Zantac Lawsuit


Researching drug company and regulatory malfeasance for over 16 years
Humanist, humorist

Monday, June 05, 2023

MHRA HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE

 



Back in March, the Telegraph, a popular UK tabloid, revealed the UK's former health secretary, Matt Hancock's WhatsApp messages. Hancock, it was revealed, was part of 100,000 messages concerning covid-19 policy. The "Lockdown Files", as they were dubbed by the Telegraph, in essence, showed a window into how the UK government were liaising with one another during the covid outbreak. It was all rather churlish and smacked of incompetence. The revelations, however, soon died a death, despite the general public waiting to see if there was anything vaccine related amongst the 100,000 messages.

With this in mind, I took it upon myself to send the following to the British drug regulator, the MHRA. I deemed it as a Freedom of Information request (FOIA)

It was sent on March 9 and a receipt of acknowledgement was Sent back to me by the MHRA.

Click to enlarge

The MHRA claim that a Freedom of Information request can take up to 20 business days for a reply.

By late April, I had not received the information I requested so I sent them a reminder email to which they responded on April 28 with:

Click to enlarge


INQUIRY

It's now June 5 and despite a further 5 emails to the MHRA, I have still not received the information I requested back in March 9. Moreover, the MHRA have failed to reply to any of the 5 follow-up emails.

It was announced in 2021 that a covid inquiry would be taking place amid pressure from bereaved loved ones who were questioning the UK government response to the outbreak, Public hearings are scheduled to begin June 13 and last until 2026 and will be chaired by retired judge Heather Hallett.

WHATSAPP

Hallett has asked to see messages exchanged between former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and more than three dozen scientists and officials over two years from early 2020. She also wants to see Johnson’s notebooks and diaries from the same period.

She is, in essence, requesting exactly what I have.

Last week, the government’s Cabinet Office filed court papers seeking to challenge Hallett’s order for the documents. Johnson, however, has somewhat distanced himself from the government’s stance by saying he is happy to hand over his messages. On Friday, he said he has sent the WhatsApp messages directly to Hallett’s inquiry.

I have to ask if my FOIA to the MHRA is connected to recent events. Did they know electronic messages would be requested by a future inquiry and have they been holding off sending me those electronic records so they can deny me access, citing a investigation and/or other legal matters as an excuse for denial?

One thing is certain, I've been sending FOIA's to the MHRA for nigh on 16 years, in the main these have been antidepressant related. I've seen MHRA CEO's come and go over the 16 years. My first contact with the MHRA was back in 2006. Back then, the then CEO, Kent Woods, personally emailed me. I even had a meeting with him to discuss my concerns regarding people struggling with SSRI withdrawal. Since his departure, around 2013, the MHRA, who were awful then, have spiralled into a state of decline.

Woods left the incestuous agency's revolving door and was followed by Ian Hudson. His appointment was a kick in the teeth for me. Hudson, for those who don't know, was the former Head of Safety at GlaxoSmithKline, the very same drug company who had threatened to sue me as they wasn't happy with my research on this blog. Hudson's tenure at the MHRA was uneventful and in 2019 the reigns were handed over to June Raine who is, today, the current Chief Executive of the MHRA.

Raine's 'leadership' has, at least, shown some clarity, she has highlighted the position of the MHRA but it's not a position that helps the public. Last year, Raine was part of a lecture given at Oxford University. She told the audience,  of ‘how the Covid pandemic has catalysed the transformation of a regulator, from a watchdog to enabler’.   

No mention in her lecture of the MHRA protecting the public from risk of unsafe medicines or vaccines.

To think (during Woods tenure) the MHRA and I were working together to better the Yellow Card Reporting System (I later declined to work with them after Woods wouldn't acknowledge the teratogenic side effects of paroxetine)

The MHRA are going about their duties and admitting, publicly, that they are a lapdog to the pharmaceutical industry (something I've known all along). They have now got to the point where they are refusing the public access to information that they have no right to refuse. (I see their refusal to answer my FOIA as a refusal to release.)

So, what now? Well, I could always seek an ombudsman to unravel the mystery of why my FOIA request is being ignored by the MHRA. It's a first for me as previous FOIA requests have always been answered.

Maybe I've hit on something they can't wriggle out of so they use the 'ignore him' tactic in the hope that I'll go away.

They, of all people, should know by now that isn't going to happen!

Bob Fiddaman







Thursday, May 25, 2023

TRIAL SET TO START ALLEGING BRAIN DAMAGE CAUSED BY ECT

 


Opening statements begin on Wednesday, May 31 in the trial of Jeffrey Thelen v. Somatics, LLC and Elektrika, Inc.

Jeffrey Thelen, a resident of Nebraska, underwent 95 ECT “treatments”, received between May 16, 2014, and July 25, 2016, which he alleges caused brain injuries and other harms. Thelen claims he sustained injuries, including brain injury, caused by Somatics’ ECT machine. The causes of action that will be tried are: (1) Strict Liability (Failure to Warn); and (2) Negligence. Somatics denies it was negligent and further denies that the ECT machine was defective as labeled.

The complaint, which can be read in full here, shows the injuries and on-going problems Thelen has endured. 

"The injuries Mr. Thelen sustained as a result of defendants’ shock treatment device, include but are not limited to, brain damage, neurocognitive injuries, severe permanent memory loss, significant decline in his ability to learn and recall information, a disruption and decline in his ability to encode new information, diminished quality of life, additional physical, physiological, psychological and emotional injuries and harms, and lost wages and earning capacity."


Thelen alleges that defendants negligently and intentionally concealed and failed to adequately disclose and warn about risks, including but not limited to, brain damage and permanent neurocognitive injuries associated with their shock treatment device. In addition to concealing risks, SOMATICS intentionally, recklessly and overtly misrepresented the safety and efficacy of the shock therapy device. 

ELEKTRIKA is a manufacturer and exclusive supplier of “Thymatron” ECT devices for SOMATICS. The lawsuit alleges ELEKTRIKA has failed to register with the FDA. 

SOMATICS stated on its website, “ECT remains the safest and most effective treatment for severe depression”. This is misleading and runs against what the FDA say about ECT. In fact, the FDA say the complete opposite, "...the long-term safety and effectiveness of ECT treatment has not been demonstrated.”

After settling an ECT brain injury litigation in 2018, SOMATICS revised its website to issue new warnings about adverse events associated with ECT and its Thymatron device – SOMATICS now for the first time warns on its website that, “in rare cases” ECT “patients may experience permanent memory loss or permanent brain damage.”

Prior to the settlement, SOMATICS, in a Patient Information Pamphlet, falsely stated that ECT does not cause brain injury, falsely stated that any memory loss issues are temporary and not permanent, falsely claimed that ECT actually improved memory and to further downplay the risks of ECT. The pamphlet, using spin, blamed the above adverse events as an 'underlying condition, other medications, and aging.'

According to Dr. Kenneth Castleman, biomedical electrical engineer and former Senior Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, "...the amount of electric current that an ECT machine puts through a patient’s head is about 200 times what is considered dangerous for accidental electric shock, approximately 100 times what Tasers, cattle prods, and electric fences use, about the same as what is used for stunning pigs before slaughter, and roughly one-fifth as much as the electric chair. In addition, the amount of voltage applied to the head (460 volts) is about 400 times what is required to damage a single brain cell. Clearly this amount of electricity has the potential to cause injury to the brain.”.

This is definitely a trial to keep an eye on. Many people, including friends and followers of mine on Twitter, have been severely injured by ECT "treatment" and calls for those injuries to be acknowledged have been ignored, many safety advocates have often been ridiculed and called names for trying to raise ECT injury awareness.

I can't think of a better law firm than Wisner Baum to take on a case like this. I've been a fan of theirs since the early 2000s and have even attended one of their previous trials in Chicago (Dolin v GSK)

They get things done.

Period!

Attorneys for Mr. Thelen are Bijan Esfandiari and Monique Alarcon.

Bob Fiddaman





Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Woman Develops Cervical Cancer After Gardasil Shots

 



Caroline Cantera was 19 years old when she received her first of three Gardasil shots. She agreed to receive Gardasil after being convinced by Merck’s prolific marketing that the vaccine is very safe and prevents cervical cancer.

After receiving the shots, her life suddenly took a drastic turn as she was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer.

Multiple biopsies, CT scans, MRIs, six rounds of chemotherapy, 30 radiation treatments, three brachytherapy treatments, and countless doctor visits, now she will never be able to have children of her own because her eggs are no longer viable due to the treatment.

A lawsuit has now been filed by Wisner Baum (formerly Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman) alleging Merck’s Gardasil HPV vaccine caused her to develop cervical cancer and other injuries. This is the first lawsuit to allege Gardasil can cause cervical cancer, the very cancer Merck asserts Gardasil prevents.

This from the Wisner Baum press release:

According to the complaint, Merck has never studied whether Gardasil prevents cervical cancer. Instead, Gardasil was tested to determine if it could prevent development of certain lesions, some of which are considered related to cancer, however, a majority of such lesions, even the most serious, regress on their own.  Not every HPV infection places one at risk for cervical cancer.  Only persistent HPV infections (not short-term or transient infections) in a limited number of cases may cause the development of precancerous lesions.

Public health officials have long recommended the Pap test as the most effective frontline public health response to preventing cervical cancer. Long before Gardasil was introduced to the market in 2006, cervical cancer rates had been plummeting by up to 80% with implementation of routine Pap testing. For those who are diagnosed with precancerous lesions or worse, cervical cancer is largely treatable if caught early.

Nonetheless, Merck sought fast-tracked FDA approval of Gardasil to fill a purported unmet need in preventing cervical cancer, with its expensive HPV vaccine.  Once approved, Merck engaged in a relentless marketing campaign falsely proclaiming that Gardasil was a “cervical cancer vaccine” and that any young girl vaccinated with Gardasil would become “one less” woman with cervical cancer, the lawsuit claims.

Merck's underhand and unscrupulous marketing was definitely a factor in Caroline's decision-making here and it highlights how vaccine manufacturers play down risks to maximise profits.

With vaccine manufacturers under public scrutiny, especially in the times we find ourselves in, it's imperative that justice be served here.

Cantera’s attorneys, Bijan Esfandiari, Michael L. Baum, and Monique Alarcon filed the complaint (Case No. 3:23-cv-00161) in U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina as part of the Gardasil multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3036).

Bob Fiddaman

Previously on this blog

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck





Wednesday, April 05, 2023

Merck's Gardasil Adverse Events Databases To Be Released

 



Merck forced to turn over all of its Gardasil adverse event databases.

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr, recently ordered Merck to turn over all of its Gardasil adverse events databases to plaintiffs suing the pharmaceutical company for injuries allegedly caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Regular readers of my blog will know I've been covering the Gardasil litigation for quite a while now (Links at the foot of this post)

The Gardasil adverse events databases have been held under lock and key by Merck and up until Conrad Jr's order they had refused to make the entire Merck Adverse Event Reporting and Review System (MARRS) databases available to the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

In passing down his order, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr, said, “Plaintiffs’ and their experts should have the same opportunity as Merck to review and analyze the entirety of the data.”

Common sense, plus a strong legal argument from plaintiffs' attorneys Wisner Baum seems to have seen the light of day.

Wisner Baum have have filed dozens lawsuits on behalf of young people injured by Gardasil, alleging Merck knowingly and fraudulently concealed the vaccine’s risks. There are also 80 pending in the federal court system and that number is expected to increase. Senior Partner, Michael Baum said, “Access to this full database of adverse event reports should allow experts to better analyze the full extent of post-Gardasil autoimmune symptom clusters, and demonstrate there is a “statistically significant causal connection between Gardasil and autoimmune conditions.”

Source: Brenda Baletti Ph.D

U.S. District Judges often come under heavy criticism for, seemingly, siding with large corporate companies such as Merck. Robert J. Conrad, Jr's order and subsequent reasoning for placing such an order has to be applauded here.

Not only should Plaintiffs’ and their experts have access to adverse reactions, the general public should too. Hopefully this data will be made public. It's important in light of recent news that a bill has been introduced in Sacramento to require students entering the 8th grade to have the HPV vaccine. Such a bill, if granted without first seeing MARRS databases, can potentially put patients at risk, patients such as those listed in the links below.

Bob Fiddaman

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck




Monday, February 27, 2023

Cancer Prevention Act Wants To Mandate HPV Vaccines for Children

 



ABC are reporting that a bill has been introduced in Sacramento to require students entering the 8th grade to have the HPV vaccine. This would apply to students attending public and private schools in California. The bill, known as the “Cancer Prevention Act,” introduced on February 9, 2023, by Assembly members Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D), Blanca Rubio (D), Laura Friedman (D), Ash Kalra (D), Liz Ortega (D), Diane Papan (D), Wendy Carillo (D), and Senator Scott Wiener (D).

Dr. Jacob Lalezari, lead investigator of the 2005 clinical trials, said, "With this HPV vaccine, there is no legitimate debate, there are no side effects, there is no toxicity and it is now shown unequivocally to prevent infection and cancer, so there is no reason why young people shouldn't get this vaccine."

Lalezari also claimed, back in 2020, that leronlimab, a monoclonal antibody investigational drug under development by CytoDyn, Inc. (CytoDyn) would have saved the lives of most of the people who died of COVID-19, and reduce the need for ventilators.

Approx one year later, the FDA released a statement regarding the use of leronlimab for the treatment of COVID-19.

"With the conclusion of both the CD10 and CD12 clinical trials, it has become clear that the data currently available do not support the clinical benefit of leronlimab for the treatment of COVID-19."

In fact, said the FDA, "Taken together, the CD10 results indicate that most study participants experienced resolution in COVID-19 symptoms regardless of whether they received leronlimab or placebo."

So why did Lalezari claim, back in 2020, that leronlimab could save lives and reduce the need for ventilators?

Leronlimab is produced by the small Vancouver-based pharmaceutical company CytoDyn. Leronlimab was used by 800 patients as an experimental HIV drug. 

Jacob P. Lalezari, M.D., is the Medical Director of Quest Clinical Research in San Francisco, California, and interim Chief Medical Officer of CytoDyn.

Lalezari's claims that "there are no side effects, there is no toxicity" with HPV vaccines, therefore fall short given his previous claims about the use of leronlimab for the treatment of COVID-19.

More importantly, his 'no side effects' claim regarding HPV vaccines is dismissing injuries caused by Gardasil, a HPV vaccine produced by Merck. (Numerous links to these injuries at the foot of this post)

The bill, if passed, would require that the Gardasil vaccine be administered to all school-aged children attending grades 8 through 12 in California.

Meanwhile, hundreds of young women and men are suing Merck in numerous California state courts and in federal courts across the country, claiming Gardasil caused them to suffer serious and often debilitating side effects, including death.   

Californian attorneys, Wisner Baum, recently released a statement which included the following:

“Parents of teens who have been injured by Gardasil are up in arms about the bill.” Said Kathy Robi, a California parent of a daughter now consigned to a wheelchair: “This is not a vaccine that should be mandated.  There is no evidence Gardasil will prevent cervical cancer in the long term; it is entirely theoretical, based on studies testing only surrogate endpoints (lesions), not cancer itself, and like any medical intervention, Gardasil has risks, and those risks can be devastating.  Are the risks, which can include death, worth it?  I don’t think so.” 

Wisner Baum senior partner, Bijan Esfandiari, who represents hundreds of young women and men allegedly injured by Gardasil, said, “There is something wrong here and our children should not be subjected to a state mandate that turns them into guinea pigs and places them at a heightened risk for the very disease they are being told this vaccine prevents.” 

There is something seriously afoot here and those Assembly members who introduced the bill are either too lazy to read the facts or may have been hoodwinked by Merck's past statements that Gardasil is safe and effective. 

The links below highlight the complete opposite.

Bob Fiddaman

"I don’t want this pain for other kids." ~ Victoria Trevisan, Gardasil Victim

Merck & Co Face Uphill Battle as Gardasil Lawsuits Consolidated

Parents of 13-year-old Boy File Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Vaccine Manufacturers, Merck


Thursday, January 12, 2023

Name Change for Game Changers




Highly respected law firm, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, entering its 50th year representing clients, has a new managing partner and has now changed its name to Wisner Baum, LLP.

The move comes as the firm announced the retirement of long-time vice president, secretary, and senior shareholder, Ronald L. M. Goldman. The other named partners—Paul J. Hedlund and J. Clark Aristei—retired from the firm in 2018. Aristei sadly passed away in 2021.

Vice president R. Brent Wisner, Baum Hedlund’s lead trial attorney, will serve as Wisner Baum’s new managing partner. It's no surprise given Wisner's incredible track record of success in major cases after only 11 years of lawyering.

Wisner became the youngest lawyer in U.S. history to win a multi-billion-dollar verdict, which he achieved with a massive $2 billion jury verdict against Monsanto (Bayer) in 2019, less than a year after obtaining the first Roundup cancer verdict of $289 million against Monsanto in 2018. So far, he has negotiated mass tort settlements in excess of $1 billion.

With a plethora of awards and recognition behind him, Wisner said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this firm into its next chapter and eager to continue the legacy that Michael Baum, Paul Hedlund, Clark Aristei, and Ron Goldman built,” adding, “Standing on the shoulders of giants, and I am very optimistic that the firm’s best days are ahead of us.”

Michael Baum, who served as the firm’s managing partner from 1993 to 2022, will continue his work at Wisner Baum as one of the firm’s three senior partners.

Back in 2011, I visited the old offices of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman. I was in town to pick up an award and the BH office was a must see for me. I'd, up to that point, admired them from afar as I saw how they were successful in nailing Paxil manufacturers, GSK, to the mast, not only with settlements for plaintiffs but also in releasing previously unseen documents into the public domain.

I, quickly, became friends with Michael and his staff and was surprised that they knew of my work as a blogger and patient safety advocate.

In 2017, I travelled to Chicago to see Brent Wisner in action. Wisner was representing Wendy Dolin whose husband, Stewart, had tragically taken his own life due to the suicidal adverse effect of Paxil. Although the jury found for Dolin, this was later overturned by the Supreme Court. Nonetheless, Wisner was able to produce previously unseen documents and video deposition into the public domain. It was all very damning for GSK and, indeed, Paxil.

“Our ethos from the beginning was pure and simple: we wanted to use the law to help people who had been wronged and make the world a better place, ” adding, “As much as we have grown over the years, that philosophy has remained, and out of it grew a culture that has attracted talented lawyers like Brent who share the same mission. He is exactly the kind of lawyer and leader that will take this firm to new heights. Wisner Baum is in good hands.”

It's safe to say that this law firm are game changers when it comes to seeking justice against the huge corporate companies that have left thousands, if not millions, devastated by their illegal actions over the years. For that, we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

Wisner Baum LLP can be followed on Twitter here, their website can be found here.


Bob Fiddaman




Friday, November 11, 2022

11-11 An Announcement

 


We all see repeating numbers. Are they just coincidental, or is something else at play here? 

Today is November 11th or 11-11. To most people, it's just another day on the calendar. That's what Don Williamson initially thought, too. Williamson is the main character in my fictional book, No Other Man, which has been accepted for publication and will be released this spring. 

Fiction writing is a step outside my comfort zone, given I usually research and write about the real-life horrors of big pharma and government agencies. This new book has been a labor of love, rewritten and restructured over the last seven years, which was a slow but necessary process.

The book centres on Williamson, Karen Crawford, and Angie Jakobs. Williamson struggles to deal with the void left by a recent relationship breakup when he discovers that a poem he wrote in 2001 inadvertently encrypted a hidden code that the Vatican is trying to crack. Karen Crawford, a Hollywood celebrity who now lives in London, has known for many years that a unique man will come into her life. Her psychic medium friend, Angie Jakobs, told Karen he would be like no other man she had ever met. Neither lady knew when and where this man would appear, but both knew someday he would.

Soon they learn that the poem's secret code is buried deep within the text, pointing to an astronomical event witnessed on an Idaho ranch. The event sparks a hunt for the threesome, an expedition in which the Pope himself participates.

Under the protection of guardian angels, the chosen three must avoid Vatican officials and evil forces at work--fallen angels who have misguided the living for many years.

My publisher recently provided the front cover (above), and it's just how I envisioned the scene when writing it. I'm pleased the book will be available in bookshops and online this spring.


Bob Fiddaman



Wednesday, November 09, 2022

Glendale Woman Files Suit Against Gardasil Manufacturer

 


Catherine Boss of Glendale, California was just 16 years-old when she received her first Gardasil shot, after which she experienced significant fatigue, headache, shortness of breath, hypotension, and abdominal pain. Episodes of syncope (fainting), as well as migraine with visual loss, vomiting, and intermittent panic attacks pursued some months later. Despite this, Catherine received her second dosage of Gardasil in early 2017.

Months later, she was evaluated by a cardiologist who noted frequent episodes of orthostatic light-headedness, panic attacks, fatigue, abdominal pains, and syncope. The physician performed orthostatic vital signs, and his assessment included “frequent dysautonomia symptoms, possibly postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.”

Over the next year or so she experienced continued dizziness, difficulty sleeping, decreased appetite, severe menstrual cramps, lethargy, chills, shortness of breath and headache.

One would think these bodily injuries would have raised a red flag for Catherine, her mother, Kathleen, and their treating physician, however, on November 6, 2017, Catherine received her third Gardasil shot.

Now 22, Catherine walks with a cane that doubles as a seat when she can no longer stand. She struggles to overcome all her Gardasil related conditions, which include, but are not limited to:

• POTS

• Dysautonomia

• Gastroparesis

• Migraines

• Syncope

• Pain disorder

• Endometriosis

From the onset of Catherine's first Gardasil shot, both she and her mother were told Gardasil was safe and effective for preventing cervical cancer. Considering the doctor’s recommendations, Catherine’s mother, Kathleen Boss, consented to her daughter being injected with the “cervical cancer vaccine,” Gardasil.

Furthermore, it is alleged Gardasil manufacturers, Merck, actively concealed the fact that Gardasil can cause a constellation of serious adverse reactions and bodily injuries. According to filed complaints, According to the complaints, Gardasil contains numerous hazardous ingredients, including at least one ingredient that Merck failed to disclose to regulators and the public. Studies have shown that one of Gardasil’s ingredients, Amorphous Aluminum Hydroxyphosphate Sulfate (AAHS) binds to non-vaccine proteins, triggering autoimmune disorders and other serious conditions.

It is also alleged that Merck designed its clinical trial studies to purposefully conceal evidence of chronic conditions such as autoimmune diseases while exaggerating the vaccine’s purported efficacy.

Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman have now filed a lawsuit (Case 2:22-cv-06993) on behalf of Catherine Boss, one of many previously filed (see links below).

To date, Merck, who are headquartered in New Jersey, have been found guilty of numerous violations and fined a total of $10,467,155,581. Those violations include, drug or medical equipment safety violation, safety-related offenses, healthcare-related offenses, off-label or unapproved promotion of medical products, and kickbacks and bribery.

Further information about Catherine's plight and injuries caused by Gardasil can be found here.

Bob Fiddaman

Related

Thursday, November 03, 2022

Toxic Baby Food Trial Set for 2023

 



The lawsuit alleges Noah Cantabrana, after consuming high quantities of baby food products, developed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The following companies, it is alleged, knowingly sells baby foods that contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury:

• Beech-Nut Nutrition Company of New York
• Gerber Products Company of Michigan
• Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic) of New York
• Nurture, Inc. (Happy Family Organics and HappyBABY) of New York
• Plum PBC (Plum Organics) of California
• Sprout Foods, Inc. of New Jersey
• Walmart, Inc. (Parent’s Choice) of Arkansas

Melissa Cantabrana, Noah's mother, said, "We as parents have the right to know what is in the foods we give our kids." Adding, "These companies deprived us of that right by not properly labeling their products to warn about the presence of heavy metals. It’s shameful and they need to be held accountable."

Consumer attorneys Pedram Esfandiary and R. Brent Wisner from the law firm of Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, intend to show, through a series of experts in the areas of epidemiology, toxicology and neurology, the association between exposure to heavy metals and ASD/ADHD

Back in 2019, a report in which 'Healthy Babies, Bright Futures' tested 168 foods purchased from major baby food manufacturers found 95% of store-bought baby food contained lead, 73% contained arsenic, 75% contained cadmium and 32% contained mercury.

A 2021 Congressional report found that most baby food manufacturers did not test their finished products at all. Instead, they tested only individual ingredients and used those results to estimate the toxic heavy metal levels in their finished products.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has come under fire for not acting quick enough to reduce the levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in baby foods. Their 'Closer to Zero action plan' aims to evaluate the scientific basis for "action levels" or standards for toxic metals in various baby foods. These proposals and finalized decisions are expected to happen through at least 2024.

The Noah Cantabrana complaint can be read, in full, here.

Here's a fascinating interview with Consumer attorney, Pedram Esfandiary, where he speaks about the manufacturers of baby food knowingly selling products with dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals.




Bob Fiddaman

Friday, October 28, 2022

YoungMinds ~ Kudos Where It's Due

 



Back in 2017, I highlighted how YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity championing the wellbeing and mental health of young people, had posted a booklet on its website that claimed the following:

It’s rare for a mental illness to occur out of the blue, it usually builds up over time and comes to a point where people need professional help. The causes are wide  ranging and include a  chemical imbalance in the brain.  Medication can help to address chemical imbalances and make someone feel more ‘normal’"

I recently brought this to their attention and, surprisingly, they have addressed it. Not only have YoungMinds removed the content, they have issued an explanation and an apology. For that, I must give them kudos.

Their statement came via Twitter and reads:

This, to me at least, is a very positive move by the charity and, to my knowledge, it's the first time anyone has publicly apologised for once claiming mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance, moreover, medication can address that imbalance.

It's a start and, I believe, kids who use their services or visit their website will be safer for it.

I applaud this approach.

Bob Fiddaman








Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Judge Appoints Four Attorneys For Plaintiffs Damaged by Vaccine

 


Merck, the manufacturers of the HPV vaccine Gardasil decided to guilt trip parents back in 2016 with the following promotional ad.


Fast forward 6 years and a press release provided today by the hugely successful Los Angeles based law firm, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman.

"A federal judge overseeing the Gardasil MDL (multidistrict litigation) appointed four attorneys to serve on the litigation leadership for plaintiffs who allege the Gardasil HPV vaccine caused them severe side effects."

It's estimated that hundreds of claims will soon be filed in the MDL, none of these injuries were mentioned in the promotional ad above, such as; Autonomic Dysfunction, Premature Ovarian Failure, and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

The press release also states: "Merck took steps to mask and downplay these risks; and Merck was also negligent in the way it conducted its clinical trials and post-marketing pharmacovigilance." Furthermore, "Plaintiffs further allege that, in its direct-to-consumer advertising to patients and parents, Merck misrepresented and overemphasized Gardasil's efficacy while concealing Gardasil's serious risks."

To read about some of those risks and who was harmed see the links below.

Vaccine manufacturers and co-conspirators will always be held accountable at some point in history. These Gardasil cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Personally, I hope Merck take a huge hit which will, in turn, upset their shareholders. Remember, Merck's target audience was children.

Litigation is a powerful tool in getting never seen before documents into the public domain, unless, of course, the accused decide to make a settlement. With the evidence stacked against them, I suspect Merck's legal team will try every trick in the book to get these cases overturned...and then, maybe, strike a deal to settle out-of-court.

I, for one, am hoping to see how Merck manipulated the Gardasil clinical trials by spiking the placebo with amorphous aluminium hydroxyphosphate sulfate (AAHS) and the vaccine’s other additives, which resulted in approximately equal numbers of subjects in the vaccine group and the placebo group suffering adverse reactions thus giving the impression that Gardasil was just as safe as taking a placebo.

More about Gardasil side-effects here.

Bob Fiddaman




Tuesday, October 11, 2022

'Chemical Imbalance' FOIA - "Psychiatry adopted the 'chemical imbalance' term"




It took longer than normal but the MHRA have finally responded to a FOIA I sent to them earlier this year.

The request strove to seek information regarding SSRI patient information leaflets, moreover, the terminology written on them that pertains to a "chemical imbalance".

I asked the MHRA when the marketing authorisation holders (MAH) of five SSRIs changed the labelling and patient information leaflets with regard to any reference referring to a "chemical imbalance" and what was the reason/evidence for this change.

For those that don't know, a systematic umbrella review regarding the serotonin theory of depression was widely publicised in journals and the mainstream media. The review found there is no evidence to support the idea that depression is caused by disturbance of the brain’s serotonin system.

This is something I've known for quite a long time, I even raised this lack of evidence for supporting the 'chemical imbalance' theory in my 2012 book, 'The Evidence, However, Is Clear, The Seroxat Scandal'.

After the review, authored by Joanna Moncrieff, Ruth E. Cooper, Tom Stockmann, Simone Amendola, Michael P. Hengartner & Mark A. Horowitz, hit the mainstream news, many psychiatrists took to social media to announce that they've never believed the chemical imbalance was true.

I found this surprising given the blog, 'Demand Chemical Imbalance Redaction' highlights many psychiatrists who still publicly refer to mental illness being caused by a chemical imbalance. Adrienne Nagy, who is the board president of NAMI Athens, Ohio, for example, said in 2020, "What that means is education about mental illness. We're continually trying to educate the public to know that mental illness is an illness like any other illness—it's a biochemical imbalance in the brain. It's no different than diabetes or heart failure."

This wasn't just a throwaway comment from Nagy, this was actually publicised in The Post, an independent, award-winning student-run news publication on Ohio University’s campus.

If Nagy is telling students in a widely read campus publication that mental illness is a biochemical imbalance in the brain, then, to me, that suggests Nagy wants those students to believe that what she is saying is true and factual.

NAMI, by the way, is the acronym for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the USA's largest grassroots mental health organization.

So, back to the FOIA:

I asked the same question for all SSRI patient information leaflets (PILs)

The MHRA response throws up a rather interesting reply with regard to 'the psychiatry scientific literature'. Remember, most psychiatrists claim to have never used the 'chemical imbalance' theory when talking to patients.

Here's the MHRA response in full. You'll note that they are boxing clever here. They seem to be saying the term 'chemical imbalance' is rarely used in PILs but other references to imbalances and low serotonin are. They seem okay with that. They are also saying the terms used are for patients to understand the literature, which they suggest is 'complex'.

I don't know about you but being told I have a chemical imbalance, low serotonin or a disturbance of chemistry in my brain kind of tells me that my brain is broken and thus needs fixing. I think this would apply to anyone confronted with this terminology.





It appears, the MHRA are, indeed, suggesting scientific literature from the field of psychiatry adopted the 'chemical imbalance' term.

We all know who they adopted it from, right?

On the MHRA's summary response, let's take a closer look at what the PILs say:

1/ Cipramil "is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) and belongs to a group of medicines known as antidepressants. These medicines help to correct certain chemical imbalances in the brain that are causing the symptoms of your illness"

2/ Escitalopram: "These medicines act on the serotonin-system in the brain by increasing the serotonin level. Disturbances in the serotonin system are considered an important factor in the development of depression and related diseases."

3/ Fluoxetine: "Everyone has a substance called serotonin in their brain. People who are depressed or have obsessive-compulsive disorder or bulimia nervosa have lower levels of serotonin than others. It is not fully understood how Fluoxetine and other SSRIs work but they may help by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain."

4/ Paroxetine: "Everyone has a substance called serotonin in their brain. People who are depressed or anxious have lower levels of serotonin than others. It is not fully understood how Paroxetine and other SSRIs work but they may help by increasing the level of serotonin in the brain."

5/ Sertraline: No mention of how and why they work but a strong warning of what they may cause.
"If you experience agitation, confusion, diarrhoea, high temperature and blood pressure, excessive sweating and rapid heartbeat. These are symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome."

Source - The electronic medicines compendium (emc) 


Bob Fiddaman







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