New Study Supports Mercury-Autism Link As Documents Surface Showing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Refusal To Reduce Mercury Exposure Through Routine Shots In 1999, Says NAA

NIXA, Mo., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Autism Association (NAA) today joined other advocacy organizations in calling for Senate investigations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding its failure to remove thimerosal (mercury) from pediatric vaccines when given the opportunity in 1999. This comes following a study released this week showing reduced autism diagnoses coincide with the reduction of mercury-containing vaccines given to children.

The study, conducted by Mark Geier, M.D. and David Geier and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, shows reduced autism rates since the removal of mercury from most childhood vaccines. These findings bolster voluminous studies and data confirming that increased use of mercury-containing vaccines in the 1980's and 1990's led to an epidemic of neurological disorders among American children.

In July of 1999, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a joint statement advising mercury be removed from childhood vaccines "as soon as possible." Newly uncovered documents reveal that just weeks after the PHS/AAP recommendation, vaccine maker Smith Kline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline) wrote to the CDC suggesting a significant reduction of mercury exposure to children through use of the thimerosal-free DTaP vaccine, Infanrix, which could meet the U.S. demand at least until mid- 2000. The CDC's refusal to accept this offer has left many in the autism community outraged.

"Hundreds of thousands of children were denied access to thimerosal-free shots because of the CDC's inexplicable decision to leave the mercury in," stated NAA President Wendy Fournier. "This dereliction of responsibility to our children's health is unacceptable. Congress must ensure this agency is held accountable for its role in the autism epidemic."

Joining the call for Senate hearings regarding CDC's handling of the issue, environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. stated in an article this week, "It's time for the CDC to come clean with the American public. Its tactics of deception and obfuscation are jeopardizing the credibility of the entire vaccine program, and therefore posing an enormous danger to public health."

For more information, go to www.nationalautism.org Contacts: Wendy Fournier (Portsmouth, RI) 401-632-7523 Rita Shreffler (Nixa, MO) 417-818-9030

CONTACT: Wendy Fournier (Portsmouth, RI), +1-401-632-7523, or RitaShreffler (Nixa, MO), +1-417-818-9030, both of National Autism Association

Web site: http://www.nationalautism.org/