Lilly vaccine issue will get front-door hearing it deserves
[email protected]
Get ready for round 2!!
Cecelia
Michigan Unlocking Autism Rep.
http://autisminmichigan.homestead.com/
http://www.iGive.com/UnlockingAutismMI
http://autisminmichigan.homestead.com/BlakesArtWork.html
Thomas P. Wyman
Lilly vaccine issue will get front-door hearing it deserves
http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/5/015415-9055-031.html
January 14, 2003
"Look, Ma, no hands!" As soon as you hear those words, you can bet what
happens next is going to look ugly.
Ask Eli Lilly and Co.
Two months ago, a measure protecting Lilly from vaccine-related lawsuits
turned up in a very unlikely place -- attached to the Homeland Security Act.
Lilly professed surprise and said it had no hand in the matter. Lilly wasn't
steering the measure, the company says. Just going along for the ride.
Indeed, diligent searching turned up no identifiable Lilly fingerprints.
But, predictably, this careening ride through the halls of Congress has
ended in a noisy crash.
On Friday, Senate Republicans agreed to repeal the Lilly lawsuit protection
measure. The House quickly pledged to follow suit.
For nearly a year's lobbying, Lilly has come away with little more than a
public relations black eye.The White House and Congress drew up the Homeland
Security Act to guard the nation against terrorists, not trial lawyers.
But must-pass legislation like this is particularly tempting to lobbyists.
Get your pet measure attached to it, and it will pass into law. Nobody will
dare vote no, or cast a veto, against critical legislation just to dunk a
pesky rider.
What tempted Lilly was the prospect of shielding itself from lawsuits
involving thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that contains mercury. Lilly no
longer makes thimerosal.
Scores of parents of autistic children blame their kids' autism on
thimerosal, and are suing. Lilly says the lawsuits are groundless.
Research on the question so far is inconclusive.
Last fall, Lilly spokesman Edward Sagebiel said Monday, Lilly asked Congress
to add thimerosal lawsuit protection to the Homeland Security bill.
Lilly got the door slammed in its face. No way, the word came back.
Congressional leaders wanted a clean bill -- one not burdened with lots of
special favors.
At that point, Sagebiel says, "We stopped our lobbying efforts."
But when the measure emerged from Congress, lo and behold, there was the
lawsuit protection.
There was no lack of suspects, including maybe some unidentified Capitol
Hill ally of White House budget maestro Mitch Daniels, a former Lilly
executive.
All denied involvement.
But Lilly nevertheless appeared to have benefited from someone's cynical
manipulation of critical national security legislation.
In a statement released Friday, Lilly said it "agrees that the process by
which this legislation was enacted was not desirable, and fully understands
the action taken by the Senate."
The legislative sleight-of-hand that slipped the lawsuit shield into the
Homeland Security Act didn't just put egg on Lilly's corporate face. It also
heightened the suspicions of those parents who are suing.
And it's handed ammunition, at least in a public relations sense, to their
attorneys.
Lilly's not giving up, though. It plans to pursue identical legislation this
spring, Sagebiel says.
In that effort, the company has powerful political allies. The list includes
Senate Majority Leader William Frist, a medical doctor who favors the
lawsuit shield.
And that's the way to go about it. As a piece of separate legislation.
Debated on its merits, in full public view.
Contact Thomas P. Wyman at 1-317-444-6424 or via e-mail at
thomas.wyman@...
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Cecelia
Michigan Unlocking Autism Rep.
http://autisminmichigan.homestead.com/
http://www.iGive.com/UnlockingAutismMI
http://autisminmichigan.homestead.com/BlakesArtWork.html
Thomas P. Wyman
Lilly vaccine issue will get front-door hearing it deserves
http://www.indystar.com/print/articles/5/015415-9055-031.html
January 14, 2003
"Look, Ma, no hands!" As soon as you hear those words, you can bet what
happens next is going to look ugly.
Ask Eli Lilly and Co.
Two months ago, a measure protecting Lilly from vaccine-related lawsuits
turned up in a very unlikely place -- attached to the Homeland Security Act.
Lilly professed surprise and said it had no hand in the matter. Lilly wasn't
steering the measure, the company says. Just going along for the ride.
Indeed, diligent searching turned up no identifiable Lilly fingerprints.
But, predictably, this careening ride through the halls of Congress has
ended in a noisy crash.
On Friday, Senate Republicans agreed to repeal the Lilly lawsuit protection
measure. The House quickly pledged to follow suit.
For nearly a year's lobbying, Lilly has come away with little more than a
public relations black eye.The White House and Congress drew up the Homeland
Security Act to guard the nation against terrorists, not trial lawyers.
But must-pass legislation like this is particularly tempting to lobbyists.
Get your pet measure attached to it, and it will pass into law. Nobody will
dare vote no, or cast a veto, against critical legislation just to dunk a
pesky rider.
What tempted Lilly was the prospect of shielding itself from lawsuits
involving thimerosal, a vaccine preservative that contains mercury. Lilly no
longer makes thimerosal.
Scores of parents of autistic children blame their kids' autism on
thimerosal, and are suing. Lilly says the lawsuits are groundless.
Research on the question so far is inconclusive.
Last fall, Lilly spokesman Edward Sagebiel said Monday, Lilly asked Congress
to add thimerosal lawsuit protection to the Homeland Security bill.
Lilly got the door slammed in its face. No way, the word came back.
Congressional leaders wanted a clean bill -- one not burdened with lots of
special favors.
At that point, Sagebiel says, "We stopped our lobbying efforts."
But when the measure emerged from Congress, lo and behold, there was the
lawsuit protection.
There was no lack of suspects, including maybe some unidentified Capitol
Hill ally of White House budget maestro Mitch Daniels, a former Lilly
executive.
All denied involvement.
But Lilly nevertheless appeared to have benefited from someone's cynical
manipulation of critical national security legislation.
In a statement released Friday, Lilly said it "agrees that the process by
which this legislation was enacted was not desirable, and fully understands
the action taken by the Senate."
The legislative sleight-of-hand that slipped the lawsuit shield into the
Homeland Security Act didn't just put egg on Lilly's corporate face. It also
heightened the suspicions of those parents who are suing.
And it's handed ammunition, at least in a public relations sense, to their
attorneys.
Lilly's not giving up, though. It plans to pursue identical legislation this
spring, Sagebiel says.
In that effort, the company has powerful political allies. The list includes
Senate Majority Leader William Frist, a medical doctor who favors the
lawsuit shield.
And that's the way to go about it. As a piece of separate legislation.
Debated on its merits, in full public view.
Contact Thomas P. Wyman at 1-317-444-6424 or via e-mail at
thomas.wyman@...
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
bluelotus
<< Two months ago, a measure protecting Lilly from vaccine-related lawsuits
turned up in a very unlikely place -- attached to the Homeland Security Act. >>
Yep, Lilly is not the only benefitting from this, but most pharmaceutical companies are, and not just on vaccines with mercury, but on pretty much ANY vaccine, including the smallpox vaccine (of course!). Basically the Homeland Security Act is freeing them from any accountability for vaccine related injuries (or death).
Doesn't it make you feel secure??? sheesh... I won't go on, because I have very strong opinions about vaccination and pharmaceutical monsters.
Yol
--
Blue Lotus Therapeutics -
Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga & Therapeutic Massage
http://www.bluelotustherapeutics.com
Dhyanyoga Center of NC -
Meditation - Kundalini Maha Yoga
http://www.dyc-nc.org
**********************************
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The world is ruled by
letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering.
-- Tao Te Ching
**********************************
turned up in a very unlikely place -- attached to the Homeland Security Act. >>
Yep, Lilly is not the only benefitting from this, but most pharmaceutical companies are, and not just on vaccines with mercury, but on pretty much ANY vaccine, including the smallpox vaccine (of course!). Basically the Homeland Security Act is freeing them from any accountability for vaccine related injuries (or death).
Doesn't it make you feel secure??? sheesh... I won't go on, because I have very strong opinions about vaccination and pharmaceutical monsters.
Yol
--
Blue Lotus Therapeutics -
Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga & Therapeutic Massage
http://www.bluelotustherapeutics.com
Dhyanyoga Center of NC -
Meditation - Kundalini Maha Yoga
http://www.dyc-nc.org
**********************************
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. The world is ruled by
letting things take their course. It cannot be ruled by interfering.
-- Tao Te Ching
**********************************