Offit V Science

Why science no longer matters to the vaccine evangelists

One evening in the days before Bobby Kennedy entered US politics he asked me by email to join him in an email communication with Peter Hotez. Bobby was clearly frustrated that he was unable to convince Hotez about the possible toxicity of aluminium adjuvants used in human vaccinations. Of course, I was happy to oblige and set about informing Hotez about the peer-reviewed published science supporting the argument put forward by Bobby. After several email exchanges involving Hotez, Bobby and myself, I received a message from Hotez, not copied to Bobby, suggesting to me that while he appreciated my credentials as a scientist he said that my science and indeed my reputation were being hijacked by the anti-vaccine movement to support their dangerous views on vaccination. I copied this message to Bobby and our three-way email correspondence came to an abrupt end.

Today, Hotez remains a leading light in promoting vaccine safety propaganda and is perhaps only usurped in this capacity by Paul Offit. I first came across Offit when it was brought to my attention that he had authored a piece on the CHOP website in which aluminium was described as an essential element for normal brain function in new born infants! I write in the past tense since this piece of nonsense has since been removed. I have been unable to find a copy of this to post here so if anyone out there has a copy of this historic CHOP piece by Offit then do get in touch.

Offit has enjoyed his power as an ambassador for the vaccine industry and along with other industry stooges has celebrated his victories against science. Further evidence of such practices was brought to my attention by my good friend Aaron Siri. In a FOI request Siri came across email correspondence between Offit and someone called Dorit Reiss, a foot soldier in spreading misinformation on vaccine safety, and I have copied their brief appreciation of myself below.

Offit’s bigoted views and corrupt vaccine safety science ruled the roost for many years and he has been lauded not only by industry but also the bought establishment. The arrival of RFK Jr as head of HHS has cut Offit’s umbilical cord and unless his brain aluminium is high enough to protect him he knows that his suffocation is imminent.

This fall in Offit’s stature as a credible vaccinologist now takes the form of curated nonsense (non science) in complicit medical journals. Moser and Offit is the latest example of such. This Perspective article published in JAMA is almost certainly not peer-reviewed. I have emailed the Editor-in-Chief of JAMA to ask about the peer-review status of the paper and I have not had a reply. What I can tell you is that a previous version of this paper was submitted to the journal Pediatrics and was rejected by both reviewers (though strangely not be the journal that asked for major modifications and resubmission).

The present incarnation of this industry propaganda courtesy of Moser and Offit is fraught with ignorance. Let us examine just a few points.

The opening statements include the following;

Aluminum has been known to enhance immune responses since

1926. Although its presence as an adjuvant in vaccines has led to

scrutiny, studies spanning 2 decades from multiple countries have

not identified health concerns related to quantity or route of

exposure. Still, some continue to question the safety of aluminum

in vaccines.

Note that Offit does not conclude that peer-reviewed published science has not identified health concerns relating to aluminium adjuvants. Offit actually concludes that health concerns have not been identified relating to ‘quantity’ or ‘route of exposure’. So, he accepts that aluminium adjuvants per se have been associated with health concerns but that these health concerns occur regardless of the number of aluminium adjuvants received. It is anyone’s guess what he means by route of exposure since there is only one route of exposure, vaccination.

Next he writes;

Aluminum Processing

Regardless of exposure route, soluble aluminum in the bloodstream

binds with transferrin (91%), citrate (7%-8%), hydroxide

(<1%), and phosphate (<1%). Approximately 50% to 70% is excreted

in the urine within 24 hours and approximately 83% within

2 weeks. Small quantities (~2%) remain for years.

Here, conveniently Offit cites discredited aluminium industry (Priest) research in describing incorrectly the fate of soluble aluminium in blood. He purposefully denies the role played by a host of blood borne cells such as lymphocytes and macrophages in the transport of significant quantities of aluminium throughout the body. This is unusual in itself in Offit does not deny the role played by aluminium adjuvants in the immune response only that such aluminium has no apparent role in the health effects of aluminium. Clearly Offit believes there are two types of aluminium. That which is potentially toxic (soluble aluminium), but he says actually isn’t, and aluminium adjuvant that isn’t really aluminium at all.

Offit is at his most obscure best in what follows;

Aluminum Health Effects

Although aluminum can be toxic, experience with aluminum induced

health effects supports aluminum safety in vaccines.

Offit makes it clear in this section, if it wasn’t clear already, that this paper in JAMA could not have been peer-reviewed. Even the most tolerant of experts on the health effects of aluminium would not allow his nonsense statements on kidney, bone and brain disease to be published. Referring to earlier in this post, such statements by Offit remind me of his previous statements on the CHOP website stating that aluminium is an essential element in the brain of new born infants, diminishing in its content over time as the infant ages and no longer requires aluminium!! Yes, this was what he wrote on CHOP up to just a few years ago.

Offit’s references for the nonsense rely wholly upon reviews written by the aluminium industry, e.g. Lidsky. Desperation indeed.

Offit continues his defence of the safety of aluminium adjuvants by citing another vaccine industry stooge from the PEI in Germany, see my post Flog a Dead Horse, and

of course, Daley et al., the ‘old’ CDC at their very worst!

Offit’s dismissal of the seminal research of my great friend Romain Gherardi saddens me. This is what he wrote;

Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants

(ASIA) is also discussed as a vaccine safety concern. Macrophagic

myofasciitis (MMF), a collection of aluminum-containing macrophages

in muscles where aluminum-adjuvanted vaccineswere administered,

has been associated with ASIA; however,MMF lesions

have also been found in people without symptoms of ASIA

Offit’s dismissal of MMF since he doesn’t think it fits with Schoenfeld’s ASIA must be one of the most ludicrous bits of logic possible.

MMF is a disease caused by aluminium adjuvants as recognised by multiple peer-reviewed studies and recently a case in law.

Finally Offit wrote;

Aluminum From Vaccines

Assumptions that 100% of injected aluminum reached the

bloodstream quickly were replaced with an understanding that aluminum adjuvants

remain in granulomas near the injection site, slowing

antigen release (ie, depot effect) and decreasing the likelihood

that single-day vaccine-associated aluminum exposures would exceed minimum risk

levels. Even with periodic exposures that could

exceed daily minimum risk levels, aluminum from vaccines was found

to be safe.

If ever there was text to confirm Offit’s complete ignorance of aluminium whether generally or in vaccination (where perhaps he should know something?) this is that text. He shows a complete and utter lack of understanding of aluminium adjuvants and how they help to boost the immune response.

Offit actually seems to suggest that aluminium adjuvants are not taken up by immune-reactive cells such as macrophages and transported throughout the body including of course to the lymph glands where they facilitate the immune response.

I am actually at a loss as to how Offit can write such uninformed gibberish never mind being allowed to publish such in what is supposed to be a medical journal of some standing.

Offit’s last stand (which is what this paper represents) has all the feeling of Custer’s Last Stand and is yet another example of what I have coined circling the wagons.

Many moons ago in the life of Dr’s Newsletter I wrote a post suggesting that the aluminium industry was on the run. It is and with the help of giants like RFK Jr it will be defeated.

Addendum

Chris Shaw found this for me. Taken from the CHOP website in 2015

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