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November 27, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Justice Dept. Seeks to Seal Vaccine Papers"

New York Times (www.nytimes.com) (11/27/02) P. A19; Stolberg, Sheryl Gay

The Bush administration has asked a federal claims court to seal documents related to claims that the vaccine preservative thimerosal has caused neurological disorders in children, on behalf of Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson.  According to a department spokesman, the law creating the fund that compensates those injured by vaccines gives the secretary control of what information is released to the public. Some 1,000 families have filed claims under the program, saying that their children suffered mercury poisoning from the vaccines, since thimerosal--now out of favor--is mercury-based.  Lawyers for the families are not pleased, saying that the government is protecting vaccine manufacturers since the documents could in theory be used in civil court.  Meanwhile, congressional Republicans have added a provision to the domestic security bill to protect Eli Lilly from lawsuits concerning its thimerosal product.

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