Issue Number 76
May 14, 1999
URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!
URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!
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Dear Advocate of Hepatitis B Vaccine:
Urgent! We need your help.
The safety of hepatitis B vaccine is once again being questioned by organized
anti-hepatitis B vaccine groups.
On Tuesday, May 18, 1999, at 10 a.m. (EST) there will be a congressional hearing before
the Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources Committee, a subcommittee of the
House Committee on Government Reform, to discuss the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine.
The hearing will be held in room 2247 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC,
20515.
Several parents and other persons will give testimony at the hearing who claim injuries or
death due to hepatitis B vaccine. Several scientists will also provide testimony.
According to a press release from the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a group
formerly known as Dissatisfied Parents Together (DPT), their members are "working
with the subcommittee to provide hepatitis B vaccine victims with a forum."
Harold S. Margolis, MD, Chief of the Hepatitis Branch of CDC, and Susan Ellenberg, PhD,
Director of the Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, FDA, will provide the
subcommittee members with expert testimony on the safety and other aspects of hepatitis B
vaccine.
Here's what YOU can do. Contact members of the subcommittee (listed below) regarding your
position on hepatitis B vaccine use or safety or the importance of providing this
vaccination to infants, children, and teenagers to prevent people from this potentially
life-threatening illness.
Please fax, write, or call any or all of them.
These subcommittee members need information that will provide balance to the stories of
those who report that they or their children have had adverse reactions to the vaccine. If
you have information about hepatitis B-infected children, case reports describing how
serious this disease can be, the lack of effective treatment modalities, or descriptions
of people who suffered or are suffering from chronic hepatitis B infection, your voice is
needed.
Please act today.
Deborah L. Wexler, MD
Executive Director
Immunization Action Coalition
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All individuals listed below can be contacted at:
Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources Subcommittee
Committee on Government Reform
United States House of Representatives
B-373 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2577
Congressperson, Phone, Fax
1. Representative John Mica *, tel. 225-4035, fx. 226-0821
2. Representative Bob Barr **, tel. 225-2931, fx. 225-2944
3. Representative Benjamin Gilman, tel. 225-3776, fx. 225-2541
4. Representative Christopher Shays, tel. 225-5541, fx. 225-5879
5. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, tel. 225-3931, fx. 225-5620
6. Representative Mark Souder, tel. 225-4436, fx. 225-3479
7. Representative Steve LaTourette, tel. 225-5731, fx. 225-3307
8. Representative Asa Hutchinson, tel. 225-4301, fx. 225-5713
9. Representative Doug Ose, tel. 225-5716, fx. 225-1298
10. Representative Patsy Mink ***, tel. 225-4906, fx. 225-4987
11. Representative Edolphus Towns, tel. 225-5936, fx. 225-1018
12. Representative Elijah Cummings, tel. 225-4741, fx. 225-3178
13. Representative Dennis Kucinich, tel. 225-5871, fx. 225-5745
14. Representative Rod Blagojevich tel. 225-4061, fx. 225-5603
15. Representative John Tierney, tel. 225-8020, fx. 225-5915
16. Representative Jim Turner, tel. 225-2401, fx. 225-5955
* Chairman
** Vice Chairman
*** Ranking Member
All phone/fax numbers have area code 202. |
