The underlying dynamic of the government motion seems to be: Firstly, the parents and their attorneys have assembled the strongest data ever collected in one findable place regarding the dangers of  thimerosal, its history (including the facts that the dangers were long known), and the cumulative effects of  early exposures. Secondly, the government doesn't want other people to have easy access to this information.

                In other words, now that the "word is out" and the evidence is collected in one place, then the next step (after CDC et al lying about thimerosal's adverse effects) is to attempt to suppress that body of information -- and now, circa 2002, clumsy, open-handed tactics are needed. Thus we're in the situation wherein parents are wise to protect their children from people like HHS' Thompson and physicians who remain vaccine-zealots while wanting evidence suppressed.

 I envision an autism-parents' march to and from the White House and the HHS building several blocks away. The march's several themes would include: protect our children from HHS Director Thompson and from CDC personnel such as Walter Orenstein, MD, of the ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices).

 The government's attempt to hide evidence is an attempt to *cover-up* the damning data -- a cover-up  that certainly is *not* in the best interests of children and their families, whether part of the thimerosal lawsuits or not. What's the government's approach? When sufficient data implicate thimerosal, suppress those data! The cover-up continues.

                Teresa Binstock
                Researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy