Saturday, May 21, 2011

83 Cases of Autism Associated with Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensated in Federal Vaccine Court

Government program has been quietly paying awards to vaccine-injured children with autism for two decades but continues to deny vaccine-autism link. SafeMinds calls for immediate Congressional investigations.  


 The following is being released by SafeMinds (www.SafeMinds.org):


Washington, D.C. – For over 20 years, the federal government has publicly denied a vaccine-autism link, while at the same time its Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) has been awarding damages for vaccine injury to children with brain damage, seizures and autism. A new investigation, based on verifiable government data, breaks ground in the controversial vaccine-autism debate. The investigation found that a substantial number of children compensated for vaccine injury also have autism and that such cases have existed since 1989, the after year the VICP was formed.  Read full releaseClick here for background and to watch press conference

SafeMinds' Executive Director, Lyn Redwood, RN, MSN comments, "This study dramatically shifts the debate on autism and vaccines.  The question is no longer,
Can vaccines cause autism? 
The answer is clear.  Now, we have to ask,  
How many cases of autism have vaccines caused and how do we prevent new injuries from occurring?"  

The government has asserted that it "does not track" autism among the vaccine-injured.  SafeMinds responds that not looking is the easiest way not to find something.  SafeMinds is calling for immediate federal research into the mechanisms of injury in these children in an effort to protect other children from harm and Congressional action to reform the VICP.

The peer-reviewed study looked at cases of vaccine injury that have been monetarily compensated by the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.  It was published today in the Pace Environmental Law Review.
The study investigated approximately 1300 cases of childhood brain injury as a result of vaccines in which the Special Masters ruled for the plaintiffs, looking for references to autism, symptoms of autism or disorders commonly associated with autism. It reports that twenty-one cases actually stated "autism or autism-like symptoms" in the court records.
The researchers then identified and contacted 150 more compensated families to find out whether the children had autism.  They were able to find an additional 62 cases (greater than 40% of their sample) for a total of 83 cases of autism.  In 39 cases (47%) there was confirmation of autism beyond parental report.

The federal government has called autism a "national health emergency," conservatively affecting 1 in 110 children and costing the country billions of dollars each year. If a portion of autism cases are vaccine-induced and there is evidence that officials have been "looking the other way," this cannot be tolerated.  The VICP's recent attempt to dismiss the over 5000 cases in the Omnibus Autism Proceedings is suspect in light of these new findings based on its own records.
 
SafeMinds calls on Congress to fully investigate the VICP, the only forum in which parents may bring claims of vaccine injury on behalf of their children.


SOURCES 
SafeMinds.org see News and Updates 5-10-11
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20110510/pl_usnw/DC99265_1

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ 
For more coverage of politics and policy, you can check Yahoo! Politics 
Investigating the Autism Epidemic

And what about those flu shots???

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Processed Meats Declared Too Dangerous for Human Consumption

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) completed a detailed review of more than 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Its conclusion rocked the health world with startling bluntness:

Processed meats are too dangerous for human consumption. Consumers should stop buying and eating all processed meat products for the rest of their lives.

Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni, salami and virtually all red meat used in frozen prepared meals. They are usually manufactured with a carcinogenic ingredient known as sodium nitrite. This is used as a color fixer by meat companies to turn packaged meats a bright red color so they look fresh. Unfortunately, sodium nitrite also results in the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines in the human body. And this leads to a sharp increase in cancer risk for those who eat them.

A 2005 University of Hawaii study found that processed meats increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent. Another study revealed that every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 50 percent. These are alarming numbers. Note that these cancer risks do not come from eating fresh, non-processed meats. They only appear in people who regularly consume processed meat products containing sodium nitrite.

Sodium nitrite appears predominantly in red meat products (you won’t find it in chicken or fish products). Here’s a short list of food items to check carefully for sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate (MSG), another dangerous additive:
  • Beef jerky
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Hot dogs
  • Sandwich meat
  • Frozen pizza with meat
  • Canned soups with meat
  • Frozen meals with meat
  • Ravioli and meat pasta foods
  • Kid’s meals containing red meat
  • Sandwich meat used at popular restaurants
  • Nearly all red meats sold at public schools, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and theme parks
If sodium nitrite is so dangerous to humans, why do the FDA and USDA continue to allow this cancer-causing chemical to be used?
The answer, of course, is that food industry interests now dominate the actions by U.S. government regulators. The USDA, for example, tried to ban sodium nitrite in the late 1970’s but was overridden by the meat industry. It insisted the chemical was safe and accused the USDA of trying to “ban bacon.”

Today, the corporations that dominate American food and agricultural interests hold tremendous influence over the FDA and USDA. Consumers are offered no real protection from dangerous chemicals intentionally added to foods, medicines and personal care products.
You can protect yourself and your family from the dangers of processed meats by following a few simple rules:
  1. Always read ingredient labels.
  2. Don’t buy anything made with sodium nitrite or monosodium glutamate.
  3. Don’t eat red meats served by restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels or other institutions.
And finally, eat more fresh produce with every meal. There is evidence that natural vitamin C found in citrus fruits and exotic berries (like camu camu) helps prevent the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, protecting you from the devastating health effects of sodium nitrite in processed meats. The best defense, of course, is to avoid eating processed meats altogether.


SOURCE LINK: http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2007/12/processed-meats-declared-too-dangerous-for-human-consumption/   Original article: by Mike Adams 12/07/2007

LAGNIAPPE:
•  Mike Adams, the Health Ranger - a leading authority on healthy living -- is on a mission: to explore, uncover and share the truth about harmful foods and beverages, prescription drugs, medical practices and the dishonest marketing practices that drive these industries. For his latest findings, click here.   
•  Camu Camu Berry

Friday, May 6, 2011

Formaldehyde - Is it in Your Baby Shampoo, Too?


There is a very common chemical (1 among many chemicals) that is routinely used by traditional manufacturers . . . especially in their personal care products.
It’s called Q –15 (or quaternium 15).
It is a formaldehyde-releasing agent!

Formaldehyde is highly suspected of being a carcinogen and neurotoxin. On the low-end it causes skin irritation, headaches and migraines and on the high end . . . . .  cancer.
It is often used because it is a cheap preservative.
It’s even in many  Johnson and Johnson Baby products including their baby wash. It is in MANY things! These used to be some of my favorite products until I learned this information:  

Dove soaps
Many Toothpastes including Crest & Colgate Toothpastes
Baby Magic products
WalMart's Equate Brand baby products
Many Shaving Creams and gels - as well as many
Shampoos
Conditioners
Body Lotions
Cosmetics


There are over 28 other names for this one chemical making it hard to identify on labels.
Some names include: Dowicil 75; Dowicil 100; Dowco 184; Dowicide Q; 1-(3-Chloroallyl)-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride; N-(3-chloroallyl) hexaminium chloride; hexamethylenetetramine chloroallyl chloride; 3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane; 1-(3-chloroallyl)-chloride.
Formaldehyde is a toxic substance that is not only found in personal care products but also in household cleaners and even cosmetics. 

Formaldehyde fumes can accumulate in poorly ventilated areas and can cause headaches, nausea, watery eyes, sore throats, lung irritation, and serious respiratory damage. Children exposed to the same levels as adults have potentially a greater risk of suffering adverse symptoms.


The United States Environmental Protection Agency has classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen (cancer causing agent), and yet there is no agency or standard regulating the use of formaldehyde or requirement to inform consumers that formaldehyde in used in the manufacturing process. Talk about frustrating! Here is more information about formaldehyde and the potential cancer risk (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde)

SOURCES:
  1. ^ Cahill J, Nixon R. Allergic contact dermatitis to quaternium 15 in a moisturizing lotion. Australasia J Dermatol. 2005 Nov;46(4):284-5. PMID 16197434
  2. ^ New Zealand Dermatological Society. "Quaternium-15 contact allergy". DermNet NZ. http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/quaternium-allergy.html. Retrieved 2007-05-31. 
  3. ^ E. Warshaw, et al. Contact dermatitis of the hands: Cross-sectional analyses of North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data, 1994-2004. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 57, Issue 2, Pages 301-314
  4. RMBarry 
  5. Environmental Working Group 
  6. EPA