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In an October 25, 2000 letter to Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Donna Shalala, Congressman
Dan Burton (R-IN), Chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform,
requested a recall of all vaccines containing Thimerosal. The mercury-based
product Thimerosal is added to vaccines as a preservative.
On July 18, 2000 the Committee conducted a hearing
entitled, "Mercury in Medicine: Are We Taking Unnecessary Risks?"
During the hearing, the FDA
admitted that children are being exposed to unsafe levels of mercury through
vaccines containing Thimerosal. It was also determined
that symptoms of mercury poisoning mimic symptoms of autism -- a disease
that has reached epidemic levels in the United States. However, the FDA
has chosen to allow pharmaceutical companies to merely phase out their
use of Thimerosal, leaving mercury-containing vaccines at public and private
health facilities.
In his letter to Secretary Shalala, Chairman Burton
stated:
"We all know and accept
that mercury is a neurotoxin, and yet the FDA has failed to recall the
50 vaccines that contain Thimerosal...On their own website,
the FDA states, ‘lead, cadmium, and mercury are examples of elements
that are toxic when present at relatively low levels’ ... "
"Our children are the future of this country.
As a Government we have a responsibility to do everything within our
power to protect them from harm, including ensuring that vaccines are
safe and effective. Every day that mercury-containing vaccines remain
on the market is another day HHS is putting 8,000 children at risk.
Given that Thimerosal-free vaccines are available, and the known risk
of mercury toxicity, to leave Thimerosal-containing
vaccines on the market is unconscionable."
Testimony from the July 18, 2000
hearing is available at www.house.gov/reform.
To read the full-text letter from Chairman Burton
to Secretary Shalala CLICK
HERE (PDF format, 268kB).
Press Release - The
Committe on Government Reform, Dan Burton (R-IN), Chairman
If you would like
to contact Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) Secretary Donna Shalala's office to find out
what is being done about this issue, below
is a list of some of her immediate staff. Unless otherwise shown, all
phone numbers are 202-690-7000 and fax numbers are 202-690-7203.
Secretary of Health and Human Services,
Donna Shalala, Ph D
Executive Staff Analyst to the Secretary,
Jolinda Gaither
E-mail.....: jgaither@os.dhhs.gov
Staff Assistant, Virginia Bolden
E-mail.....: vbolden@os.dhhs.gov
Staff Support Assistant, Edna Cosby
E-mail.....: ecosby@os.dhhs.gov
Special Assistant, Sarah Kovner
Phone......: 202-690-6347
Fax........: 202-690-7098
E-mail.....: skovner@os.dhhs.gov
Special Assistant, Marsha Martin
Phone......: 202-690-5400
Fax........: 202-690-7098
E-mail.....: mmartin@os.dhhs.gov
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