minds (404) 932-1786


Recently-repealed Homeland Security Bill Provisions get
Special-Interest Sequel Courtesy of Senator Bill Frist & S. 15

LEGISLATION COMES ON HEELS OF RECENT REPORT IN MEDICAL JOURNAL
LINKING THIMEROSAL TO NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS---PARENTS OF MERCURY-POISONED CHILDREN SAY BILL ONCE AGAIN PROTECTS ELI LILLY FROM LAWSUITS.

PARENTS ALONG WITH MEDICAL RESEARCHERS TO HOLD DC PROTEST RALLY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19th.


Washington DC – Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced bill S. 15
Wednesday which will once again seek to protect drug companies from
Thimerosal-related litigation while eliminating legal recourse for
families of vaccine-injured, mercury-toxic children.

The new legislation, sponsored by Senator Judd Gregg, comes on the
heels of a just-published report in the Journal of the American
Association of Physicians and Surgeons. The research, conducted by
Dr. Mark Geier and David Geier, analyzed mercury doses children
received from Thimerosal in childhood vaccines in comparison to
Federal Safety Guidelines. The doctors concluded that mercury from
Thimerosal did exceed Federal Safety Guidelines and that the study
provides "strong epidemiological evidence" for a link between
increasing mercury from Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines and
neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism which has reached
epidemic proportions. The authors stated, "A causal relationship
between Thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines and
neurodevelopmental disorders appears to be confirmed."

The Geier research confirms the findings of an unreleased CDC study,
obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, which found a
relative risk of 2.48 between thimerosal exposures and autism. Courts
of law have generally held that a relative risk of 2.0 or higher is
sufficient to substantiate that a given exposure causes disease.   

Much like the Homeland Security Bill provision, the legislation is
attached to a larger bill that most likely will pass swiftly through
the Senate due to its anti-terrorism measures. The bill combines
three interrelated issues: Bioterrorism-"BioShield", creating a
Smallpox Compensation Program and reforming the Vaccine Injury
Compensation Act (VICA). 

Parents of vaccine-injured children and many lawmakers on Capitol
Hill believe VICA is long overdue for review and adjustment but
passage of the Frist bill with all of its pro-drug company/anti-child
regulations is not the solution.  Jeff Sell, vice-president of the
Autism Society of America, an attorney and father of autistic twins
said, "It is unconscionable to slam the door on any relief for
perhaps 500,000 families—who may face millions of dollars in expenses
for lifetime care for a seriously injured child—without providing for
an alternative and effective remedy."

This isn't the first time Frist has been accused of catering to the
pharmaceutical companies—many think in response to large campaign
contributions. Last year, a $10,000 campaign contribution was
reportedly given to Frist from a drug industry lobbying group the day
after he submitted S. 2053 that contained similar language to S. 15
and what was quietly slipped into the Homeland Security Bill in the
11th hour. The corrupt rider was later repealed in response to media
backlash and at the request of moderate Republicans. 

If the Frist Vaccine Injury Compensation Bill does pass, drug
companies will not be required to pay for lifelong care of children
damaged by Thimerosal, but taxpayers will. "U.S. taxpayers had no
part in destroying my child's immune system, his health and his
chance of a normal life...should they pay for it?" asked Loretta
McMahon, mother of a child whose diagnosis recently switched from
autism to mercury toxicity.

Parents of children with mercury-induced autism say they look to the
Burton/Waxman/Weldon Bill in the House as a viable alternative plan
because of its due process to pursue civil litigation and for its
look-back provision to incorporate thousands of families who
presently do not fit into the VICA. They plan a rally at Upper Senate
Park, Wednesday, March 19th from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Researchers
will be in attendance to talk about the mercury/thimerosal and autism
connection.

In 1990, the rate of autism was 1 in 10,000. Today that number stands
at 1 in 150 according to Centers for Disease Control. This dramatic
rise in autism rates correlates with the increase in mercury-exposure
through vaccines given to children in the late 1980s and through the
1990s.

For more information about the autism-mercury connection, visit
www.safeminds.org , www.momsonamissionforautism.org , www.altcorp.com 
and www.autismautoimmunityproject.com .

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