Wall Street Journal Solicits Dirty Legislation, Says the National Autism Association
Wall Street Journal Solicits Dirty Legislation, Says the National Autism Association
Thursday May 20, 11:44 am ET
National Autism Association - Press Release
NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- A printed piece yesterday in the Wall Street Journal called on three United States Senators to re-instate a Homeland Security Rider that protects drug companies from liability against thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative. According to the National Autism Association, with IOM's decision Tuesday that reported no connection between autism and thimerosal, WSJ stated in its editorial entitled "Vaccine Vindication," "Senators, how about ... giving [vaccine makers] liability protection..."
The three Senators, Olympia Snow, Susan Collins, and Lincoln Chaffee, put children first when they stood up to the secret rider that was inserted in the dead of night over a year ago. The provision was later repealed due to its unethical submission by a nameless party. Now, the three Senators are under constant scrutiny of the Wall Street Journal, a publication that has used its journalistic platform for political influence, reporting inaccurate information on events related to vaccine-liability legislation and biased information on autism-related studies, as well as badgering parents of special needs children.
But Wall Street Journal's adamant stance on delivering liability protection to vaccine makers doesn't add up for some. "Why would vaccine makers be liable if the vaccines didn't cause my son's neurological problems?" asks Lori McIlwain, whose only child has autism. "If the IOM is right, there should be no need to protect vaccine makers. By stating otherwise means the mercury in vaccines isn't safe -- so is it or isn't it?" she asks.
Other printed pieces from the Wall Street Journal pegged parents as a small insignificant group, when in reality, a large portion of the autism community believes vaccines played a role in their child's condition. WSJ has also said that these thousands of parents are looking for a "scapegoat," have insinuated they are only out to make a buck, and exaggerated in one of their pieces how a few parents had "harassed" them. "Wall Street Journal is clearly biased and will probably write a piece about everything you're reading right now. They know very little about autism and the science surrounding autism, which could explain the bias within their pieces. This type of writing and their behavior towards families who live in constant sorrow reflects poorly on the Dow Jones Corporation, the entire Wall Street Journal publication, and its advertisers. These parents have gone through devastation that WSJ couldn't even begin to understand ... they're simply fighting for their children," says McIlwain.
As for plugging liability legislation, many say that's already been done. "It's called VICA," says McIlwain. "The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, also known as VICA, already protects drug companies more than families. Wall Street Journal would know this if they talked to parents whose children have died on the way home from being vaccinated, or whose children's brains swelled to the point of permanent damage. This isn't just about autism and it's not about an 'anti-vaccine movement.' These children count, too. WSJ's actions only makes us more determined to put these stories in front of every member of Congress ... to let them know that VICA is a broken program and that any vaccine-related legislation introduced by Senators Frist or Gregg will undoubtedly put big pharma first," she says.
A representative for the Wall Street Journal Editorial Department commented by stating the journal simply printed the results of the study. National Autism Association states that the Wall Street Journal is a financial publication and hopes WSJ will focus on how the growth in autism will affect America's economy.
Contact: Lori McIlwain, (919) 468-6455
Source: National Autism Association