rebecca
14th March 2007, 06:19 AM
From Pharyngula (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/03/antivaccination_foolishness_in.php):
There's supposed to be a hearing next week on a bill that would limit the use of vaccines containing thimerosal, because of the belief that they may cause autism. This is the third year that this bill has been presented, and it keeps failing, but they keep bringing it back up, even though it's clearer now than ever that there is no connection between the two - there's been no more than trace amounts of thimerosal in childhood vaccines made since 2001, and more autism than ever in kids too young to have been exposed to it. This isn't just bad science: it's the Legislature telling parents they can't trust their pediatricians, and giving credence to the quacks who want to treat autistic kids with chelation, homeopathy, hyperbaric oxygen, high-dose vitamin supplements, and all manner of other dubious remedies.
Perhaps you would be willing to spread the word that the committee members who will be voting on this bill (Senate File 1780) need to hear the scientific viewpoint? Especially the ones who are co-sponsors of the bill - including John Marty, committee chair, who just went down about four hundred notches in my estimation. I'll append a couple of links for background and the committee list. I imagine you have a lot of MN readers who may be constituents of the committee members.
Thanks!
Lisa Randall
(an amateur immunization advocate who has experienced the lunacy first-hand (http://www.neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/15/st-paul-saga))
Background (http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75751) and statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics (http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/thimerosal.htm)
Bill text (http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1780.0.html&session=ls85)
Committee (co-authors' names are in bold):
Chair: John Marty (sen.john.marty@senate.mn)* (DFL-54)
Roseville
651-296-5645
Vice Chair: Patricia Torres Ray (sen.patricia.torres.ray@senate.mn)* (DFL-62)
Minneapolis
651-296-4274
Paul E. Koering (sen.paul.koering@senate.mn) (R-12)
Fort Ripley
651-296-4875
Linda Berglin (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (DFL-61)
Minneapolis
651-296-4261
John P. Doll (sen.john.doll@senate.mn) (DFL-40)
Burnsville
651-296-5975
Sharon L. Erickson Ropes (sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn)* [RN] (DFL-31)
Winona
651-296-5649
Michelle L. Fischbach (sen.michelle.fischbach@senate.mn) (R-14)
Paynesville
651-296-2084
David W. Hann (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (R-42)
Eden Prairie
651-296-1749
Linda Higgins (sen.linda.higgins@senate.mn) (DFL-58)
Minneapolis
651-296-9246
Debbie J. Johnson (sen.debbie.johnson@senate.mn) (R-49)
Ham Lake
651-296-3219
Tony Lourey (sen.tony.lourey@senate.mn)* (DFL-08)
Kerrick
651-296-0293
Ann Lynch (sen.ann.lynch@senate.mn) (DFL-30)
Rochester
651-296-4848
Yvonne Prettner Solon (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (DFL-07)
Duluth
651-296-4188
Betsy L. Wergin (sen.betsy.wergin@senate.mn)* (R-16)
Princeton
651-296-8075
Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere. People in MN, let your reps know what you think!
There's supposed to be a hearing next week on a bill that would limit the use of vaccines containing thimerosal, because of the belief that they may cause autism. This is the third year that this bill has been presented, and it keeps failing, but they keep bringing it back up, even though it's clearer now than ever that there is no connection between the two - there's been no more than trace amounts of thimerosal in childhood vaccines made since 2001, and more autism than ever in kids too young to have been exposed to it. This isn't just bad science: it's the Legislature telling parents they can't trust their pediatricians, and giving credence to the quacks who want to treat autistic kids with chelation, homeopathy, hyperbaric oxygen, high-dose vitamin supplements, and all manner of other dubious remedies.
Perhaps you would be willing to spread the word that the committee members who will be voting on this bill (Senate File 1780) need to hear the scientific viewpoint? Especially the ones who are co-sponsors of the bill - including John Marty, committee chair, who just went down about four hundred notches in my estimation. I'll append a couple of links for background and the committee list. I imagine you have a lot of MN readers who may be constituents of the committee members.
Thanks!
Lisa Randall
(an amateur immunization advocate who has experienced the lunacy first-hand (http://www.neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/15/st-paul-saga))
Background (http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=75751) and statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics (http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/thimerosal.htm)
Bill text (http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1780.0.html&session=ls85)
Committee (co-authors' names are in bold):
Chair: John Marty (sen.john.marty@senate.mn)* (DFL-54)
Roseville
651-296-5645
Vice Chair: Patricia Torres Ray (sen.patricia.torres.ray@senate.mn)* (DFL-62)
Minneapolis
651-296-4274
Paul E. Koering (sen.paul.koering@senate.mn) (R-12)
Fort Ripley
651-296-4875
Linda Berglin (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (DFL-61)
Minneapolis
651-296-4261
John P. Doll (sen.john.doll@senate.mn) (DFL-40)
Burnsville
651-296-5975
Sharon L. Erickson Ropes (sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn)* [RN] (DFL-31)
Winona
651-296-5649
Michelle L. Fischbach (sen.michelle.fischbach@senate.mn) (R-14)
Paynesville
651-296-2084
David W. Hann (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (R-42)
Eden Prairie
651-296-1749
Linda Higgins (sen.linda.higgins@senate.mn) (DFL-58)
Minneapolis
651-296-9246
Debbie J. Johnson (sen.debbie.johnson@senate.mn) (R-49)
Ham Lake
651-296-3219
Tony Lourey (sen.tony.lourey@senate.mn)* (DFL-08)
Kerrick
651-296-0293
Ann Lynch (sen.ann.lynch@senate.mn) (DFL-30)
Rochester
651-296-4848
Yvonne Prettner Solon (http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_list.php?sort=a&ls=85#header) (DFL-07)
Duluth
651-296-4188
Betsy L. Wergin (sen.betsy.wergin@senate.mn)* (R-16)
Princeton
651-296-8075
Apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere. People in MN, let your reps know what you think!