Demanding Congressional Investigation

Demanding Congressional Investigation


Demanding a Congressional Investigation into SV40

On June 7, 2003 we wrote a letter to Congressman Dan Burton, Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness, U.S. Government Reform Committee in which we suggested that a Congressional Hearing be held to initiate investigations into SV40 and the public health. A few weeks later, Congressman Burton called us by telephone and we discussed the issue at length. We emphasized the importance of having a hearing in which the leading scientific experts would testify followed by parents who have lost children to SV40 positive cancers. Mr. Burton agreed with this approach and decided to schedule the hearing. He asked us to testify, to provide a list of scientists and parents, and to facilitate their participation.

Despite these good intentions, a vaccine lawyer quickly became involved and the focus of the hearing changed. Instead of concentrating on the independent scientific evidence and families who had lost children to this cancer causing virus, the hearing became geared to this lawyer’s documents and allegations. These documents and allegations were not new. In fact, they had recently played out in a Federal Court (in our case) where a judge had ruled that they did not meet the Daubert standard.

When we heard that the hearing had changed its focus, we decided not to testify as did the other families and nearly all of the scientific experts.

The hearing was held on September 10, 2003. James Goedert, MD of the NCI launched into an explanation of the science of SV40 that Burton, not a trained scientist, was ill prepared to counter. On November 13, 2003, the Subcommittee held a second hearing that followed-up on the attorney’s documents and allegations. The Subcommittee invited representatives from the government and several vaccine manufacturers to present evidence to refute the allegations, but none of the vaccine manufacturing companies chose to attend. (They had no obligation to participate because Burton had no power of subpoena.) Representative from the NCI and FDA, however, did participate. Their testimony once again focused on the government’s view on the science of SV40 research. Because there was no one there to refute their testimony, their positions and opinions went unchallenged into the Congressional Record.

These hearings were a missed opportunity to present to the American people the stories of SV40 victims and the detailed research by prominent scientists about the source, spread and role of SV40 in cancer.


Read More:
Demanding Congressional Investigation