Lawmakers Call For Bush Autism Conference

July 24, 2003

- MARK BENJAMIN
United Press International

WASHINGTON, Jul 23, 2003 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Lawmakers, researchers and parents Wednesday
called on President Bush to convene a conference of health experts to tackle ballooning autism rates among American children.
Recent reports suggest as many as out of every 150 American kids may have the disease - up from 1 in 10,000 just a decade
ago - in an epidemic laying siege to American families that could cost the American economy between $200 and $400 billion by
 2010, according to autism support groups. 

A group of lawmakers said Wednesday that Bush should convene the conference because U.S. health agencies have so far failed
to investigate the epidemic.  "I feel very strongly that NIH [the National Institutes of Health] and the CDC [Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention] have failed to do the necessary research," said Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., a physician. Indiana 
Republican Rep. Dan Burton, whose grandson has autism, and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Democratic presidential candidate,
 also called on Bush to ratchet up government work on autism.  "It is time for a White House conference on autism," said 
Kucinich. Kucinich said 1.5 million Americans might suffer from the condition.  The White House did not return a phone call 
seeking comment on the issue. 

A panel of researchers discussed possible environmental causes for the epidemic, including mercury exposure from vaccines. The
mercury-based additive called thimerosal was particularly prevalent during the 1990's -- when vaccine doses for children 
doubled and autism rates skyrocketed.  "As a physician, I am particularly concerned about the safety of our vaccine supply," 
Weldon said. 

Doctors discussed studies that appear to show that children with autism may not be able to secrete mercury, poisoning them, and
discussed research that appears to show a correlation between increasing exposure to mercury from vaccines and rising brain 
problems in children.  Some doctors expressed anger at government health experts who they said are ignoring the problem. 
Government health agencies set childhood vaccination schedules. 

"What we have here are some bureaucrats who want to keep this under cover," said Boyd Haley, chairman of the Chemistry 
Department at the University of Kentucky.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in June 2000 called for the removal 
of thimerosal from vaccines "because any potential risk from mercury is of concern." But the agency said, "However, there 
remains no convincing evidence of harm caused by low levels of thimerosal in vaccines." 

In October 2001, an Institute of Medicine panel found that it is "biologically plausible" that thimerosal causes autism, but that, 
"current scientific evidence neither proves nor disproves a link."  Vaccine manufacturers say their products are likely not to blame.

MEDIA ADVISORY:
SCIENTISTS TO RELEASE NEW AUTISM FINDINGS AT JULY 23RD PRESS CONFERENCE IN DC

In Pursuit of White House Conference on Autism Rise, Parents Hope New Science Will Spark Bush Administration's Interest in
National Epidemic

Washington, DC-- On Wednesday, July 23rd, scientists, physicians and parents of autistic children will gather on Capitol Hill for 
the "Know the Cause, Find the Cure" press conference. The event will take place in the Rayburn Office Building, Room 2203, 
from 10:00 am. to11:00 a.m.

Independent scientists and physicians will be on-hand to announce important new findings on the autism rise, and groups attending
the press conference say they will ask the Bush Administration, FDA, and CDC why the number-one medical crisis affecting 
America¡¦s children today, estimated to cost tax-payers over $300 Billion in the next decade, has seemingly been ignored. 
President Bush will also be asked for a third time to hold a White House Conference in order to create a crisis plan.

Immediately following the press conference, scientists and physicians will stay for an in-depth science presentation to members of 
Congress, Senators and their health staff. Scientists and physicians include: David Geier, Mark Geier, M.D., Jeff Bradstreet,
M.D., James B. Adams, Ph.D., Boyd Haley (Ph.D.), and Jeff Segal, M.D. Other speakers will include Congressman Dan 
Burton (R-IN), Congressman Dave Weldon (R-FL), Lyn Redwood, President, Safe Minds and Scott Bono, Advisory Board 
Member, The Autism Autoimmunity Project.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) now affects approximately 1 in 150 American children and is still growing according to a 
recent Centers for Disease Control investigation„oup from 1 in 10,000 in 1990. In 1999, the FDA stated that mercury exposure
from infant vaccines may have exceeded federal safety guidelines. In 2001, the Institute of Medicine released a report suggesting
the link between autism and Thimerosal is "biologically plausible." Many thought the rise in autism cases was due to better 
reporting, but a recent study conducted by the MIND Institute concluded that the rise is real and not the result of better 
diagnostic measures, migration or broader diagnosis guidelines.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact:
Laura Bono, The Autism Autoimmunity Project
(919) 403-9443, (919) 423-3749 (cell), ldbono@nc.rr.com
Bobbie Manning, Autism One
(785) 830-0798 mikesmom@sunflower.com
Jo Pike, Moms on a Mission for Autism
(843) 206-8449 JPiker@aol.com