Dawn Winkler on Forced Vaccinations

http://www.dawnforgovernor.org/content/view/36/29/

Each year some public schools refuse to enroll unvaccinated children even
when their families have received exemptions allowed by their states. Many
parents refuse to allow their children to be vaccinated based upon health
concerns with the vaccines themselves.

. Rates of autism have skyrocketed. 1 in 168 children are now diagnosed
with autism. Up from 1 in 10,000 prior to the use of mercury (thimerosal)
in vaccinations. 1 in 6 children are now neurodevelopmentally disabled.
However, public-health officials say better diagnostics account for the 273
percent increase in cases reported in California during the last decade.

. An average of 13,000 reports of neurological and autoimmune trauma
following on the heels of vaccination, especially the hepatitis B
inoculation, have been filed annually since 1990 with the Vaccine Adverse
Event Reporting System, a voluntary program, at the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). Yet many public-health officials claim the reported
events are coincidental, reveal no patterns and are not worth investigating.

. Since the 1930's, when children often received just one vaccination, many
immunizations have contained a 49.6 percent mercury preservative called
thimerosal. Most children today receive 28 injections of 74 antigens (many
vaccines contain more than one antigen such as DTaP and MMR) by age 5,
generally receiving several vaccines per visit. Reports surfaced in 1999
that infants being vaccinated using multi-dose vials, such as hepatitis B
vaccine, with thimerosal were receiving up to 62.5 micrograms of mercury
per visit. This is 100 times the exposure federal Environmental Protection
Guidelines consider safe for the average-sized infant, as mercury is known
to cause neurotoxicity and brain damage that mirrors the symptoms of
autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is
encouraging the development of thimerosal-free doses and for a short time
withdrew its recommendation that infants receive the thimerosal-containing
hepatitis B vaccine at birth. However, the CDC maintains that mercury in
vaccines never has caused an adverse reaction and is not pulling unexpired
thimerosal-containing vaccines off the shelves. Although mercury has been
reduced in many vaccines, some still contain as much as 25 micrograms.
There is no scientific evidence that proves the so-called trace amounts
remaining in others is safe.

. Oral polio vaccines contain live viruses that can cause polio and have
been replaced with a killed-virus version that has a much lower efficacy
rate than the old, live version. The DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and
pertussis) inoculation, acknowledged within the federal government to be
the source of brain damage in some cases, is still on the market; a
modified version, the DTaP, is said to be safer and is commonly used. The
MMR vaccine has been a suspected cause of autism for more than a decade.
The rotavirus inoculation, a vaccine against usually mild diarrhea, was
recalled after it was found to cause bowel blockage and collapse in infants.

Mr. Rick Rollens, former secretary of the California Senate and father of a
son whose autism he believes was triggered by vaccinations, along with
other concerned parents founded the M.I.N.D. Institute to conduct research
into the incidence, causes and treatments of autism and other
neurodevelopmental disorders. Their initial study found a 273 percent
increase in cases of severe autism in California during an 11-year period.
Other neurodevelopmental disabilities such as mental retardation also
increased - but only at a population-adjusted rate. Through the late 1970s,
only 100 to 200 new cases of autism were reported each year. In 1998, new
cases reported to the public-school system were 1,425. That number jumped
another 36 percent to 1,944 in 1999.

Perhaps it's coincidence that each upsurge in autism has followed the
introduction and mandate of a new vaccine in the state, Rollens observes.
"Vaccines contain numerous active agents such as live viruses, bacterial
agents, preservatives and toxic chemicals, including formaldehyde and
mercury, as well as human, animal and plant RNA. Not a single safety study
has ever been done on the short-term or long-term effects of the
interaction of this potent cocktail of numerous multiply active agents on
the developing brain and immune systems of our children," Rollens testified
before Congress. "I must ask the public-health community: Where is the
science?"

Leading vaccine developer and public-health proponent Neal Halsey's
response to these concerns reflects the sentiments of many leading health
officials, "Just because something bad happened after a vaccine does not
mean that the vaccine caused the problem." Halsey heads the Institute for
Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins University, which receives research-grant
support from government sources including the FDA and the World Health
Organization and educational-grant support from vaccine manufacturers such
as Merck & Co., SmithKline Beecham, North American Vaccine and Pasteur
Mirieux Connaught.

But how can Thimerosal REALLY be considered safe and no cause for concern
(as the CDC contends) when the "National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases" (NOAID) - part of the "U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services", admitted in May 2004: "Not much is known about the effects
of thimerosal exposure on humans and how this compares to methyl mercury
exposure"?

The FDA even admits that there is a concern relating to Thimerosal and
"because of these concerns, the Food and Drug Administration has worked
with, and continues to work with, vaccine manufacturers to reduce or
eliminate thimerosal from vaccines." (source)

The Colorado legislature had an opportunity to protect our citizens from
the potentially harmfull effects of vaccines containingThimerosal with
Senate Bill 06-099. However, this bill was defeated. Not only was it
defeated, but Senator Kiki Traylor was opposed to amending the bill in a
way which would have simply made it a requirement to inform the parent
their child was receiving a mercury containing vaccine.

If, as a general rule, vaccines are safe, then why was the "National
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program" established by the federal government
in 1986 & 1988 to protect vaccine manufacturers and health care personnel
administering vaccines from liability due to vaccine related injuries? This
program has paid out over $1.5 billion for deaths and permanent injuries
resulting from vaccination. Only about 25% of claims are compensated as the
requirements for filing have become more and more stringent over the years.

If, as a general rule, vaccines are effective, they why do we see outbreaks
of disease in fully or close to fully vaccinated populations? For instance,
the recent mumps outbreak in Iowa. On April 1, 2006, the Associated Press
reported that of 245 patients confirmed to have mumps, at least 66 percent
had the recommended two-shot vaccination, while 14 percent had received one
dose. In other words, 80 percent of the patients with mumps at the time had
received some vaccination for mumps. This is just one example of many. We
have seen outbreaks of whooping cough, measles, chickenpox, and mumps in
populations across the country despite high vaccination rates.

Vaccinations and prescription drugs do not equal health. Health is the
absence of disease or need for medication. There is mounting evidence that
vaccination is playing a significant role in the rising number of
autoimmune diseases. All types of medical decisions should be made by the
individuals receiving them in the presence of all information available.
The government has no business mandating any medical procedure. Like any
medical procedure, vaccination carries a risk. I believe that the best
person to make healthcare, or any other, decisions for their children is
the parent. I believe Colorado parents know what's best for their own
children.

To clear things up for my "D" opponent, Colorado is not "last" in
vaccinating. As I have testified many times before during the legislative
session in committee hearings, Colorado vaccination rates are high, above
90% in many cases. Colorado is last in one category; the last dose of DTaP
which was suspended by Colorado's Board of Health due to a shortage. It
makes sense that we would be last in that category given that the vaccine
was not available! The Colorado Health Institute has released a white paper
confirming my repeated testimony that we are not last in vaccinating. This
lie was used to push dangerous legislation through which expanded our state
tracking system and gave authority to the department of health to "notify"
you regarding your child's vaccination status. How they will "notify" you
is not specified in the new law which was passed in 2005 despite tremendous
opposition. This tracking system can track your child's vaccination status
without your knowledge or consent. You cannot opt out of the system. If you
do, you end up on the "opt out table". Governor Bill Owens vetoed similar
legislation in years prior due to concerns about privacy, but gave no
reason for signing the bill this time around, though nothing had changed.

As your Governor, I will oppose any legislation requiring the forced
vaccinations of our citizens, including vaccinations as a requirement for
our children entering the public school system. I will also seek to put an
end to the intrusive Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS), a
statewide registry that tracks the immunization status of all of Colorado
children without parental knowledge or permission. Vaccination is a medical
procedure which carries risk. The decision to vaccinate or not to vaccinate
for any particular disease should be the decision of the parent.