Vaccine Industry Strikes Back

JAMA Article Attacks Representative Burton

The May 23, 2001, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) carried a feature story on the Congressional Autism Hearings, headed by Representative Dan Burton (R-Indiana) and the House Committee on Government Reform. The publication, which is the "Official" voice of the American Medical Association (AMA), gives a good insight into the mind set of those who insist that there is no link between Autism and vaccines.

Representative Burton, a hero to many in the Autism community, was portrayed in the article, Congressional Autism Hearings Continue:No Evidence MMR Vaccine Causes Disorder by Brian Vastag, as an obsessed grandfather, determined to pin the blame for his grandson's Autism on the pharmaceutical industry. Using highly connotative language such as, "Burton railed against panels of assembled scientists," or, "... and shouted, red-faced, 'You don't know there's no link, do you? Do you?"' The publication gives the impression that Dan Burton has lost his perspective and sense of justice, instead mounting an almost "vigilante" style campaign against the protectors of our youth, the pharmaceutical companies.

The article also implies that Burton has abused his power as head of a highly visible Congressional committee to push his private agenda on Capitol Hill and in the medical community. It states that, "... as chair of the House Committee on Government Reform... he has the power to push the issue." It continued stating that, "He threatened to subpoena financial records... " The implication made by the article is that Representative Burton rules by threat and intimidation in his Congressional Committee and that his demands for accountability of the pharmaceutical industry are unreasonable.

According to the article, one of the hearing's witnesses took offense at Rep. Burton's investigative tactics saying, "Congressman Burton is alleging that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) was in conspiracy with the vaccine manufacturers." Others in the medical and pharmaceutical community feel the same way about Rep. Dan Burton, if we are to accept the reported comments by various "experts" within the field.

Why has the AMA and it's prestigious publication chosen to run an article that impugnes the integrity of Representative Burton? Could it be that his attacks on the pharmaceutical and vaccine industries are hitting too close to home? Could it be that there is a conscious attempt by the industry to divert attention from the message to the messenger? Could it be that the industry is threatened and being unable to quiet their most vocal critic, has decided to mount a counter offensive attacking him personally?

No one knows the answers to these questions. No one that is, who is not an industry insider. If the industry has arguments against Rep. Burton's assertions, they should be presented. No one argues that. What has happened, however, is that the industry has decided to use tactics that go beyond offering logical, scientific proof for their conclusions. Until the truth is known about the actual relationship of vaccines to Autism, we need a "pit bull" who will serve as watchdog and do whatever it takes to reach the truth and who will keep Autism in the public eye. At least for the time being, Representative Burton appears to be that watchdog.