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Swine Flu Vaccine Personal Protection Alert 08/13/09Request for Letters to Legislators to PREVENT MANDATED Swine Flu Vaccination in TexasDear Friends, The recent discussion at the state, federal, and even international level about an impending aggressive fall vaccination campaign for H1N1, or swine flu, has many Texas families alarmed that the government may attempt to force them to submit to a vaccine or drug treatment they do not want. Foremost in these Texas citizens’ minds are questions about how they will be able to protect themselves and their families from vaccines and treatments that have debatable safety, efficacy, and even necessity while simultaneously protecting themselves from a new strain of the flu. Unfortunately, a review of current Texas state law reveals tremendous unilateral power in the hands of unelected health department bureaucrats and glaring gaps in language protecting individual rights. Unlike the laws that apply to school vaccines, the Health and Safety Code provides for absolutely no medical or reasons of conscience exemptions from state imposed mandated control measures like vaccination and antiviral drugs. There is a highly restrictive religious exemption only available to those who adhere to a recognized religion choosing prayer in lieu of medical treatment, but that is basically useless as it “does not apply during an emergency or an area of quarantine or after the issuance by the governor of an executive order or proclamation.” (Health and Safety Code Sec 81.009) Considering the fact that on June 11, the World Health Organization officially declared H1N1 Influenza a phase 6 (highest possible) pandemic, it is not unreasonable to be concerned that emergency declarations may be made in Texas thus leaving Texans with no options for exemptions. This is especially troubling since these experimental vaccines, potentially containing powerful unlicensed adjuvants, are being fast tracked at the FDA with very little known about side effects, and a recent study warns that antiviral drug use in children ages 12 and under actually does more harm than good. These are the same antiviral drugs the state has stockpiled for use this fall underscoring once again that parents need to ultimately be making these decisions for their children, not the health department. These inhumane and unethical forced vaccination and drugging statutes provide for the inevitable sacrifice of some healthy individuals and leave no option for anyone, even those with known vulnerabilities, to refuse vaccination or drug treatments without facing the risk of incurring criminal penalties (Health and Safety Code 81.083). We are asking everyone to please take the time to contact your state elected officials and ask them to ensure that Texans have the legal right to have the final say over what is put into their bodies without criminal penalties or discrimination at work, with insurance, or at school. When Texas implements a swine flu vaccination campaign, it must be VOLUNTARY and non-coercive with OPT-IN informed consent and education about vaccine risks. Below you will find more information on many of the concerns being raised about the swine flu vaccine as well as links to lookup the identity and contact information of your elected officials and suggested sample letters to assist you in easily communicating this important request to your Texas legislators. Together, we can make a difference. Thank you! Sincerely, 4 SIMPLE ACTION ITEMS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
SAMPLE LETTER TO LEGISLATORS [YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS] [ADDRESS OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE, SENATOR or GOVERNOR] Subject: Right to Refuse Swine Flu Vaccines and Antiviral Drugs Dear [Representative LASTNAME, Senator LASTNAME, OR Governor Perry], The recent discussion at the state, federal, and even international level about an impending aggressive fall vaccination campaign for H1N1, or swine flu, has our family concerned that our Texas government, our employer, our insurance company, or our school may attempt to force us to submit to a vaccine or drug treatment we may not want. [INSERT OPTIONAL PERSONAL REASON WHY YOU MAY HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS LIKE PAST VACCINE REACTIONS, FAMILY HISTORY, ETC.]
Unfortunately, a review of current Texas state law reveals tremendous unilateral power in the hands of unelected health department employees and glaring gaps in language protecting individual rights. Unlike the laws that apply to school vaccines, the Health and Safety Code provides for absolutely no medical or reasons of conscience exemptions from the imposition of mandated control measures like vaccination and antiviral drugs. There is a highly restrictive religious exemption only available to those who adhere to a recognized religion choosing prayer in lieu of medical treatment, but that is basically useless as it “does not apply during an emergency or an area of quarantine or after the issuance by the governor of an executive order or proclamation.” (Health and Safety Code Sec 81.009) Considering the fact that on June 11, the World Health Organization officially declared H1N1 Influenza a phase 6 (highest possible) pandemic, it is not unreasonable to be concerned that emergency declarations could be made in Texas thus leaving my family with no options for exemptions. This is especially troubling since these experimental vaccines, potentially containing unlicensed adjuvants, are being fast tracked at the FDA with very little known about side effects, and a recent study warns that antiviral drug use in children ages 12 and under actually does more harm than good. These are the same antiviral drugs the state has stockpiled for use this fall underscoring once again that the parents need to make the final decision whether or not to use a drug or vaccine, not the health department. These inhumane and unethical forced vaccination and drugging statutes provide for the inevitable sacrifice of some healthy individuals and leave no option for anyone, even those with known vulnerabilities, to refuse vaccination or drug treatments to prevent reactions without facing the risk of incurring criminal penalties (Health and Safety Code 81.083). I am like many others in Texas who want to be sure we all have the legal right to make a choice and have the final say over what is put into their bodies without criminal penalties or discrimination at our jobs, with our insurance companies, or at our schools. Because the legislation cannot be fixed until next session, I am requesting two things:
I am attaching an overview of some of the concerns I have with the swine flu vaccine. Please consider doing all that you can to ensure that any swine flu vaccinations given in Texas are done on a voluntary basis and working in the interim towards restoring rights back to the people of Texas to be able to refuse potentially reactive vaccines and anti-viral drugs. Thank you. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] What Do We Really Know About Swine Flu Vaccines? Experimental swine flu vaccines being fast-tracked, side-stepping normal approval procedures and safety testing1, have many people concerned about their safety. Some have warned that the vaccine could cause worse problems than the swine flu itself.2 Even though the federal government has announced that children will be among “the first in line” for swine flu vaccines3, the World Health Organization openly admits that there is very little to no safety data in children for the use of vaccine ingredients called adjuvants that they plan on using to stimulate an immune response.4 The adjuvants being used by some of the companies contracted to make the swine flu vaccines, MF59 and ASO3, contain squalene which has been repeatedly linked in the medical literature to cause serious autoimmune problems, and even more research links Gulf War Syndrome in soldiers to squalene based adjuvants in the anthrax vaccine.2,5,6 Many are questioning the federal government’s commitment to our children’s safety. United States Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius confirmed that the controversial mercury based preservative Thimerosal, which has been removed from other childhood vaccines, will be used in the manufacturing of the new swine flu vaccine. She was even quoted as telling Katie Couric on CBS News that “…there really is no safety risk with thimerosol.”7 The United States Health and Human Services National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has already paid out close to $2 billion dollars in damage claims for vaccine injuries8 caused by vaccines that have been fully tested and deemed “safe” for routine childhood vaccinations. That is hardly reassuring for people concerned about unknown side-effects from poorly tested experimental swine flu vaccines. If you are one of the unlucky ones to actually be injured or disabled by the swine flu vaccine, you won’t be able to sue to recover your medical bills as US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius signed a document in July guaranteeing that vaccine makers and federal officials will be immune from lawsuits that result from any new swine flu vaccine.9 The fact that we may be about to repeat history has even more people concerned. In 1976, Congress authorized mass immunizations where more than 40 million Americans received the swine flu vaccine before the program was halted after just 10 weeks because 25 people died after receiving the vaccine and more than 500 people are thought to have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome from the shot. In contrast, there were only 200 reported cases of the virus and 1 death from it.10 Then there are questions as to whether or not the swine flu vaccine will even work11. Vaccine trials in the United States just started August 10th and “researchers may not have data on how well the vaccine causes the body to create antibodies for several weeks.”12 Looking at the track record of how poorly effective regular seasonal flu vaccines are in the United States makes the prospect of a rushed experimental vaccine having any significant impact even bleaker.13 There is even some research showing that mass vaccination could cause more widespread infection from a mutated vaccine resistant strain of an influenza virus rendering a mass vaccination program more harmful than helpful.14 Not everyone who gets the swine flu is at risk for severe complications which raises even more questions in people’s minds about mass vaccination. The CDC’s website reads “Most people who have become ill with this new virus have recovered without requiring medical treatment.”15 The CDC says that obesity16, pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal flu appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from swine flu.17 Rushing to vaccinate everyone risking vaccine side effects with an experimental, unproven vaccine, especially people who are healthy and unlikely to suffer from severe complications from the virus itself, is reckless and ultimately undermines trust in public health.
RESOURCES If you would like more information on the swine flu and the vaccine to help you to become more informed, here are a handful of links to helpful sites dedicated to providing you with information and actions to help you protect yourself and your family.
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August 28, 2009 |
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