Simpsonwood Transcript

[slmommy]

Has anyone around here read the Simpsonwood transcript?

I've started but am only about a 1/3 - 1/2 the way through...

http://www.safeminds.org/government-affairs/foia/Simpsonwood_Transcript.pdf

I've read some old threads about it here on mdc:

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/621551/simpsonwood

and also here is a summary of sorts of interesting quotes from the transcript:

http://www.aapsonline.org/vaccines/cdcfdaexperts.htm

I know Roberty Kennedy Jr. wrote an article about this in 2005, which was unfortunately full of errors.

The original data was lost? and Verstraeten was hired by a pharma company?

Though thimerosal is not used in many vax at the moment, it is also interesting to see some of the commentary about aluminum.

ETA: also interesting to read that a bunch of *experts* pretty much don't know what the %#$@ are the long term potential issues with the cumulative vax schedule... and the vax schedule from 1990s at that!

Edited by slmommy - 3/10/12 at 5:45pm

[Taximom5]

Actually, thimerosal is still used in most adult vaccines, as well as the same old pediatric vaccines which are now shipped off to developing countries.

In addition, some states have passed legislation allowing thimerosal-preserved vaccines to be given to children. I think the context is supposed to be if there's a shortage of preservative-free vaccines, but the wording is vague enough so that it ends up covering butts if thimerosal-preserved vaccines are given to children.  

I think Washington and Illinois were two of those states--not sure how many more states may have quietly passed similar legislation.

[slmommy]

Taxi - I think that is really relevant especially because a lot of pregnant women receive flu vaccine and the multivial contains thimerosal and ethylmercury crosses the placenta.

Have you read this transcript? It's really long but I've already read some very interesting things...

Basically the Vaccine Safety Datalink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_Safety_Datalink

was/is? collecting data from several HMOs. The concerns over thimerosal increased when they realized that according to EPA guidelines for methylmercury, the cumulative vaccine schedule of late 1990's would exceed that in ethylmercury exposure.

Quote:

In conclusion the screening analysis suggests a possible association between certain neurological developmental disorders. Namely tics, attention deficit disorder, speech and language disorders and exposure to mercury from Thimerosal containing vaccines before the age of six months.   (page 50) http://www.safeminds.org/government-affairs/foia/Simpsonwood_Transcript.pdf

They found a .7% increase of risk per microgram of ethylmercury. (page 41)

I also find it interesting in their discussion about how/if thimerosal could be replaced, a few of the experts had concerns about aluminum. 

As far as I understand, the discussion from this meeting was hushed up... the original slides and data were "lost" and follow-up study did not show any of the association they found originally (of course), and the head guy went to work for pharma company. and of course it "doesn't matter" now because thimerosal has mostly been taken out of pediatric vax in the US....(no word on the real safety of aluminum). This transcript became available through freedom of information act. 

But I haven't gotten through the whole thing yet... it's long and has some very tedious sections! 

Edited by slmommy - 3/11/12 at 5:15am