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Beware and get ready, my U.K. readers, part 2: David Kirby to speak at the Houses of Parliament in London on June 4?

My British readers, say it ain’t so! Hot on the heels of learning that, bankrolled by antivaccinationists, David Kirby is planning a trip to the U.K. in early June, I find out something even more disturbing. A reader forwarded this press release to me:

From: “Clifford G. Miller”

May 23, 2008 — CONTACT: David Kirby – [email protected]

BESTSELLING AMERICAN AUTHOR
DAVID KIRBY TO SPEAK AT HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

Briefing by Journalist Who Covers Vaccine-Autism Debate is Sponsored
By Lord Robin Granville Hodgson, Baron Hodgson of Shropshire

U.S. Journalist David Kirby, author of the award winning book “Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic – A Medical Controversy,” will give a special briefing on this debate at the Houses of Parliament in London, on Wednesday, 4 June.

Mr. Kirby will speak about recent legal, political and scientific developments in the United States in the ongoing vaccine-autism controversy. The briefing is open to Peers in the House of Lords, Members of Parliament, their Staff, members of the Media, and Invited Guests.

The briefing will take place on Wednesday, 4 June at 3:30PM at the Houses of Parliament, Palace of Westminster, Committee Room 4. It is being sponsored by His Lordship Robin Hodgson, Baron Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, Shropshire.

In addition to his Parliament briefing, Mr. Kirby will also give a free public lecture on Wednesday 4th June, 6:30-10PM at Regent Hall, 275 Oxford Street, London.

In addition, Mr. Kirby will attend an informal reading, book signing and Q&A on Friday 6th June, 4:00-7:00PM at Gudrun Jonsson, 2 Napier Road, Kensington, London.

Among the subjects to be addressed by Mr. Kirby are:

  1. A recent case in the US Vaccine Court in which the federal government conceded that vaccines induced autism in one little girl – and updates on other cases in the court.
  2. Growing evidence of a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and autistic regression, and case studies of several ASD children with mitochondrial issues.
  3. State-of-the-art research underway at top universities on the connection between environmental toxins, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, glutathione depletion, neuro-inflammation and autistic encephalopathy.
  4. Declarations by all 3 US Presidential candidates that autism is epidemic and calling for more research into vaccines and mercury as possible causes.
  5. Recent studies linking ASD risk with heavy metals and other contaminants in air pollution.

The visit is sponsored by US autism organizations Generation Rescue, Autism Research Institute, National Autism Association, Coalition for SAFE MINDS, and Talk About Curing Autism.

David Kirby is a former contributor to The New York Times and a writer for the popular blog, The Huffington Post. “Evidence of Harm,” debuted on The New York Times bestseller list in 2005, and is still widely read today. It won the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award in 2005 for Best Book. Kirby has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, CNN’s Larry King Live, NBC’s The Today Show, MSNBC’s Imus in the Morning, CNN Headline News, Air America, and many others.

David Kirby

is available for media interviews – Please contact him directly at [email protected].

More information about Evidence of Harm is available at www.evidenceofharm.com

Mr. Kirby’s essays at Huffington Post can be viewed at www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby

What’s going on here? Who is Lord Robin Granville Hodgson, Baron Hodgson of Shropshire and why is he giving a voice to antivaccinationism in Parliament? Having David Kirby there is as bad as if Andrew Wakefield were to be given a chance to do a briefing at Parliament–particularly if there are no dissenting voices there.

My British friends, it looks like it’s time to start contacting your MPs. There are less than two weeks until serious antivaccinationist propaganda hits Parliament. Start suggesting tough questions that any MPs who might attend this briefing can ask. Write to them and protest.

Time to contact Brian Deer and Ben Goldacre again.

By Orac

Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.

That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)

DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.

To contact Orac: [email protected]

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