Couric & Co.
July 25, 2008 4:56 PM

The "Independent" Voices Of Vaccine Safety

(CBS)
Sharyl Attkisson is investigative correspondent for CBS News.
For years, members of Congress have been investigating financial ties between pharmaceutical companies and the government, doctors and researchers, research hospitals, colleges and universities. Sen. Charles Grassley, who has most recently been digging into money links between drug companies and the American Psychiatric Association, puts it this way: “I have come to understand that money from the pharmaceutical industry can shape the practices of nonprofit organizations that purport to be independent in their viewpoints and actions.”

In a letter to its members, the APA says it supports complete transparency and plans to provide Grassley with the information he's requested: "a complete accounting of APA revenues, except from advertising in our journals, from pharmaceutical companies, starting in 2003." The APA notes: "We are not alone; recent public focus on relationships between medicine and the pharmaceutical industry is a challenge for the whole field of medicine."

Indeed, the APA is not alone in being the subject of public focus and scrutiny for its relationships with the pharmaceutical industry. Tonight, on the CBS Evening News, we dig into the allegations of financial conflicts of interest among some widely-quoted "independent" voices in the debates over vaccine safety. We weren't as lucky as Grassley: The groups we approached refused to provide us with a full accounting of their financial relationships. Although two of the groups receive tax benefits for their non-profit status, they are not required to file such details with the IRS and would not provide them to us, either.

In the case of a prominent vaccine specialist who is routinely offered up as an "independent" voice to speak on vaccine safety, he, too, was unwilling to disclose to us how much remuneration he's received from the vaccine industry.

And the vaccine companies we asked? They said they would not, or could not give such information as: financial support they give to educational institutions, physicians and research projects; a list of outside physicians who are on the payroll as researchers, speakers, advisors or consultants; and an accounting of funding provided to non-profits, medical organizations and government entities such as IOM, NIH, CDC and FDA. With all of those refusals, you might be surprised to find we had enough information to put together a story for tonight's CBS Evening News. But you might be more surprised at what we did find. And we'll show you tonight.
Tags:
attkisson ,
vaccines ,
health ,
investigates ,
follow the money
Topics:
Follow The Money

Video and Galleries

Add a Comment See all 54 Comments
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:13 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:14 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 25, 2008 7:19 PM PDT
Just watched the story tonight- THANK YOU!

It is so refreshing to finally see unbiased media!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you
thank you
thank you
thank you

I only wish I knew before my daughter was injured!
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 25, 2008 7:20 PM PDT
it is more than just thimerosal. My daughter never had a single thimerosal containing vaccine. However, she did have an underlying immunodeficiency that was NOT diagnosed prior to vaccination. This should have contraindicated her for vaccination.

She suffered a severe adverse reaction (rash, high fever and seizures)after receiving vaccines against measles, mumps, ruebella, varicella, diptheria, tetanus, pertussis, and haemophilus influenzae. Not only did she stop developing behaviorally after this event (and was dx''''d severely autistic 4 months later), she also stopped growing for a yr, and has pituitary damage.

She now has a permanent medical exemption to ALL vaccinations.

We are in the process of testing her for mito dysfunction, as preliminary testing shows that she does have markers for this.

I hope the government does something, and QUICKLY!
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:30 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:35 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 7:46 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 7:47 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:56 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 7:59 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 8:00 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 8:06 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 8:08 PM PDT
Thank you so much Sharyl, Katie & the CBS staff for your report. We%u2019ve been in the Land of Autism for 12 yrs now. Our 16 yr old son was diagnosed with Autism just before his 4th b-day. The problems started several years before that. After he received the MMR vaccine, just after coming off his 1st dose of antibiotics ever, he stopped making progress at the rate he had been. When he received his DPT at 19 mos, just coming off his 2nd ever round of antibiotics, he "disappeared" over a 6 wk period. He stopped speaking, making eye contact, maintaining balance & control. At Cong. Burton%u2019s 2000 hearings, we listened to Dr. Offit & thought, %u201CHow can you believe there%u2019s no impropriety here! Just because you%u2019re an MD, we%u2019re supposed to have faith you won%u2019t be affected by the money%u201D? We believe vaccines, genetics & antibiotics combined to trigger Autism in our son. We started biomedical intervention when he was 6. While not cured, he%u2019s gone from a rocking, flapping, unintelligible 6 yr old to a teenager, still with issues, who completed his first yr of HS, on track for a regular diploma. His donated artwork to HEAL House this June at TPC Sawgrass auctioned for $11,500. We hope you do more stories on Autism, vaccines, Bio-medical intervention & hope. Someone has to counteract Amanda Peet and Michael Savage, 2 uniformed folks, not dealing with Autism themselves, who recently felt need pass erroneous public comments. Lesa & Dave Walsh
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 8:08 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by bicb July 25, 2008 8:10 PM PDT
I apologize for all the postings. I kept getting a message the "publish button" was disabled. I didn''t know it would post comments in a cue/ Sorry LW
Reply to this comment
by wellread1 July 25, 2008 8:25 PM PDT
This was a pretty pathetic attempt at journalism. As usual, network news trying to make nothing sound like something. Attkisson found nothing improper. Nonprofits survive on donations! Duh!
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 25, 2008 8:41 PM PDT
wellread1, but the AAP? they should NEVER be influenced by industry...

"The vaccine industry gives millions to the Academy of Pediatrics for conferences, grants, medical education classes and even helped build their headquarters. The totals are kept secret, but public documents reveal bits and pieces.

A $342,000 payment from Wyeth, maker of the pneumococcal vaccine - which makes $2 billion a year in sales.

A $433,000 contribution from Merck, the same year the academy endorsed Merck''s HPV vaccine - which made $1.5 billion a year in sales.

Another top donor: Sanofi Aventis, maker of 17 vaccines and a new five-in-one combo shot just added to the childhood vaccine schedule last month"

how can this NOT make you question the practice?
Reply to this comment
by terriedrn July 25, 2008 9:14 PM PDT
As an RN working in pediatrics, I am at a loss as to where you came up the the number of 55 in the number of vaccines children get before the age of 6. What are they giving? Even if I separate the combination vaccines, I can come up with only 29 before the age of 6. I would be curious what exactly is given and when. Why does the media not cover how these vaccines have helped children, how many deaths from diseases that the vaccines prevented? That would certainly be more helpful! When the media reports these kind of numbers. Again, what vaccines are we talking about? Thanks! Terrie D. RN
Reply to this comment
by cdr0302 July 25, 2008 9:14 PM PDT
Excellent piece! How can we possibly trust the recommendations of those who have a vested finacial interest in the current vaccination program. I hope there is a special place in hell for those who believe it is justifiable to risk the health and safety of a small percentage of children, for the benefit of The Herd. Slowly but surely, the tangled web is unraveling...
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 9:23 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by cdr0302 July 25, 2008 9:26 PM PDT
terriedrn: I come up to 49, factoring in annual flu shots.
Hep B: 3
Rota: 3
DTaP: 15
HiB: 4
Prevnar: 4
IPV: 4
MMR: 6
Varicella: 2
Hep A: 2
Influenza: 6

I wonder if the writer is also including PPV and MCV4, for high-risk children...
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 9:42 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by kenhamlett July 25, 2008 10:07 PM PDT
Thank you Ms. Attkisson for a most informative report. While many of us know there is seldom an independant voice in the medical industry, the numbers help us to take the concept from the theoretical to hard reality. No one is protecting the interests of the public as far as I can tell. Until everyone realizes there is a problem we will not see any improvement.
The victims do not stop with Autistics (only a theory according to experts-HA) There is some interest in the idea that vaccines can initiate Alzheimer''s Disease when the body overreacts and tries to protect the brain from invasion. I am sure there are many examples but the point is that we won''t find out the facts if the experts use their bias as the basis of their claims. Keep up the good work.
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 25, 2008 10:11 PM PDT
terriedrn, no one is denying that vaccines save lives. So do antibiotics, but is it smart to give 6 antibiotics at once as standard practie?

Btw, you can google "Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Aged 0%u20136 Years%u2014UNITED STATES %u2022 2008" from the CDC and look for yourself.

Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 10:26 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 25, 2008 10:44 PM PDT
terriedrn, and cdr0302,

It also seems that Prevnar is counted as one dose, when in actuality one dose of Prevnar contains 7 different types of pneumococcal bacteria.

so that could bring the count up to 28 for Prevnar alone (if in fact we recognize these various bacterias as creating individual immune responses)
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 25, 2008 11:37 PM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by loandtreys_m July 26, 2008 12:48 AM PDT
Thank you to Katie Couric and the other decision-makers at CBS for having the integrity to do responsible journalism, such as a difficult one like this.

It''s unfortunately rare that media functions "for the people", and thank you CBS for rising above their own conflicts of interest as a news organization.

The conflict of interest in the medical community is a certainly a piece of the autism puzzle, if I''ve ever seen one.

Keep up the excellence!
Reply to this comment
by johngoodnews July 26, 2008 8:22 AM PDT
The story was good. It made its point. The inescapable conclusion that people will do just about anything for wealth, however, is foregone. As I drive to my office, I look to my right and I look to my left and I wonder whether the herd of hundred thousand dollar plus vehicles that surround me with sunglassed occupants'' ears glued to the latest craze in personal communication understand even the basic concept of selflessness. And the thing is I acquire my own wealth by indulging these glassy-eyed lumps of flesh in their mindless pursuit of wealth knowing all the while that what I am doing is absolutely meaningless. The old woman pushing the grocery cart in the crosswalk in front of me will make a more positive contribution to the welfare of her fellow man today than I will by simply not using up as much of this world''s resources. So why don''t I quit and put my life in a grocery cart and wander the streets? Well, I like my beach house and my Ferrari and my place in Aspen and weekending in London. That''s why.
Reply to this comment
by rowejb July 26, 2008 8:42 AM PDT
Thank YOU, thank you, thank you!!! Thank you for covering this story and following the money trail. Parents have been fighting for years to try and get our voices heard about this subject, but we are considered "crazy" and "dangerous" if we refuse vaccines for our children. These vaccines are unsafe, and something needs to be done! Thank you for doing responsible journalism and reporting something that parents have been worried about for years! Maybe this will get the ball rolling to help protect the nation''s future from autism, add, adhd, etc.
Reply to this comment
by loveconquers July 26, 2008 9:06 AM PDT
Thank you Katie Couric!

The autism community applaudes you!!



Reply to this comment
by larry871 July 26, 2008 11:27 AM PDT
No wonder CBS is the lowest rated news broadcast. This segment seems to be grasping at straws, forcing a story when the evidence isn''t there to support their claims. I fully expect a follow-up piece from Attkisson to implicate Jonas Salk in a plot to take over the world through his polio vaccine. Ridiculous."
Reply to this comment
by rjbates69 July 26, 2008 11:41 AM PDT
Well there it is! The proof everyone needs. Because they provide funding and because they will not tell you how much, it MUST mean that there is wrong-doing here. Certainly, they cannot be considered ''independent'' as you''ve pointed out. Thank goodness for investigative journalists who can create reports such as this so that no real investigation needs to be done. In fact, everyone should not assume, but conclude, without a doubt, that this is all part of a much larger, malevolent conspiracy.

Good work once again Sharyl. You continue to dig up the dead horse and show America no subject is free from scrutiny as long as a judgment call can be made (within the allotted 3 minute segment time of course).

The thing that really opened my eyes in this segment is how someone, an expert in his field, was on a patent (which mean he was an inventor) and could have the audacity to make money from licensing his invention. Who would have thought it could happen here, in America no less.


Reply to this comment
by rjbates69 July 26, 2008 11:45 AM PDT
Thanks goodness organizations such as Generation Rescue, SafeMinds, and Age of Autism, as well as professional journalists like David Kirby, professional ''expert'' witness like the Geiers'', Clifford Shoemaker, and Boyd Haley can be relied on for their objectivity and honesty. One could be really surprised to find out that their ''research'' and ''reporting'' could be, in any way, influenced by the billions in the VICP fund. Certainly, their antivaccination views and efforts to undermine the success of decades-long immunization programs are truly noble. "Following that money" would probably be an uninteresting and unrevealing perpsctive on this ''debate'' anyway.

It''s a wonder that the medical and scientific communities around the world have not followed in their footsteps (that pesky science and those facts).
Nice work Attkinson and Couric! Keep up the great work and I''ll look forward to your reports on the increased burden on our already impacted medical infrastructure as the number of disabled and dying children increase due to preventable infectious diseases.

Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 26, 2008 12:01 PM PDT
Larry871,

You have sorely missed the point of this article. It uncovers a serious problem us parents have been faced with for years.

I was convinced my daughter''s vaccines were safe, for ALL BABIES! I mean, the AAP told my doctor that, and that is what he told me!

Turns out, that is very incorrect.

Children that should be contraindicated are vaccinated every day!

We need the polio vaccine, we need the pertussis vaccine, we need measles vaccine. We DON''T need the chicken pox vaccine, nor the rotavirus vaccine. But especially we do not need them ALL AT ONCE given during a time when significant brain growth is occurring.

Sorry, but, according to our current schedule, there are too many opportunities for a child to develop brain damage from an adverse vaccine reaction during this critical growth period.

Larry, how many vax did you get as a child, total, and how many in one injection? I know my daughter (born in 2003) received 3x as many vaccines as I did in the 70''s, and in 1/3 the time frame.

Why have no studies been performed concerning the safety of co-administration of vaccines? Oh, that''s right, Merck makes most of them, and well, their studies are a bit, "mercky".

WE NEED A SAFER PROGRAM AND WE NEED TO STUDY THE CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCE AEs!
Reply to this comment
by rjbates69 July 26, 2008 2:53 PM PDT
aware4autism,

You point out there are more inoculation given today than in years pass. Since you''ve obviously looked into it, perhaps you could tell us the antigen load in the new vaccines compared to the older ones? How many antigens were in the old vaccines (dead/attenuated virus/bacteria) vs. recombinant protein).

Why is it that today''s vaccines, which have a fraction of the antigenic epitopes in them, are worse than those of the past with considerably more? Hundreds more?

And how many microbes did your body encounter today that elicited an immune response? You breath, eat, drink, touch, pick, and suffer wounds all the time. Why is it that a minute few or one in a dead or attenuated vaccine is going to cause problems where the hundreds of species with hundreds of antigenic epitopes on them are not a cause of concern? I''d really like to know this, as would other biologists and doctors. Perhaps you could explain your new found discoveries in immunology for us.

Thanks in advance.
Reply to this comment
by queekster1 July 26, 2008 4:36 PM PDT
"Aware4autism", there is quite a remarkable difference between daily exposre to viruses and bacteria through skin and orpheus, and exposure through injection. The number of antigens is not the problem, its the route in which they are entering the body, plus the added toxins contained in the vaccine vial. The adjuvants contained in vaccines (such as aluminum) are enough to cause the body to attack itself, such as in cases of vaccine-induced Rheumatoid Arthritus, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (the CDC has statistics for these side-effects of certain vaccines).
I would like to see vaccines change to oral-only administration, and to be completely free of metals, and other toxic agents that have been PROVEN to cause neuro, immuno, gastro, etc. illnesses.

Have you considered looking at the research of Moskowitz? Very revealing facts about how the immune system works. (Moskowitz, R. (1985). Immunizations: A dissenting view. Reprinted in the Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data from the Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy, 76(7). Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc.)

Reply to this comment
by queekster1 July 26, 2008 4:39 PM PDT

Oops, my mssg was a response to "rjbates69"
Reply to this comment
by aware4autism July 26, 2008 5:17 PM PDT
rjbates69, because some antigens are deadlier than others.

You may find this interesting.
Primary Immunodeficiency: When the Body''s Defenses are Missing
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/primary_immuno.cfm

"Children with PI diseases, especially those with defective T cells, X-linked agammaglobulinemia, and ataxia telangiectasia should not receive live virus vaccines, such as the oral polio, measles, and chicken pox (varicella) vaccines. It is not even safe to give live virus vaccines to children suspected of immunodeficiency until a definitive diagnosis is rendered. There is a risk that such vaccines could cause serious illness or even death."
Reply to this comment
by rjbates69 July 26, 2008 6:41 PM PDT
Classic!

"because some antigens are deadlier than others"

Yes, like the ones that cause disease, as opposed to inert, killed, or attenuated (as in immunizations).

Or are you saying it''s better to be infected by live disease agents rather than those that do not cause the diseases they protect children from?

Children with HIV or other immunodeficiency issues, or even hyper-activated allergic responses may, in fact, need to be exempt from SOME vaccines. Most, however, will have a better chance surviving with them to prevent those same disease agent from killing them. I guess I have no idea what point you are trying to make.

There has been well over a billion people vaccinated for diseases on this planet, spanning over a century. And now, thanks to the internet and a bunch of people who have received their Ph.D. from google university, the knowledge base and consensus is being questioned. Yeah, again, I''m sorry. I''m going to go with the vast majority of medical and scientific professionals on this one, and the fact that greater than 95% have suffered nothing more than a sore arm and immunity from diseases that once killed and debilitated millions of children in the developed/western world and continue to kill and debilitate millions in the 3rd world.

But hey, it''s never ot late to regress to pre-20th century standards! Let''s bring the plagues of the past back just to show you have been wrong the whole time. Sounds like a great idea.
Reply to this comment
by heartbreaki2 July 26, 2008 6:58 PM PDT
RJbates69, i couldn''t agree with you more. while i''m sorry that so many people have ill children, it seems distraught parents are willing to blame the situation on even the flimsiest science rather than accept the simple fact that we still don''t know what causes the disease. surely that''s a difficult situation to be in, and i sympathize, but its very unfortunate that some grieving parents who have no qualifications whatsoever other than access to the internet, are trying to dictate public health policy that affects millions of children.

i expect the person who can demonstrate with results that are REPLICABLE, the cause of autism will win the Nobel Prize--and parents like the ones posting here will have been no help whatsoever to that work. as i was taught in science, the simplest answer is often the easiest. grand conspiracies that require multiple players to be "in on it," and all to harm defenseless children seems a bit more like an X-Files episode than real life.
Reply to this comment
by dr_am_mass July 26, 2008 7:16 PM PDT
I solved this medical enigma in October of 2004.

Unfortunately, I was on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Psychiatric Association at the time, and had just been appointed the Resident Editor for one of their pharmacy sponsored journals.

The leader of the CPA exec. was intriqued at my medcial disoveries. Once "they" realized that my methods and inventions showed brain damage within hours and days of vaccination in infants and children - I was given the option of "play ball..or lose the ball" "You cannot cut off the branch we are all standing on" -meaning pharmacy would cut funding and journal adverstising dollars if a member of the CPA board, and resident editor of teh CPA journal, was publishing work and presenting at cionferences showing how vacciens have been causing brain damage (for many..inclusing aytims and sudden infant death.

My talks were cancelled, I lost my Board position, I have been blocked from speaking at Canadian Psychiatry conferences, they even went after my medical licence. I survived - it is a lonely walk to stand for truth and health over profits and nepotism.

My work will be on the International stage (and vaccine courts) by years end. One size fits all vaccines cause brain damage and I can now prove this with science and your own eyes. hidamiman@gmail.com Dr AM MASS
Reply to this comment
by dr_am_mass July 26, 2008 7:22 PM PDT
There is no wiggle room in what I have discovered, invented, and can now show to your own eyes relative to vaccine induced brain damage;

The truth is this "we cannot all handle peanut butter, we cannot al handle penicillin, and we cannot all handle vaccines, in muliple injections, early in life (or adulthood) without determining in advance who can tolerate what..and who cannot. I have the means to answer this question and put an end to this debate conclusively...with solutions to address the safety factor - whihc is not there for all..

My work will start being released next month, on radio, and in courts; ...slow release phase; then Dec. this year - it is "globally released" ; then next year, we shall see if I am left standing. I can say this though, based on 21 years formal post-secondary training in the brain and behavioral sciences, a National and Provincial Scholar in the brain sciences - all I can say is trust what you can see, not what others "sell you"; I have invented the means for you to see for yourself. What yuo make of this information, that will be up to you.. it is coming... Dr AM MASS
hidamiman@gmail.com

Reply to this comment
by loveconquers July 26, 2008 11:12 PM PDT
The country is CURRENTLY in a Health Crisis. We are loosing a generation of children to autism.

If the public will not pay attention to our silent children perhaps they will hear the cries of their parents.

Too Many Too SOON

Take the *** out of our childrens vaccines.

It''s that''s simple.


Reply to this comment
by faye100469 July 26, 2008 11:57 PM PDT
One child becoming disabled after vaccines maybe a coincidence. But thousands of children becoming disabled following vaccines are not coincidences. OR prehaps we are in a "coincidence" epidemic! Why doesn''t the CDC investigate this "coincidence" epidemic?
Reply to this comment
by rjbates69 July 27, 2008 1:17 AM PDT
''The country is CURRENTLY in a Health Crisis''

''thousands of children becoming disabled following vaccines''

According to who? Diagnosis? Support infrastructure that didn''t exist 15 years ago? Geee, do you think...just for a second, it just might have something to do with the internet?

Nahhh! Of course not. Because the internet got hot...when exactly? Oh yeah. When this manufacture-versey got started.

There has always been a shot bus. Stop looking for someone else to blame.

Three words for you...learn them:
de novo mutations.

If this is confusing to you, use google scholar (the one that filters out the riff-raff and links you to science journals and not lawyer-sponsored websites). If you really, really are interested in finding a cure, look there...otherwise, go ahead and cast blame on others.
Reply to this comment
by dr_am_mass July 27, 2008 10:59 AM PDT
response to: heartbreaki2 at 06:58 PM : Jul 26, 2008 statement below:

"i expect the person who can demonstrate with results that are REPLICABLE, the cause of autism will win the Nobel Prize."

My results are replicable, across infants and adults alike -in a pre-post vaccine protocol.... you have to use the indicidual as his/her own control and NOT population based data as the latter, buries the "signal" (the evidence of brain injury for the "few") with the noise (the majority in whom the vaccine did not cause morbidity). Sadly, the same physiological process that causes autism, also causes adeverse vaccine events in adults (and animals)as well as SIDS. Moreover, one does not need to be vaccinated directly in order to experience vaccine induced mrobidity. Moreover, vaccination is not the only way by whihc these pathological states emerge. I am not interested in the Nobel, I am only interested in bringing forth scientfific truth, preventing disease and disability, and helping those who have already been harmed. There is a way to better - I have found the way...and it is repolicable, prospectively and retrospectively.
Reply to this comment
by lisanagy July 27, 2008 5:52 PM PDT
I am a traditional physician, Lisa Nagy MD,(recently interviewed on Nightline) because I have recovered from Environmental Illness (related tangentially to autism). I am shocked at the inability to for us to heard when we learn about the efficacy of less traditional therapies or theories. Vaccines and their role in autism is a great example of the financial interests squelching information that doctors are trying desparately bringing to the public. We must take out the opinions of doctors and researchers who have vested interests because they are unaware or in denial of the fact that their opinions are corrupted by their financial ties.

I started a non profit (The Preventive and Environmental Health Alliance) which hopes to break down these barriers between traditional medicine the rest. Environmental medicine is for the altruists. The docs that make little and tackle complex diseases which creates havoc in patients whom no one wil treat. Those with chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Chemical Sensitvity, mold induced illnesses and Autism - to name a few of the patient groups that seek treatment by environmental physicians (found at www.AAEM. com). I help people find a doctor for free (508 696 6998)(www.environmentalmedicineinfo.com)- Help me help society and give me your contacts and contributions please!

Environmental Medicine combines the teachings of functional medicine, anti-aging medicine, genetics, endocrinology, toxicology, integrative medicine.
Reply to this comment
by momtoxinhunt July 27, 2008 9:50 PM PDT
The same debilitating toxic chemical that is in the hepatitis b vaccine is also int the Gardasil vaccine. Two groups of the most vunerable children in the U.S. The chemical is called PMSF, phenylmethlysulphonyl flouride.
Per the patents, each vaccine is made in a very similar recominant DNA method. All fact and NO Fiction. We have a hepatitis b casualty and I have been chasing this for the past 15 years.
NVIC will not speak to me for some reason. They would end politically if they actually offered science?
Now I will try CBS. The autistic community is connected genetically by science as well as these children cannot metabolize this same DNA :inactivator if they have a genetic polymorphism.
I was given the name of the toxin in an FOIA request received during our fraudulent Court of Federal Vaccine Claims which I lost-SEE 2/5/04 Special Master John Edwards and Elizabeth Schneider, Pro Se, John R. Schneider, Minor,Petitioner.
It is a long story that needs to be told now.
Sincerly,
E. O. Schneider
Reply to this comment
by momtoxinhunt July 27, 2008 9:54 PM PDT
The same debilitating toxic chemical that is in the hepatitis b vaccine is also int the Gardasil vaccine. Two groups of the most vulnerable children in the U.S. are targeted. The chemical is called PMSF, phenylmethlysulphonyl flouride.
Per the patents, each vaccine is made in a very similar recombinant DNA method. All fact and NO Fiction. We have a hepatitis b casualty and I have been chasing this for the past 15 years.
NVIC will not speak to me for some reason. They would end politically if they actually offered science?
Now I will try CBS. The autistic community is connected genetically by science as well as these children cannot metabolize this same DNA :inactivator if they have a genetic polymorphism.(2D6CYP).
I was given the name of the toxin in an FOIA request received during our fraudulent Court of Federal Vaccine Claims which I lost-SEE 2/5/04 Special Master John Edwards and Elizabeth Schneider, Pro Se, John R. Schneider, Minor,Petitioner.
It is a long story that needs to be told now.
Sincerley,
E. O. Schneider
Reply to this comment
See all 54 Comments

About Couric & Co.

Go for a look behind the scenes at The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric for stuff we like and for surprises. It's also a place for you to post comments and join our conversation about the news.

Add to your favorite news reader
google
yahoo
msn
  • MOST POPULAR
  • Viewed
  • Commented