News & Analysis
Homeopathy Attacked by Big Pharma Supporters
Magician James Randi, skeptics launch attack on makers of homeopathic 'drugs'... Magician James Randi, who has devoted the latter part of his career to exposing fraud, scams and charlatans, and a network of skeptics known as the 10:23 Campaign launched a major campaign Saturday against the manufacturers of so-called homeopathic drugs, charging that the companies that sell the drugs are packaging worthless products that are cheating customers out of their money. In an online video, Randi consumed an overdose of homeopathic sleeping pills to demonstrate that they have no effect, and skeptics elsewhere consumed large overdoses of other homeopathic drugs in similar demonstrations. Randi also offered $1 million of his own money to any manufacturer of a homeopathic product who could prove that the product actually worked as claimed, and challenged major retailers like CVS, Rite-Aid and Walgreens to remove the products from their shelves. – LA Times
Dominant Social Theme: Only hard science explains the truth: Vaccines are harmless and those who deny it are engaged in a kind of criminality.
Free-Market Analysis: Big Pharma has apparently found another target: homeopathy. After relentlessly destroying Britain's Dr. Andrew Wakefield for his temerity to suggest that there might be a link between vaccines and autism or other childhood injuries, homeopathy has now come under attack. It is part of larger power-elite dominant social theme having to do with the scientific correctness of Western, surgical medicine and the fuzziness and non-utility of other approaches.
Of course from our point of view (as an alternative "reality-based"news site) this is in itself questionable. Many pharmaceutical companies derive many of their drugs from natural plants, often found in the Amazon. Aspirin is a good example of this. But unlike aspirin, most pharmaceutical solutions seem to have critical and even deadly side effects. This may be the result of simulating nature with chemistry or is simply inherent in the process of concentrating the antidote. What does seem apparent is that many of so-called safe drugs that are said to be both effective and non-detrimental to one's health, turn out to be most toxic over a long time period.
There seems in fact to be a relationship between patent law and drug development, with many drugs exhibiting undeniable side effects only around the time, perhaps, that patents begin to lapse. Thus the profit has been made; penalties and litigation await those who continue to use such drugs in generic form, as complaints reach a critical mass. One could postulate that this sort of mercantilism – in which Big Pharma seems to have created a regulatory system that works consistently to its advantage – might be ripe for investigation.
Yet no investigation occurs! Or not in the mainstream media anyway. Instead, ancient, time-honored remedies come under increasing attack. Magician James Randi, a crisp, no-nonsense fellow with a big, white beard, is convinced that the Western world is suffering from an affliction of ancient remedies. The sicknesses induced by Big Pharma don't disturb him apparently. We wondered if he was on a pharmaceutical payroll, but it's hard to tell from available information.
He seems to be professionally affiliated, however, with one Simon Lehna Singh, MBE, a British author who has specialized in writing about mathematical and scientific topics. According to Wikipedia, "His written works include Fermat's Last Theorem (in the United States titled Fermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem), The Code Book (about cryptography and its history), Big Bang (about the Big Bang theory and the origins of the universe) and Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial (about complementary and alternative medicine)."
Singh, like Randi and other mainstream debunkers of "alternative" science and health, spend a good deal of time attacking what seems to be effective for some (though not all). They are, of course, entitled to their views; but when one looks judiciously at the way the world works, one is struck by the constant "scientific" attacks on people's free-market choices and little in the way of analysis of the West's increasing governmental mandates when it comes to regulating people's preferences by law (and force).
It doesn't seem to occur to Randi, Singh (nor any other of this sort) that they might wish to investigate this central financial lie of the Modern Age: the price-fixing of central banking. Price fixing never works and price-fixing of money works worst of all. Randi and Singh are all-too-willing to investigate the peripheries of the Western mercantilism but not its beating, bleeding, banking heart that is busily pumping the lifeblood from economies into centralized "private" hands.
But absent central banking and related corporate belief-structures it accommodates, almost anything (of a non-mainstream variety) is fair game. With Randi as well as Singh, one soon comes to the understanding that it is not just homeopathy that is to be debunked; somehow the corollary is that people are, wait for it ... misguided in their concern that vaccines may be harmful to children, especially young ones. (Rand mentions it directly on his web site.) The bottom-line conversation, it seems, is always vaccines. Follow the money and follow the power. It is through mandatory, public vaccination programs that the Anglo-American power elite has the most effective and direct route to controlling people's bodies.
Human physiology is complex and what works for some people – healthwise anyway – may not work for others. Additionally, there is plenty of evidence that Western powers-that-be have repressed potential, efficient power sources and health cures for cancer and certain other deadly diseases. Randi, for instance seems to lump acupuncture in with homeopathy, though there is certainly more "scientific" evidence that acupuncture can be proven effective, even if researchers are still not quite sure how.
And when it comes to vaccines directly, we would argue (as we have) that there is plenty of evidence that this process is indeed dangerous to some. There is no treatment in the world, in fact, that does not have some sort of side effect SOME of the time for some individuals. Only in the case of vaccines, we are informed, are side-effects suspended. Of course this doesn't explain why, say, the East Coast Amish who don't drive cars and don't vaccinate with the feverish industry of the rest of America apparently have a LOWER rate of autism than average.
Just to make sure of this we Googled "pro-vacciner" and Harvard graduate Lisa Jo Rudy who investigated the Amish and came to the following conclusion in an article entitled: "Do The Amish Vaccinate? Indeed They Do, AND Their Autism Rates May be Lower." It is meant to be a debunking piece, however toward the middle of the article we come to the following statement: "Just to check for myself, I called [a vaccination] clinic and chatted with a community liaison named Rebecca. Rebecca, who grew up among the Amish, confirms that about 70% of the Amish in Lancaster County do, indeed, vaccinate. She also confirms that the rate of autism seems to be lower among the Amish than among the general population."
We couldn't help but be amused by this statement, which seems to contradict the general thrust of the article. Yes, Ms. Jo Rudy declares, the Amish vaccinate less than the general population and thus suffer from fewer cases of autism. She also notes the following: "Dr. Kevin Strauss, MD, a pediatrician at a local, Amish vaccination clinic sees plenty of Amish children showing symptoms of autism ... [But] Strauss says he doesn't see "idiopathic autism" at the clinic, which he defines as children with average or above average IQs who display autistic behavior. ‘My personal experience is we don't see a lot of Amish children with idiopathic autism. It doesn't mean they don't exist, only that we aren't seeing them at the clinic.'"
This article and its conclusions seem to present three conclusions: One, that Amish vaccinate less and thus autism is less prevalent; two; that what may be termed "classic" or idopathic autism is virtually non-existent; and, three, that a Harvard education provides one with the facility to present two contradictory opinions as conclusive proof of a single argument – which is invalidated by the very evidence being presented! Oh, well.
We would like to conclude this article by offering good wishes to Randi and Singh (and others) in their quest to debunk various forms of natural and alternative healing. We would like to ... but we won't. There is already a preponderance of "group think" in Western medicine, health care and science (not to mention economics). Much of this is entered into voluntarily but there is a certain fear-factor. This subtle – and increasingly not-so-subtle – intimidation by Western powers-that-be is certainly in evidence in the overwhelming attacks on Wakefield and his professional reputation. Wakefield is meant to be a cautionary tale. Randi, Singh and others are the vanguard of the new, improved surgical narrative of Western medicine.
There is much wisdom in ancient medicinal treatments; and even homeopathy seems to work for some; though its workings, such as they are, remain mysterious. Science and medicine have no explanations for even the most basic building blocks of our mysterious world, let alone the universe around us. The human mind cannot encompass infinity, yet there are those who will explain with perfect confidence the unacceptable limning of marketplace lies and the eternal truth of the establishment belief structure.
Conclusion: This sort of behavior has always struck us as arrogant rather than investigative; there seems to us little to be gained from affirming what is already accepted and much to be gained from examining the seeming inexplicable. The one approach is complacent, the other challenging. In fact, we would argue that more human advancements come from the latter approach than the former. And this: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
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Posted by Dr David Hill on 03/26/11 11:29 AM
A very good article about how Big Pharma have evolved and their roots is outlined in 'Return To Nuremberg: Big Pharma Must Answer For Crimes Against Humanity'
Click to view link
It makes very interesting reading.
Dr David Hill
Executive Director
World Innovation Foundation Charity
Bern, Switzerland
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Posted by T Kayzer on 02/15/11 05:20 PM
Wakefield is a fraud and a charlatan as has been proven by interviewing subjects of his faux study. Nothing Wakefield says now will give him any kind of credibility.
Reply from The Daily Bell
Sure, and Big Pharma's drugs and vaccines are trustworthy and safe - always.
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Posted by T Kayzer on 02/14/11 01:46 PM
Homeopathy shills promote their wares just as SBM does. It has been said by a few of you "Follow the money." I challenge you to do this with homeopathic remedies just as you do with Pharma. I've had friends die because they believed the SCAM promoted by these people. If they had not rejected scientific medical care they would have had a much better chance at survival. Instead they used a compound with no medical value and are no longer with us. People who sell these "snake oil" treatments should be ashamed, and a few should be thrown in jail for promoting suicide.
Reply from The Daily Bell
Thus, based upon the first quarter data, the actual number of adverse events from drug therapies in the first quarter of 2008 could be anywhere from 207,000 to over 2,000,000 with roughly 23% of these representing deaths.
see below for context ...
Click to view link
(NaturalNews) The 2008, first quarter report of deaths and serious injuries associated with drug therapy was recently released by The Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit organization whose stated goal is to educate the healthcare community and consumers about safe medication practices. The findings of this report are astounding.
According to the information gathered from data submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the first quarter of 2008, there were 20,745 reported serious injuries associated with drug therapy, up 34% from the previous quarter, and up 38% from last year`s average. Even more eye-opening than the number of serious injuries is the number of reported deaths " 4,824 people were reported killed from pharmaceutical drugs in the first quarter of 2008, a 2.6 fold increase from the previous quarter. This figure represents the highest number of patient deaths ever reported in a single quarter as a result of drug therapy. It also accounts for more deaths than those due to homicide during the same period.
It is important to keep in mind that these figures represent quarterly findings. Given the upward trend in both serious injuries and deaths over the past several years due to pharmaceutical drugs, these numbers are expected to continue their rate of increase in quarters and years to come.
Even if the numbers were to remain the same for the rest of 2008, the total number of reported serious injuries would total 83,000 while the total number of reported deaths would reach nearly 20,000. Again, this is assuming the first quarter findings remain constant " the report emphasizes that the trend has continued to veer upward, indicating that future reports will most likely contain even higher numbers.
What is more striking than these numbers is the fact that they represent only the adverse events that were reported to the FDA during this time period. Since the reporting system is voluntary and almost 85% of the reports come from the pharmaceutical companies themselves, it is obvious that these numbers represent only a miniscule percentage of the total adverse events that are actually occurring. Numerous published scientific reports on adverse event reporting accuracy, including reports from the Journal of the American Medical Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, have concluded that no more than 10% and in some cases as little as 1-2% of adverse events caused by drugs are even reported to the FDA.
Thus, based upon the first quarter data, the actual number of adverse events from drug therapies in the first quarter of 2008 could be anywhere from 207,000 to over 2,000,000 with roughly 23% of these representing deaths.
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Posted by A Mann on 02/09/11 11:26 PM
Excellent,
thank u... Mine was from Click to view link
Cheers [but NOT for the links software!]
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Posted by A Mann on 02/09/11 10:50 PM
This gentleman knows what is really at stake regarding vaccines...
Click to view link
cheers
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Posted by CeeJay on 02/09/11 08:30 PM
As far as the 1023-Randi stunt goes, it proves two things.
First, that homeopathy is safe. But that's already been proven in studies (ECCH Study, 2009, and Reilly et al., 2005). Homeopathics are highly dilute carrying only a subtle energy imprint. Isn't it great to have a medicine you know is safe for yourself and your children and to know that if your child accidentally ate the entire bottle he wouldn't be harmed.
The second point proven by this stunt is that Randi and company don't know anything about homeopathy. In order to have an effect, the remedy must match the totality of the patient's symptoms and his constitution. If a remedy is taken that does not match, it will typically produce no effect at all either positive or negative. It takes at least minimal training to choose the correct remedy for acute illness and a homeopathic consult to choose one for chronic illness. The odds are pretty good that picking a bottle at random off the shelf will end in no effect whatsoever. What Randi really needed was a consult to come up with the correct remedy for his "insomnia".
What is unfortunate about this stunt is the fact that children imitate adults. If a child imitated the "overdose" with aspirin or a prescription drug he found in the house he could be seriously harmed.
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Posted by CeeJay on 02/09/11 07:50 PM
There has to be a reason for attacks on homeopathy. My guess is that that reason is that homeopathy is just too successful for the liking of some people, either for ideological or economic reasons.
I've used it as my primary form of medicine for more than a dozen years for chronic and acute illnesses. It has never once let me down. I've used homeopathy with complete success to heal damage to nerves and skin caused by an injury--damage ER doctors told me was impossible to repair. I've used it to treat boils and infections in my animals, again with complete success. It's safe and it's inexpensive.
Tens of millions of people around the world use it, and its use grows every year for exactly those reasons.
I guess, in the end, there isn't any reason to ask why homeopathy is being attacked (and has always been attacked by the conventional medicine of the times).
People interested in the 175 studies published in 78 peer-reviewed journals proving homeopathy works or in high-dilution studies can find them on the internet.
People interested in seeing case records of cured cases of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes can find them by googling "homeopathy cured cases".
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Posted by Shillbuster on 02/09/11 07:35 PM
I wonder what the skeptic crowd will do if they get sick and find that conventional drugs don't cure them. I wonder what they'd say if they encountered a case where conventional medicine had failed and homeopathic medicine had succeeded.
I recommend Ernst and Singh's book, "Trick or Treatment". The section on homeopathy is professional, polished and deals a devastating blow to homeopathy. Most laypeople would read this and come away convinced that homeopathy was unscientific quackery.
That is, until you look at the material more closely. I think it's swiss cheese, but what I think isn't important. The real proof lies in the experiences of those who have benefited by this treatment. Those who have been helped may tell others, who in turn may try this treatment if needed. Every success is money out of the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies; who can blame them for spending resources trying to stop this?
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Posted by Nonplused on 02/09/11 03:12 PM
Of course homeopathy doesn't work; it's distilled water! All the bottles are filled with nothing but distilled water. Banging the bottles on drums doesn't change the fact that is water. You guys are seriously loosing it if you are going to side against James Randi. Ever think that junk pharma runs promotions too? Heck, maybe they paid for this article to try and save some face. The only afliction homeophathy can alleviate is thirst.
Reply from The Daily Bell
The same Randi who apparently believes all vaccines are "good." (See this thread above.)
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Posted by Charles Pasley on 02/09/11 01:50 PM
I don't know anything about homeopathy, but after certain experiences by three members of my family with pharmaceutical concoctions approved by the FDA and prescribed by their doctors (By the way, one of these has been withdrawn but it had already done its damage to my elderly mother), I have concluded that the FDA is a tool of the big pharmaceutical companies and I don't trust ANY of their drugs.
The government claims to be concerned about the citizens using illegal drugs (none of which I have ever taken, by the way, and would not take them even if they were legal), but pushes other drugs on us citizens even though these drugs have numerous side effects.
I looked on line about three drugs that are supposed to alleviate a condition from which I suffer. For all three, there was about a half page of purported benefits and two and a half pages of serious side effects, some of which were fatal. I take NO drugs and will not accept a prescription from my doctor for any drug as a result of these experiences.
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Posted by Sceptic on 02/09/11 09:20 AM
Actually, that isn't a current 'scandal' at all. It has been debunked (The Wakefield study was shown to be fraudulent). It now only exists in the minds of ignorants and anti-vax fundies.
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Posted by Michael Marshall on 02/09/11 04:33 AM
Hi
So, I ran the 10:23 Campaign, and I came up with it all along with a couple of friends in September 2009. I'm a bit baffled that people are so sure it's Big Pharma backed " it's not in the slightest. There was no money involved in the campaign, just a lot of volunteering.
As it happens, we're very critical of Big Pharma " in particular, for example, I think it's abhorrent that the pharmaceutical companies continue to redevelop existing drugs for conditions prevalent in the West (so as to renew their license) rather than develop new drugs needed to treat and cure in Africa. That's worthy of criticism.
Also worthy of criticism is the practice of homeopaths in Africa, handing out homeopathic pills to AIDS and Malaria patients, in the place of the few drugs we actually have to treat these diseases.
Homeopathy is a system set up to make profit and spread simple answers, where there are none.
If you'd like to know more about 10:23, and our history, contact me at
michael.marshall@Click to view link.
Reply from The Daily Bell
The biggest health scandal currently is the apparent link between vaccines and asthma and autism, along with other childhood damages, many which can last a lifetime. (See also the Glaxo problems that have just emerged.) But you guys would apparently rather swallow homeopathic sleeping pills ...
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Posted by Kevin on 02/08/11 04:42 PM
@ DB " ...The magician doesn't believe in Naturopathy either.
Who is the magician please and what sort of Naturopathy is he looking at.
The crystal ball that evidences history reveals a practice called Nature Cure which evolved from approximately 1850 onwards.
It consisted of a 'drugless' philosophy and practice which spread throughout the world " taken up by doctors and laypersons alike.
Colleges, Institutions and Sanitariums were built in order to carry the message of natural living and natural healing to the public " however, as we all know now " the concept of health has been displaced by medicine " and that's not just allopathic medicine " it includes, homeopathic medicine, naturopathic medicine, herbal medicine, vitamin therapy, the laying on of hands " you name it " all part and parcel of the magician's bag of tricks with which to obfuscate the ordinary citizen " to confuse and dumb down " to take away the individual confidence and innateness of the basic biological principles of how the body functions.
We must (according to law) consult with a doctor if we are in doubt about our health. Consult with someone who believes in faeries at the bottom of the garden and one who looks into crystal balls in an attempt to 'treat' the most organized living structure on the planet.
All biological life forms have within their DNA " the program of response, reproduction and...repair " yes repair or the program to heal itself.
What does it need to do in order to heal itself?
Remove any and all causes of interference " provide the correct biological ingredients for that particular species and conserve energy to allow the organism to proceed in an orderly manner.
Too simple? " of course!
And, once educated in the simple practice of natural living and natural healing " there's no more need for reliance on an outdated, incorrect and dollar heavy philosophy promulgated by vested interests in the pharmaceutical industry.
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Posted by Gavin on 02/08/11 08:31 AM
Even the US military are using acupuncture these days. Maybe they took a leaf out of Sun Tzu's book. What next, Homeopathy?
"Military deploys acupuncture to treat soldiers' concussions"
"CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan " The U.S. military is applying an ancient Chinese healing technique to the top modern battlefield injury for American soldiers, with results that doctors here say are "off the charts."
"Battlefield acupuncture," developed by Air Force physician Col. Richard Niemtzow, is helping heal soldiers with concussions so they can return more quickly to the front lines."
Click to view link
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Posted by Arcturus Rex on 02/08/11 06:56 AM
If ya can't take the heat you should stay out of the kitchen. Losers. Every last one of you.
Reply from The Daily Bell
What?
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Posted by KP on 02/08/11 06:41 AM
Actually homeopathy was vindicated recently when scientists diluted a solution down to one molecule, put a tube with only water near it and subjected both to a magnetic field. The tube with only water then behaved as though it had the molecule in it. Naturally I can't find that article again, but a Google search pulled up a 14th july 1998 article in New Scientist telling of scientists at South Paris Uni who showed that white blood cells responded to solutions of antibodies that were diluted past any chance of containing protein. The water remembers the shape it had..
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Posted by Arcturus Rex on 02/08/11 01:44 AM
What is it called when you create a link between a rational theory or belief and one that's absolutely bogus? When you bind two things together in the minds of the public allowing the attack on one using the lunatic premise of the other? What is that type of argument called? There must be a name for it.
This is an excellent troll article, was that your intent? Are you trying to see how many readers are capable of recognizing manipulative nonsense? It's kind of fun, but from the outside it looks as if you're making an overt attempt to destroy the credibility of your primary political and philosophical stance in a weird sort of "guilt by association move".
People who take Austrian economics, free markets and libertarian values seriously also believe the Apollo mission was a fake, the Illuminati control the world, UFOs are real, and Homeopathic medicine actually works.
Clever strategy if that's what you're up to. I admire your Machiavellian skills.
Reply from The Daily Bell
People who take Austrian economics, free markets and libertarian values seriously also believe the Apollo mission was a fake, the Illuminati control the world, UFOs are real, and Homeopathic medicine actually works.
The Bell believes that UFOs are an elite promotion - strike one.
We never said the Apollo mission was a fake, only that we have grown very suspicious of its promotional elements - strike two
We don't write much about the illuminati and have never written the illuminati controls the world - strike three
We have never written that homeopathic medicine works, only that it may, and for mysterious reasons. Acupuncture seems to work and doctors cannot explain it, either - strike four
We could go on, but ... yer out!
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Posted by Bill Drake on 02/07/11 09:25 PM
Of the 104 million children under age 5 who die each year over 50% die of Protein Energy Maqlnutrition " starvation, in other words. All this debate about whether or not this or that 'medicine' works is either bullsh-t spread by paid or voluntary disinformation, mor is pure ignorance with an internet connection. If you want to discuss why children die, start with the main reason " the inequality in the distribution of food. It really is that simple. Oh- and if you are so inclined please spare all of us your knee-jerk reaction regarding equal distribution of food as some sort of political agenda, or a confirmation of your beloved Darwinian theories. It is a simple matter of lack of human decency that this is occurring.
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Posted by Roberto on 02/07/11 09:21 PM
@ DB
This might be of interest.The Great Randi is on the editorial staff here. In the recent print issue a cover article attacks what they have unimaginatively coined 'The conspiracy meme'. And you didn't have a clue they were on your journalistic 6.
You saved me the trouble of a more than likely ignored response by correctly 'inquiring' why these clever savants refuse to cover the greatest conjuring story in history- the ex nihilo creation of limitless FRNs.
Click to view link
Reply from The Daily Bell
Really. The conspiracy meme. How can they explain the prevalence of central banks around the world? Because they "work?"
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Posted by Not Anti-military Per Se on 02/07/11 09:09 PM
@Kevin
P.S. We vaccinate because those diseases used to kill a lot of people and now we can stop it.
No, you vaccinate against childhood diseases which are overwhelmingly mild and self limiting or easily treatable. You employ a POISONOUS vaccination schedule that in 1990 was practically doubled in the face of NO additional infectious disease threat to the children within the population. This was solely to enrich Big Pharma and its cadre of cronies throughout the medical establishment.
Since this doubling of the vaccination schedule in 1990 the incidence and prevalence of auto immune diseases (vaccines act on the immune system) have been a PLAGUE on our children and include severe, chronic, debilitating, life altering diseases such as autism, autism spectrum disorder, ADD, seizure disorder, eczema, asthma, food allergies, Type I diabetes to name a few. You would be hard pressed to find a family which has not been afflicted.
This plague rages on in the ABSENCE of any credible efficacy OR safety data generally if you exclude the paucity provided by Big Pharma subsidized studies. Big Pharma provides safety and efficacy data for what is poison, and vilifies anyone who questions this practice.
There is no data regarding CUMULATIVE vaccine toxicity. None. The Horror.
There is so much money to go around it is rare to find anyone questioning efficacy let alone safety. Efficacy or safety, absent "studies" provided by Big Pharmy is folklore at best. Big Pharma receives enormous sums of money for this crime. Anyone associated with the "studies" can vouch for inherent and pervasive bias toward the desired outcome desired by those who provides the funding. This is well documented in Journal of American Medical Association.
The snake oil salesman guaranteed the efficacy of his snake oil. "I feel great." "Safe too." At least if anyone was harmed he would suffer consequences. Corporate Big Pharma is well protected by the good ole Fed Gov. Casual disregard for the welfare of children has become the order of the day for the fictional person of these corporations. Not many greater crimes have been carried out against humanity.
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