Dr. & Mrs. Alan D. Clark
Post Office Box 585
Carthage, Missouri 64836
(417) 358-2331

January 31, 2005 

The Honorable Charles E. Grassley                           VIA FACSIMILE
Chairman, Committee on Finance                              (202) 228-0578
United States Senate                                                 AND VIA E-MAIL
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200

RE: OPPOSE - S.3 “Protecting America in the War on Terror Act of 2005”

Dear Chairman Grassley,

We are writing to ask you to oppose and defeat those provisions of S. 3 which would violate the rights of disabled children and hinder parental efforts to protect their children from dangerous drugs, vaccines and biologics.  These provisions as outlined below will cause undue harm and hardship to millions of Americans if enacted, particularly children with vaccine injuries and their families.

We are greatly disturbed by many of the provisions in S. 3, most particularly those associated with vaccines, drugs, biologics and the regulation thereof.  It is a stretch to say that vaccines are terrorism “countermeasures” under the guise of attempting to make this horrendous piece of legislation more palatable to the American people.  Regardless of the flowery language used to disguise the ominous intent of this bill, it does little to reduce the Orwellian odor.  

This cleverly crafted legislation includes something nearly every American will understandably want to support:  raising the death gratuity for families of soldiers killed in Iraq from $12,000 to $100,000 and increases other military benefits.  Including an unrelated but popular provision that should stand alone legislatively seeks only to cloud the issues addressed in the major portion of this bill's language.  Every American supports increased benefits for our soldiers and their families and that includes us. As parents and loyal Americans, however, we believe that S. 3 has been carefully crafted to unfairly paint parents who seek justice for vaccine injured children into a political corner.  Similar to the legislative sleight of hand employed in the Homeland Security Bill fiasco in 2002 the sponsors of S.3 are manipulating the political process by tying domestic programs affecting every American's health and safety to unrelated "anti-terrorism" programs.  In this way they are attempting to make legitimate opposition to S. 3 politically unacceptable. 

The children and families who have suffered because of the malfeasance of some individuals at the FDA and CDC should not be further injured by this sweeping legislation that adds insult to injury.  To further restrict or restrain Americans from obtaining full discovery surrounding drug and vaccine safety is unwise and violates the transparency necessary for complete and honest disclosure to Americans regarding the true safety of pharmaceutical products, including vaccines. 

We have a nine year old son who suffers from mercury poisoning from his vaccines.  We have not filed a claim in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program nor have we sued any physician or pharmaceutical company in connection with his injury.  Instead, we have worked very hard to heal our son and to see that state and national legislation is passed to ban a known neurotoxin from vaccines given to pregnant women, infants and children so no other family faces the heartbreak and devastation of our family due to Thimerosal.  We are not “anti-vaccine” rather we are advocates for safer vaccines.  It is a reasonable expectation of parents to be told the truth about the safety of vaccines given to our children.  We have evidence the FDA and CDC have not been truthful to us…or you. 

Clark letter to Senator Grassley page 2 of 2

We realize this is a David and Goliath battle with average Americans trying to defeat the menacing influence of huge pharmaceutical companies.  Both parents and pharmaceutical companies are fighting for what they treasure most.  We are fighting for our children while they are fighting for profits; the almighty dollar.  If S. 3 is allowed to pass it would undo the efforts of many dedicated state elected officials and the hard work of thousands of families like us, many of them in Iowa, harmed by Thimerosal.  As your own Committee has discovered, the FDA and CDC have an incestuous relationship with the pharmaceutical companies.  You are aware of the disastrous safety record of the FDA given the recent revelations about Vioxx and anti-depressants.  Why would you think their track record for vaccine safety is any better?  We have nine file boxes of evidence indicating it is equally dismal.  

This legislation is the antithesis of all we stand for as a medical family, life-long Republicans, Christians and patriotic Americans.  This legislation is an embarrassment to the medical community, the shame of all decent Republicans, morally wrong and an insult to the very freedom our brave soldiers are dying to defend.  The attempt to dilate or strip states of their ability to govern and regulate the drugs, vaccines and biologics given to their constituents is an outrage and an affront to every state elected official.  They, too, are elected by the people to serve, protect and defend.  For the United States Senate to attempt to dictate how they are allowed to carry out their duties is an egregious insult to the integrity of state autonomy.  To take that a step further, and restrict their ability to even warn their constituents of potential harm from said drugs, vaccines or biologics is ludicrous and can be considered nothing more than a “campaign contribution” payback for the generosity of the pharmaceutical industry to many of your colleagues (over $45 million in contributions to Presidential and Congressional candidates in 2 years). 

Senator Grassley, you are known for your dedication to constituents and particularly to disabled children.  We are counting on you to lead the Finance Committee in making the right decision, restore reason and prudence to this situation.  Killing the noxious provisions of this bill that not only strips disabled children of their rights, but our State leaders of their ability to protect those not yet harmed but will be soon if mercury remains in vaccines.  Without transparency and proper oversight, vaccines will harm more than help and parents will rebel…don’t let that happen. 

One thing is very clear: These children do not need any more empty promises. They need leaders. They need leaders who are willing to ask the tough questions, even when the answers won’t be pleasant. Leaders who prefer to evaluate the benefits of a solution rather than obsess over the risk of an honest endeavor. They need leaders strong enough to take the necessary actions to publicly solve problems; not thoughtless, short-sighted reactions to solve a public relations problem and most of all…they need leaders wise enough to know the difference.

As Theodore Roosevelt said, "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." 

Sincerely,

Alan D. Clark, M.D.                                  Lujene G. Clark

We would like to leave this letter on a positive note. As we are slowly and safely removing this toxic metal out of our son, he is making steady improvements and is recovering. These children have a biomedical problem, not a psychiatric problem. There are thousands of stories like ours. Our Nation and these disabled children need a unified voice and a true leader; one who is determined to stop the poisoning of our children and committed to healing those harmed. We would see hundreds of thousands of mercury poisoned children, many of whom have been misdiagnosed as having an “autistic spectrum disorder” and their families leading happier, healthier lives--if we only had...a leader.  Please Senator, be that leader!

Cc:  The Honorable Kit Bond, United States Senator (R-MO)
       The Honorable Jim Talent, United States Senator (R-MO)