EXPOSING the FDA and the USDA - Broad Casting here the things that they would prefer us NOT to know about our FOOD & DRUGS & Farming.

Monday, December 21, 2009

EU Report: MRSA Widespread on Pig Farms

STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA), PORCINE - EUROPE: SURVEY
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


[1]
Date: Tue 24 Nov 2009
Source: EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) press release [edited]



The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published the 1st
EU-wide survey on MRSA (Methicillin-resistant _Staphylococcus
aureus_) in breeding pigs. The results indicate that MRSA, a
bacterium resistant to many antibiotics, is commonly detected in
holdings with breeding pigs in some EU Member States. The survey
provides estimates of its occurrence and makes recommendations for
further monitoring and investigation of the causes and implications
of MRSA findings in pig holdings in the EU.

The survey was carried out in 24 Member States, 17 of which found
some type of MRSA in their holdings with breeding pigs and 7 none at
all. On average, different types of MRSA were found in one out of 4
holdings with breeding pigs across the EU, but the survey also says
that figures vary greatly between Member States. MRSA ST398 was the
most reported type of MRSA among the holdings with breeding pigs in
the EU; some Member States also reported other types, but their
prevalence was much lower.

MRSA is a major concern for public health and its various types are
recognised as an important cause of hospital-acquired (or nosocomial)
infections in humans. The specific type MRSA ST398 has been
identified in some domestic animals and is considered an occupational
health risk for farmers, veterinarians and their families, who may
become exposed to it through direct or indirect contact with these
animals. In an opinion published earlier this year [2009], EFSA's
Biological Hazards (BIOHAZ) Panel assessed the public health
significance of MRSA in animals and food and concluded that the MRSA
ST398 strain is less likely to contribute to the spread of MRSA in
hospitals than other types carried by humans. The Panel also said
that there is currently no evidence that MRSA ST398 can be
transmitted to humans by eating or handling contaminated food.

In the survey published today [24 Nov 2009], EFSA recommends
monitoring of pigs and other food producing animals for MRSA. It also
says further research should be carried out so that the reasons for
differences in the prevalence of MRSA in the various Member States
can be identified and used to propose options on possible control
measures.

Note to editors:

The _Staphylococcus aureus_ is a bacterium that can be persistently
or intermittently carried by healthy humans and is a very common
cause of minor skin infections that usually do not require treatment.
In patients in hospitals, _Staphylococcus aureus_ is a common cause
of hospital-acquired infections. Its variant Methicillin-Resistant
_Staphylococcus aureus_ (MRSA) emerged in the 1970s and is now often
found in hospitals in many European Member States. MRSA is resistant
to many commonly used antibiotics. In recent years, clones of MRSA
have evolved outside the hospitals, causing infections among people
who have no connection with hospitals. Most recently MRSA has also
been detected in several farm animal species.

EFSA's Zoonoses Unit monitors and analyses the situation on zoonoses,
zoonotic agents, antimicrobial resistance, microbiological
contaminants and food-borne outbreaks across Europe. The Unit is
supported by a Task Force on Zoonoses Data Collection consisting of a
pan-European network of national representatives of Member States,
other reporting countries, as well as World Health Organisation (WHO)
and World organisation for animal health (OIE). They gather each year
data in their respective countries.

EFSA's BIOHAZ Panel provides scientific advice on biological hazards
in relation to food safety and food-borne diseases. This covers
food-borne zoonoses (animal diseases transmissible to humans),
Transmissible spongiform Encephalopathies (BSE/TSEs), food
microbiology, food hygiene and associated waste management issues.
The Panel's risk assessment work helps to provide a sound foundation
for European policies and legislation and supports risk managers in
taking effective and timely decisions.

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview Pedigree English Longhorns
Gut Laach 52385 Nideggen, Germany


******
[2]
Date: Tue 24 Nov 2009
Source: Federal (German) Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR): Press
release 31/2009 [edited]



Methicillin-resistant _Staphylococcus aureus_ (MRSA) are widespread
in pig breeding stocks in Germany. The results of a nationwide study
by BfR confirm the findings of earlier studies in Germany and other
EU Member States. They are part of a study conducted last year [2008]
in pig breeding stocks in the European Union. The results of the EU
study were published today [24 Nov 2009] by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) [see item 1 above]. The BfR findings for Germany
show: MRSA was detected in the shed dust of 84 out of the 201 pig
breeding stocks examined (41.8 percent). People who come into contact
with pigs through their work are frequently carriers of this germ.
"Based on all the information available to us, the risk of infection
from pork-containing food is very low," says BfR President Professor
Dr. Andreas Hensel. In any case, meat should always be prepared with
careful attention to kitchen hygiene and only eaten after having been
thoroughly cooked through. This i!
nactivates any potential pathogens.

Methicillin-resistant _Staphylococcus aureus_ are widespread
pathogens. People mainly become infected with this germ in hospital.
As these pathogens are resistant to numerous antibiotics, infections
are very difficult to treat. Certain types of this bug may also lead
to infections outside hospitals.

Almost all the germs detected in 2008 in pig breeding stocks belong
to the ST398 type, which is common in livestock. Up to now, it has
only been detected very rarely in infected individuals in hospitals.
However, it is also found in individuals who have professional
dealings with livestock. This group includes farmers, vets and
slaughterhouse staff. Although this type of MRSA has only rarely led
to cases of disease in humans and animals up to now, the Hospital
Hygiene Committee of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommends
testing individuals from these groups for the pathogen when they are
admitted to hospital. This would avoid the spread of the pathogen to
wounds in the case of surgery and throughout the hospital and via
this path to other patients.

Although this bug can also be detected in the meat from livestock,
the risk of contracting it from food is currently deemed to be low.
BfR and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) came to the same
conclusion in their risk assessments.

When compared with other European countries, the proportion of
MRSA-positive pig breeding stocks is relatively high in Germany.
Nonetheless, MRSA was detected in pig breeding stocks in most western
European countries that engage in intensive pig production. Future
studies must clarify the contributory factors to this situation. On
average across the 26 Member States which participated in the study,
22.4 percent of the herds stocks tested positive for MRSA. This is
revealed by the report on the EU-wide study published by EFSA today
[24 Nov 2009].

--
Communicated by:
Sabine Zentis
Castleview Pedigree English Longhorns
Gut Laach 52385 Nideggen, Germany


[BfR was established in Germany on 1 Nov 2002 to strengthen consumer
health protection, whose credibility had suffered as a consequence of
the BSE crisis. This explains why the legislator wrote into the Act
establishing BfR that it enjoys independence in its scientific
assessments. The main task of BfR is to voice an opinion on the
potential risks from food, consumer products and chemicals, and to
offer scientific advice to the federal ministries for their policy
decisions. Given the Institute's remit, the main ministries involved
are:

1. The Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
(BMELV) (food and product safety)

2. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety (BMU) (chemicals safety and contaminants in food)

3. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs
(BMVBS) (transport of dangerous goods, ballast water agreement)

BfR cooperates with a number of national and international,
governmental and non-governmental agencies (FAO, WHO, OECD, etc.). It
is the national Focal Point of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA)
and a partner of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

BfR sees itself as the advocate of consumer health protection in a
context in which many stakeholders make their voices heard. Based on
its risk assessments, it seeks to strengthen consumer health
protection. To this end, the Institute offers policy advice,
participates in national and international agencies and disseminates
consumer information. One important component in its risk assessment
activities is risk communication and the various forms it can take.
BfR wishes to build on these by means of various projects and events.

The focus of its health assessments is on people as consumers.
Whenever control authorities detect microbial contamination or high
levels of harmful toxicological ingredients, heavy metals or
pesticides in foods, consumer products or cosmetics, BfR's scientific
assessment expertise is in demand. In their health assessments, the
Institute's scientists assume the important task of establishing how
germs or substances reach a food or product, whether they constitute
a risk to humans and what action should then be taken. They adopt a
science-based research approach and draw on exposure assessment and
toxicological methods. - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, animals - Europe: evaluation 20090618.2255
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, zoo elephant - USA (02): (CA) 2008 add
20090310.0993
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, zoo elephant - USA: (CA) 2008 20090307.0951
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, swine - USA: (IA, IL) 20090126.0348
2008
----
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, livestock - UK: (Scotland) 20080605.1799
Staph. aureus (MRSA), nosocomial - UK (England) 20080427.1455
Staph. aureus (MRSA), comm. acq., MSM - USA: (MA, CA) 20080119.0232
2007
----
Staph. aureus (MRSA), human, porcine - Canada, USA 20071109.3640
Staph. aureus (MRSA), comm. acq., human, equine - Canada 20070108.0076]
.......................................................arn/msp/lm

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EU Study Shows MRSA Wide-Spread at Pig Farms
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA), PORCINE - EUROPE: SURVEY *********************************************** A ProMED-mail

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Fw: A Win-Lose Proposition for Farmers and Consumers Animal Rights Blog

 
 

A Win-Lose Proposition for Farmers and Consumers

By admin | December 6, 2009

Submitted by Animal Person

From the website of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture:

Washington, DC - The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) this week released a proposal to address the critical economic situation of American dairy, pork, and poultry producers, while simultaneously providing much-needed nutritional assistance to Americans facing hunger due to job loss and other economic hardships.

People whose careers involve creating, fattening, transporting and slaughtering sentient nonhumans whose parts and secretions will then be used as food are having some financial difficulties.

Along with the rest of the country.

To "help these industries survive this economic downturn and gain a solid footing for the future,"  NASDA is proposing a "bold solution: a plan to take extra inventories off the market to reduce supply, all while providing vital nutritious, protein-rich foods to those who are unable to afford them, which is in more demand now than ever before."

Translation? First let's deconstruct:

  • The recession has caused a decrease in demand for animal products. I say stop right there, as Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman and Jonathan Safron Foer could be behind the decrease. We don't really know. We do know that a feature of a recession is that all sectors are affected in the same direction, and I don't see anyone proposing a bold solution for writers or editors.
  • What if consumers have genuinely been paying attention and have realized that animal products aren't that healthy, are an environmental disaster (the way most are produced) and not sustainable and are a blatant, direct signs of the largest and longest injustice in human history? What if Meatless Mondays and all of the messages about decreasing consumption of animal products have made a difference and consumers have spoken? What if this has nothing to do with the recession or less than one might think (nothing's a tough sell)? Why the rescue plan? The market has spoken; this is supposed to be capitalism, not corporate socialism.

But all of that aside, the bold solution is: Americans who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would be the targeted consumers of the surplus (in addition to military food assistance programs in places like Afghanistan).

"By removing these excess products off the market, and placing them into food assistance programs, we will quickly stabilize the prices for these products, allowing the producers to break-even, or perhaps even make a profit on their farms.  Simultaneously, our fellow citizens struggling to put food on their table will find themselves with more opportunities for healthy, protein-rich meals."

So people with lower incomes, who already have higher incidences of obesity and diabetes and already don't eat as well as people with higher incomes, will be the intended consumers of exactly the type of foods they don't need to be eating. And that's being done as a favor of sorts, a gift to them by the benevolent NASDA.

Perhaps just as ironic is the mission of the NASDA, which includes "protection of animal and plant health, stewardship of our environment, and promoting the vitality of our rural communities."


 http://www.animalrightsblog.com/2009/12/06/a-win-lose-proposition-for-farmers-and-consumers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AnimalRightsBlog+%28Animal+Rights+Blog%29

More Serious Adverse Reactions to H1N1 Vaccine

Jordan McFarland, a 14-year-old boy from Virginia, is weak and struggling to walk after coming down with a reported case of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) within hours after receiving the H1N1 vaccine for swine flu.
McFarland left Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children in a wheelchair nearly a week after developing severe headaches, muscle spasms and weakness in his legs following a swine flu shot.
Jordan is among the first people in the U.S. to report developing the potentially life-threatening muscle disorder after receiving the H1N1 vaccine this fall. Increased cases of GBS were found in patients who received a 1976 swine flu vaccine.
Likewise, a young woman in France has also been diagnosed with GBS after a swine flu shot. The woman, identified only as a health worker, was diagnosed with GBS six days after she received the swine flu shot, according to the French health ministry
Swedish, Japanese, and Chinese health officials have also reported a number of serious side effects, including deaths of people who received the H1N1 vaccine. In China, the Ministry of Health announced that the two people, including one teacher from Hunan province, died hours after receiving their inoculations.
Chinese health officials have pulled all vaccines manufactured in the same batch used to inoculate the teacher.
Fifty-four percent of Chinese residents reported in a China Daily survey that they would not get the H1N1 vaccine because of concerns about the shot's safety. Among those inoculated so far in China, more than 1,200 have complained of side effects ranging from sore arms, rashes, and headaches, to anaphylactic shock and sudden drops in blood pressure.

Sources:
MSNBC November 12, 2009
InfoWars.com November 13, 2009
Time November 15, 2009
ABC News November 17, 2009
The Japan Times October 25, 2009
The Digital Journal October 28, 2009
NBC Washington News November 26, 2009


Click on title above to go to original article and see comment by Dr. Mercola

Sunday, December 6, 2009

1,000+ Adverse Reactions to H1N1 Vaccine

From JudicialWatch.Org;

Over 1000 Adverse Reactions to H1N1 Vaccine Since October

Last Updated: Tue, 11/24/2009 - 4:31pm

In recent months, H1N1, or swine flu, has been spreading allover the globe, raising concern and alarm. First detected in March 2009, H1N1 is already responsible for over 1,000 deaths in the U.S. alone. Worldwide, H1N1 flu has become a globalproblem, as an outbreak map created by the New England Journal of Medicine shows. While most common in the U.S. and Europe, H1N1 is also affecting much of Asia and parts of Africa. One of the biggest problems concerning H1N1 has been the lack of vaccines. Although the U.S. originally estimated that approximately 120 million doses of the vaccine would be available by mid-October, in the beginning of November only 11 million had been produced. But while the vaccine may help protect against swine flu, reports from the Centers for Disease Control suggest that the vaccine has problems of its own.

Since the vaccine began being administered in early October, there have been almost two thousand adverse events reported to the Centers for Disease Control vaccine reporting system, VAERS. Judicial Watch used the Freedom of Information Act to request copies of the VAERS. From October 1 – November 4th, there were 1,112 adverse reactions reported. The most common side effects were generally not serious and included fever (present in 240 cases) and nausea (present in 112 cases). However, there were also cases of serious and life threatening reactions. In total, 38 cases were classified as serious, and twelve were considered life threatening. There were also six people who died after receiving the vaccine, although at this time it is unknown whether the vaccine caused the deaths.

Many of the adverse reactions affected young children,including an eight year old who suffered “chills, increased [heart rate],lethargy and altered mental status…cough, nasal congestion, fever, diarrhea, sore throat, disoriented and lethargic” (ID: 362672). His condition was considered serious and he was hospitalized. Another child was hospitalized when he experienced seizures and convulsions immediately after receiving the vaccine (ID: 362926). Less than one day after vaccination, a 5 year old boy visited the ER with an aggravated “croup sounding cough.” He “could not breathe…even tried crying – he was not able to get air in his lungs…started turning blue/gray" (ID: 361270). Another five year old developed “life threatening” symptoms within one day of receiving the vaccine, including a cough, hoarseness, and a high fever (ID: 362913).

A one and a half year old baby with no pre-existing conditions was hospitalized three days after receiving the vaccine with a long list of symptoms including: “Cough, Crying, Diarrhea, Dyskinesia, Irritability, Malaise, Movement disorder, Muscle spasms, Muscle twitching, Pyrexia, Pyuria, Respiratory tract congestion, Rhinorrhoea, Screaming" (ID: 362196). Similarly, another one-year-old infant wasadmitted to the hospital three days after receiving the vaccine. He had a high fever and began sufferingseizures. His status was classified as life threatening, and he spent 10 days in the hospital (ID: 364197).

The vaccine may also be harmful during pregnancy. In one VAERS report, a woman who was eight months pregnant with healthy prenatal exams received the vaccine. Four days later, she complained of nausea and feeling warm. At the hospital, it was discovered that the baby had died. While the cause of death was unknown, the ultrasound revealed that there was “no amniotic fluid around the baby” (ID: 36299).

There was no overall similarity in serious cases, but the more common side effects included severe shortness of breathe and seizures. A 55 year-old man suffered a life threatening reaction “immediately after H1N1 vaccine…[patient] reported not feeling well, could not breathe, obvious respiratory distress, weakness, and cyanosis, elevated heart rate” (ID: 362087). Another man “developed headache that progressively got worse with facial pain” one day after receiving the H1N1 vaccine. After being admitted into the hospital, he had a seizure (ID: 363685). In an extremely serious case, A 35 year old patient with no previous medical conditions died three days after receiving the H1N1 vaccine, after being sent to the ER for “nausea, vomiting, chills, stomach cramping, diarrhea, tachypnea,hypotension, and diaphoresis.” The cause of death was “due to septic shock” and asplenia, a condition that occurs when the spleen is not functioning properly (ID: 362855).

VAERS reports also suggest that in some cases, the vaccine could be causing H1N1 flu. One woman was given the H1N1 vaccine and less than three days later she was sent to the emergency room and hospitalized, “presumed H1N1 positive, from the H1N1 vaccine.” Her condition was classified as life threatening (ID: 36285). A man who had received the vaccine went to a clinic and was diagnosed as having “more than likely – H1N1 as a result of the live virus vaccine” (ID: 361344). Another woman was hospitalized two days after vaccination, with “H1N1 suspected.”

The Department of Health and Human Services continues to monitor the vaccine but has concluded that the H1N1 vaccine is safe. Others, however, have raised questions. Barbara Loe Fischer of the National Vaccine Information Center questioned both the necessity of the vaccine and the seriousness of H1N1 itself. Fisher stated that the vaccine was overhyped, and that there was “an unprecedented campaign by the federal health officials for us to take this very seriously when the evidence is that this is not anymore serious than the season influenza.” Most people conclude that the H1N1 vaccine has the same safety rate as regular flu vaccines. Still, caution is necessary, especially in light of the reactions to the vaccine. In order to aid the public in their decisions regarding the vaccine, Judicial Watch has included all VAERS reports from October through November 7, 2009 below, and will be requesting updated reports as necessary.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

New "Shock-Doc" - The Truth About Food from the Good Folks @ Food, Inc.

I highly recommend truth-seekers to get ahold of this movie, "Food, Inc." and watch it in its entirety. There is some shocking info on American Food Production and what it means (does) to you and your childrens health.

Click on the title above for a video of the producers talking about it

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Swine flu peaks out before vaccines even make it into widespread distribution: CDC Puzzles Over What to Do with 100,000.000 Useless Vaccines

Wen., October 28, 2009 by: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor

(NaturalNews) Swine flu infections have peaked out in the USA, even before drug companies could get their vaccines injected into everyone. According to CDC findings announced recently in Atlanta, one in five U.S. children have already experienced the flu this month, and most of those were likely H1N1 swine flu cases, the CDC says.

This comes from a survey of over 10,000 U.S. households conducted by the CDC.

Meanwhile, flu vaccine shipments are way behind schedule. There have been supply problems from the start, and as of right now, relatively few Americans have yet been injected with the swine flu vaccine. (Many have stood in line for hours trying to be injected, but were told to go home with the vaccine ran out.)

Out of nearly 14,000 suspected flu cases tested during the week ending on October 10, 2009, 99.6% of those were influenza A, and the vast majority of those were H1N1 swine flu infections. (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/) This is a very strong indication that swine flu infections have peaked during October, 2009.

Further supporting that notion, researchers from Purdue University just published a paper in the October 15 issue of Eurosurveillance (a science journal about communicable disease) in which researchers stated that the H1N1 swine flu epidemic would peak during "week 42" (the end of October). Week 42 just passed. It's over.

The AJC is also reporting this week that swine flu is "retreating" in Georgia, where hospital visits from the flu are markedly down (http://www.ajc.com/health/swine-flu...) and fewer illnesses are being reported in schools, too.

Even the WHO is reporting a downward trend in many areas, saying, "In tropical areas of the world, rates of illness are generally declining, with a few exceptions. ...In tropical Asia, of the countries that are reporting this week, all report decreases in respiratory disease activity." (http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_10_...)

Meanwhile, even as the swine flu infection peaks out, the shortage of swine flu vaccines means few people have yet been vaccinated. The shortage is causing "chaos" in clinics across the country, news reports say, and flu vaccination events have been cancelled due to the non-arrival of expected vaccines.

And what, exactly, is causing this shortage of vaccines? According to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, they're being caused by "production failures" at the drug manufacturing facilities.

Too little, too late

Is she serious? People are lining up to be injected with chemicals made by companies that are suffering "production failures?" If these companies can't meet the production targets they already promised, how can we expect them to meet the safety targets they promised?

The bigger point, though, is that by the time vaccines are available for everyone, most people will have already been exposed to the H1N1 virus and therefore won't even need a vaccine. There's also evidence that previous exposure to seasonal flu may confer some natural immunity to H1N1, meaning that vaccines may be redundant from the start (http://www.naturalnews.com/027337_H...).

Delivering vaccines to the public after the pandemic peaks and wanes is sort of like putting on your seatbelt after a head-on collision. (This metaphor assumes, just for the moment, that swine flu vaccines actually work. Even though they don't.)

Through the coming holiday season, we'll all get to watch the CDC, the FDA and drug companies desperately try to push vaccines onto people, most of whom are already immune to H1N1 because they were exposed during the peak of the pandemic. This will be quite entertaining to observe because you'll get to watch health authorities in action, attempting to fabricate an emergency when the pandemic threat has already faded. To maximize vaccinations (and therefore Big Pharma revenues), they'll need to keep pushing the pandemic fears through the winter months while hoping that no one notices the H1N1 pandemic has evaporated.

Predictably, the big push at that point will be based on the following logic: "Even if you were already exposed to H1N1, getting a vaccine shot can't hurt. Might as well get one!"

The CDC, which once promised 150 million vaccines by mid-October has pushed its prediction to year's end. Unless some new H1N1 mutation is released into the population by some bioterrorist group, it's fairly obvious that the swine flu will have fizzled out by the time Christmas rolls around.


How to dispose of a hundred million doses of a useless vaccine...
So what will all these clinics do with all the millions of doses of vaccines that nobody really needs at that point? It might seem prudent to dump them down the river, except for the fact that their chemical additives and preservatives make many vaccines qualify as "hazardous waste" according to EPA regulations. It's illegal to toss them into rivers or even dump them down the drain... it's perfectly legal, though, to inject them into the body of a six-year-old.

Why don't they just save the vaccines for next year? They'll be useless, of course, but no more useless than they already are this year. Just save up all the vials and unleash another swine flu scare next fall to get rid of the inventory! (Don't laugh. These people might actually take the idea seriously...)

You gotta love the pharmaceutical industry. After forty years of research into cancer (and tens of billions of dollars spent on it), they have yet to find a cure for any cancer at all. And with the swine flu fiasco, they almost managed to come up with a vaccine, but the human immune system -- combined with a nation full of sneezers and spreaders -- beat them to it.

It must really be depressing to wake up one day as a pharmaceutical company executive and realize you're irrelevant... and that your "lifesaving" products are obsolete before they even hit the streets. Of course, the ridiculously high pay might make up for some of that, and if you get really depressed, you can always take your own company's pills if you're willing to brave the suicide risk. But in the end, the simple fact is that human beings would be better off of the drug companies didn't exist.

The fact that H1N1 swine flu has already peaked out before the bulk of the vaccine shipments have even arrived proves, once again, how utterly pathetic and medically useless flu vaccines are in the first place. There is nothing a flu vaccine can do that simple vitamin D can't do better, and the sad truth is that the entire flu vaccine industry is built on medical quackery and marketing propaganda.


Sources for this story include:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.ph...

The CDC weekly flu update
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Washington Times
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news...

The Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/x-27581-H1N...

US News
http://health.usnews.com/articles/h...

CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/...


http://buzz.yahoo.com/article/1:8fbb80fdc3a337fd46babecb01f203fa:a61bdb64915e2a256150d712d365a34c/Swine-flu-peaks-out-before-vaccines-even-make-it-into-widespread-distribution

The great thimerosal cover-up: Mercury, vaccines, autism and your child's health




Thursday, September 22, 2005 by: Dawn Prate, citizen journalist
Key concepts: Mercury, Thimerosal and Vaccines
View on NaturalPedia: Mercury, Thimerosal and Vaccines

You have probably seen your nurse insert a syringe into a large vial, extract some liquid, and then leave a substantial amount of vaccine in the original container. If you've witnessed this seemingly benign procedure, you've seen how vaccine manufacturers are saving money at the expense of public health. In order to store larger amounts of vaccine at a lower cost, companies began offering "multi-dose units" while adding preservatives to prevent contaminations. That way doctors can open and close a vaccine container, inviting germs into the once-sterile solution, while assuring the public that those contaminants are quickly killed by the preservative.

Sound familiar? It's the same story of corporate America's love affair with preservatives. It saves them money, while posing an undue risk to your health. But like many toxic preservatives found in food, a vaccine preservative kills more than just bacteria and fungi; it can lead to extensive neurological damage in your children, and has even been implicated in autism.


Thimerosal

Thimerosal is the preservative of choice for vaccine manufacturers. First introduced by Eli Lilly and Company in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the company began selling it as a preservative in vaccines in the 1940s. Thimerosal contains 49.6 percent mercury by weight and is metabolized or degraded into ethylmercury and thiosalicylate. Mercury, or more precisely, ethylmercury, is the principle agent that kills contaminants. Unfortunately, mercury also kills much more than that.
The Department of Defense classifies mercury as a hazardous material that could cause death if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Studies indicate that mercury tends to accumulate in the brains of primates and other animals after they are injected with vaccines. Mercury poisoning has been linked to cardiovascular disease, autism, seizures, mental retardation, hyperactivity, dyslexia and many other nervous system conditions. That's why the FDA rigorously limits exposure to mercury in foods and drugs. Some common sources of mercury include dental amalgam fillings, various vaccines and certain fish contaminated by polluted ocean waters.

The toxicity of mercury has never been in question. The real question is precisely how much mercury-laced thimerosal is toxic, and what are the possible consequences for our children at low doses?

Eli Lilly and Co. supposedly answered this question for us back in 1930. Concluding thimerosal to be of "a very low order of toxicity . . . for man," the company hired its own doctors to perform thimerosal experiments in Indianapolis City Hospital on meningitis patients during a severe outbreak in 1929. This 60-year-old evidence was still quoted on the company's brochures as recently as 1990. Andrew Waters, who is involved in a lawsuit against Eli Lilly, claims that most critical studies on the toxicity of thimerosal were suppressed by the company until now.


Banned around the world, but not in the United States

That might explain why thimerosal was eliminated in many countries 20 years ago. In 1977, a Russian study found that adults exposed to ethylmercury, the form of mercury in thimerosal, suffered brain damage years later. Studies on thimerosal poisoning also describe tubular necrosis and nervous system injury, including obtundation, coma and death. As a result of these findings, Russia banned thimerosal from children's vaccines in 1980. Denmark, Austria, Japan, Great Britain and all the Scandinavian countries have also banned the preservative.
Eli Lilly stuck to its "scientific" facts, but the truth began slipping between the cracks in 1999. After the number of immunizations rose to 12 to 15 per child, the public finally became privy to the possible dangers of thimerosal. One 1999 study revealed that some infants, due to a genetic or developmental factor, lack the ability to eliminate mercury. Trace amounts of mercury in these infants, when accumulated over several vaccines, could pose a severe health risk. Some vaccines, such as vaccines for hepatitis B, contained as much as 12.5 micrograms of mercury per dose. That's more than 100 times the EPA's upper limit standard when administered to infants.

Hepatitis B vaccines aren't the only immunizations under suspicion. According to Burton Goldberg in Alternative Medicine, scientists are finding stronger and stronger links between thimerosal and neurological damage. One report by Dr. Vijendra Singh of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Michigan found a higher incidence of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) antibodies in autistic children.

The National Vaccine Information Center in Vienna, Virginia, has noted a strong association between the MMR vaccine and autistic features. Reporting similar findings, the Encephalitis Support Group in England claims that children who became autistic after the MMR vaccine started showing autistic symptoms as early as 30 days after vaccination. The diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine (DPT) given at two, four and six months has triggered autistic symptoms, as well.

When the FDA finally formally released this information in 1999, the news came too little too late for some parents. The damage had already been done.


Links between autism and thimerosal

Autism affects 500,000 to 1.5 million Americans and has grown at an annual rate of 10 to 17 percent since the late 1980s. California found a 273 percent increase in autism between 1987 and 1998. Maryland reported a 513 percent increase in autism between 1993 and 1998 and several dozen other states reported similar findings. Some scientists say the estimated number of cases of autism has increased 15-fold –1,500 percent – since 1991, when the number of childhood vaccinations doubled. Whereas one in every 2,500 children was diagnosed with autism before 1991, one in 166 children now have the disease.

This increase in reported autism cases eerily parallels the increase in the number and frequency of thimerosal-containing vaccinations administered to infants. As of today, children are given as many as 21 immunizations in the first 15 months of life. After a number of scientists and concerned activists noticed the correlation, an investigation was launched to get to the heart of the matter.

Statistical evidence links thimerosal with nervous system disorders

In June 2000, federal officials and industry representatives were assembled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discuss the disturbing evidence. According to Tom Verstraeten, an epidemiologist who had analyzed the data on the CDC's database, thimerosal appeared to be responsible for a dramatic increase in autism and other neurological disorders. Verstraeten told those at the meeting that a number of earlier studies indicate a link between thimerosal and speech delays, attention-deficit disorder, hyperactivity and autism.
Verstraeten offered no possible cause for this correlation, but held that the statistical evidence linking vaccines and neurological disorders was strong. Dr. Bill Weil, a consultant for the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Dr. Richard Johnston, an immunologist and pediatrician from the University of Colorado, presented similar concerns to the group. However, given no causal relationship, the CDC and industry representatives were quick to discredit the evidence.

Consequently, the CDC paid the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to conduct another study on thimerosal. According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this study was fixed in order to "whitewash" previous findings. In its 2001 report, the IOM's Immunization Safety Review Committee did conclude that the link between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders was biologically plausible, though the evidence neither proved nor negated it. The Committee stated that phasing out thimerosal from vaccines was “a prudent measure in support of the public health goal to reduce mercury exposure of infants and children as much as possible.” However, these findings offered no imperative. The data presented at the 2000 meeting was withheld from publication and the link between thimerosal and autism remained "inconclusive."

But what does "inconclusive" mean? Well, that depends on who you talk to. According to the FDA, these "inconclusive" findings negate the risk of a causal relationship between thimerosal and autism. Even Tom Verstraeten, one of the presenters of epidemiological evidence at the CDC meeting, seemingly changed his tune a bit. In 2000, Verstraeten vigorously campaigned against thimerosal based upon his "inconclusive" correlation, but after he was hired by GlaxoSmithKline, the doctor changed his position. The same evidence from 2000, in Verstraeten's eyes, became "neutral" in 2003. After criticism for this apparent flip-flop, Verstaeten wrote a letter to the editor of Pediatrics in 2004 backing the CDC's actions and his own research methods.


Merck continues selling vaccines with thimerosal

Without an imperative to eradicate thimerosal immediately, vaccine manufacturers like Merck & Co. seemingly took their time in reducing thimerosal levels in vaccines. After a large public outcry in 1999, Merck & Co. began decreasing or eliminating the amount of thimerosal in its vaccines. In September 1999, Merck announced that its new line of vaccines were preservative-free, but still continued to distribute the remainder of thimerosal-preserved vaccines until 2001. Only after a congressional inquiry in 2002 did they stop distributing their stockpile. Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., called Merck's actions "misleading."
While officials at the Center for Disease Control claim evidence is lacking to support the possible risks of thimerosal, Dr. Mark Geier, a Maryland geneticist and vaccinologist, along with his son and research partner David Geier, says the CDC has chosen to ignore the science. According to Dr. Geier, more than 5,000 articles have been published that question the safety of thimerosal in vaccines.

The Geiers analyzed the data and determined that the more thimerosal a child receives, the greater his or her chances are of being autistic. The CDC says the Geiers misused information from a CDC database that was not intended to help prove theories. Given no real causal mechanism linking thimerosal and autism, the game seems to have become one of slanting the data to suit the needs of government and industrial interests. Even Verstraeten has admitted that these "inconclusive" findings certainly don't rule out the possibility of finding a link in the future.


Grassroots action against vaccine manufacturers

Given the dearth of health organizations owning up to the dangers of thimerosal, many parents followed their gut instincts and took legal action against vaccine manufacturers. More than 4,200 families have filed lawsuits claiming thimerosal caused injuries to their children. These lawsuits often have two goals: First, to seek reparations for the loss of consortium (basically meaning that an autistic child creates emotional and psychological burdens on their family life), and second, to ensure that these companies exercise more concern for public health and less concern for their own bottom line.

The lawsuits are slow in producing results. The first constraint on these lawsuits is the National Childhood Vaccine Act of 1986. This act stipulates that victims cannot seek redress in the courts without first filing a claim for recovery in the federal Vaccine Court. The statute of limitations for this is within three years of "the first symptom or manifestation of onset or of the significant aggravation of a [vaccine-related] injury."

In the cases of many thimerosal victims, the link between autism and vaccines didn't appear until six years after the first vaccine was administered. While this statute has stopped some claims against vaccine manufacturers, including such big firms as Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Johnson & Johnson, many judges are now allowing suits against Eli Lilly, the maker of thimerosal, to stand. While the Vaccine Act shields vaccine manufacturers, one judge reasons that the legislation does not protect the production of thimerosal because it is a "component."

The burden of proof in court is also extremely problematic for most of these suits. Given the supposed lack of scientific data, lawyers are hard-pressed to prove the link between thimerosal and autism. In what seems like an underhanded move, the CDC sold its data to a private company, ensuring that lawyers could not access it under the Freedom of Information Act.

In the past five years, Congress has also aided vaccine manufacturers, supposedly for "security" reasons. In 2002, a mysterious piggyback on the 2002 Homeland Security bill freed drug companies of liability in lawsuits regarding thimerosal. Called the "Eli Lilly Protection Act" by outraged parents and activists, the then-House Majority Leader Dick Armey told CBS News he snuck the amendment in to keep vaccine-makers from going out of business. Armey claimed it was a matter of national security. "We need their vaccines if the country is attacked with germ weapons."

Ironically, foreign biological terrorism hasn't been a big problem for American citizens, but those whose lives (and the lives of their children) have been affected if not ruined by the harmful effects of thimerisol would undoubtedly say these potentially harmful vaccines are indeed a problem. Armey's piggyback bill was repealed in 2003, but that didn't stop lawmakers from continuing to protect the vaccine industry.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is no stranger to the thimerosal debate, having received $873,000 in contributions from the pharmaceutical industry and $10,000 from Eli Lilly. Frist's position allowed him to attempt to help the industry from the inside, according to Kennedy. Kennedy reports that on five occasions, Frist tried to seal the government's vaccine-related documents and shield Eli Lilly from subpoenas. Frist also introduced a provision in the 2005 Senate Bill S-3 called the "Protecting America in the War on Terror Act," that would effectively insulate the pharmaceutical industry from liability for thimerosal poisoning. Pharmaceutical manufacturers, including Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis, Weyeth and Eli Lilly, can basically get off scot-free for their actions, even as more and more evidence suggests that top company officials were aware of the possible dangers and did nothing.

A secret memo leaked to the Los Angeles Times reportedly implicates one vaccine manufacturer, Merck & Co., for knowing that thimerosal could pose serious threats to infants. Allegedly, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of Merck's top scientists, warned the president of Merck of a possible threat as early as 1991. Dr. Hilleman told executives that six-month-old children receiving regular immunizations frequently received mercury doses 87 times higher than guidelines for the maximum consumption of mercury. Given today's more prudent mercury standards, those thimerosal doses would be 400 times that of safe levels. Dr. Hilleman recommended in the memo that thimerosal be discontinued.

Not only do government and industry officials seem to be trying to downplay the possible harms of thimerosal; the media is also denying the issue coverage. Just recently, ABC flip-flopped on whether it will air interviews with Robert Kennedy Jr., a leading critic of thimerosal. ABC has been accused of suppressing the interviews because of its ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

The thimerosal debate continues

Along with the enormous amount of controversy surrounding this issue, the five-year-old plea for "more research" may have finally produced some results. Burton Goldberg notes that a defect in the myelinization process (insulation of nerve fibers) could explain mercury's propensity to cause autism and neurological damage. This may also account for the frequent development of epilepsy in older autistic children.
Scientists are also working on biological links that support the strong correlations. Researchers at Northeastern University, working with scientists from the University of Nebraska, Tufts and Johns Hopkins University, may have recently found the mechanism by which thimerosal interferes with brain activity. If these researchers are right, vaccine manufacturers could do little to keep the damaging effects of thimerosal hidden.

Pharmacy professor Richard Deth and colleagues found that exposure to thimerosal potently interrupts growth factor signaling, causing adverse effects on the transfer of carbon atoms. These carbon atoms play a significant role in regulating normal DNA function and gene expression and are critical to proper neurological development. Additionally, the scientists recently obtained more insight into the mechanism by which thimerosal interferes with folate-dependent methylation. The mechanism inhibits the biosynthesis of the active form of vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin), a vitamin now being administered to autistic children.

The experts speak on mercury, vaccines and thimerosal

Now all childhood vaccines have at least one mercury-free version, and I urge parents to ask for those versions if they choose to vaccinate their children. Injecting mercury into children, especially infants whose immune systems are still underdeveloped (hepatitis B shots are typically given at birth, before the immune system has developed), can be an assault to the immune system.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Autoimmune Disorders by Stephen B Edelson MD, page 65

In 1999 studies began to surface showing that multi-dose vial vaccines, such as the MMR and hepatitis B vaccines, contained enough thimerosal to expose vaccinated children to 62.5 ug of mercury per visit to the pediatrician. This is one hundred times the dose considered safe by the Federal Environmental Protection Guidelines for infants! Worse yet, some infants will receive doses even higher; because thimerosal tends to settle in the vial. If it is not shaken up before being drawn, the first dose will contain low concentrations of mercury and the last dose will contain enormously high concentrations. If your baby is the unlucky one that gets the last dose, serious brain injury can result…

Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 166

Thousands of families say they can demonstrate with videotapes and photos that their children were normal prior to being vaccinated, reacted badly to the vaccines, and became autistic shortly thereafter. The number of vaccines given before age two has risen from 3 in 1940, when autism occurred in perhaps one case per 10,000 births, to 22 different vaccines given before the age of two in the year 2000.
Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V Kendall PhD, page 104

We know that certain forms of mercury, such as methylmercury and phenylmercury, are highly lipid soluble, which makes the brain especially susceptible to mercury accumulation. These forms of mercury are found in vaccines as the preservative thimerosal. Once in the brain, it tends to attach itself to protein structures, especially to the cell membrane, where it can disrupt membrane functions.23 By binding to the cell membrane, mercury changes the membrane's fluid-like quality, making it stiffer and causing the cell to age faster.24 The brain is unique in that neurons depend on special microscopic tube-like structures within the cell, appropriately called neurotubules, for their function. These neurotubules are manufactured by the cell from a substance called tubulin. We know that mercury interacts with tubulin causing it to unravel. Studies in rats have shown that doses of mercury corresponding to those seen in humans can cause a 75 percent increase in tubulin inhibition.

Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 53

In the case of the susceptible newborn infant and toddler, multiple exposures to mercury-containing and multiple antigen vaccines are highly suspect in the causation of multiple organ injury (Bernard et al. 2000). The GI tract, the liver, the pancreas, the kidneys, the immune system, and the brain are major sites of mercury absorption. Researchers have clearly shown a chronic inflammatory bowel disease due to vaccine strain measles in a subset of children with autism (Thompson et al. 1995; Wakefield et al. 1995, 1999, 2000a,b; Kawashima et al. 2000; Pardi et al. 2000; Uhlmann et al. 2002).

Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 153

Studies of autistic children have frequently shown very high levels of mercury, with no other source but vaccines found for the exposure. These levels are equal to those seen in adults during toxic industrial exposures. Several autism clinics have found dramatic improvements in the behavior and social interactions in children from whom the mercury was chelated. Results depended on how soon the mercury was removed following exposure, but permanent damage can be caused if the metal is not chelated soon enough. Still, even in cases of severe damage, because of the infant brain's tremendous reparative ability, improvements are possible. The problem of autism involves numerous body systems including the gastrointestinal, immune and nervous systems; as a result we see numerous infections and magnified effects of malnutrition. Intrepid workers in the shadows, that is outside the medial establishment, have worked many miracles with these children using a multidisciplinary scientific approach completely ignored by the orthodoxy. Some children have even experienced a return to complete physiological normalcy.
Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 166

Mercury and autism mercury toxicity is a suspected cause of a steep rise—a tenfold increase between 1984 and 1994—in diagnosed cases of autism in children around the world, according to some scientists. Specifically, the culprit is thimerosal, a mercury-based compound used as a preservative in vaccines commonly administered to babies and infants. thimerosal-free vaccines are available. If you have a child who will be receiving vaccinations, ask for and make sure thimerosal-free vaccines are used. Kelp, with its essential minerals (especially calcium and magnesium), helps remove unwanted metal deposits.
Prescription For Dietary Wellness by Phyllis A Balch, page 198

The pertussis vaccine (DPT) may cause 45,000 cases of autism per year in America, affecting 15 cases out of 10,000 vaccinations; also caused by the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) that causes mental impairment, gastrointestinal damage, and increased mortality in 6-12 months from impaired immunity; 9 out of 10 cases were not breast-fed; eating dairy products caused parasites in the autistic (take Vermex; contact Dr. Nelson in Mexico for control of parasites in children with autism). There are now over 500,000 victims of autism residing in the United States, in 1994. The pertussis vaccination is not used in Sweden, which has virtually 0 cases of autism, as does Holland. This mental illness afflicts environmentally and socially non-reactive persons, ofwithdrawn personality; with inability to speak, violenttantrums, insomnia, actions such as bolting across aroad with no regard for the dire consequences. May be caused infant antibiotic use in ear infections with subsequent yeast overgrowth, by cumulative genetic Brain damage, Vitamin deficiencies, or milk and additives allergies. Immune disorders in autism include white blood cellneutrophil Myeloperoxidase enzyme deficiency for insufficient hypochlorite ions to kill yeast - genetic type from Chromosome 17 mutation or biotinidase deficiency, or acquired type from lead poisoning, Folic acid or B-l 2 deficiency, infection or leukemias…

Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 450

Multiple vaccinations, especially in newborns, are another major source of childhood mercury exposure because of the mercury-containing thimerosal preservative. Over twenty-two vaccinations are now recommended for children before the age of two!
Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 64

In addition, there is some anecdotal evidence that autism may be tied to diet. One theory is that, in very rare cases, a child's immune system could be weakened by the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination (MMR), which is usually administered before a child turns 2. As a result of this weakening, the theory goes, the child's digestive system is unable to break down certain food proteins, leading to abnormal brain development. Proponents of this theory believe that putting the child on a diet that eliminates certain foods, such as wheat and dairy products, could in certain cases reverse the course of the disease. This theory remains speculative, however, and research needs to be done to determine its validity. In fact, a 2001 report issued by an Institute of Medicine committee examining studies about the health effects of the MMR vaccine in young children suggests that there is no proven link between the vaccine and autism. The committee recommends that there be no change in immunization practices that require children to be immunized during early childhood.
The Immune Advantage by Ellen Mazo and Keith Berndtson MD, page 292

Rather than calling for an all-out immediate ban on thimerosal-containing vaccines, they suggested that parents continue to have their children vaccinated with mercury-contaminated vaccines until new stocks of uncontaminated vaccine could be made available. Here are two doctors' unions that had to be beat over the head with an overwhelming amount of data that mercury-contaminated vaccines were harming children far worse than the actual diseases against which the vaccine was intended to protect them, only to have them suggest that parents continue to harm their children just to satisfy their vaccination obsession. Are you surprised to discover that recent investigations have found that several doctor-members of vaccine boards were either receiving grants from vaccine manufacturers or held stock in the companies? They were willing to sacrifice the health of millions of children just to fill their pockets with cash. These people should be looking through bars, not serving on boards.

Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 167

Vaccines may afflict 45,000 cases of autism per year in America, which afflicts 15 victims in every 10.000 births: there are now 5 00,000 of these victims in the U.S. In Sweden not using the pertussis vaccine, there is virtually no autism (and likewise in Holland).

Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 600

Many symptoms of autism are similar to those of mercury poisoning. Immune dysfunction, visual disturbances, and motor dysfunction are seen in both. Treating autistic children for removal of mercury and other heavy metals has shown significant improvement in their autistic symptoms. Most autistic individuals have poor liver detoxification, low antioxidant levels, and low levels of glutathione. Vaccines are effective, but the production and use of vaccines should proceed more cautiously. Currently manufactured vaccines still contain harmful substances like mercury. The link between vaccines and autism is far stronger than the medical community is willing to admit, and more research in this area should be an urgent priority.

Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V Kendall PhD, page 105

Studies indicate that autism may be the result of adverse reactions to childhood vaccinations. Dr. Alan Cohen, an environmental physician from Connecticut, notes that high levels of autism and attention deficit disorder (ADD) did not occur until the mandatory use of childhood vaccinations, and suggests that there may be a connection between certain vaccines and the onset of these conditions.
Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 46

Almost from the inception of vaccination programs, manufacturers added a mercury preservative called thimerosal to vaccines. The practice continued until recently, and was stopped only because of the outcry from thousands of concerned parents and numerous experts in the field. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Practice did not warn parents or pediatricians that the mercury was dangerous until they were forced to. That mercury was toxic to cells had been known for over sixty years, but manufacturers apparently were more worried about lawsuits…

Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 165

In fact, a 2001 report issued by an Institute of Medicine committee examining studies about the health effects of the MMR vaccine in young children suggests that there is no proven link between the vaccine and autism. The committee recommends that there be no change in immunization practices that require children to be immunized during early childhood. Another disorder affecting the brain, Alzheimer's disease, may also have an immune connection. Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that slowly attacks nerve cells in the brain. It eventually results in the loss of all memory and mental functioning. Scientists are currently investigating the role that the immune system plays in producing an overabundance of the amino acid glutamate, a powerful nerve-cell killer. Another immune connection that researchers are investigating is the idea that Alzheimer's might be triggered, in part, by a virus.

The Immune Advantage by Ellen Mazo and Keith Berndtson MD, page 292

In the past 10 years, the number of autistic children has risen between 200 and 500 per cent in every state in the U.S. This sharp increase in autism followed the introduction of MMR vaccine in 1975. Representative Dan Burton's healthy grandson was given injections for 9 diseases in one day. These injections were followed by autism.

A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 267

"Probably 20% of American children, one in five, suffers from a "development disability'," according to Harris Coulter, Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Center for Empirical Medicine, in Washington, D.C. "This is a stupefying figure and we have inflicted it on ourselves. 'Development disabilities' are nearly always generated by encephalitis. And the primary cause of encephalitis in the U.S. and other industrialized countries is the childhood vaccination program. To be specific, a large proportion of the millions of U.S. children and adults suffering from autism, seizures, mental retardation, hyperactivity, dyslexia, and other branches of the hydra-headed entity called 'development disabilities' owe their disorders to one of the vaccines against childhood diseases."
Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 1101

Martin noted that the increased incidence of chronic fatigue syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and other behavior-linked illnesses "may be an inadvertent consequence of stealth virus vaccine contaminants."
AIDS And Ebola by Leonard Horowitz, page 493

Just for perspective if we go back to 1971 up to 1980, we see that California consistently added 100 to 200 new cases a year; but in the year 2002, California added 3,577 new cases. Since 1980, the documented start of California's autism epidemic, the number of new cases has steadily increased. If we break down those statistics it means that from 1994 to 1995, California only added on average 2 new autistic children a day into its system. In 2001, it was a rate of 8 new autistic children added a day; in 2002, it jumped up to 10 children a day. mercury-containing vaccines are still in use today, including the most recently recommended addition to the childhood immunization schedule, 2 shots of flu vaccine for infants, bringing the total number of vaccines up to 41 in California that a child will receive before the age of two. It will take a few years to start seeing the effect of the phasing out of the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal from childhood vaccines on this autism epidemic. Many symptoms of autism are similar to those of mercury poisoning. Immune dysfunction, visual disturbances, and motor dysfunction are seen in both. Treating autistic children for removal of mercury and other heavy metals has shown significant improvement in their autistic symptoms. Most autistic individuals have poor liver detoxification, low antioxidant levels, and low levels of glutathione.

Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V Kendall PhD, page 105

Since the 1990s, there has been a tenfold or 1000-percent increase in autism, an increase which has been linked by some researchers to the organic mercury preservative commonly found in baby vaccines. A greatly increased incidence of juvenile diabetes has been correlated to specific vaccination sequences and to the number of vaccines given. In some Australian Aboriginal communities, every second child died shortly after vaccination.

The Natural Way to Heal by Walter Last, page 309

The best current estimates are that autism occurs in 40 to 67 children per 10,000 live births. This means that the prevalence of autism has increased 1,000 percent in the last decade. According to the latest figures just released in January 2003 by the California Department of Developmental Services, California experienced an astounding 31 percent increase in the number of new children…
Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V Kendall PhD, page 104

http://www.naturalnews.com/011764_mercury_thimerosal_vaccines.html

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

ALERT: Special Swine Flu Update

October 21, 2009
http://rss.mercola.com/NL/rss.aspx
Dr. Mercola


Urgent and vital information you need to know about the massive amount of disinformation that the media has recently escalated as best demonstrated by 60 Minutes segment on Swine Flu which aired this past Sunday.

Normally our editorial process has us test, research and review articles over a three week period before it finally reaches the newsletter. However, this article is an exception which is why it is coming out as a special alert.

Read my special report on this vital topic so you can avoid deception and manipulation by the conventional media.

The last time we sent out a special report like this over one million people viewed the page and it was the sixth most viewed page on the Internet that day. So our apologies if our servers are not giving you the page as quickly as you would like. Just be patient and keep trying.

Click on title above to go to; ALERT: Special Swine Flu Update - and page way down...



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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

BOTULISM, BABY FOOD, UNEVISCERATED FISH - USA: RISK, RECALL

***********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


[1] Baby food
[2] Uneviscerated fish - USA ex Russia

******
[1] Baby food
Date: Mon 19 Oct 2009
Source: The Associated Press (AP) [edited]



Plum Organics of Emeryville, California, is recalling some of its
apple and carrot portable pouch baby food because of concerns over
possible botulism contamination.

The product was sold individually throughout the country at Toys-R-Us
and Babies-R-Us stores. The recalled product is sold in 4.22-ounce
pouches, with a "best by" date of 21 May 2010, and UPC 890180001221.

"The product did not meet the FDA guidelines for proper acidity
level," Paul Gerhardt, a member of the Plum Organics action team,
said in a statement.

The company is concerned that the baby food may be contaminated with
_Clostridium botulinum_, which can cause botulism, a serious and
sometimes life-threatening condition. Consumers should not use these
products, even if they appear to be normal, because of the possible
health risk.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the baby food, and
no other Plum Organics products are affected, the company said in a statement.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail


*****
[2] Uneviscerated fish - USA ex Russia
Date: Mon 19 Oct 2009
Source: UPI (United Press International) [edited]



The Food and Drug Administration announced the nationwide recall of
"Herring Salted," a product of Russia, due to improper processing.
The FDA said TGF Production LLC of New York initiated the recall
because the product was found to be improperly eviscerated.

The recalled herring was distributed nationwide in 2.86-pound round
plastic containers with the code numbers "24.08.09" and "13.07.09."
Uneviscerated fish is likely to be bacterially contaminated because
_Clostridium botulinum_ spores are more likely to be concentrated in
the viscera than any other portion of the fish, officials said, and
uneviscerated fish have been linked to outbreaks of botulism
poisoning, a serious and potentially fatal illness.

Consumers who have purchased the salted herring are advised not to
eat it and should return it to the place of purchase.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Brent Barrett

[Because of the potential severity of botulism, ProMED-mail posts
such recalls even if, as in this case, there are no human cases
associated with the food products. Most of the food recalls (as in
these cases) are related to defective preparation procedures, which
could, but not necessarily do, result in the germination of viable
spores of _C. botulinum_. - Mod.LL]

[see also:
Botulism, home canned green beans - USA: (WA) 20090310.0990
Botulism, uneviscerated fish - USA (02): risk, recall 20090228.0827
Botulism, uneviscerated fish - USA: (NY, NJ) risk, recall 20090120.0247
Botulism, dessert sauces - USA: risk, recall 20090126.0343
2008
----
Botulism, human, home canned green beans - USA: (OH) 20080919.2947
Botulism, native foods - USA: (AK) 2007 20080811.2472
Botulism, tea concentrate - USA: (MT, AZ) risk, recall 20080618.1903
Botulism, pesto - USA: risk, recall 20080429.1474
Botulism, canned bean salad - USA: risk, recall 20080229.0821
Botulism, olive oil dip - USA: risk, recall 20080204.0448
Botulism, fish - USA: (NY, NJ, MD), risk, recall 20080124.0299
Botulism, canned beans - USA (03): risk, bean salad recall 20080122.0264
Botulism, canned beans - USA: risk, expanded recall 20080109.0117
Botulism, canned soup - USA: (PA) recall, RFI 20080103.0030
Botulism, foie gras - France: risk, recall 20080102.0016
Botulism, canned food: aerosol risk 20080101.0008
2007
----
Botulism, human - USA (02): (VA) 20071121.3773
Botulism, human - USA: (VA), RFI 20071114.3700
Botulism risk, canned green beans - N. America: recall 20070802.2494
Botulism, canned food, human, pet - N. America (06) 20070807.2566
Botulism, canned food, human, pet - USA (03) 20070729.2433
Botulism, canned food, human, pet - N. America 20070725.2385
Botulism, canned food, human, pet - USA (02) 20070724.2377
Botulism, canned food, human, pet - USA: alert, recall 20070723.2366
Botulism, chili sauce - USA: alert, recall (02) 20070720.2331
Botulism, chili sauce - USA: alert, recall 20070719.2316]
...................................ll/mj/mpp

*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
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Merck unveils $3.7M in doc-payment data

By Tracy Staton

Big Pharma's march toward doc-disclosure proceeds apace. Merck posted its first list of speaking fees paid to doctors and other health professionals, detailing some $3.7 million in payments for the third quarter. On average, Merck paid 1,078 speakers $1,548, the Associated Press calculates. But the top-paid doc raked in more than $22,000, and a dozen were paid at least $17,000.

Here are the five highest-paid physicians on the list and the disease topics they addressed:

Dr. James Patrick Kemp of San Diego, CA, $22,692; respiratory
Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden of New York, NY, $21,500; diabetes
Dr. Allan Luskin of Madison, WI, both individually and as Healthy Airways LLC, $21,500; respiratory
Dr. Don Abram Bukstein of Fitchburg, WI, $20,525; respiratory
Dr. Stanley Dennis of Rockville, VA, $19,000; HPV vaccination

For comparison's sake, we looked back at Eli Lilly's first doc-payment posting; the top-paid doc on Lilly's list earned $70,050 and its second-highest paid got $68,400. Plus, the total of first-quarter payments reached $22 million, compared with Merck's $3.7 million.

We'll soon get more drugmaker numbers to compare and contrast; GlaxoSmithKline says it's joining the disclosure club soon, and so is Pfizer. And as you may also recall, not all these companies are doing the disclosure thing voluntarily. Some were compelled to start detailing their doc payments as part of off-label marketing settlements.

Merck Statement;
http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/merck-statement-u-s-speaker-fees

Payment List;
http://www.merck.com/corporate-responsibility/docs/business-ethics-transparency/3Q09-Transparency-Report.pdf

Click on title above to see The Doctors List;
http://www.merck.com/corporate-responsibility/docs/business-ethics-transparency/3Q09-Transparency-Report.pdf

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

UK OFFICALS WARN DOCTORS OF DEADLY SWINE FLU VACCINE DANGER



In a confidential letter this month from the UK Health Protection Agency, neurologists were warned that the swine flu vaccine is a potential trigger for cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a neurological illness often triggered by autoimmune induced nervous system damage following vaccinations. Swine flu vaccinations in the USA flu epidemic of 1976 triggered a rash of GBS cases that led to far more deaths and severe disabilities than the influenza did. Once again, as flu pandemic fears are spread, people are receiving vaccinations and the untested vaccines are leading health authorities to prepare for an upsurge in GBS cases. Rather than alerting the public to this hazard and obtaining informed consent from those given shots, the health authorities are asking doctors to monitor the expected illnesses and impairments triggered by the vaccines.

The letter to doctors in the UK was leaked to The Mail, and warns physicians to look out for increases in GBS, which is known to be triggered by vaccinations. GBS attacks the lining of nerves known as myelin, leading often to paralysis, breathing impairment, and a sizable number of deaths. During the 1976 flu epidemic in the USA only one death was attributed to the flu while 25 deaths were soon associated with GBS cases fostered by vaccine reactions. That total does not consider how many of those with vaccine-associated GBS cases died much later due to the effects of nervous system damage. At the time, the vaccine campaign was halted after health authorities recognized the serious complications arising from the shots. Following that fiasco, the US Government paid victims of the vaccine-triggered GBS millions of dollars. Currently, health advocates in both the UK and USA are alarmed by the actions of their respective governments. This includes the US Government's actions to provide legal immunity to vaccine manufacturers for any claims alleging harm caused by vaccines. Many believe that their governments are acting to support the financial interests of vaccine manufacturers while actively covering up evidence of vaccines posing risks to public health.


http://www.examiner.com/x-12517-Miami-Holistic-Health-Examiner~y2009m8d15-UK-officials-warn-doctors-of-deadly-swine-flu-vaccine-danger

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

No Tamiflu or Relenza, for Children, Studies Say

INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (28): CHILD TREATMENT
****************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases


Date: Mon 10 Aug 2009
Source: The Daily Telegraph online [edited]



[NB: This analysis refers to the use of oseltamivir [Tamiflu] in children
exposed to seasonal influenza virus infection but is included in the
influenza pandemic (H1N1) thread because of its relevance to the current
practice regarding the use of neuraminidase inhibitors in the treatment of
children exposed or potentially exposed to pandemic flu. - Mod.CP]

Children should not be given the antiviral drug Tamiflu [oseltamivir] for
swine flu [influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection] because its
harms outweigh any benefits, and the government should review its policy on
dealing with the pandemic, researchers have said.

The antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza [zanamivir] reduce the length of
time children are ill with flu by about one day and can cause vomiting as a
common side effect, Oxford researchers found. Vomiting is more dangerous in
children than in adults, as it can rapidly lead to dehydration and
admission to hospital, they said.

Also, the drugs had little or no effect on asthma flare-ups, ear infections
or the likelihood of a child needing antibiotics, meaning on balance the
medicine does more harm than good in otherwise healthy children, the
authors said. It comes after research last week showed that Tamiflu reduced
the length of flu in adults by just half a day.

Together, these findings will question whether the government's policy of
stockpiling enough antiviral drugs for 80 per cent of the population was a
waste of money. The exact cost of the stockpile has been kept secret for
"commercial reasons" but is expected to run to tens of millions of pounds.
Countries around the world have stockpiled around 50 million doses of
Tamiflu, made by Roche, for use during a flu pandemic.

Tamiflu has also been linked to side effects such as insomnia and
nightmares in children. Dr Matthew Thompson, a GP and senior clinical
scientist at Oxford University and Dr Carl Heneghan, a clinical lecturer at
Oxford University, said the findings review of 7 research studies should
prompt the Department of Health to reconsider its policy. The study,
published online in the British Medical Journal, reviewed trials where
children aged between one and 12 were either given Relenza or Tamiflu to
treat seasonal flu or where one of their family had flu and they were given
medicine to stop them becoming ill. The researchers said although the
studies were carried out on seasonal flu, the findings are relevant to the
current swine flu outbreak.

The drugs may still be of some benefit for children who have underlying
conditions such as cystic fibrosis or whose immune system is compromised
because they are being treated for leukaemia, for example, but there was
not enough evidence to be conclusive about this, the researchers said. Dr
Thompson said the government's current policy of giving Tamiflu to all
symptomatic people was "inappropriate."

GPs are using their clinical judgment and providing antivirals to severe
cases of flu, but the National Pandemic Flu Service is handing out the
drugs to anyone who fits the criteria for having a flu-like illness. Data
from the Health Protection Agency has suggested only one in 4 of those with
symptoms will actually have swine flu.

The Flu Service handed out 150 000 doses of Tamiflu in its 1st week as
cases peaked at around 110 000 in 7 days. Dr Thompson said: "Reserving
these antiviral drugs for children who are more likely to have
complications may be a more sensible strategy and would take some of the
pressure off the current public demand for antivirals." Dr Heneghan warned
that prescribing the drugs so widely will encourage flu to become resistant
to the medicine. He said: "Going forward, we have a treatment which is
ineffective because we've given it to everybody." He also warned that
people were relying on Tamiflu, also known as oseltamivir, "like a magic
bullet," and this meant that serious complications of swine flu could be
dismissed in those on the drug. Parents should treat flu in children with
paracetamol and rest but watch carefully for complications and contact
their GP if they are worried, the authors said.

The research trials which were reviewed have been available for over a
year, and the government could have carried out its own study in this
before the outbreak of swine flu began, they said. The findings also showed
that when using antiviral drugs in children who have been exposed to flu
but do not yet have symptoms, as preventive treatment, they were of limited
use. They found 13 children need to be treated to prevent one case, meaning
onward transmission was only reduced by 8 per cent.

Government data released on 30 Jul 2009 suggested that by then, one in 77
children aged between one and 4 had already had swine flu along with one in
95 of those aged between 4 and 14.

Norman Lamb, Liberal Democrat health spokesman said: "An urgent review must
be carried out into whether the benefits of prescribing certain antiviral
drugs are worth the risks when it comes to our children's health. "Parents
will now need urgent guidance and reassurance about what exactly they
should be doing to look after their children. This is even more crucial
given that health experts are predicting a surge in swine flu cases this
autumn [2009]."

Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical advisor, said: "This is
a good research team, and their report is welcome. However, the study is
limited in its scope, tentative in its conclusions and not directly
comparable to the current situation. It reviewed a very small number of
past clinical trials on seasonal flu, not the current H1N1 pandemic flu
strain. Antivirals are the only available weapon, albeit imperfect, against
the virus until a vaccine is developed and ready for use. Like all drugs,
they can have side effects in some people."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The BMJ review is based on seasonal
flu and not swine flu. As the authors note, the extent to which the
findings can be applied to the current pandemic is questionable; after all,
we already know that swine flu behaves differently to seasonal flu, and
past pandemics have hit younger people hardest. Whilst there is doubt about
how swine flu affects children, we believe a safety-first approach of
offering antivirals to everyone remains a sensible and responsible way
forward. However, we will keep this policy under review as we learn more
about the virus and its effects. For those who experience severe symptoms,
the best scientific advice tells us that Tamiflu should still be taken as
soon as possible; and to suggest otherwise is potentially dangerous. If
people are in any doubt about whether to take Tamiflu, they should contact
their GP."

A spokesman for Roche, which makes Tamiflu, said: "Data ... show that in
otherwise healthy children (under 12s) who had fever plus either cough or
head cold symptoms, Tamiflu treatment, started within 48 hours of onset of
symptoms, significantly reduces the time to alleviation on illness by 1.5
days compared to placebo. As with all medicines, healthcare professionals
need to weigh up the benefits against the risk of any side effects."

The latest figures have suggested the 1st wave of the swine flu outbreak
has peaked [in the UK], with officials saying around 30 000 new cases were
diagnosed in the week ending 1 Aug 2009, but a 2nd wave is still expected
later in the autumn. So far, 36 people with swine flu [in the UK] have died.

[byline: Rebecca Smith]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[The reference for the BMJ article is: Matthew Shun-Shin, Matthew Thompson,
Carl Heneghan, Rafael Perera, Anthony Harnden, and David Mant.
Neuraminidase inhibitors for treatment and prophylaxis of influenza in
children: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled
trials BMJ 2009;339:b3172, doi: 10.1136/bmj.b3172 (Published 10 Aug 2009)
. -
Mod.CP]

[see also:
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (27): Viet Nam, patient data update
20090809.2819
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (26): update 20090807.2801
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (25): Australia, UK, updates 20090806.2784
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (24): global update 20090805.2766
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (23): (China, Taiwan), co-circ. H3N2
20090802.2713
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (22): Australia (NSW), swine 20090801.2698
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (21): vaccine priorities 20090730.2669
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (20): Peru, 33 percent asymptomatic
20090730.2668
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (10): vaccine 20090720.2577
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (08): pandemic origins 20090718.2559
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (06): case reporting 20090717.2553
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (05): vaccine 20090716.2540
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (04): pandemic origins 20090715.2527
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (03): vaccine 20090713.2505
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (02): obesity risk factor 20090711.2482
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - Viet Nam: patient data 20090708.2450]

....................cp/msp/sh



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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Big Pharma readies $150 to Help Obombas' Health Plan

msnbc.com

OBAMA'S PLAN HELPED
BY DRUG INDUSTRY -


Drugmakers have funneled more money to Democrats in recent years,
a trend that began soon after they gained control of Congress.
CNBC.com reported that, among presidential candidates,
Obama was number one, current and former, in contributions
received from pharmaceutical companies and health care
companies at $636,000 through the end of April, 2008.
Sen. Hillary Clinton is second at $568,000. Sen. John
McCain has taken in $173,000.

"The White House and allies in Congress are well aware of the effort by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, a somewhat surprising political alliance, given the drug industry's recent history of siding with Republicans and the Democrats' disdain for special interests.
"The campaign, now in its early stages, includes television advertising under PhRMA's own name and commercials aired in conjunction with the liberal group, Families USA.

"Numerous people with knowledge of PhRMA's plans said they had been told it would likely reach $150 million and perhaps $200 million. They spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to divulge details."

"So now we know why the president wants everyone to make nice in the healthcare
debate. His White House has cut a deal with Big Pharma that smells like the same old
rotten politics that candidate Obama regularly denounced and promised to end. The
drug industry agrees to deliver $80 billion in future savings and the president promises
the government will not use its awesome purchasing power to negotiate
lower drug prices." - Aleternet, Aug 8, 2009

"At the same time, the drugmakers are counting on the White House to block efforts by House Democrats to extract more than $80 billion from their industry in the legislation.

"The partnership is complicated because many Democrats in both the House and Senate oppose key goals of the drug industry. Liberals, in particular, favor the importation of prescription medicine from Canada and other countries. They also want the government to have authority to negotiate directly with companies for lower drug prices under Medicare."
"While the White House and Democrats benefit from PhRMA's help, they seem reluctant to discuss it openly."

Any health care bill that makes it to Obama's desk is
expected to "extend health insurance to the nearly 50 million
who now lack it." How? All Americans will be forced to buy
health insurance by mandate. That would mean a huge
new pool of potential customers for drug companies
and other health care providers.

Obama's plan helped by Big Pharma, to the tune of $150 million to $200 million or more - what are your comments?

Greg Dempsey

Voice of the People
======
Drugmakers ready $150 million for Obama plan
Boost would halt efforts to derail health-care overhaul

updated 11:17 a.m. PT, Sat., Aug 8, 2009

WASHINGTON - U.S. drugmakers stand ready to spend $150 million to help President Barack Obama overhaul health care this fall, according to numerous officials, a staggering sum that could dwarf attempts to derail Obama's top domestic priority.

Additionally, the industry is the major contributor to Healthy Economy Now, which recently completed a $12 million round of advertising nationally and in several states. The ads were made by firms with close ties to Democrats and the White House and generally reflected the administration's changing rhetoric on health care.

In an interview, Ken Johnson, senior vice president of PhRMA, said, "We will have a significant presence over the August recess, both on television and newspapers and on radio, but we have not finalized details for our fall campaign."

Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said the partnership with the deep-pocketed drug industry is one of mutual self-interest, even though the two groups disagree on numerous issues. "We want to achieve coverage for everyone. For PhRMA, this would improve volume for prescription sales because everyone" would have better access to medicine, he said.

That, in turn, has created an incentive to offer concessions to the White House and lawmakers in hopes of shaping the bill, rather than simply opposing it.

Drugmakers were the first group to reach agreement with the White House and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, announcing several weeks ago that they would absorb $80 billion in costs over a decade.

Even before the announcement, according to several individuals, the White House sought help from PhRMA in passing legislation.

Now, with the legislation under attack, the industry is providing key support during August as Republicans work to inflict a high-profile defeat on the president.

A significantly more ambitious advertising effort by PhRMA is expected to begin near Labor Day.

Jim Messina, a deputy White House chief of staff who is deeply involved in the administration's health care effort, brought Democratic senators up to date recently on the help PhRMA, labor unions and other outside groups are providing.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, has been critical of drug manufacturers, and Rep. Henry Waxman, also a California Democrat and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said several weeks ago the House was not bound by PhRMA and Baucus' agreement.

By the White House tally, overall advertising so far by PhRMA and other supporters of the bill has swamped efforts by opponents. Republican strategists concede it would be extremely difficult to match an effort of the size PhRMA is planning.

For comparative purposes, 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain was limited to spending $84 million a year ago when he accepted government funding for his fall campaign.

Independent calculations show Healthy Economy Now has spent about $12 million on three ads that ran nationally and in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

----------------------------------------------------------

The messages meshed with the White House's changing rhetoric. An ad that began in mid-June said patients would be able to choose their own doctors. Another, launched in mid-July, focused on consumer protections, including a ban on insurance companies denying coverage due to pre-existing medical conditions.

To make the ads, the group hired GMMB, a political consulting and advocacy advertising firm with close ties to the White House and Senate Democrats, as well as AKPD, top White House strategist David Axelrod's former firm.

Jeremy Van Ess, a spokesman for Health Economy Now, said the decisions were made by the organization, and not at the White House's request.

"Absolutely not. ... It's no secret in Washington that these two firms we had are the best out there," he said.

PhRMA/Families USA spent about $5.7 million in nationwide advertising for the two months ending Aug. 9, according to information compiled by a different organization.

Two weeks ago, the drug industry added another weapon to its arsenal, launching a series of ads under its own name in a few key states at a cost of about $1 million so far.

Among them is Nevada, where the industry has purchased time through Labor Day to air commercials thanking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his efforts to pass health care reform. Reid's public approval is weak in the state, although he does not yet have a Republican opponent for 2010.

When PhRMA became the first big health care provider to agree to accept reductions as part of legislation, Obama made the announcement at the White House with the head of AARP in attendance. Billy Tauzin, the former Republican congressman who is head of PhRMA, was not invited.

More recently, Reid omitted the drugmakers from a list of outside interests trying to help pass legislation.

The drug industry's campaign is the culmination of a broader shift it has undertaken. A few years ago, the industry hired Steve McMahon, a longtime Democratic strategist, to oversee its political advertising.

msnbc.com