Rhode Island State Capitol

by Brian Shilhavy
Editor, Health Impact News

While many state governments across the U.S. are trying to pass legislation to increase vaccination rates and make vaccines mandatory, one state is seemingly going in the exact opposite direction.

The Rhode Island General Assembly has just introduced a Senate resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to repeal The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) of 1986.

The NCVIA gives legal immunity to pharmaceutical companies producing vaccines, so that any injuries or deaths caused by vaccines have to be litigated in a special government vaccine court funded by taxpayers. Pharmaceutical companies bear no responsibilities for producing faulty or dangerous vaccines in the United States thanks to the 1986 law.

However, there is one result of vaccine injuries that is not allowed to be litigated even in the vaccine court: autism. The government position is that the “science is settled” regarding any link between vaccines and autism, and therefore, if your child develops autism after being injected with vaccines, you currently have no legal recourse.

It has been well documented that since 1986, the rates of autism have skyrocketed.

The ability for parents and families to defend themselves against injuries due to vaccines seems to be the motivation for the Rhode Island Senate Resolution:

WHEREAS, The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) was signed into law on Nov 14, 1986, in order to reduce the potential financial liability of  vaccine makers due to vaccine injury claims. The law gave vaccine manufacturers complete immunity from being sued when their vaccines cause serious harm or even death; and

WHEREAS, In addition, the NCVIA limits patients’ and parents’ ability to refuse vaccinations; and

WHEREAS, Since the childhood vaccine schedule was expanded in the 1980s, the rates of autism have skyrocketed along with the increases in the number of vaccines given to children;

CDC Scandal: Rhode Island Senate Resolution Calls on U.S. Congress to Subpoena CDC Whistleblower Dr. William Thompson

In addition to its call to repeal the 1986 NCVIA law, the Rhode Island Senate Resolution calls upon the U.S. Congress to subpoena Dr. William Thompson of the CDC.

WHEREAS, In 2014, Dr. William Thompson came forward with a confession of scientific fraud at the Centers for Disease Control in regards to a study done in 2004, regarding the relationship between developing autism and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine; and

WHEREAS, In August 2014, under Federal whistleblower protection, Dr. Thompson, a Senior Scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, came forward with a confession stating that despite CDC’s claims to the contrary, the study done in 2004 showed a causative relationship between childhood vaccines and autism; and

WHEREAS Dr. Thompson released a statement through his attorney that he and his colleagues at the CDC had committed research fraud by destroying data showing a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and the development of autism in young children; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, the Director of the CDC, Thomas Frieden, sent a letter blocking Dr. William Thompson from testifying in a Tennessee court case involving a 16 year old boy who claims his autism was caused by the vaccine. The Director later stated that “Dr. William Thompson’s deposition testimony would not substantially promote the objectives of CDC or HHS”; and

WHEREAS, To date, the House Oversight Committee of the United States House of Representatives has failed to hold a hearing and a thorough investigation of Dr. Thompson’s allegations; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby urges the Oversight Committee of the United States House of Representatives to subpoena Dr. William Thompson to testify and provide details of the scientific fraud and cover up at the CDC;

Rhode Island Senate Resolution Calls on U.S. Congress to Study Link Between Vaccines and Autism and Warn Parents on Vaccine Dangers

RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests the Congress to conduct a study utilizing unbiased and objective scientists inside or outside the CDC to analyze data collected by the CDC or other public organizations for the purpose of understanding whether vaccines are associated with an increased risk of autism; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby respectfully requests the United States Congress to amend the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA): To require patients and parents be given information regarding the risks and supposed benefits of vaccinations; To allow single measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines to be made available; and To require that all vaccines be classified as pharmaceutical drugs and tested accordingly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized an directed to transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Chair of the Oversight Committee of the United States House of Representatives, Trey Gowdy, House Speaker Paul Ryan, the Majority Leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell, and members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation.

How will the U.S. Congress respond to this Rhode Island Senate Resolution?

If they don’t comply, what is Rhode Island’s next move?

This Resolution was Introduced By: Senators Metts, Morgan, Paolino, Crowley, and Quezada

Date Introduced: March 20, 2018

Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

Full Resolution found here.