Thorsen's NANEA, the Enron of Research Facilities?

This article from Information.dk is a rough translation, but you can get the gist of it. Poul Thorsen managed his North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances in the vein of The Smartest Guys in the Room and pulled an Inside Job.

"One trait separates Nanea from the rest of the university, and it springs to mind immediately. In the first year employees live in a world of glitz and pampering. "We are running in a huge Mercedes!" Is the watchword, and it is true. Every time a scientist travels into the country to collect data, place the trip on business class, "says Anja. Lisa says that the Danes are visiting Atlanta, where they duperes when a limousine rolls up in front of the hotel door to take them to meetings with the CDC . Delicious dinners, liquor with expensive labels and staying at luxurious get-aways as Denmark's castles are on the program when the traffic goes the other way and the money men from the USA visiting Denmark.

While keeping the group together in a rare degree. Nanea celebrations. Summer festivals, winter festivals, Christmas celebrations, there is always a reason, otherwise there seminars. Anja call them energy meetings. Toke and Lisa remembers their formal name, off-site. Here take employees away a few days. They go in groups and make presentations where they share their work with each other. But first and foremost share the vision of Nanea."

Remember, this is all money that is supposed to be serving the needs of our children. While you were awake with your child until 4 in the morning while he writhed in pain, Thorsen, his team and CDC employees were living the high life on your tax dollars. You got robbed twice.

I have already heard vaccine injury denialists claiming that this was just a money problem, but that the research that has come out of this was solid. We knew it was junk when it came out. But let's pretend we had not already read it and knew that it was junk. Where in the world have you ever seen this kind of fraud going on, and the product or service that said criminals were selling NOT be junk. You have seen The Smartest Guys in the Room and Inside Job, right? Would this not be the first time in history that massive financial fraud was taking place and the products being sold were actually serving the population that was supposed to be being served?

Do you, for one minute, knowing that Thorsen was all about the money and glory, and knowing that he cared so little about integrity or ethics, think that he would even consider producing a study that implicated vaccines in autism? He would never hear from CDC again and the money train would stop running.

The vaccine program is so damn corrupt... the corruption is busing out everywhere and it is astonishing to me that CDC et. al. have had so many chances to save face and pull a, "well in light of recent events we need to re-evaluate the relationship between vaccines and autism...." and back out of this cascading disaster... but no. They still trudge on. Destroying the faith between doctors and patients, between government and citizens, between pharma and customers, between us and them... When will it end? How bad will they let things get?

How many children have to be injured and killed to serve their egos and their bottom lines?

This crap with Thorsen goes back a DECADE! Are we supposed to deal with another decade of this?

Will DOJ actually investigate this and unravel this whole mess or will it do as little as possible and sweep the rest under the rug?

There has to be an earnest man out there somewhere who will stop this madness. Someone who will say, "Enough. It is time to clean up the mess and start over."

Where is our Eliot Ness?

As the agitators came to the University
Research Nanea should have been the world best. Today, the slogans died, the group is dissolved, and the head of it all stung by the U.S. dogged by suspicions of fraud for millions. And funkisvillaen that housed the dream, stands empty and deserted

Abandoned. A little clutter in an abandoned villa in Aarhus West is the last physical remnants that remain of what was to be the world's best research Photo: Sigrid Nygaard

By: SANNE MAJA FUNCH
12. March 2010 | Information.dk

"I am ready to kill to get there."


Enlarge
The phrase strikes a nerve in Anja when she hears his boss tell about the ambition that drives his career. For probably he speaks in jest, but jest and earnest is known complementary, and Anja have seen and heard it all before. For many months she has worked in the research Nanea at Aarhus University. During that time she has seen his boss when he explains that he would sacrifice a friendship for a position and that he also does not care whether there are better candidates if he comes first. Anja has seen what happens when a new article ready for publication, and the researchers noted on the order of names in the article byline.

Gradually, by Anja also that she did not thrive in that game and that her career should have a new twist. However she does not know that even the whole Nanea heading for doom.

The adventure begins long before the year 2000. Here are launching a lecturer, a research project with a range that matches any vision for the new millennium. For several years, researchers in North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances explore data in large files and thousands of kids to discover relationships between pregnant women's lifestyle and children's abilities in later life. The data is probably the world's largest, and several other innovative projects are underway around the first. The same format has the projects create. Poul Thorsen's him with the high laughter. This is him with millions of United States that make research possible and life at a luxury travel for employees. That's him with the plans and panels that describe how Nanea take world domination and it is he who causes the unit to dance to his tune, even when they feel that something is wrong.

Poul Thorsen is also the contractor. A few months after the interview with Anja, he directs the University of Aarhus into what looks like a historical scandal fraud investigation for more than 10 million dollars, which he himself takes the lead role as the academic response to business Stein Bagger or Tvind cult Amdi.

On the border for spring 2009 are growing suspicions in the upper layers of the administration at the university: Something is wrong with the unit at the Department of Public Health. Nanea do not have the funds available as the project manager creates the impression. Poul Thorsen raised. The year before he went to Atlanta, where he manages the research. But in March, exactly a year since release exile assistant finally caught on his device. While university digs into the murky circumstances surrounding discovery no, he says his position up. In May, University of Aarhus lodges a notification to the police, but only in February this year jumps scandal in the Danish media: missing millions in the box at the university, and it looks like a case of fraud. Someone has been forged signatures on statements on the funding for a research unit at the university. Maybe there is money that has disappeared, and the unit's star has received double pay as full-time employee at both AU and a university in Atlanta.

Poul Thorsen has not yet been charged with the false signatures and black holes. But the suspicion clings to the man who was Nanea father, leader and self-willed ruler. In the center of Århus East Jutland Police prepare a criminal case. And while police gather material and interrogating witnesses, a similar soul-searching process started elsewhere in the city:

"We started in Nanea. On this promising research. And now there is something called Nanea more. It is one man's profit that came something really good research and stand. But it is also with him, the house of cards falls, because he has the burst, as he has. Why do we not react? "

It's Lisa, who ponders. Like Anja, she was on the trip from greatness to decline. Along with another employee, Toke, they agreed to tell their version of the shipwreck at the university and the way thither. They will be available, because the story of Nanea like other good parables beyond themselves and the funkisvilla at Paludan Müllersvej in from north of town where the enclave lived. It is also the story of an academic world where competition for money, prestige and the right to investigate strengthened year by year.

The golden child
Anja remembers his first day at Nanea. High and low, from secretaries to senior scientist, the group lined up in a row, sharing hugs out to the new girl when she starts a few years into the project life. Lisa also remembers the mood. With jelly at the knees she stands up in front of his boss to point out a few poorly thought-out details. But all nervousness will be proved wrong, because his arms are just as open when it comes to new ideas and new employees.

"We should see opportunities! It was Paul Thorsen's slogan, and I can see that he created an alternative research. It built on the principle that everyone was equal worth and had something to offer here, "she says.

One thing is certain, Nanea is unique from the start. This is due to two factors that both enable a device status, most academic environments only dream about. Firstly Nanea gilt. The project's name is on an appropriation of nearly eight million dollars. Guldåren is the U.S. healthcare institution, the CDC from Atlanta, and in years to come, float another eight million dollars to Nanea. The second factor is the scale. Denmark is a register-country. We sit on a knowledge not found in money men over there, and the knowledge, Poul Thorsen access. Based on the databases are full of records of the pregnant woman's lifestyle, work Nanea researchers to map how even tiny amounts of alcohol affect children's intelligence later in life. They examine the reasons for including autism and cerebral palsy in the light of the figures in other registers. The total material is so extensive that several Nanea projects is the most thorough in the world of their kind.

The size also makes the group grows beyond the scope of the parent department of Epidemiology at University Park in Aarhus. It will have its own headquarters in a large square and a small villa kilometers away. From headquarters at Paludan Müllersvej continues device to distance itself from the rest of the academic environment.

Family
One trait separates Nanea from the rest of the university, and it springs to mind immediately. In the first year employees live in a world of glitz and pampering. "We are running in a huge Mercedes!" Is the watchword, and it is true. Every time a scientist travels into the country to collect data, place the trip on business class, "says Anja. Lisa says that the Danes are visiting Atlanta, where they duperes when a limousine rolls up in front of the hotel door to take them to meetings with the CDC . Delicious dinners, liquor with expensive labels and staying at luxurious get-aways as Denmark's castles are on the program when the traffic goes the other way and the money men from the USA visiting Denmark.

While keeping the group together in a rare degree. Nanea celebrations. Summer festivals, winter festivals, Christmas celebrations, there is always a reason, otherwise there seminars. Anja call them energy meetings. Toke and Lisa remembers their formal name, off-site. Here take employees away a few days. They go in groups and make presentations where they share their work with each other. But first and foremost share the vision of Nanea.

Anja'm still the head of it. The white canvas is stretched out behind him. Models and strategies are drawn with Nanea colors and logo in the powerpoint slides, he clicks through. Poul Thorsen speaks. He talks about the future that belongs Nanea. He talks about being the world's top research institution, the brightest in his field. And he talks about how Nanea reach the goal together.

"We should be Committed. It was Paul Thorsen's words, and it seemed a long way down the road. I engaged myself in it, "says Lise.

"We should always define who we were. We were naneanere. There stood Nanea on the mailbox to our house. We had our own logo and our own little things. When a PhD was finished, she got a Nanea-belt with a buckle Nanea-and small-Nanea things we could have on the blouse, "remembers Anja.

Nanea is a family. That they call themselves, and the family has a chronicle. Because even though the group has grown out of the Department of Epidemiology, the two now quite different. They are jealous of our resources while we are special because we have them. They are bureaucrats, while we're loose and large. In the midst of the chronicle is Nanea father. Poul Thorsen has created the family, and his charisma Kitter group together.

"He did it all and he could certainly do well for people. He cried and laughed out loud so we could hear him all over. There was a little hop around after him when he was in the house. Poul Thorsen - it is him, we like to dance with, "says Anja.

The entrepreneurial university
A new time has come to the Danish universities and Nanea the example at the time.

In the old days the researchers sat bent over their microscopes or stacks of thick books. Solid walls shielded them against the world's hubbub, while the overall puzzle of nature's mysteries. Often no one knew what the new knowledge would be used. Jens Christian Skou won the latest Nobel Prize in Denmark in 1997, but physiologist published the first knowledge of his discoveries in 1957.

Today, the ivory tower toppled in ruins. Claus Emmeche director of the Centre for Philosophy of Nature and Science Studies at the Niels Bohr Institute. He is also among the forerunners in the debate about how Denmark's intellectual strongholds controlled. Claus Emmeche not know what occurred in the environment around Nanea. In return, he knows what it takes to succeed in a new academic landscape, and running managers as Poul Thorsen quickly from researchers as Jens Christian Skou.

In December, an international expert panel's evaluation of the new University from 2003 and mergers in 2007, making the debate on universities topical. The very last of the two events mark the result Claus Emmeche a milestone in terms of research in Denmark. This year breaks the politicians with the classical division between research types. Until then, research industry for its own money and to earn more. Sector research gets its functions and its funding from the ministries. Only universities are free to do research for research's sake, outside the box slammed in. For 2007, not only year in which Aarhus School of Business and Aarhus University becomes one. Concomitant down universities and a number of sector research institutions.

"Now they have also taken over the government research institutions challenge. They should ensure that ministries will continue to think they bother to fund their research. This means that they spend a large part of working to justify themselves by creating ever new contracts with purchasers of research, "explains Claus Emmeche.

'The entrepreneurial university', he calls a new era when the skillful researcher not only is he there with laborious diligence peel layer upon layer of human ignorance. Here, "winner of the researcher who is good to appear dynamic and good for networking. It is he who can brand themselves and their research and eager to be entrepreneurial and scrape funds to themselves, "says associate professor.

For society will see the benefits of injection and more every year. And while the basic funds for the faltering basic shrink by two percent each time the year changes, increases the risk that competition culture negative side effects really hits out at Denmark's academic community.

Tax evasion
The device Nanea start due to ravage. One day, Anja a letter by mail. It is from SKAT and says that SKAT has received an anonymous tip, among other concerns Anja. She is one of several employees who receive public money, which she is not entitled.

Anja is employed in a wage subsidy scheme. More precisely, given Anja salary and an amount Poul Thorsen down on top of each month, so she ends up at the right salary for his full-time work. It is not legal. In return it is a condition of her employment. The letters are causing concern. There are several who have to pay money back. They confront Poul Thorsen with it.

"It's really hard for you", says the head and sticks Anja a letter, dated back to her employment begins. It says that she will recover expenses for travel and equipment, and it is intended that Anja give the letter to the Tax and get rid of his bill.

Tax case demonstrates two things. One is that the economy is lagging so much in Nanea that several employees are paid illegally. The second is that it is hopeless to talk to the boss about the problem. Poul Thorsen become 'wool in the mouth "when he demanded an answer that explains Toke. All notes that there are firewalls between the man on the floor and Nanea economy. Scientists can not get to know whether it is millions from CDC or funds from other investors who pay their wages. Nobody can get to know where the money is from and whether there is enough to make each project completed.

In return, states Head not swath of the forecast.

"You can say much but he was good to get ideas, and there came more and more," said Anja, who also explains that the rhetoric down a carefully spin to deflect attention from the wool of Poul Thorsen's response and motivates all to keep going.

Poul Thorsen says his unit for talented new colleagues, who can start tomorrow if just naneanerne addresses and helps to raise funds home. He draws in air and on his slides and talk about blood spots and other projects in which research can be upgraded when the tide turns.

'I must put in the pot to the common good. So we draw twice as much next year, "encourages Poul Thorsen, and Lisa finds that Nanea live as Head directs.

"That one does in a family. Mon stretches for each other '.

But power is not in Nanea. In 2008 Poul Thorsen packs his bags and move to Atlanta. Toke perceive it as if he runs away. The head of it all leaves researchers in the big house and in an economic quagmire that only he is responsible. After the New Year says Poul Thorsen her job. Nanea door with his father, while the scandal gathered around him.

Seduced
At Frederiksberg with Danish Magisterforening to. There are a lot of university research scientists organized, and Jens Braa-Jensen is a consultant for a number of them. Fudge Riet at Aarhus University comes as no surprise to him. Economic antics such as Anja creative compensation packages are usually stopped by the local union representatives at the universities before DM ever hears about them. Yet Jens Braa-Jensen faced 10 questions on illegal wage subsidy schemes in recent years and the reason is clear, according to him. It is "reasonably unique on the Danish labor market, employees in the university must come to work with their own salaries in the backpack - and that they go out if the maneuver fails. Last year, said the Natural Sciences in Copenhagen goodbye to 70 employees due to cuts. Layoffs gives a hint with a pole on the properties that characterize the skilled staff at the Danish universities:

"The layoffs affected only those who were funded by permanent appropriations and generally should be the safest employment, while those on the external projects went free. So begins some researchers to look for ways they can improve their economies, "says Jens Braa-Jensen.

The analysis resonate at the Center for Philosophy of Nature and Science Studies. Here striker Claus Emmeche the university system that celebrates fundraiser and entrepreneur rather than the careful fagnørd. The sun shines on it, once you have proven that he can raise large funds and which keeps alive the flame of hope that there will be more. He is allowed to be in peace, and this time the enterprising university 'certain Stein Bagger-types to commit fraud and scams.

Nanea is dead. But the projects will be finalized within a new framework, and another work wriggling in the old unit. Ex-naneanerne struggling to understand what really happened. For Toke matter is clear: He worked under a great manager with an equally incredible morale, but the head was allowed to stretch out in a world that gave way to his inclinations.

"We have created a highly competitive system where large sums spent on individuals with major research groups, under him, and it favors in a way such people. If you can sell yourself, you fling yourself in this system. If you are downright unscrupulous and no clouds criminal acts, can you at least for a time frisk you, then I do not think it is the latter case, we see '.

Poul Thorsen was the new age man. "He wants his gesture," and he "cursing and swearing always all over the bureaucracy," says Lise. But the ideas were good, and therefore Meaning she is not that old tub was rotten before it sank. The surprise will Lise like to save others.

"For me it is a seduction story. An agitator things. The university celebrates Mon meticulous in the research. We should do everything exactly alike, and we had to meet the most stringent research criteria. There is a long time before you think that someone playing on a completely different way. "

PS
The story of Nanea based on conversations with Toke, Lise and Anja on what they have each experienced their time in Nanea. Østjyllands Police, Aarhus University and Research and Innovation has helped with background knowledge. Toke, Lise and Anja are fictitious names. Information knows their real identity.

Information has contacted Poul Thorsen through his Danish lawyer, Jan Schneider. Poul Thorsen did not want to participate in the article, but Jan Schneider maintains that his client is innocent.

Nanea Rise and Fall
2000 Nanea created with a grant of 7.8 million dollars from the U.S. healthcare institutions Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). The appropriation is administered by the Research and Innovation under the direction of Poul Thorsen.

2007 project is extended for a further grant from the CDC at 8.2 million dollars.

2008 Poul Thorsen moving to Atlanta, but is still scientific and administrative head of Nanea.

Winter 2008-2009 AU discovers that there are funds available for research which Nanea have used. Poul Thorsen insures that there is money coming from the U.S. and provides affirmations of funds as evidence.

March 2009 Poul Thorsen terminates his duties at the University of Aarhus. Nanea disbanded, but projects continue under the new administration.

Spring 2009 AU discovers that three letters on grants from the CDC apparently forged, like the CDC does not recognize even one letter on an outstanding amount of Nanea first appropriation. In all, the false signatures, an amount of nearly two million dollars.

May 2009 Science and Innovation Council lodges a police report. Notification is not directed at any named person.

Fall 2009 University of Aarhus discovering that Poul Thorsen has maintained a dual appointment as a lecturer in Denmark and professor at Emory University in Atlanta and AU have not approved.

January 2010 University of Aarhus director Jorgen Jorgensen, Poul Thorsen denouncing in a message to Nanea projects partners. The message also mentions fraud case.

February 2010 Aarhus Times takes up the case and the country's other media will follow.

March 2010 Østjyllands Police investigators continue to raise a charge against the key person.

PS
The story of Nanea based on conversations with Toke, Lise and Anja on what they have each experienced their time in Nanea. Østjyllands Police, Aarhus University and Research and Innovation has helped with background knowledge. Toke, Lise and Anja are fictitious names. Information knows their real identity.

Information has contacted Poul Thorsen through his Danish lawyer, Jan Schneider. Poul Thorsen did not want to participate in the article, but Jan Schneider maintains that his client is innocent.

Nanea Rise and Fall
2000: Nanea created with a grant of 7.8 million dollars from the U.S. healthcare institutions Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). The appropriation is administered by the Research and Innovation under the direction of Poul Thorsen.

2007: Project extended for a further grant from the CDC at 8.2 million dollars.

2008: Poul Thorsen moving to Atlanta, but is still scientific and administrative head of Nanea.

Winter 2008-2009: Aarhus University discovers that there are funds available for research which Nanea have used. Poul Thorsen insures that there is money coming from the U.S. and provides affirmations of funds as evidence.

March 2009: Poul Thorsen terminates his duties at the University of Aarhus. Nanea disbanded, but projects continue under the new administration.

Spring 2009: Aarhus University discovers that three letters on grants from the CDC apparently forged, like the CDC does not recognize even one letter on an outstanding amount of Nanea first appropriation. In all, the false signatures, an amount of nearly two million dollars.

May 2009: Research and Innovation lodge a police report. Notification is not directed at any named person.

Fall 2009: Aarhus University discovers that Poul Thorsen has maintained a dual appointment as a lecturer in Denmark and professor at Emory University in Atlanta and AU have not approved.

January 2010: Aarhus University Director Jorgen Jorgensen, Poul Thorsen denouncing in a message to Nanea projects partners. The message also mentions fraud case.

February 2010: Aarhus Times takes up the case and the country's other media will follow.

March 2010: East Jutland Police investigators continue to raise a charge against the key person.

U.S Attorney General Issues Press Release on Poul Thorsen

Gotta admit... I truly never thought I would see Thorsen held responsible for this.

So here is the next question... the DOJ lawyers used Thorsen's research in the Autism Omnibus hearings as evidence that vaccines don't cause autism. Now the DOJ is prosecuting him for fraud. Conflict of interest?

Can-O-Worms.

Here is the DOJ's statement:

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

AUTISM RESEARCHER INDICTED FOR STEALING GRANT MONEY

Thorsen Allegedly Absconded With Over $1 Million

ATLANTA, GA - POUL THORSEN, 49, of Denmark, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of wire fraud and money laundering based on a scheme to steal grant money the CDC had awarded to governmental agencies in Denmark for autism research.

United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the case, “Grant money for disease research is a precious commodity. When grant funds are stolen, we lose not only the money, but also the opportunity to better understand and cure debilitating diseases. This defendant is alleged to have orchestrated a scheme to steal over $1 million in CDC grant money earmarked for autism research. We will now seek the defendant’s extradition for him to face federal charges in the United States.”

“Stealing research grant money to line his pockets, as Poul Thorsen stands accused of here today, cheats U.S. taxpayers and will simply not be tolerated,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Region for the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services. “HHS/OIG will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice.”

Reginael D. McDaniel, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Region for Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation said, “Today’s global economy demands a high-level coordinated approach by multiple agencies and authorities in the investigation of financial crimes. While schemes often become more sophisticated over time, fortunately, so do our investigative techniques. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to have shared its hallmark expertise in following the money trail in the scheme alleged in this indictment.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In the 1990s, THORSEN worked as a visiting scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, when the CDC was soliciting grant applications for research related to infant disabilities. THORSEN successfully promoted the idea of awarding the grant to Denmark and provided input and guidance for the research to be conducted. From 2000 to 2009, the CDC awarded over $11 million to two governmental agencies in Denmark to study the relationship between autism and exposure to vaccines, between cerebral palsy and infection during pregnancy, and between childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure. In 2002, THORSEN moved to Denmark and became the principal investigator for the grant, responsible for administering the research money awarded by the CDC.

Once in Denmark, THORSEN allegedly began stealing the grant money by submitting fraudulent documents to have expenses supposedly related to the Danish studies be paid with the grant money. He provided the documents to the Danish government, and to Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital, where scientists performed research under the grant. From February 2004 through June 2008, THORSEN allegedly submitted over a dozen fraudulent invoices, purportedly signed by a laboratory section chief at the CDC, for reimbursement of expenses that THORSEN claimed were incurred in connection with the CDC grant. The invoices falsely claimed that a CDC laboratory had performed work and was owed grant money. Based on these invoices, Aarhus University, where THORSEN also held a faculty position, transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to bank accounts held at the CDC Federal Credit Union in Atlanta, accounts which Aarhus University believed belonged to the CDC. In truth, the CDC Federal Credit Union accounts were personal accounts held by THORSEN. After the money was transferred, THORSEN allegedly withdrew it for his own personal use, buying a home in Atlanta, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, and Audi and Honda vehicles, and obtaining numerous cashier’s checks, from the fraud proceeds. THORSEN allegedly absconded with over $1 million from the scheme.

The indictment charges THORSEN with 13 counts of wire fraud and 9 counts of money laundering. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison, and the money laundering counts each carry a maximum of 10 years in prison, with a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. The indictment also contains a forfeiture provision seeking forfeiture of all property derived from the offenses, including an Atlanta residence, two cars, and a Harley Davidson motorcycle. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health & Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen H. McClain and Michael J. Brown are prosecuting the case.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

Poul Thorsen Indicted on 13 Counts of Fraud and 9 Counts of Money Laundering

From the Atlanta Business Chronicle:

Atlanta Business Chronicle
Date: Wednesday, April 13, 2011, 3:42pm EDT

Dane indicted for defrauding CDC | Atlanta Business Chronicle

A Danish man was indicted Wednesday on charges of wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly concocting a scheme to steal more than $1 million in autism research money from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The indictment charges Poul Thorsen, 49, with 13 counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering. The wire fraud counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison and the money laundering counts each carry a maximum of 10 years in prison, with a fine of up to $250,000 for each count.

The federal government also seeks forfeiture of all property derived from the alleged offenses, including an Atlanta residence, two cars and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

According to U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, the charges and other information presented in court, Thorsen worked in the 1990s as a visiting scientist at the CDC Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, when the CDC was soliciting grant applications for research related to infant disabilities.

Thorsen promoted the idea of awarding the grant to Denmark and provided input and guidance for the research. From 2000 to 2009, the CDC awarded more than $11 million to two governmental agencies in Denmark to study the relationship between autism and exposure to vaccines, between cerebral palsy and infection during pregnancy and between childhood development and fetal alcohol exposure.

In 2002, Thorsen moved to Denmark and became the principal investigator for the grant, responsible for administering the research money awarded by the CDC.

Once in Denmark, Thorsen allegedly began stealing the grant money by submitting fraudulent documents to have expenses supposedly related to the Danish studies be paid with the grant money. He provided the documents to the Danish government, Aarhus University and Odense University Hospital, where scientists performed research under the grant.

From February 2004 through June 2008, Thorsen allegedly submitted more than a dozen fraudulent invoices, purportedly signed by a laboratory section chief at the CDC, for reimbursement of expenses that Thorsen claimed were incurred in connection with the CDC grant. The invoices falsely claimed that a CDC laboratory had performed work and was owed grant money.

Based on these invoices, Aarhus University, where Thorsen also held a faculty position, transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to bank accounts held at the CDC Federal Credit Union in Atlanta -- accounts that Aarhus University believed belonged to the CDC. The CDC Federal Credit Union accounts were instead personal accounts held by Thorsen, the federal government said.

After the money was transferred, Thorsen allegedly withdrew the fraud proceeds for his own personal use to buy a home in Atlanta, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and Audi and Honda vehicles, and to get numerous cashier’s checks.

Thorsen allegedly pocketed more than $1 million from the scheme.

My prediction? Another attack will be launched on Wakefield. ;)

CDC Wants to Know What You Think About Autism Research

CDC has commissioned a survey for stakeholders in the autism community so that they can get a sense of what you think about autism research. I filled out the form and I am sharing my answers with my readers.


(Does anyone find it interesting that the CDC web site has had to add the claim that their health information is "Credible"? Someone is getting sensitive about their information being challenged.)


Evaluating Change Workshop Survey

1. Please indicate your sex:

Male Female


2. Please select your age range:

21 or younger

22-30

31-40

41-50

51 and older


3. Please select your ethnicity:

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Latino


4. Please specify your race (check all that apply):

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black/African American

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

White/Caucasian


5. Select your region of residence:

Select your region of residence:

Midwest

Northeast

Southeast

Southwest

West


6. What is your area of expertise? (check all that apply)

Epidemiology (The branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of diseases in populations).

Other research field, specify

Clinical

Stakeholder (parent, person with an ASD)

Other (please specify)


7. What is your affiliation? (check all that apply)

Federal government

Academia

State or local government

Advocacy

Parent/family member

Other (please specify)


8. What role does the field of epidemiology have in explaining ASD prevalence increases?

Primary role - it is the major field of science which can address the reasons for ASD prevalence change

Major role - it can provide population-level indicators of risk which need to be further examined by other types of studies

Moderate role - it can provide complimentary information to basic science

Minor role - it can provide a complimentary role to basic science, but cannot provide a great deal of information on the causes of ASDs

Limited or no role - without better understanding the causes of ASDs, it is unlikely epidemiology will provide much explanation

Other (please specify)


9. Do you think the term "epidemic" applies when discussing the occurrence of ASDs?

Yes. Why?

No. Why not and what is the best descriptor?

Comment field

Going from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 100 in less than thirty years? How is this not a nobrainer?

Rapid increase - yes.
Unexpected increase - yes.

The only way one can get away with NOT calling it an epidemic, is to define epidemic in light of ONLY communicable viral illness, and since there is suspicious that HHV6 and XMRV are involved, you can't rule that out either.

The fact that CDC has not declared an epidemic is an indictment of the CDC.

10. What specific factors do you believe are contributing to the trends in prevalence of autism spectrum disorders over time?

A rapid increase in chemical exposures including, but not limited to: pesticides, environmental pollution, food contamination including the introduction of GMO's, pharmacuticals giving during pregnancy and MOST IMPORTANTLY, the CDC's over aggressive, inadequately researched, indescriminant, irresponsible, corrupt and unconstitutional vaccine program driven by the CDC. This public-private partnership has no true accountability mechanism to prevent it from becoming bolated and from doing widespread neurological and autoimmune damage to our children. It is a runaway train.

11. What specific factors do you believe are contributing to the trends in prevalence of other neurodevelopmental disorders over time?

Corruption.

Those in government, pharma and the chemical industry have abused their power and have poisoned the american people in the name of "health and progress" for their own financial and power gains.

12. Please list 5 things that can be done in the immediate future (next 4 years) to assess the factors you listed in Question 10.

1. Federal law protecting the right of informed consent in vaccination. Every american in every state needs the right to say no to any or all vaccines with out coercion of any kind.
2. Legislation to end the revolving door between public health policy makers and industry insiders. This involves the doing away with "ethics wavers" that allow those with conflicts of interest to participate in policy decisions.
3. The abolition of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. Citizen stake holders should be given the mechanism to force those in control of public health policy and vaccine production to testify under oath. This mechanism exists in the civil court system and the constitutional rights of every American to have access to the courts have been removed in vaccine damage via this unjust law. Public health officials and pharma can now lie to their hearts content and cannot be held accountable by the public. Congress will not hold them accountable.
4. Lengthy investigations by the US Attny General into CDC, FDA and HHS behavior in the autism epidemic.
5. Ethics laws, and laws governing the behavior of those in government and pharma need to be enforced and those found guilty of allowing the poisoning of the american people, specifically children, need to go to jail.

13. If the factors you listed in Question 10 cannot be assessed immediately, what 3 steps can be taken to do so in the future?

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.

So I assume that CDC will continue to do what they have been doing... pretending that they care what parents think and that they are doing something about autism, while ignoring parents and doing nothing about autism.

Therefore I expect that they will make a big public fuss about the fact that they put this survey out to hear from parents, while they shove all the complaints from parents about their unconscionable behavior in a drawer.

Since I am sure that the factors in question 10 will never be addressed by your agency, I suggest the three immediate steps:

1. CDC come clean about their autism stance and issue a public statement admitting that they do not care about children with autism and they will not be addressing the problem either from the causation side, nor the treatment side. That way people can stop trusting that you are going to handle the problem and ban together to find their own solutions.
2. Immediately turn over any funding specifically designated for autism research and treatment to the organizations who have actually been thinktanking, researching and finding treatments for autism. I suggest Autism One, The Autism Research Institute and the National Autism Association. I am excluding Autism Speaks, as they waste most of their money on Park Avenue office space, high salaries and parties, and have not come up with ANY treatments after millions in donations over several years. (Remember the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Those who are not getting results should NOT be funded. That includes CDC)
3. Admit that you stopped releasing birth cohort prevalance rates for ASD with the 1998 birth cohort because you don't want people to know what happened when thimerosal was revealed to be in the vaccine program at sky high levels and began to be removed. That way states can do their own assessments and make their own determinations on whether or not CDC is giving them good vaccine program advice and whether or not they will adopt the recommendations of the ACIP. States and families are paying for all the damage. You guys just put your policies out there and if it kills every last child in the country, you still get to home at sip wine by the fire every night. There are NO consiquences to CDC if they are completely wrong. So admit it and let everyone else worry about protecting their children. They deserve the right to know that you are not doing it for them.

Can I add a number 4?

4. Stop trying to destroy our doctors and attack parents in the media.

In short... JUST DO NOTHING, IGNORE THE PROBLEM AND LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU ARE IGNORING THE PROBLEM.

14. Please indicate your agreement with the following statement, "In the immediate future (the next 2-3 years) data are available to assess the factors that are contributing to the trends in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders."

Strongly disagree

Disagree

Neither agree or disagree

Agree

Strongly agree

Please provide additional comments:

The data is available now. You just are not running it. (Well you likely ARE running it, but because the results are an indictment of your own policies, it is more likely that it is not getting published.) CDC is actively burring it. Apparently you think that we are such morons that we can watch CDC issue WEEKLY reports of confirmed cases of H1N1 during the 2009-2010 flu season, but that you just can't tell us how many children born in 2002 have autism? My son is 8, and you can't tell me the autism rate for his birth cohort? And you expect the autism community to believe you are acting in good faith on vaccines and autism! Give me a break.

I read this question and think... "Well lookie here... they are telegraphing their next move. They are going to announce that we should have this in the next two or three years the data they likely have had for the last ten years. That buys them another three year of stalling while they come up with their next move and if not, well that is just the next presidential administrations problem, isn't it?"

15. Please indicate your agreement with the following statement, "The surveillance field can collect and analyze the data required to assess the factors that are contributing to the trends in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders within the next decade."

Oh! Maybe 2-3 years was not a long enough stall... Now we are talking 10 years! So by that math, the people who made the poisonous policy decisions beginning in the late 1980s will be gone or or close to retirement! Who ever commissioned this stupid stall survey will be summering in the south of France! My son poisoned in 2002 will be 18... too late for treatment and all of the $$$ we spent on his treatment our of our own pocket will be out of our own pocket, and will be too late for interventions that the government could have paid for that would have lead to him living an independent life.

This question is just plain evil and shows you don't give a crap about our kids. Even if this WAS an earnest question, is shows you doing give a damn about our kids. Or ANY kids. "Do vaccines cause autism? Wait right here... I will be back in TEN YEARS to tell you."

Nothing but CYA.

This survey becomes a bigger and bigger joke as I move through it.

16. What do you think is the most likely ratio of identification:risk as an explanation for increases in ASD prevalence?

100% identification : 0% risk

75% identification : 25% risk

50% identification : 50% risk

25% identification : 75% risk

0% identification : 100% risk

Other (please specify)

Does the mob ever send out surveys to the families of their murder victims asking what they think can be done about the high murder rate? Or how many unexplained/unsolved murders or broken kneecaps that they will be willing to tolerate? I wonder.

17. Why do you think prevalence estimates on how common ASDs occur in the population are important?

Because they could point to potential causes, like change points in the toxic loads of infants and toddlers, like increases in the vaccine program and increases in mercury exposures and decreases in mercury exposures. Which is why, I assume, you don't actually do them any more.

18. Why do you think it is important to understand what is contributing to the trends of autism spectrum disorders?

This survey is just making me angry at this point.

19. Please provide additional comments about trends of autism spectrum disorders:

Why? Our community has been screeming at you for ten years and you don't care.

Remember the National Autism Associations 09.09.09 campaign? You were bombarded for an entire day asking how long we were going to have to put up with this garbage and CDC coudn't even pick up a phone or send out a BS press release saying some bland, non-committal, vanilla statement from some low level PR guy saying, "we understand the frustration of these desperate parents and hope to have answers for them in the future".

You disabled my son. The only reason you want information from me is to figure out how to keep getting away with all the damage you are doing.

I hope you will make the most of the invitation that CDC has offered you to give them feedback.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8KBXH7W

The Government Knows How Vaccines Cause Autism, But Won't Tell Us

Over the last few years, the federal government has made several statements that they know that there is a scenario by which a seemingly healthy, fully functioning child can be vaccinated and regress into autism. But instead of telling the medical community and the public what that is, they have decided to withhold that information and make parents guess.

In the Hannah Poling case, a panel of HHS doctors were forced to admit that her vaccines cause her autism. Her father was a Johns Hopkins neurologist, her mother a nurse and a lawyer, they gave her every test under the sun and closed any hole that the government could wiggle out of in trying to deny that her autism was a vaccine injury. The government has tried its damnedest to wordsmith both the concession document and every other statement that they have been forced to make on the case to make it sound like vaccines really don't cause autism, but they have frankly done a sucky job of it, and each of these non-denial denials concocted by lawyers and pr men is more embarrassingly bad than its predecessor.

First we had the concession document itself which would not refer to what Hannah has as "autism", which is what she has, but called it, "features of autism spectrum disorder", which is both factually correct and complete bullshit. Any person diagnosed with any disorder also has the features of that disorder. Hannah Poling has DSM diagnosed full syndrome autism.

Then out came the vaccine program apologists who tried to blame the victim and make it sound like it wasn't really the vaccines fault that Hannah got sick, it was that Hannah was a poor receptacle for the super wonderful vaccine.

Then Julie Gerberding appeared on CNN to tell Dr. Gupta that vaccines can cause autism in children with mitochondrial disorders, but that vaccines could not cause autism. And he let her get away with that. Julie stressed that this occurrence is "rare". This is difficult for families to swallow since there are tens of thousands with the same story as Hannah.

She went on to claim that the fact that mitochondrial disorders and vaccine induced autism are linked should not be generalized to "normal" children, but fails to tell us which babies are the "normal" ones. Hannah seemed "normal" before her shots. So did my son. If you are not looking for abnormal, aren't ALL children considered "normal" before their vaccine induce regressive autism? If not, it wouldn't be regressive, would it.

HRSA's David Bowman let us know that vaccines don't cause autism, they just cause brain damage that may turn into autism, but that they don't check to see how often that happens. This statement not only beats Clinton's CYA for hanging his testimony on what the definition of the word "IS" is, it also torpedos Gerberding's "rare" claim, as he admits that they don't even check to see how often this happens.

So now the government's position is that vaccines don't "cause" autism, the just "result" in autism.

But since the beginning of this revelation two years ago that they know of a scenario in which a seemingly "normal" child can be vaccinated and regress into autism, have they shared that with the medical community and the public so that children can be screened to see if they are the ones that are vulnerable? No. Anne Schuchat of CDC says that would be to expensive.

Instead, they have withheld that information and are now making autism families actually GUESS at why and how their children regressed into autism from their vaccines.

Last week HRSA issued a letter to autism families in the vaccine program letting them know that they were rejecting the previously submitted MMR and thimerosal claims, and that families had to come up with a new theory or risk their cases being thrown out. (Because they are the government, that's why).

Mary Holland, appearing on Fox News this week:








So for two years HHS has been open with us that they know what vaccine induced autism is, but they are not going to tell families with children what it is... they have to guess.

These people do not deserve to hold positions in government, they deserve jail time.

Offit Offensive Has Failed, Vaccine-Autism War Continues, Child Vaccine Refusals Increase in U.S.

I was going to write something, but it turns out Harold already wrote it. So go read it there.

AAP, CDC, HHS, Public Health... what is your plan? Is this really it? You really gonna ride this train right of the side of the cliff?

Call for Congressional Hearings into CDC/HHS/VICP and Vaccine Shenanigans

From the Autism Action Network:

Vaccine “Court” Denies Justice to Vaccine-Injured Children

Take Action!

Mercury-Autism Link Not Found Because of Government Policy, not Science

Click on the Take Action link to send emails to your Representatives calling for Congressional hearings

In a decision released last Friday afternoon, the Autism Action Network, a founding member organization of the Coalition for Vaccine Safety (CVS), believes that the Special Masters of the Court of Federal Claims (the Vaccine Court) wrongly decided that mercury-containing vaccines do not cause autism. The decision was the last of three test cases selected to

"The government is completely inconsistent, we know from the Hannah Poling and the Bailey Banks cases that vaccines can cause autism," said John Gilmore, executive director of the Autism Action Network. "It is as if they are saying, 'Vaccines never cause autism, except when they do.'"

The Special Masters appear to have based their decisions on the government policy to protect the vaccine program rather than to fulfill their role to do justice by vaccine-injured children. In these three 'test case' decisions in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding, petitioners William Mead, Jordan King and Colin Dwyer developed normally through the first year of life and then regressed into autism. They presented thousands of pages of scientific documentation and testimony. Their evidence showed that thimerosal, a mercury-laden vaccine preservative, more likely than not contributed to their autism.

"The deck is stacked against families in Vaccine Court. Government attorneys defend a government program, using government-funded science, before government judges. Where's the justice in that?" asked Rebecca Estepp, a CVS steering committee member and mother of a petitioner in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding.

"This has been a huge, but legally necessary, waste of time for the injured kids and their families," said Gilmore, "At least now we will have a chance in a real court where we have the basics rights denied in the Vaccine court."

Mercury is a known neurotoxin and that damages the developing brain and the immune system. All three boys' health improved through medical interventions to reduce mercury toxicity and immune dysfunction. Nonetheless, the Special Masters concluded that petitioners failed to meet their burden of proof, even though Health and Human Services (HHS), the respondent in the proceeding, offered no alternative explanation other than genetic predisposition.

The Coalition for Vaccine Safety (CVS) is an alliance of organizations dedicated to vaccine safety representing over 75,000 families. In recent letters to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of House and Senate Committees charged with oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Coalition called for hearings to investigate HHS, the CDC and other government agencies. Those federal agencies have failed to comply with the terms of the 1986 Vaccine Injury Compensation Act (VICA). Specifically they have failed to provide critical vaccine safety science, including from the taxpayer-funded Vaccine Safety Datalink, on thimerosal, autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Vaccine court decisions and revelations about Dr. Thorsen's actions only strengthen the Coalition's resolve in calling for immediate Congressional action to investigate vaccine safety - an issue that potentially affects every person in the country.

"We are confident that the truth will win out. We hope that Congress will intervene in what is clearly a miscarriage of justice to vaccine-injured children," said Jim Moody, an attorney and CVS steering committee member.

Please join the Autism Action Network and the Coalition for Vaccine Safety in calling for Congressional hearings in to the may failures of the federal vaccine program. To send an email to your Representative in the House and your to Senators please click on the Take Action

Ten Million Kroner, and Head of Denmark Autism Studies, Missing

THIS JUST IN....

Correction... turns out that this is not Madsen, it is Thorsen. So swap the names out in your head. Denmark research still remains crappy so no changes needed there.

AoA will be posting on it shortly.

Initial post:

Almost two million dollars is missing from Aarhus University, along with the lead researcher of the Denmark Autism studies on which the CDC has based their "no evidence of harm" opinion.

His name has not been used in the articles, but the head of the program that they seem to be referring to is Kreesten M. Madsen, MD.

Madsen was the lead author on the much disparaged "Denmark Studies", that our own pediatrician referenced when my husband asked, "are these vaccines safe?" to reassure that vaccines didn't cause autism. (Although he never mentioned autism, just asked if they were safe.)

Thimerosal and the occurrence of autism. Negative ecological evidence from Danish registry-data
Madsen KM, Lauritsen MB, Pedersen CB, Thorsen P, Plesner AM, Andersen PH, Mortensen PB.
Ugeskr Laeger. 2004 Sep 13;166(38):3291-3. Danish.

MMR vaccination and autism : what is the evidence for a causal association?
Madsen KM, Vestergaard M.
Drug Saf. 2004;27(12):831-40.

Thimerosal and the occurrence of autism: negative ecological evidence from Danish population-based data.
Madsen KM, Lauritsen MB, Pedersen CB, Thorsen P, Plesner AM, Andersen PH, Mortensen PB.
Pediatrics. 2003 Sep;112(3 Pt 1):604-6.PMID: 12949291

MMR vaccination and autism--a population-based follow-up study
Madsen KM, Hviid A, Vestergaard M, Schendel D, Wohlfahrt J, Thorsen P, Olsen J, Melbye M.Ugeskr Laeger. 2002 Dec 2;164(49):5741-4. Danish. PMID: 12523209 [

A population-based study of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and autism.
Madsen KM, Hviid A, Vestergaard M, Schendel D, Wohlfahrt J, Thorsen P, Olsen J, Melbye M. N Engl J Med. 2002 Nov 7;347(19):1477-82.PMID: 12421889

Try as Madsen might... he just couldn't find a link between autism and vaccines. But then again, there's no money in finding a link between autism and vaccines... not when CDC is paying for your research. And it looks like Madsen may be just fine with placing money above ethics... and even the law.

And Madsen (if indeed, it is Madsen) apparently lied about his employment at a conference in Italy last year, claiming that he was still at Aarhus when he was not.

I have commented in the past on what a piece of junk the Madsen thimerosal study was, you remember, the one that docs use to say that autism rates shot up as mercury was removed from vaccines, so it actually might protect kids from autism?!? It is useless, as the second to last paragraph of the study tells the reader that the database used changed its inclusion criteria at the time thimerosal was removed and autism rates went up, then ignores that in the very next paragraph, the conclusion, that states that removing thimerosal was followed by an "increase in autism" (not an increase in the autism database, which had been changed from only tracking inpatient cases, to all cases in the country). This of course invalidates the whole study. And despite that fact, and that it was done with researchers that actually work for the country's only vaccine maker, Pediatrics published it, CDC extolled it, and my pediatrician used it guide Chandler's vaccinations.

The articles are from mid February, and I have not found any updated stories on this. Danish papers report that he is in the US, and and employed at (CDC stronghold) Emory University in Atlanta (apparently he has been for some time, while still at Aarhus, unbeknown to Aarhus, which is a no no), but his Linked In profile says that he is employed at Nycomed Pharmaceuticals in Zurich, Switzerland.

So will Aarhus confirm that this is Madsen? And where is Madsen? And where is the money? And why isn't the GMC up in arms about this dishonest researcher? And what does CDC think about all this? And what moron actually believes that giving children a neurotoxin at 25,000 times the concentration allowed in drinking water will protect the child from brain injury?

If anyone has any updates, or friends in Denmark that can help answer these questions... help us out with this one.

Update from a reader:

The CDC recruiting Madsen in 2001, email:

Dr. Simpson (CDC): "Did they [autism rates] increase after 1993??"

Dr. Madsen: "Yes but not very dramatically and there could be more reasons for that. First of all we had a change from ICD8 to ICD10 in 1994 and furthermore our outpatient clinics were registered in our surveillance from 1995."

On the irrelevance of Madsen's conclusions, if indeed they were valid in the first place:

"Because the pediatric vaccination practices of Denmark differed greatly from those of the U.S. during the study period, Madsen's conclusions, even if relevant to Denmark, were certainly not applicable to the U.S."

- Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 9 Number 3 Fall 2004

Two reports from the Danish media:

SWINDLE FOR MILLIONS AT AARHUS UNIVERSITY
Aarhus Stiftstidende
By Maja Nielsen and Morten Ravn, translated by Ulla Danielson
Wednesday February 10, 2010

A big research project has resulted in a deficit of 10 million crowns in the budget of Aarhus university.

Police are investigating the case as fraud while the university has cut its links to the chief-investigator from Aarhus, writes Danish Daily Aarhus Stiftstidende.

The Aarhus-based scientist left his job at the medical health faculty in March last year. After a short period, the university began to suspect something was radically wrong. The suspicion increased.

Accordingly the university in collaboration with Board of Science and Innovation reported the case to the police of Eastern Jylland.

Among other things the now disputed research project maps out the cause of autism. Since 2002, the project has received more than 80 millions crowns from the American board of health,the CDC.

The University of Aarhus is in the process of issuing a declaration to a lot of institutions about the tangled case.

In this communication the director of the university, Joergen Joergensen, underlines that the aarhus-scientist no longer is connected with the university.


Researcher employed in more than one place


“At the same time it has become clear that the resigned leader of the research project has been employed doubly.

Without the university’s knowledge, he has been a payed employee at the University of Emory in the USA while he was still employed in aarhus.

"Of course that is not acceptable,” says head of press for the rector at the university, Anders Corell, to Aarhus Stiftstidende.

He does not want to say anything about the amount of money the University is missing. Neither will Anders Corell comment on the information provided to the newspaper talking about a fraud involving 10 million crowns.

Police inspector Boerge Frandsen from Eastern Jylland’s police confirms, that there is a report. The police has started to investigate the case.

”Yes, it is about fraud”, the police inspector says to Aarhus Stiftstidende.

He is not able to confirm or deny size of the amount of money or the consequences.

But so far the disputed chief investigator has not been charged.


On the move in the USA


The newspaper has learned that the investigations are hampered because it has been very difficult to find the key figure in the case.

Aarhus Stiftstidende has also unsuccessfully tried to get a comment from the aarhus-based scientist, who has his private address in hoejbjerg (outside Aarhus).

After he left the medical health faculty in Aarhus he participated, among other things, at a conference in Italy.

On that event his papers erroneously said that he was employed by the University of Aarhus.

Aarhus Stiftstidende has spoken to several sources, who say that the scientist, who has a PhD, is at the moment is on the move in USA. They describe him as a Stein Bagger type (a Danish financial fraud) who is eminently clever at raising money from funds.

“He can open the doors to the great money tanks. But all projects all the time had to grow bigger and bigger. He succeeded in raising a huge amount of dollars. Rules however was something that existed for the sake of others – not for him,” it has been said, sounding characteristic.


mani@stiften.dk, mora@stiften.dk

Researcher accused of cheating Uni out of millions
The Copenhagen Post
February 11, 2010

A former lead research suspected of fraud now living in US and has not been questioned by police.

Aarhus University has confirmed that a former head of research at its North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances department has committed possible fraud amounting to 10 million kroner against several of the school’s research partners, reports Århus Stiftstidende newspaper.

Until last March, the man was head of an 80 million crown joint research project between the US government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of Southern Denmark and Aarhus University.

Jørgen Jørgensen, Aarhus University’s rector, confirmed police charges have been filed against the former researcher and that it concerns a sum of around 10 million crowns.

Numerous applications for funding for the research were apparently signed with forged signatures.

The scientist – who is reportedly living and working in Atlanta in the US – resigned from his post last March. But he allegedly continued to pass himself off as the head of the international project, which dealt primarily with research into the possible causes of autism.

Aarhus University also claims that the researcher took another permanent position at Emory University in the US while still heading the Danish-based project.

Danish police said they were still investigating the case but had not yet sought cooperation from US authorities in the matter. They also have yet to question the man in connection with the case.

‘When we’ve gone through everything then we’ll decide whether there are sufficient grounds to charge the researcher or any others for forgery or fraud,’ said Børge Frandsen of East Jutland Police.

CDC to Announce New 1 in 100 Autism Prevalence Rate

Today in a conference call with Kathleen Sebelius and Thomas Insel, HHS told a small circle of autism groups that they would be releasing the new 1 in 100 autism rate on Monday.

They cautioned however, that they didn't know if the increase was a real increase or whether greater awareness... changes in measurement methods... better diagnosis... blah blah blah... because apparently our government doesn't even read their own publications.

The whole thing was so predictable that I could have written it for them yesterday.

AAP will also be releasing autism information on Monday, but we were told that it was embargoed.

Sebelius (before ditching out on the call five minutes in) also announced that Barack Obama was all over Autism, dropping 85 million for research into genetics, services, "evidence based treatment" (which is code for everything but biomedical which we refuse to research so it can't have any "evidence" so we don't have to recommend it) and telehealth (video conferencing for rural families).

No where were the words, "diet", "vaccine", "environmental", "toxic", "neuroinflamation", "autoimmune", "recovery" or any of those other words that I was looking for, ever spoken.

They did however excel in self-congratulations, Insel yelling "ouch!" at one point as he apparently dislocated his shoulder, while patting himself on the back. Pray for his speedy recovery. I am sure his Pharma Bros. can get him some good pain meds.

The conference call was not announced to the press or public, but merely in an email sent out at 9 am inviting around fifty people in the autism community (almost exclusively friendly to the administration) to the 2pm call with a "sorry for the short notice".

After listening to the call, my cynicism is increased, and I continue to encourage my readers NOT to wait for the government to do anything to prevent your child from contracting autism or to treat him. If you are reading this blog you are likely way ahead of Insel and company, and who knows how many years it will be before they catch up with us.

If this is the Obama approach, then I expect it will be at least Summer of 2013 before we hear a conference call from the administration that dares to utter the shocking phrase, "gastrointestinal damage".

They did talk about services, but I can't even give them the benefit of the doubt on that today. So when a child actually benefits from the 85 million being dropped on all this busy work, I will let you know.

And if your child benefits from anything Obama/Sebelius/Insel does, then make sure to drop me a note.

Until then, I just see this as talk because the heat is on and they have to look productive.

UPDATE: I was going to ask a question, bu the Q and A period ended as I was about to do so. Apparently several people asked questions that challenged the administration, but they were screened out by the call administrator. David Kirby's post on the matter.

CDC Looks to Force Vaccines on a National Scale

Today Thomas R. Frieden, head of CDC appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to testify on H1N1 and in a response to a question from Congressman Darrell Issa, said that the CDC would like to create federal mandates forcing vaccines on the public.

Issa asked about the "push back" from the New York medical professionals to the states mandate that they receive the H1N1 and seasonal flu shot and the case that the state has for forcing the vaccines. Frieden expressed the opinion that he believed that the state mandate is warranted, and that he thinks such mandates should take place at a federal level, although not this year.

This echos Julie Gerberding's comments to the New York Times last week in regard to the NY manndate that CDC wanted to implement forced vaccines while she was there.

"The unions do not oppose vaccination “but we oppose a mandatory program,” he said. “This is: ‘You don’t get the shot, you’re fired.’ ”

Some prominent health experts, however, were delighted.

Dr. Julie Gerberding, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called New York’s move “a big deal.”

She had pushed for years for mandatory vaccinations — not just to protect health care workers, she explained, but to protect their patients, who are often aged, have weakened immune systems or are bedridden after surgery, which increases pneumonia risks.

“We tried to market the idea, to push people, to educate,” she said. “But looking back, broadly speaking, we failed. It’s time to look at a more aggressive approach.”

By contrast, her successor, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, said last month that even though he expected a surge in swine flu deaths this winter and even though C.D.C. guidelines give health care workers first priority for the new vaccine, he would not push to make vaccinations mandatory."

Apparently the NYT was only partially right that Frieden wouldn't push for forced vaccinations. He wants to force them, just not this year.

Video can be found here, Issa/Frieden discussion starts at 43:20.

UPDATE: Listening to Frieden again, I can't tell if he is talking about mandating vaccines for health care workers or for the general public. Not that either are acceptable. But I don't think that a mandate for health professionals would be anything but a precedent for mass forced vaccination.

CDC quietly revises autism rates to 1% of US children

... cdc quietly upped its autism numbers on their web site to 1 in 100 yesterday... sneaking it in on a friday... shhhh... don't wanna wake the press...

Tina Cruz caught them:

CDC quietly revises autism rates to 1% of US children

When I tried to verify the numbers, the CDC still lists the 2007 statistics of 1 in 150 in their official report, the new report has not been released) but the numbers on the webpage have been modified to reflect "1 in 100 to 1 in 300 with an average of 1 in 150" for prevalence in autism. The last modification that was made to the page was September 25, 2009.

CDC May Release 1 in 100 Autism Incidence and Call Autism Epidemic

One autism mom is reporting the following:

"We had an ASA Board member go to the national ASA Convention-new CDC numbers are 1:100 births. CDC considers it an epidemic...soon to be released, but not sure when. 1:66 births in military families. I just want to cry. How long until there are MORE people ON the spectrum than people NOT on the spectrum??!?"

Let's see if she is right and CDC is ready to start to actually calling a duck, a duck.

CDC Admits Autism is Environmental

I missed writing about many stories this year, but wanted to call this to your attention to this story from February, as it represents a paradigm shift in CDC's autism causation stance.

From Age of Autism:

Las Vegas Sun Reports: CDC Admits Autism is Environmental

Las Vegas sun Managing Editor's Note: Thank you to Marshall Allen of the Las Vegas Sun for this article in which Dr. Catherine Rice, Director of the CDC's National Center for Birth Defects states that vaccines and other environmental insults are possible causes of autism. I think the genetics only crowd and vaccine deniers' luck is running out, don't you? Please click HERE to read the full article at the Las Vegas Sun. You can thank Mr. Allen for running this article HERE. Please do. Kim

So are there more autistic children, or is the broadening definition causing more children to be classified as autistic?

It’s impossible to say for sure, Rice said. Awareness of autism is increasing, which leads to more effective identification, but it’s also possible that it’s increasing. Even with the more inclusive definition, the number of autistic children seems to be on the rise, Rice said.

It’s not known what causes autism.

Researchers say environmental factors could contribute to the onset of the disorders. Studies have linked autism to air pollutants, pesticides, pet medications and even drugs used in the birthing process, such as Pitosin, Rice said.

“It could be anything from the exposures in our physical surroundings — chemicals around us in homes, clothes, products, medications we take and food we eat,” Rice said.

Rice said the recognition that environmental factors play a role in causing autism shows that there is common ground in the debate about whether vaccines play a role in the disorders.

Any parents in Ashland OR, Birmingham AL or Indianapolis IN with Vaccine Safety Concerns?

As part of CDC's project canvasing the public to find out about their vaccine safety concerns, they have hired a research/policy group, The Keystone Center, to take public statements at a series of "Stakeholder Meetings".

They will be holding public meetings in early January in these three cities, Ashland, OR specifically because they have a very low vaccine uptake rate and want to know why so many families are oping out of vaccinating.

If you are a parent with vaccine safety concerns, please consider attending and sharing your concerns.

I have participated in this project already, and believe that Keystone is earnest in their information gathering effort, however I will be shocked if CDC actually takes the information seriously, and earnestly (and honestly) addresses the problems in the vaccine program. I think that the more likely scenario is that this is PR busywork to make it look like they are taking things seriously, and they will continue on the same path they are on. Full steam on vaccines. (At their recently "Stakeholder Meeting" with vaccine manufacturers, vaccine safety was not the issue, greater liability protection and the elimination of regulatory hurdles for new vaccines was the issue. It was as if the increasingly loud public vaccine safety discussion didn't even exist.).

Because bottom line, CDC already knows ALL of the things that parents like us believe about the problems with vaccine safety and will be presenting during this project. As I told my interviewer at Keystone, "there is nothing that we are telling you that CDC doesn't already know. CDC reads my blog almost every single workday, and visited my site 5 times yesterday. They know all this, and they have not done jack with the information. They don't care".

However... despite my cynicism about this effort, I am encouraging you to participate. Let's get this all on the record so that when CDC ignores it yet again, or designs more bullshit studies that don't actually examine the questions in play, their brazen corruption will only be further highlighted.

Or...

Perhaps Tom Daschle will take over HHS and actually clean up this mess and make me look like a fool for doubting. Wouldn't that be nice.


One final note. Keep in mind as you read this that as low as the vaccine uptake rates are in Ashland, with one school having as many as 66% of children opting out of at least one vaccine, if not all, there have been no disease outbreaks. This is a town that should be closely watched. Just how low do vaccine rates have to go in a town before disease outbreaks occur? David Tayloe, head of AAP, claimed that vaccine uptake must be above 90% to prevent disease outbreaks on the Today Show this year.

This is a town that CDC should be doing serious research on, like the Somali's in Minneapolis and the Amish in PA. It would be a good place for CDC to start in doing a vaccinated v. unvaccinated study. But we all know they won't.

December 27, 2008
Immunization concerns
By Kira Rubenthaler
Ashland Daily Tidings

More than a quarter of Ashland parents choose not to vaccinate their children, and the government wants to know why.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is holding a community meeting Jan. 10 in Ashland to help its Immunization Safety Office prioritize vaccine safety studies beginning in the next five years.

Ashland joins Indianapolis and Birmingham, Ala., as three U.S. cities the CDC is tapping to solicit the public's concerns about vaccines.

"I think what's important about this is it's the government coming out and asking people's opinions, asking their advice, asking them to help set policy," said pediatrician Ben Schwartz, a senior scientific advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services' National Vaccine Program.

Ashland was chosen partly for its high rates of unvaccinated children, Schwartz said.

"We wanted to learn from people who had more concerns about vaccines," he said.

The CDC held the Birmingham meeting Dec. 13 and will hold the Indianapolis meeting Jan. 17 before the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's Vaccine Safety Working Group convenes in Washington, D.C., Feb. 4 to hear the results.

Ashland's meeting will take place Saturday, Jan. 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ashland Middle School commons. Registration and a continental breakfast begin at 8 a.m. and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Attendees must live within the city limits and be at the meeting all day. Participants qualify for a $50 stipend, which Schwartz said is a "reflection of how we value people's time" and is also aimed at recruiting a cross-section of the community.

The CDC hopes for about 75 attendees, and people must register in advance by calling facilitator The Keystone Center at (800) 219-6670 or going online to www.keystone.org/registration/ashland. For more information, including a link to the draft scientific research agenda, go to www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/publicengagement.html.

High rates

While Birmingham and Indianapolis are more representative of typical communities, Ashland stands out with its "substantially higher" rates of unvaccinated children, Schwartz said.

Oregon requires schoolchildren to be vaccinated against 11 diseases, but parents can opt out by signing a religious exemption, which defines religion as "any system of beliefs, practices or ethical values."

Statewide, 3.7 percent of kindergarteners had exemptions in 2007, while 28.1 percent of Ashland kindergarteners were exempt, according to numbers provided by the Jackson County Health Department.

Ashland's numbers get even higher when broken down by school.

For 2007, 66.7 percent of students at Willow Wind Community Learning Center were exempt, while 65.9 percent of Siskiyou School students and 45.7 percent of John Muir Elementary students had exemptions, according to reports submitted to the health department.

At Walker Elementary, 23.4 percent of students had exemptions, while 15. 3 percent of Bellview students and 14.8 percent of Helman students were exempt.

Belinda Brown, Ashland's school nurse coordinator, said the numbers can be somewhat misleading because if a parent signs a religious exemption for one vaccination but follows the remaining requirements, the child is counted as an exemption.

Regardless, the numbers are still high, "and they're higher than we want them to be," Brown said.

A variety of reasons contribute to the high exemption rates, Brown said.

A small group faces barriers to vaccinating, such as not knowing where to get the shots or lacking money or transportation, but the school works hard to help parents overcome these obstacles, she said.

Some parents are adamantly opposed to immunizations for personal or religious reasons, Brown said, and many are worried about vaccine safety.

It's important to respect parents' choices, but the number of exempt students is troublesome, Brown said.

"It's been an area of concern for the school district and the community at large, and we've been thinking of ways to improve that," Superintendent Juli Di Chiro said at the Dec. 8 school board meeting.

If there were an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, unvaccinated students would have to stay home until it passed. Meanwhile, the school district would be required to provide five hours of one-on-one tutoring each week to every quarantined student, Di Chiro said.

When parents want to sign an exemption, the school tries to make sure they understand the risks of not vaccinating, Brown said.

"It's our job to make sure everyone has the information they need," she said.

Studying the reasons

Information is key for Kaitlin Newman, Shauna Gargus and Joel Carrick, nursing seniors at Oregon Health and Sciences University who are studying Ashland's high exemption rates and how to bring the numbers down.

They have contacted community leaders and school administrators and designed an informational pamphlet, and they talked about their project at the Dec. 8 school board meeting.

Besides running the risk of contracting a serious disease, unvaccinated children also jeopardize others, the students said.

When large segments of a population are not vaccinated, it causes a drop in protection provided by immunizations, a loss of "herd immunity," the students said.

For instance, the elderly and newborn babies are susceptible to pertussis (whooping cough), said Jim Shames, the medical director for Jackson County's Health and Human Services and adviser to the students.

Until the baby is old enough to be vaccinated for pertussis, its only protection is for people around it to be immunized, he said.

"It really takes a community to protect a child," Shames said.

Some children can't be vaccinated for medical reasons, and people with cancer, AIDS and other illnesses that compromise the immune system are also susceptible to catching vaccine-preventable diseases, said OHSU nursing instructor Linda Brown.

Immunizations have largely eradicated many diseases — such as mumps, polio and measles — in the United States, so people don't see their devastating effects and don't think they need to vaccinate, the students said.

But as a tourist town with visitors from around the world — including places where these diseases still exist, Ashland is especially susceptible for an outbreak, the students said.

Many parents choose not to vaccinate because of concerns about reactions to immunizations, but serious reactions are rare, the students said.

"The most common reaction to a vaccine is a sore arm," Gargus said.

Some concerns, like the possible link between vaccines and autism, are unsubstantiated, the students said.

"There's a lot of fears that parents have that a lot of people believe but aren't scientifically proven to be linked to the vaccine," Carrick said.

Parents don't always give equal concern to the complications from the diseases the vaccines aim to prevent, Linda Brown said.

"There's a balance between the risks of disease and the risks of side effects," Shames said.

As a parent, it can be hard to know if you're doing the right thing, Linda Brown said. "And so many of the families in Ashland are very concerned about trying to do the right thing," she said.

A parent's view

Julie Freed is one of those parents.

For her, doing the right thing was not vaccinating.

After a "huge amount of research," Freed, a homeopathic and nutritional consultant, chose to abstain from immunizations for her daughter.

Arianna Marshank, now an eighth-grader at the Siskiyou School, has been vaccinated for tetanus, but has not received the other recommended childhood immunizations.

Freed has signed the religious exemption and has never had any trouble getting her daughter into classes or camps, she said.

Her decision to not vaccinate had a lot to do with the timing of the shots and the amount of them, as well as the potential for side effects, Freed said.

"It's more just the safety aspect and the respect for the immune system developing on its own and not inundating it with chemicals," Freed said.

The amount of vaccines recommended for young children is a challenge to an undeveloped immune system, she said. In addition to the preservatives and chemicals in the vaccines, some of them don't seem necessary at such a young age, she added.

She has also seen adverse reactions to vaccines.

Although nothing has been proven, links suggest that vaccines may cause learning disabilities, autism and SIDS, Freed said. Complicating the issue, there's evidence on both sides to argue for and against vaccinations, she added.

"We don't know. We don't know what these chemicals do to our bodies," Freed said.

Now that her daughter's immune system has developed and she's healthy and strong, feeding her wholesome, organic food and making sure she gets fresh air and exercise "are my choices at keeping illness at bay," Freed said.

Her friends span the range of vaccination theory, with some not vaccinating at all, some who selectively vaccinate, some who don't adhere to the vaccination schedule and some who follow all the recommendations, Freed said.

It comes down to personal choice, and it's important to make an educated decision, she said.

Freed is not opposed to vaccines, but "I do feel like people feel like they don't have a choice," she said.

Whichever option parents pick, it's not an easy decision, Freed said.

"I'm not going to lie. I've had sleepless nights," she said. "We all worry about our kids and are concerned about our kids. And we all want to do what's best for our children."

Kira Rubenthaler can be reached at 482-3456 ext. 225 or krubenthaler@dailytidings.com.

David Kirby: The Growing List of Professionals Recognizing the Vaccine/Autism Connection

From David Kirby:

The List Keeps Growing
By David Kirby

It’s getting harder to keep up with the list of scientists, doctors, and public health officials who now believe that a vaccine-autism connection is at the least possible, and should be researched further.

Earlier this week, Dr. Peter Fletcher, former Chief Scientific Officer at the UK Department of Health was added. Now, eight more prominent researchers have joined the group. (See list below – they are the last eight names added).

These are the authors of the new study, “Mitochondrial Disease in Autism Spectrum Disorder Patients: A Cohort Analysis,” who did chart reviews on Hannah Poling and two dozen other young people with autism and mitochondrial dysfunction.

In my opinion, it could well prove to be one of the most significant autism studies published to date. (My Huffington Post article on this is HERE:

Mito disorders, which might affect 7-to-30 percent of all children with ASD, can predispose kids to developmental regression following a stressful trigger. Such a trigger might come from a febrile infection – or it could conceivably come from a vaccine reaction, the authors wrote.

“There might be no difference between the inflammatory or catabolic (breaking down of tissue) stress of vaccinations and that of common childhood diseases, which are known precipitants of mitochondrial regression,” they said.

And then they wrote this: “Large, population-based studies will be needed to identify a possible relationship of vaccination with autistic regression in persons with mitochondrial cytopathies (cellular disorders).”

And so, they get added to the list.

The list keeps changing in other ways. For example, late last spring it listed, “all three presidential candidates” (Obama, Clinton and McCain). Soon enough, that will be changed to US President, Secretary of State, and a pivotal and potentially filibuster-busting Senator from Arizona.

Another change: Before, the list said, “Autism researchers at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.” Now, those people can be named, along with their colleagues: Investigators at the Cleveland Clinic and Massachusetts General Hospital. I have also listed a Harvard scientist who sits on an advisory panel of the federal Inter-Agency Autism Committee (IACC).

It makes you wonder how long the term “fringe” can seriously be applied to people who believe that this debate is not over.

Finally, keep your eye on the draft National Vaccine Plan at HHS, especially this January - right around the time the nation gets a new HHS Secretary and, reportedly, a new Director of the CDC – both of whom could potentially be added to the list, as well.

-----------------------------------------------

In 2008, the following groups and individuals have advocated, or at least considered, further study of a possible vaccine-autism connection:

1) Presidenti-Elect Barack Obama,
2) Sen. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State Designee
3) Sen. John McCain, Senior Senator from Arizona and pivotal minority vote
4) Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the CDC
5) Dr. Bernadine Healy, Former Director of the NIH and President of the American Red Cross
6) Rep. Brad Miller, (D-NC), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the House Committee on Science and Technology
7) Members of the HHS Vaccine Safety Working Group
8) Officials at the CDC’s Immunization Safety Office who drafted the federal vaccine safety research agenda, the National Vaccine Plan
9) Medical personnel at the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program of HHS, who ordered federal compensation to Hannah Poling for her vaccine-associated autism.
10) Members of the CDC’s Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network (CISA)
11) America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national association representing nearly 1,300 companies covering more than 200 million Americans
12) Research grant making officials at Autism Speaks
13) Dr. Douglas Wallace, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, Director of the UCI Center for Molecular and Mitochondrial Medicine in Genetics, and member of the Scientific & Medical Advisory Board of the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
14) Dr. Peter Fletcher, former Chief Scientific Officer at the UK Department of Health
15) Dr. Jon Poling, prominent neurologist and father to Hannah Poling
16) Dr. Isaac Pessah, Professor and Chair, VM: Molecular Biosciences,
Director, Center for Children’s Environmental Health, University of California, Davis, and member of the Strategic Planning Workgroup for Autism Spectrum Disorders of the federal Inter-Agency Autism Committee (IACC).
17) Dr. Martha Herbert, Assistant Professor, Pediatric Neurology Director, Transcend Research Program, Harvard Medical School, and member of the Strategic Planning Workgroup for Autism Spectrum Disorders of the federal Inter-Agency Autism Committee (IACC).
18) Dr. Geraldine Dawson, Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks, and member of the Strategic Planning Workgroup for Autism Spectrum Disorders of the federal Inter-Agency Autism Committee (IACC).
19) Dr. Jacqueline R. Weissman, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
20) Dr. Richard I. Kelley, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center and Division of Metabolism, Kennedy Krieger Institute
21) Dr. Margaret L. Bauman, Department of Pediatrics and Learning and Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Rehabilitation Services (LADDERS), Massachusetts General Hospital
22) Dr. Bruce H. Cohen, Neurological Institute and Pediatrics Institute, Cleveland Clinic
23) Dr. Katherine F. Murray, Genomic Department of Pediatrics and Learning and Developmental Disabilities Evaluation and Rehabilitation Services (LADDERS), Massachusetts General Hospital
24) Dr. Rebecca L. Mitchell, Genomic Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic
25) Dr. Rebecca L. Kern, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center and Division of Metabolism, Kennedy Krieger Institute
26) Dr. Marvin R. Natowicz, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine


“HONORARY MEMBER”:

HHS Secretary Designee Tom Daschel, who said in November of 2002: “Mercury-based vaccine preservatives actually have caused autism in children.”