Meryl Nass, M.D.
                                                  Leading Expert on Anthrax Vaccine

Verbal testimony of Meryl Nass, M.D.
House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee
July 26, 2007
Room 334 Cannon Building

I practice internal medicine in Maine, have a background in anthrax and biological warfare, and conduct a specialty clinic for patients with multisymptom illnesses such as Gulf War Syndrome, anthrax vaccine-induced illnesses, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The stories of those with Gulf War or anthrax vaccine-associated illnesses are usually heart-rending. Most became disabled in their 20s to 40s with a combination of physicial impairments, cognitive problems and often psychiatric disorders. They carry 10 to 15 diagnoses each, on average. Five patients gave me permission to share their medical records with the committee, if you wish to see them.

Caring for more and more of these individuals has compelled me to continue to research and write about their plight, to try to prevent further of these "friendly fire" injuries, and to address the barriers to good care for the injured.


I want to tell you 4 things today:

First, anthrax vaccine can cause a wide range of disorders, but most commonly causes a syndrome clinically indistinguishable from Gulf War Syndrome.

Many studies have shown that it was a contributor, but certainly not the only contributor, to Gulf War illnesses.Data from the military's Defense Medical Surveillance System have shown that vaccinated service members have significantly elevated rates of heart attacks, several cancers, asthma, diabetes, Crohns Disease, psychoses, depression and blood clots, compared to prevaccination rates.

A GAO report last month cited CDC and military Vaccine Healthcare Center officials saying that 1 to 2% of anthrax vaccine recipients may experience potentially disabling side effects or death. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs concurred with the report.


Second, DoD (Department of Defence) and DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) funded a huge portfolio of research that was carefully designed to create a smokescreen around both Gulf War illnesses and anthrax vaccine injuries, presumably to deflect culpability from government decisions and actions that led to the massive "collateral damage" caused to Gulf War veterans and anthrax vaccine recipients.

The result is confusion in the minds of patients, medical practitioners and policymakers. Last week, a patient and his wife cried in gratitude in my office when I told him he had Gulf War Syndrome, and not a psychiatric illness, even though I said it could not be cured. His VA doctor, he said, didn't believe in Gulf War Syndrome. That should not be happening today, and it is largely a consequence of the failed body of Gulf War research.
The DVA and DoD-funded research has been successful at delaying the provision of pensions and appropriate care for affected veterans, and taking away their self-respect.


Third, this situation does not need to continue. The research, treatment and disability assessment for veterans can be improved, and made fair.



Fourth, troops would not be so easily placed in harm's way if the Department of Defense bore the long-term costs of their injuries.

DoD continues to expose soldiers to a range of potentially debilitating substances, such as aerosolized depleted uranium, illegal levels of toxics on military bases, and known, dangerous vaccines for which no threat has been demonstrated, and for which safer approaches exist.

Ill soldiers are medically discharged, and the cost of their future care shifted to the VA. If Congress made sure that some of these costs were borne by the Pentagon, it's certain the long-term health of soldiers would be taken more seriously.



What Should Be Done?

In terms of research, a total of seven federal advisory groups and the Committee on Government Reform have made detailed recommendations for the types of long-term studies that should be done on anthrax vaccine. These groups include 3 Institute of Medicine committees, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the VA Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, the Armed Forces Epidemiology Board, and the Government Accountability Office. Their recommendations should be carried out.

The CDC has been conducting a trial of anthrax vaccine in 1500 civilians since 2002. Over 100 adverse event reports have been filed with FDA on trial subjects, but no preliminary data have been released to the public, and the investigators have decided to focus on short-term adverse events. Congress could investigate this study and insist that adequate long-term safety data are collected.

Studies like this can tell us, once and for all, the precise side-effect profile of this vaccine and the rates of adverse reactions.

What Should Not Be Done?

History should not repeat itself. In 1997, Phil Shenon of the New York Times reported on Congressman Shays' investigation of Gulf War illness research. He said,

"The Pentagon and DVA have so mishandled the investigation of the veterans' health problems that Congress should create or designate an agency independent of them to coordinate research into the cause of the ailments." Now it's ten years and $260 million dollars later, and nothing has changed.

Failed research does not happen by itself. In the case of Gulf War and anthrax vaccine studies, a number of issues can be identified that led to unusable results:
. The wrong questions were asked
. Data were withheld
. Dubious methods were chosen
. Sample sizes were inadequate to answer the questions asked
. Control groups contained exposed subjects, and exposed groups
contained unexposed subjects

Those government officials who deliberately wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on a wild goose chase should be subject to charges of research misconduct. Congress can create a law to establish criteria and penalties for such conduct, similar to existing NIH regulations. The officials responsible for the research 'charade' could be barred from future government grants and contracts, and future government employment.

A new federal agency should be created with responsibility for only drug and vaccine safety. Currently, agencies responsible for promoting drugs and vaccines are also responsible for safety, and this inherent conflict of interest has resulted in repeated failures to regulate appropriately. A bill of this type was introduced by Maloney last year.

Finally, former government officials who supported and expanded anthrax vaccinations while in office, are now on the payroll of the vaccine manufacturer or companies with government contracts related to anthrax vaccine. This includes two former HHS secretaries. Congress should pass a law to prevent such egregious conflicts of interest in future.

In conclusion, we know anthrax vaccine, and other toxic exposures are dangerous to susceptible individuals. Simple steps can be taken to reduce future injuries, treat the injuries that exist, and achieve accountability for the deliberate failures that have occurred.

Thank you.
Meryl Nass MD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bbb comment:

Dr Meryl Nass is a leading authority on the Anthrax vaccine. Dr Blockbuster says "Well, don't stand in the shade, Dr Meryl, ... do come out!" In the UK, the position is slighly different, as the UK Government does not even recognize Gulf War Syndrome at this date!

Dr Blockbuster concurs with the recommendations of the report of the independent inquiry in the UK: The Lloyd Report:

Paragraph 224 of the Lloyd Report:

.... the picture is already sufficiently clear to enable the MOD to acknowledge forthwith that the illnesses of the Gulf War veterans, who have had their claims accepted, are attributable to their service in the Gulf. To wait for further research into the pathology would, after fourteen years (now 16 years), be a denial of justice to the veterans.

This is a landmark testimony from Dr Meryl Nass, an excellent submission ... you can put the gloves back on now.

Links: The AnthraxVaccine.org Main Site
             Dr Meryl Nass's Blog





 

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