Evidence of Harm: Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic: A Medical Controversy (Hardcover)

by David Kirby (Author) "LYN REDWOOD KNEW she was pregnant at the first sip of white Zinfandel..." (more)
Key Phrases: thimerosal controversy, vaccine court, thimerosal exposure, Safe Minds, Eli Lilly, New Jersey (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Avoiding hyperbole while writing about a possible medical catastrophe is no easy task, but David Kirby has created a fine balance of investigative and personal detail in Evidence of Harm. Combining stories from the parents of autistic children with reports, speeches and studies from researchers, pediatricians and government officials, he creates a picture that is as terrifying as anything dreamed up by Hitchcock.

The topic at hand is determining whether high levels of organic mercury present in an inexpensive preservative used in vaccinations can cause either autism or autism-like symptoms. Kirby's in a delicate position, searching for the truth between frantic parents (he focuses on the founders of political action group Safe Mind) and the self-protective pharmaceutical industry (the author thanks the nameless person who placed a pro-Eli Lilly litigation rider into the Homeland Security Act of 2002). He's also honest enough of a reporter to admit to the temptation of deciding mercury is the culprit behind a range of disorders, even in light of some inconclusive test results. The ultimate truth isn't clear, and Kirby is direct about each of the reasons his sources have for their biased opinions.

While some of the straight research reports will likely to go over the head of anyone not well versed in the terminology, the book is never dull--there is a continual urgency in the material that resists pedantry. However undecided the experts, readers will likely land firmly in one angry camp or the other. Jill Lightner

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The first serious journalistic account of a highly controversial topic, Kirby's book addresses the front-page question: has a mercury-containing preservative called thimerosal, commonly used in children's vaccines, caused a national epidemic of juvenile autism? Following the development of the debate through the eyes of a handful of impassioned parents who formed the political action group, Safe Minds, Kirby, an experienced writer for the New York Times, crafts an engrossing David and Goliath story from this controversy, one in which the giant is an amalgamation of big government bureaucrats and corporate pharmaceutical lobbyists. Whether the association between thimerosal and autism is real remains to be seen, as Kirby points out. The evidence, presented here in excruciating detail but clouded by the parents' editorializing, is inconclusive but suggestive. Readers inclined to believe the parents' case will be convinced that there has been a big conspiracy; readers inclined to be skeptical will likely view the parents as self-serving proselytizers who spin each piece of evidence to suit their forgone conclusions. Walking the middle line, Kirby acknowledges that "each side accuses the other of being irrational, overzealous, blind to evidence they find inconvenient, and subject to professional, financial, or emotional conflicts of interest that cloud their judgment." And though Kirby clearly sympathizes with the parents' tragic experience of autism in their families and their inherent desire for justice, and though he occasionally demonstrates a lack of understanding about the politics of scientific publication and the wording of scientific articles, his book remains one of the most thoroughly researched accounts of the thimerosal controversy thus far. This is the book for medical professionals and concerned parents to read. It's accessible in its handling of medical topics and compelling in its recounting of the parents' fight to advance their agenda in the face of both political and scientific roadblocks.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312326440
• ISBN-13: 978-0312326449
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (112 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #397,232 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skepticism is key to objective look at autism's cause, April 7, 2005

By	Craig Westover (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews

Before reading David Kirby's "Evidence of Harm," I had the benefit of having done research on the alleged mercury/vaccine/autism connection. I began the research as a skeptic, but the more I read -- on both sides of the issue -- the more evident it became that the best science and most honest attempts to make sense of the epidemic rise in autism and autism-related neurological disorders (1 in 166 live births according to the CDC) was coming from research into the possible role of mercury as an autism trigger, not health establishment denials.

"Evidence of Harm" is an excellent from-there-to-here summary of the controversy. Although scientific research into the toxic effects of mercury stretches back for decades, it has been the passion of parents whose children were the unlucky "ones" out of 166 who have elevated the possible autism connection (through vaccinations) to the halls of congress as well as prestigious research laboratories.

Kirby deftly intertwines the story of their often frustrating effort to raise the issue of vaccine safety with the hard science that supports their case.

Because the book is told from the perspective of the parents involved, some might question its objectivity. If one takes "objective" to mean considering all arguments equally valid, then one won't consider the book objective. Kirby points out the misrepresentations and overstatements on each side in the debate, but, as he should, he makes no apologies nor creates camouflaging cover for weak arguments in the name of "balance." As a good journalist should, he unflinchingly follows his research and renders an accurate account of what he found. That is not bias; it is judgment.

"Evidence of Harm" is an important book both as a source of autism/vaccination information and as a reminder that securing individual welfare is not to be found in blind trust of bureaucratic systems however well-intentioned they might be.

75 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book That All Parents Should Read...., April 6, 2005

By	John M. Greene (Gaithersburg, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The pharmaceutical industry, the CDC, the FDA, and a host of other people do NOT want you to read this book - because they are afraid of it. And they should be.

The CDC has already issued a statement on the book, fearing that it will lower vaccination rates. David Kirby is an independent journalist, not the parent of an autistic child, nor a biased observer from the medical, regulatory, public health, or pharmaceutical communities - trying to cover their a**es from lawsuits that could make the tobacco settlements look like pocket change. This well-written book is one that all parents should read - and ask why NO ONE from the above mentioned agencies or industries would talk to David Kirby. What are they hiding???

He is NOT advocating that you shouldn't vaccinate your children - but you should be sure the vaccines do not contain mercury! You can get single dose vaccine vials for your pet - but NOT for your child, unless you specifically demand them. The FDA has recommended removal of mercury preservative from children's vaccines but did NOT mandate it - and existing stocks are still being used.

1 in 166 American children currently suffer from an Autism Spectrum Disorder - an epidemic that will require billions of dollars in care. I am a scientist - a Harvard Ph.D. in Genetics and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of MIT - and although there is indeed no absolute proof that mercury in vaccines has caused this epidemic, neither is there disproof. What is abundant in this book is plenty of reason to believe that there is evidence of harm.

Sean, this book is for you and all the children like you - at last.

John M. Greene, Ph.D.
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Disclaimer - My opinions are my own, as the father of an autistic child and as a scientist since 1980, and do not represent in any way the views of my employers.

61 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE TRUTH HURTS,, May 10, 2005

By	VTOLOPA (Lisboa, Portugal) - See all my reviews

I usually do not write reviews on books that I have read.....However, in this case I am making an exception.... Mr. David Kirby wrote an excellent book, that informs parents of the awful truth in this public health disaster.

After reading some negative reviews from people who believe that this problem is hyped up journalism - Junk that is coming from radical groups, I have the following facts that I want to share with the readers on this review board.

By the way, readers may also want to check out the book titled; Mercury: The Winged Messenger...

Here are the facts.........Enjoy !!

Fact # 1 Mercury is one of the most poisonous substances known to medical science.

Fact # 2 Thimerosal, is a chemical that was used as a preservative in children's vaccines that was intentionally added to the vaccines to increase profits by way of multi dose bottles that were given to millions of our children.

Fact # 3 Thimerosal is 49.6% MERCURY, a proven and deadly neuro-toxin that causes permanent brain damage. The Material Safety Data Sheet (M.S.D.S.) confirms toxicity fears.

Fact # 4 Hundreds of Thousands of children received as much as 40 times the safe level for mercury exposure as established by the Environmental Protection Agency ( E.P.A.) from the thimerosal that was used in the vaccines.

Fact # 5 The pharmaceutical industry stocks exploded in value from 1986 to 1999. This was the direct result of federal mandates requiring vaccines for all school children.

Fact # 6 There has been over 700 waivers of the conflict of interest rule by the F.D.A., C.D.C., and the N.I.H regarding paid consultancy from the drug industry. Congressman Dan Burton of Indiana has called this a "VIOLATION OF THE PUBLICS TRUST".

Fact # 7 Former President Bush (41) was appointed to the Eli Lilly board of directors and lobbied for additional tax breaks until the Supreme Court itself told him to stop.

Fact # 8 Former Vice President Quayle's family controlled Eli Lilly during that time frame. As a result of Bush's appointment to the Eli Lilly Board of Directors, it is suspected that Dan Quayle was selected as the Vice Presidential Candidate.

Fact # 9 Present and former Eli Lilly executives are now employed with the current Bush Administration.

Fact # 10 The Current Administration has tried to insert an eleventh hour Eli Lilly Rider provision in the Homeland Security Bill, that illegally protected the drug industry at the expense of thousands of mercury poisoned children.

Fact # 11 The current administration tried to "SEAL" CDC documents that proved the danger to children from the thimerosal additive used in the vaccines.

Fact # 12 The CDC tried to bury documented reports on thimerosal. They deliberately marked public documents with the phrase "DO NOT COPY OR RELEASE" This violated most consumer protection laws.

Fact # 13 The drug industry has paid consultants that tried to disprove the relationship between autism and mercury poisoning from the multi doses of thimerosal that was given to our children.

Fact # 14 The symptoms of mercury poisoning and that of autism are IDENTICAL.

Fact # 15 The onset of "Autism" has exploded in the last 15 years to epidemic levels.

Fact # 16 This onset occurred when the multi dose vaccines containing the thimerosal was given to our children on multiple occasions during the first two years of a child's life.

Fact # 17 The U.S. Government and state governments require ALL children to have 21 mandated vaccines before being admitted to schools. Most of these vaccines contained the Thimerosal / Mercury up to the year 2001. The current flu vaccine still contains thimerosal.

Fact # 18 The pet vaccine industry took thimerosal out of pet vaccines over ten years ago because of known risks to animals.

Fact # 19 Eli Lilly Company distorted information on the dangers of thimerosal as early as 1930. This has been proven by internal Eli Lilly documents and Congressional investigations by Congressman Burton's committee on Government Reform.

Fact # 20 The U.S. Government has a three year statute of limitation vaccine court of law, that has illegally protected the drug industry by way of violating the U.S. Constitution. This court has and will dismiss law suits because of this illegal three year statute...This in essence is obstruction of justice and violates the Constitutional rights of these vaccine injured children.

Fact # 21 Eli Lilly and other drug giants have contributed large sums of money to the Republican political process.

Fact # 22 The drug industry never disclosed that their baby vaccine products contained this dangerous mercury additive. Parents were never warned or notified.

Fact # 23 Congressman Burton of Indiana has proposed bringing criminal charges against those who are responsible for this national tragedy.

Fact # 24 There have been over 120,000 documented cases of "AUTISM" - Mercury poisoning to our children. Another 250,000 cases are suspected.

These children will require care and support for the rest of their lives. The costs to the parents will exceed $ 2 million dollars per injured child. These are crimes against humanity. Children's lives have been destroyed.

Fact # 25 Majority leader Bill Frist has proposed a new law that again illegally protects The pharmaceutical industry by way of violating the Constitutional Rights of over 120,000 vaccine injured children. Title ll of this proposed law is an atrocity. The rights of these children and that of their parents MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS.

I hope these facts were informative to all of the uninformed people of the world.

Vaccines are big business.........Little kids were simply pawns in a game of Russian roulette.

These children and their parents were victims......I thank Mr. Kirby for helping get the word out on what really happened......Well Done !!

V. Tolopa
Lisboa, Portugal