The following are a series of questions put to the CDC as part of a report on the mercury, vaccines, autism issue. The report can be read here:

Komu.Com - A Look into vaccines.

These are the questions for which no response was received from the CDC:

1. How extensively was thimerosal tested before it was put into vaccines?

2. If thimerosal from the CDC supported studies show no harmful effects, why was it taken out in 1999?

3. Dr. Boyd Haley is the chairman of the chemistry department at the University of Kentucky. He told us on camera concerning the CDC,

I don't trust them. I have met them. I know they have very little respect for hard biological science. Epidemiological studies can prove a possible connection, but they can't prove cause and effect. With the bio chemistry that has been done, the cell biology, we have done about everything we can do to show these kids (autistics) are mercury toxic&

What is the CDC's response to Dr. Haley's claim?

His studies show children with autism are mercury toxic. His studies say the following and are attached: What is your response to these portions we have highlighted from his studies?

From: B.E. Haley/Medical Veritas 2 (2005) 535-542 535
Mercury toxicity: Genetic susceptibility and synergistic effects

Therefore, the lack of mercury in the birth hair of autistics strongly implies that they cannot effectively excrete mercury most likely by not being able to effectively couple Hg2+ with glutathione. Research by Dr. Jill James of the University of Arkansas has partially explained this phenomenon by demonstrating that autistics are quite low in glutathione, the sequester of mercury that exists intracellular and used by the body in the normal excretion process.

Our government agencies, the FDA, CDC, and NIH, routinely ignore the possible involvement of mercury in the cause or exacerbation of any disease. It is my opinion this shunning of mercury based toxicity studies is influenced by organized dentistry and medical interests (vaccine manufacturers) who routinely use mercury in the treatment of patients. An outrageous claim one would rationally think.

In summary, mercury build up in the brain tissue has the ability to cause the equivalent of a biochemical train wreck. Most importantly, the axon, which contains tubulin, is rapidly and effectively disrupted by Hg2+. Many pathways and many supramolecular structures are injured by mercury similar to the aberrancies observed in AD brain pathology and biochemistry. While it is possible that other environmental factors, yet unidentified, could affect brain changes similar to mercury and as observed in AD brain, it seems unquestionable that exposure to mercury vapors for scores of years and high dose vaccine delivered thimerosal in the aged would exacerbate the disease in those who are afflicted.

In summary, it appears as if autistics represent a subset of the population that are more susceptible to the toxic effects of mercury and thimerosal because they are not efficient excretors of these toxic materials. Further, it appears as if the sex hormones play a major role in susceptibility with the male hormones increasing susceptibility to the neurotoxicity of ethylmercury and the female hormones affording a good degree of protection. Common sense tells us that a lead toxic person would be more susceptible to mercury toxicity than a healthy, nontoxic person. Research confirms this and we routinely observe that many heavy metals increase the apparent toxicity of low levels of mercury.

From: Neuroendocrinology Letters Vol.26 No.5, October 2005 Copyright © 2005 Neuroendocrinology Letters ISSN 0172-780X www.nel.edu mercury and autism: Accelerating Evidence? Joachim Mutter, Johannes Naumann, Rainer Schneider, Harald Walach & Boyd Haley

The process of cysteine and glutathione synthesis, which are crucial for natural mercury detoxification, are reduced in autistic children, possibly due to genetic polymorphisms [13,30]. Therefore, autistics have 20% lower plasma levels of cysteine and 54% lower levels of glutathione, which, among others, adversely affect their ability to detoxify and excrete metals like mercury [13,31]. This may lead to higher Hg concentrations in tissues like the nervous system and lead also to a longer halflife of mercury, compared with children with normal levels of cysteine and glutathione [13,18].

Taken together, all the above mentioned data from experimental, clinical and partly from epidemiological studies appear to show that repetitive mercury exposure during pregnancy (through thimerosal and dental amalgam), and after birth, through thimerosal containing vaccinations in genetically susceptible individuals is one potential pathogenetic factor in autism. Other metals and toxicants, partly present in vaccines, and the hormonal situation might have synergistic effects with mercury. This has not been officially acknowledged. Therefore it is mandatory to perform further studies that address this issue with sound methodology and through research uninfluenced by commercial, professional or political interests. Given the widespread use of mercury in medical products, even a small frequency of pathological side effects have a significant impact to public health. Therefore, for preventive purposes, it is mandatory to avoid further use of mercury in medical products in industrial and undeveloped countries.

4. Would the CDC be willing to engage in a dialog with Haley about this issue? Showing the CDC and his findings side by side? Throughout our entire interview, he expressed the desire to talk with CDC. Would the CDC consider it?

5. Why does the CDC discredit studies, such as Haley's and others stating the dangers of thimerosal?

6. What is a trace amount of thimerosal? Haley told us this is not a scientific term and what is your definition?

7. In the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons,Volume 11, Number 1, Spring 2006, The Geiers have a study showing downward trends in Neurodevelopmental Disorders following the removal of thimerosal in vaccines, here is a portion. What is your response?

A twophase study was undertaken to evaluate trends in diagnosis of new NDs entered into the vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and the California Department of Developmental Services (CDDS) databases on a reporting quarter basis, from 1994 through 2005. Significant increasing trends in newly diagnosed NDs were observed in both databases 1994 through mid2002. Significant decreasing trends in newly diagnosed NDs were observed in both databases from mid2002through 2005. The results indicate that the trends in newly diagnosed NDs correspond directly to the expansion and subsequent contraction of the cumulative mercury dose to which children were exposed from TCVs through the U.S. Immunization schedule.

8. Dr. Frank Engley is a retired Professor of Microbiology at the University of Missouri. He has severed on various Microbiology Committees and Panels, and in the consulting capacity for CDC, NASA, FDA, EPA, and many others. In an on camera interview he told us, concerning thimerosal:

The CDC was in on the production and development of some of these vaccines. The CDC cannot afford to admit thimerosal is toxic because they have been promoting it for several years. Today they are in the process of getting vaccines all over the world to immunize 100 million children with vaccines many of which contain thimerosal. So the CDC cannot admit it is a problem...I am afraid they have a tremendous amount of pressure being brought to bare by the medical profession, by the pediatricians, by congress, and by industry, and so they are under pressure&and someday they will have to live with the fact with what they said is wrong. Today it is difficult to fight it. Because all these people that they buy, and pay, to do this work&and sometimes you wonder about where these people come from as far as their knowing what is good right and proper. I won't bring up religion because that has nothing to do with it&but knowing what is right and what is wrong and being able to admit it. The prejudges for these people are being forced to say something sometimes they really don't believe. But they are having to say it. I am not sure I can live long enough to see a lot of that taken away from them. I can only hope.

What is the CDC's response to Dr. Engley's claims?

9. Do Pharmaceutical companies have bigger influence today than they used to?

10. Can the American public have complete faith in the CDC and vaccine makers?

11. Why should the public believe doctors on the vaccines committees in charge of studies concerning vaccines? Why shouldn't the public question neutrality? This can be seen with the current study with The New England Journal of medicine.

Here is a portion from page 11:

Supported by the CDC.

Dr. Thompson reports being a former employee of Merck; Dr. Marcy, receiving consulting fees from Merck, Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, and MedImmune; Dr. Jackson, receiving grant support from Wyeth, Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, and Novartis, lecture fees from Sanofi Pasteur, and consulting fees from Wyeth and Abbott and serving as a consultant to the FDA vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee - Dr. Lieu, serving as a consultant to the CDC Advisory Committee on immunization Practices; Dr. Black, receiving consulting fees from MedImmune, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and Merck and grant support from MedImmune, GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis, Merck, and Novartis; and Dr. Davis receiving consulting fees from Merck and grant support from Merck and GlaxoSmithKline. No other potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

12. Do you consider your studies unbiased and independent despite conflicts of interests listed such as the NEJM study?

13. What do you think is the public's perception of these studies? When there are so many other studies showing thimerosal is toxic and harmful.

An added question through email:

14. Has the CDC considered studying populations that don't vaccinate?