Letter to the Michigan senate

By Darren Weeks

The following is the letter that I have written, regarding the nasty legislation that has been introduced here in Michigan by state senator, Beverly "Big Pharma" Hammerstrom. This letter has been transmitted to every Michigan state senator.

But that isn't enough!

If you live in Michigan, you should also write. Please call the state capitol and tell them where you live and they will connect you to the proper senator. Tell them to lobby against SB1416 and SB1417, and if they come before them for a vote, THEY MUST VOTE "NO".

Dear Senator,

I am writing to you about the dangers of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which state Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom has introduced a mandate that, if passed, would require all school girls entering the sixth grade to obtain.

The vaccine that is already on the market is called “Gardasil”. According to the package insert, provided by the Merck company, the vaccine contains “virus like particles” that are “absorbed on preformed aluminum-containing adjuvant”. An adjuvant is an ingredient that is added to a vaccine to supposedly increase its effectiveness.

In this case, Merck admits the adjuvant in their Gardasil vaccine contains aluminum! Aluminum in the brain has been linked as a characteristic of Alzheimer's patients. (See: Brain Aluminum Distribution in Alzheimer's Disease and Experimental Neurofibrillary Degeneration, Science Magazine, http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/180/4085/511)

In addition to aluminum, vaccines have also been known to contain other potentially damaging substances. For instance, many vaccines contain a preservative called “thimerosal”. One of the ingredients of thimerosal is mercury. According to FDA regulations, if the final vaccine product contains 5mcg of mercury or less, the manufacturer is not legally obligated to label for mercury/thimerosal content. The vaccine could potentially have mercury in it, without the contents being listed.

I am concerned that there doesn't appear to be any long-term testing that has been done, proving the safety of Gardasil for school children, or anyone else for that matter. The only apparent "testing" that has been done, is by the Merck company, the manufacturer of the vaccine.

I am deeply disappointed in the FDA's decision to approve this vaccine without the necessary long-term testing that would prove its safety. I am even more disappointed with the rush to mandate this for every female sixth-grader in Michigan. I am aware of the "opt-out" law in Michigan, however my concern is that many parents won't be aware of their rights, nor may they be aware of the dangers that are associated with vaccines -- in particular the HPV vaccine.

Also of concern to me is the fact that Sen. Hammerstrom, the legislator who is introducing this measure, along with others who are sponsoring this pair of bills, are connected to an organization in Washington D.C. called Women In Government (See www.womeningovernment.org). Women In Government is an organization which is funded by the same pharmaceutical companies that produce the HPV vaccines -- the one currently available, and one that is presently in production by Glaxo Smith Kline. This is a fact that has been documented, recently by WLNS Channel 6, on their 5:00 newscast of September 14th. See http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?s=5409551

In light of the many serious potential health ramifications regarding a rush to vaccinate using Gardasil, and the fact that Ms. Hammerstrom's twin bills (HB1416 and HB1417) would take away the freedom of parents to decide for themselves whether vaccination is right for their children, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO LOBBY AGAINST SB1416 AND SB1417 and if these bills come before you for a vote, YOU MUST VOTE "NO".

Respectfully,

Darren Weeks

Please call your state senators, and put it into your own words. Phone calls and faxes are best. They can easily ignore e-mails, and snail mail letters take too long. They are fast-tracking the bills. The legislation was only introduced a week ago today, and it has already passed through committee and two analyses.

If you don't live in Michigan, please call your state capitol and ask your legislators to find out whether it is being introduced in your state. You pay their salaries. Let them do a little work for you. Most of the states have either already passed legislation or a resolution of some type.

If we are unwilling to speak out for the children — those who lack the experience and voice to speak for themselves — then we have lost our heart and have no conscience.

Please help. You can find a complete list of Michigan senators here. Hit them hard! Remember, phone calls and faxes work best.