Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy

by David Kirby

Book Overview

In the 1990s, autism in American children began spiking, from 1 in 10,000 in 1987 to a shocking 1 in 150 today. In this period, two series of shots containing a mercury-based preservative called Thimerosal were added to the nation's already crowded vaccination schedule. Parents suddenly noticed their healthy children descending into silent, disturbed, and physically ill autism soon after receiving vaccinations. Ignored or dismissed by the FDA and...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312326440
• ISBN13: 9780312326449
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 460 Pages
• Weight: 1.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

THE TRUTH HURTS,

I usually do not write reviews on books that I have read.....However, in this case I am making an exception.... Mr. David Kirby wrote an excellent book, that informs parents of the awful truth in this public health disaster. After reading some negative reviews from people who believe that this problem is hyped up journalism - Junk that is coming from radical groups, I have the following facts that I want to share with the readers on this review board. By the way, readers may also want to check out the book titled; Mercury: The Winged Messenger... Here are the facts.........Enjoy !! Fact # 1 Mercury is one of the most poisonous substances known to medical science. Fact # 2 Thimerosal, is a chemical that was used as a preservative in children's vaccines that was intentionally added to the vaccines to increase profits by way of multi dose bottles that were given to millions of our children. Fact # 3 Thimerosal is 49.6% MERCURY, a proven and deadly neuro-toxin that causes permanent brain damage. The Material Safety Data Sheet (M.S.D.S.) confirms toxicity fears. Fact # 4 Hundreds of Thousands of children received as much as 40 times the safe level for mercury exposure as established by the Environmental Protection Agency ( E.P.A.) from the thimerosal that was used in the vaccines. Fact # 5 The pharmaceutical industry stocks exploded in value from 1986 to 1999. This was the direct result of federal mandates requiring vaccines for all school children. Fact # 6 There has been over 700 waivers of the conflict of interest rule by the F.D.A., C.D.C., and the N.I.H regarding paid consultancy from the drug industry. Congressman Dan Burton of Indiana has called this a "VIOLATION OF THE PUBLICS TRUST". Fact # 7 Former President Bush (41) was appointed to the Eli Lilly board of directors and lobbied for additional tax breaks until the Supreme Court itself told him to stop. Fact # 8 Former Vice President Quayle's family controlled Eli Lilly during that time frame. As a result of Bush's appointment to the Eli Lilly Board of Directors, it is suspected that Dan Quayle was selected as the Vice Presidential Candidate. Fact # 9 Present and former Eli Lilly executives are now employed with the current Bush Administration. Fact # 10 The Current Administration has tried to insert an eleventh hour Eli Lilly Rider provision in the Homeland Security Bill, that illegally protected the drug industry at the expense of thousands of mercury poisoned children. Fact # 11 The current administration tried to "SEAL" CDC documents that proved the danger to children from the thimerosal additive used in the vaccines. Fact # 12 The CDC tried to bury documented reports on thimerosal. They deliberately marked public documents with the phrase "DO NOT COPY OR RELEASE" This violated most consumer protection laws. Fact # 13 The drug industry has paid consultants that tried to disprove the relationship between autism and mercury poisoning from the multi doses of thimerosal that w

Kirby hits the nail square on the head

This book is exactly what America needs to WAKE up!! I had no idea that I was pumping my now 13 yr old FULL of TOXINS, and he is a ADHD/ADD kid now. I fully beleive that if I had not given him the vaccines that he would be normal, and have no issues with learning. But alas, this debate will continue until I am long gone. My issue is really the fact that we are giving our children vaccines againts things that are no longer dangerous. I have decided that if my kids cannot DIE from it, than why should I risk giving them a vaccine that COULD do irreparable damage? The only vaccine that I MAY consider giving my kids (when they are 7 or 8 yrs old) is the polio. It is really the only one that I think has done any good. But all the others are just bogus, and uneeded. Chickenpox? STUPID! DTaP, WHY?? MMR, that one is just looking for a book!! Please America..... DO YOUR HOMEWORK!! DO NOT be blindly lead by the people that make MILLIONS off YOU!!

ITS NOW OR NEVER

First, let me reveal that I am the father of a 7 year old boy with Autism and I have just finished reading this book. It was very difficult for me to read from an emotional standpoint. However, the information revealed in the book is of vital importance to our Nation's health and National Security. I have been aware of the Vacine Mercury controversy since 1999 and was at first skeptical. However, based upon information that has been learned over the past 6 years, it is clear that our nation's vacine program has not been properly secured by government agencies such as the CDC, FDA and NIH. Further, these agencies have neglected the public trust by failing to test, regulate and warn the American people of potential issues related to mercury in vacines. It is not fair to call the parents of autistic children zealots, because of their concern over the mercury issue. They should be applauded for their heroic efforts to bring focus to this national crisis. The most important aspect of this book is that it does not draw conclusions or rush to judgement on the mercury autism connection. It provides important information on both sides of the issue on a fair basis. Equally important, is that the book exposes the politics of big money and its influence on our nation's public policy from the pharma giants, conficts of interest within the regulatory agencies and the rush to end this debate without a full review. I am not antivacine, but I am not for unsafe products. Those who fear a public health crisis and cripling litigation that may result from an open debate should be more afraid of the costs and consequences of finding a mercury/autism connection. We all should be more afraid to not know then to get the right answer. The book leaves more questions than answers, which is important to allow the reader to draw their own conclusions. However, why do the government agencies fail to provide full disclosure of data and records? Why is there such a rush to prevent litigation over the issue and protect big Pharma? Why do the political leaders fail to reveal their real interests in sponsoring bills that prevent the parents from litigating or obtaining vital information? Why is there such fear to have open debate and research to determine the reliability of a mercury/autism connection? Please ask yourself these vital questions, because this is a matter of protecting the nation's health and national security. We can not afford to be wrong on this issue as it is another example of our government failing in its mission to serve the best interests of the American people. It is NOW OR NEVER. Father of Autistic child from Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Skepticism is key to objective look at autism's cause

Before reading David Kirby's "Evidence of Harm," I had the benefit of having done research on the alleged mercury/vaccine/autism connection. I began the research as a skeptic, but the more I read -- on both sides of the issue -- the more evident it became that the best science and most honest attempts to make sense of the epidemic rise in autism and autism-related neurological disorders (1 in 166 live births according to the CDC) was coming from research into the possible role of mercury as an autism trigger, not health establishment denials. "Evidence of Harm" is an excellent from-there-to-here summary of the controversy. Although scientific research into the toxic effects of mercury stretches back for decades, it has been the passion of parents whose children were the unlucky "ones" out of 166 who have elevated the possible autism connection (through vaccinations) to the halls of congress as well as prestigious research laboratories. Kirby deftly intertwines the story of their often frustrating effort to raise the issue of vaccine safety with the hard science that supports their case. Because the book is told from the perspective of the parents involved, some might question its objectivity. If one takes "objective" to mean considering all arguments equally valid, then one won't consider the book objective. Kirby points out the misrepresentations and overstatements on each side in the debate, but, as he should, he makes no apologies nor creates camouflaging cover for weak arguments in the name of "balance." As a good journalist should, he unflinchingly follows his research and renders an accurate account of what he found. That is not bias; it is judgment. "Evidence of Harm" is an important book both as a source of autism/vaccination information and as a reminder that securing individual welfare is not to be found in blind trust of bureaucratic systems however well-intentioned they might be.