New Research Study Shows Developmental Delays in Monkeys Given Hepatitis B Vaccines

(Austin, Texas) – A new research study published today in a leading scientific journal, NeuroToxicology, found that a Hepatitis B vaccine containing the mercury-based preservative thimerosal caused significant delays in the acquisition of critical survival reflexes in newborn rhesus macaque monkeys. In this first-ever study comparing vaccinated animals with unvaccinated controls, thirteen of the animals were given a Hepatitis B vaccine containing a standardized amount of thimerosal to match that given to babies; four received a saline placebo, and three were not given any shots. The unvaccinated animals developed normally. Delays in vaccinated infants involved three critical reflexes associated with feeding, which are essential for survival in the wild.

“Infants of lower birth weight and gestational age were at greater risk” explained Dr. Laura Hewitson of the University of Pittsburgh, one of the principal investigators of the study. “The reflexes affected in this study are controlled by the brainstem, which regulates functions like heart rate, breathing, and intestinal activity, so these findings give us cause for concern, especially for low birth weight and pre-term infants who might be more susceptible to functional brain injury from this vaccine.”

According to Hewitson, the study was not designed to determine whether it was the thimerosal preservative or another component of the vaccine that caused the observed delays. Although the FDA and American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 1999 that thimerosal be removed as soon as possible from vaccines in the US, it is still used as a preservative in flu shots, including the recently licensed H1N1 vaccines. Flu shots are currently recommended for pregnant women and children 6 months of age and older.

“We undertook these experiments largely because we were unable to find any safety studies comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated animals,” said Dr. Andrew Wakefield, Executive Director of Thoughtful House and a co-investigator of the project. “This study is part of a larger research program looking at the safety of the vaccine schedule from birth to age four years. What is particularly concerning is that in spite of the recommendation to remove thimerosal from vaccines a decade ago, millions of people, many of them children and pregnant mothers, are about to get mercury in their flu shots.”

Thimerosal is also still routinely used in Hepatitis B and numerous other vaccines world-wide.

Thoughtful House advocates and provides multi-disciplinary treatment for autism and related developmental delays and disorders. The Thoughtful House research program is dedicated to understanding the biological origins of childhood developmental disorders and establishing best practices in treating children affected by these disorders; Thoughtful House supports a ‘safety-first’ vaccination policy.

Delayed Acquisition of Neonatal Reflexes in Newborn Primates Receiving a Thimerosal-Containing Hepatitis B Vaccine: Influence of Gestational Age and Birth Weight. Hewitson L, Houser LA, Stott C, Sackett G, Tomko JL, Atwood D, Blue L, White ER and Wakefield AJ. NeuroToxicology, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 30 September 2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.09.008.

I’ll look at the study, but at face value this is fairly scary.

It has been a long fight. My Daughter with Autism just turned 23 and I am paying for her to attend a private day center for disabled adults. She was damaged by her MMR vaccine. She will never be able to live or work on her own and I have paid for all kinds of treatments for 23 years, it has cost my family dearly in stress and money. I do not wish this lifelong sentence on any other parent. Beware, vaccines are not always safe.

You can say that again. Ten years of flu vaccines and no problem then 2007 vaccine leads to pancreatitis. No more flu vaccines, ever.

4 posted on 09/30/2009 9:19:37 AM PDT by x_plus_one (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell)

The Swine Flu vaccine they are preparing for all of us to be told to take contains the same ingredient listed here. Thimerasol.

Many parents of Autistic children are convinced that this ingredient caused their children’s problems.

I have a big problem with giving newborns any vaccines.

Autism amongst American children 1 per 150, autism amongst the Amish 1 per 15000. Difference? One group immunizes their children for public school and the other does not attend public schools and do not need to immunize their kids. Data is out there for government to study, but they will not because the drug companies will freak out.

I’ve always demanded (and double check) that all my kids have thimerisol-free innoculations. Right up to the time of injection. Including inspecting the bottle.

Thimerisol is used as a cheap way to distribute multiple doses (ie, you can use the same container for multiple needles, saving cost on containers).

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