Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(92)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

As the parent of a very high-functioning autistic child, I used to discount any relationship between vaccines and autism. This all changed as I gradually realized how dismal and pharmaceutical-dependent the conventional approach to autism really is. I put aside all preconceptions and reexamined the issue. Each day I found another study implicating mercury in vaccines, including very recent work by researchers such as Jill James, Mady Hornig and Thomas Burbacher. I also found very serious flaws in the studies used to reassure parents that there is nothing wrong with injecting mercury into an infant. I found disturbing similarities between the rhetoric used to defend mercury in medicine today and the rhetoric used 70 years ago to defend lead in paint. While I do not claim that the case has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, I have seen enough to act on the assumption that it is valid. My child's response to the conservative measures we have used in the past few months have only solidified my persuasion.

Kirby's book is an extremely thorough compilation of all the studies, political ramifications, and personal stories that make up the mercury-autism controversy. His research paralleled my own explorations and added some behind-the-scenes information as well. He also made every effort to present both sides of the issue but was hampered in this by the refusal of the CDC, AAP, pharmaceutical companies and others to grant interviews. He is in no way, shape, or form anti-vaccine. I would also like to point out that he did not confuse the MMR and thimerosal issues--perhaps another reader missed Kirby's full explanation of the theoretical interplay between the two as well as his full explanation of what happened with Andrew Wakefield's study in the Lancet, which is much more complex than a simple retraction.

It strikes me as odd if not suspect that any physician would argue that research into the thimerosal issue should be halted when the CDC itself has called for more study, when more and more autistic children are responding to treatment for mercury poisoning and when many of the key players in the research effort are medical doctors who also happen to be parents of autistic children. These are people who have put their names out in the open, people such as Alan Clark, MD, of Missouri, who runs the (...)website with his wife and who has a child who developed Asperger's following two flu shots.

Kirby shows nothing but respect for autistic children and adults. One of the key characters in the book is a researcher with Asperger's and he warmly depicts her creative and non-conformist approach to life. I think it is important to note that there are many wonderful autistic people who are brilliant, creative, free-thinkers, but there are also many non-autistic people who are brilliant, creative, free-thinkers. My child is extremely bright, imaginative, honest, intense and funny, but this is because that's who he is not because he's autistic. In fact, these positives only shine when he is not burdened by anxiety, overwhelmed by normal sensory stimuli or caught in a pattern of inflexibility as he is sometimes due to autism. I'm sure autism has left some indelible mark on his personality and it is true that it is not ALL bad, just as a blind person's vivid sense of hearing is not bad. And of course we must all respect and honor differences, as Kirby does so very well. That is not to say that autism is benign. I imagine the parents of a severely autistic child would find this idea alternately infuriating and laughable.

I strongly recommend reading this book. If you're a health care provider, it will explain where parents are coming from. If you're wanting a summation of the issue, it is a great source. If you have nothing to do with autism or mercury, it's still a compelling story. If you have a child with autism, well . . . I can't recommend it enough; however, I would also recommend that you do your own research. Don't take my word for it--or anyone else's--until you've read the actual primary studies, not the spin that gets reported in much of the media. You may encounter something quite unexpected. I certainly did.

I just finished reading this book over a 2 day period this weekend, and reviewed all the reviews here at Amazon before posting my review. The reviews fall into 2 catagories: parents of autistic children appreciative for Kirby's efforts in exposing the thimerosal controversy, and those, who for various reasons, are opposed to the suggestion that this mercury-based derivitive could have caused or contributed to the autism epidemic. For those who left Kirby with a single star, were you criticizing the book itself or the message conveyed therein? Beause, it is clear that the message in this book is extremely disturbing, and a damning indictment for those in charge of assuring the safety of our children.

While it is true that Kirby paints a very sympathetic picture of those affected by autism, it is also clear from my reading of the book that those in a position to respond to many of the allegations raised were not interested in participating in an open evaluation of this issue. And then, why should they, when the CDC, IOM and FDA have already discounted the evidence that would suggest a link between mercury and autism.

Contrary to what some of this book's detractors would have you believe, Kirby does not suggest that any of the opponents of mercury are opposed to vaccines in general. The book makes it clear that the critics just want their vaccines to be safe, which means removing what can only be considered a neurotoxin from the vaccines. It should be remembered that mercury does not contribute to the efficacy of any vaccine, but only helps the manufacturer extend the shelf life of its product.

Kirby lays out some damning evidence, including the fact that only one repudiated study by Lilly was done in 1930 on the safety of thimerosal, and all the people in the study died of the disease being treated so that researchers could not point to any proof of safety. From that point forward, the question should have been where is the proof that thimerosal is safe, not where is the proof that it is not? Also unanswered by the critics of the autism-mercury connection is the question of what is causing the autism epidemic if not mercury?

Kirby's book raised this and many other critical questions, and is a must read for anyone affected by autism. Unfortunately, the main stream media has to date demonstrated very little interest in this book, so that the only people likely to hear about it or read it are those who have been affected or know someone who has been affected.

Kirby does an excellent job of outlining the issues in this controversy, and also proposed treatment methods for those who believe that their child has been poisoned and could benefit from removing mercury from his/her system. I strongly recommend it.

I am the father of a 5 year old autistic boy, who actually right now would not be diagnosed as autistic. I saying this to convey that there is hope if you know where to look. We were lucky enough to get on the right track pretty quickly after my son was diagnosed. My wife, along with many mothers of autistic kids, is amazing in her search for answers to unravel this mystery. I am extremely confident to say that she knows more about metabolic issues than 99% of doctors. We have known from almost the beginning that thimerasol had some role in triggering my son's autism (maybe it wasn't the only environmental trigger, but it was a major one nevertheless). Now David Kirby has exposed what we have known all along. This book is a MUST read for ALL parents of young children, not just ones that have been affected by this horrific illness. If you take anything from this book, then take this. DO NOT PUT YOUR BLIND TRUST IN THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND EDUCATE YOURSELF. The medical establishment can and is wrong on many issues (and is DEAD WRONG on this one) and is slow to accept something that goes against what they've been taught.

I actually don't understand how people who don't have a vested interest in this issue cannot at least accept that it is credible that thimerasol could be the environmental trigger that is causing autism in our kids (not in all cases, but in many of the 1 in 166). After all, mercury is a known neuro-toxin and thimerasol is nearly 50% organic ethylmercury (which is even more toxic that methylmercury because of its ability to bind itself at the cellular level). How can anyone think that putting a known neuro-toxin in amounts up to 100 times the levels deemed safe for full grown adults into infants with immature immune systems can be safe? And then repeating this several times in the first two years of a childs life. Also, is it a coincidence that the symptons of autism are the same for mercury poisoning? I would love to see someone from the CDC, FDA or NIH inject themselves with the equivalent amount of thimerasol that were given to our children (based on weight and taking into account the immature immunity systems that our kids had when they were injected immediately after birth). I bet you that even if offered a million dollars, that no one would do it because they know they're wrong (or at the very least aren't sure that they're right), but yet thimerasol is still safe to be in some vaccines that kids get.

Whether or not you believe thimerasol is the culprit, it is obvious that the government is trying to cover it up. The government has 2 conflicts of interest when it comes to this issue. One is obviously the money our representatives are getting from big pharma and the other is to protect the vaccine policy of this country. It would be ignorant of us to discount these major conflicts of interests. By the way, many people don't realize this, but this is also a foreign policy issue. We are now exporting many of our vaccines overseas to Third World countries. If you think the rest of the world hates us now, what do you think they will think of us when the truth comes out and they realize that we've exported autism to undeveloped countries. Anyway, I've gotten way too political here, all I can say is buy this book and buy one for your pediatrician and tell your friends that are pregnant or have young children to buy this book. As another poster noted, this book does read like a Grisham novel, but unfortunately it's true.

I will end this by quoting an interaction which is in Kirby's book. A well known pediatrician just gave a speech on the safety of vaccines and thimerasol. A father of an autistic child approached him and said "You know something, doctor? If it turns out that you are right, then I will personally come down to your office and apologize to you with every fiber of my being. But if it turns out that you are wrong, then you are going to hell". Well I think this story is going to end with alot of people going to hell and they will deserve it!!!

Reading this book is difficult.I cannot say wherther or not my children have autism from organic mercury used in vaccinations.If you live with an autistic child,this book will offer no succor,no simple remedies. The Pharma corps. have grown so powerful that reform is unlikely,even more so since virtually every member of congress is bought and owned by large drug companies. this book made me scream, want to tear my hair out.If half of what he writes eventually turns out to be true, these corporations and their weasel poltical allies are literally guilty of crimes against humanity. In the name of profit...read this book,go to the web site, google the subject,do the research. THEN RAISE YOUR VOICE.For opening the door,Mr Kirby, thank you

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

David Kirby: you wrote one of the most riveting, amazing books I have read in a long time.

I can only imagine the amount of time it took to research, do interviews and verify the sources. This book is 450+ pages of very scientific but EXTREMELY readable and shocking information.

For all parents and grandparents - YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. And do us a favor.. give it to your doctor, your friend the senator and the next door neighbor. What a wonderful book! And a must read!

This is an extremely well written account of the gray area around vaccinations where no one has dared to tread. As a parent who has been involved in this controversy first-hand, I applaud Mr. Kirby's accuracy, forthrightness and commitment to the truth (on both sides) regarding the causal link between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Vaccines and their additives have been held up for generations as "unquestionable," "undeniable," and "without flaw" as the "best" protection for infants and toddlers. In addition, the use of such "unquestionable" vaccines has been mandated by law in most states in the US. Mr. Kirby's account shows what happened and what can happen in the future when ANY type of pharmaceutical is lauded and misrepresented as such - An error committed by the FDA, NIH and CDC. Unfortunate to many, as Mr. Kirby reports, these agencies dragged in the IOM in order to perpetrate a huge fraud rather than being forthcoming with answers and "gray areas" around the use of mercury in vaccines. What Mr. Kirby has covered in this amazing book could represent the greatest iatrogenic catastrophe in human history.

BUY THIS BOOK NOW!

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.

If you know someone who is having a child, grandchild, niece, nephew, etc. please buy them this important book. They'll thank you for it. 1 in 166 children in our country are diagnosed with autism. 1 in 6 children have some type of neurological disorder such as ADD/ADHD, learning disability, etc. The rates of autism continue to skyrocket. If you don't know someone who has a young child with autism, you will soon. Why? These children, like my son, have tested positive for mercury toxicity. This book poses questions such as why we allow mercury, aluminum and tin to be injected into our babies via childhood vaccinations? Why aren't the pharmaceutical companies taking these dangerous neurotoxins out? Kirby has done a great job researching complex information to write this book. Injecting neurotoxins (ethylmercury) into the bodies of young infants is going to cause neurological problems. It's a logical argument and there are studies and data that support this claim. This book is disturbing for me to read. I feel like I'm going through the grieving process all over again. But, this book needs to be read and shared so that the information in this book is discussed and known. Knowledge is power. This book is powerful.

Thousands of parents of autistic children have literally been waiting for years for SOMEONE to do what David Kirby does in his new book, EVIDENCE OF HARM, namely, objectively present the facts on the link between the increased used of a known mercury-based toxin, THIMEROSAL in vaccines and the epidemic of autism and other neurological disorders in our children.

David Kirby lets us share in the experiences of a number of families who watch as their children regress into autism after being vaccinated with mercury. Through their desperate struggles we sense the confusion, denial, and anger over their children's suffering.

Mr Kirby is not trying to promote an agenda or create a panic regarding vaccinations. He's not the parent of an autistic child. He compassionately and objectively investigates the evidence resulting from three years of thorough research on the link between autism and vaccines with mercury. He may not offer absolute "proof" of the connection, but the reader is left with no other explanation based on the evidence he's uncovered.