France: Aluminum Adjuvants and HPV Vaccines Up for Debate

by Norma Erickson 

Paris, France: The use of aluminum adjuvants and HPV vaccines’ benefit versus risk profile will be under intense scrutiny and open scientific debate on May 22, 2014. Stakeholders from both sides of the vaccine debate will have an opportunity to present their case to members of the French Parliament, French Senate, health authorities, medical professionals and the public due to massive efforts on the part of E3M, a non-governmental organization of patients with MMF (macrophagic myofasciitis), and OSTA, a Parliamentary Office for Evaluation of Scientific and Technological Choice.

Obviously, the French government cares enough about the health and well-being of their citizens to listen to both sides of the vaccine debate – the very same ‘debate’ that government health officials in other countries claim doesn’t exist.

French government officials are willing to listen to the victims of adverse events after vaccination. They are willing to listen to scientists and medical professionals who have been conducting research to find out why some people are prone to experiencing adverse reactions after vaccination.

Not only is the French government willing to listen to the survivors of vaccine injury and scientists; they are willing to facilitate open debates with the press in attendance.

On Thursday, May 22 French government officials in cooperation with E3M will sponsor four separate round table discussions followed by open debates and press conferences.

The morning activities, organized by E3M with the financial support from the Regional Council of Ile-de-France, are primarily reserved for parliamentarians, health authorities and journalists. The first two round table debates will be led by Virginie Belle, a journalist specializing in Public Health, at the French National Assembly. The schedule of events is as follows:

Aluminum and Vaccines – International expertise requires us to act

Danielle Auroi, President of the European Affairs Committee (French Parliament) will open the conference with a short speech at 9am, followed by:

• “The Time for Action” by Didier Lambert, president of E3M
• “The positioning of the French health authorities” by Prof Benoit Vallet, Director of General Health.

First Round Table – Aluminum: an adjuvant under monitoring:

Introduction by Laurence Cohen, member of the Social Affairs Committee of the Senate, Member of the Board of ANSM (national drug agency)

Testimony of Dr. Bernard Izard, affected by macrophagic myofasciitis

Toxicity of aluminum in humans, by Prof. Chris Exley, Keele University, UK

Bio-persistence and neuro-migration of aluminum adjuvant, by Prof. Romain Gherardi, Manager of the Center of Muscle Neuropathology, H. Mondor Hospital, France

A clinical syndrome associated with the bio-persistence of aluminum adjuvants, by Prof Jérôme Authier, Head of the Center of Reference for Neuromuscular Diseases, H. Mondor Hospital, France

The autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants, by Prof Yehuda Shoenfeld, Director of the Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Aviv University, and Chairman of the 9th International Congress on Autoimmunity, Israel

The autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants in animals, by Dr. Lluis Lujan, Veterinary Pathologist, University of Zaragoza, Spain

Presentations followed by a debate and conclusion by Laure Lechatellier, Vice President of the Regional Council of Ile de France. 

Second Round Table – Vaccination against HPV: caution should be exercised

Introduction by Sophie Errante, MP, co-chair of the Health and Environment Group of the French National Assembly.

Testimony of Marie LOCHU, Orianne’s mother, affected by MMF after vaccination against HPV

 “A plausible pathogenesis of systemic adverse events after HPV vaccination” by Dr. Sin Hang Lee – Pathologist , Molecular Laboratory , Milford Hospital , USA

“Vaccination against HPV: a benefit/risk balance discussed” by Dr. Lucija Tomljenovic – Research Group on neuronal dynamics, University of British Columbia, Canada

Once again, the testimony above will be followed by an open debate on the HPV vaccine risk/benefit profile.

The conclusion will be presented by Michèle Rivasi, member of European Parliament.

Jean- Louis Roumegas, co-chair of the Health and Environment Group of the French National Assembly, will conduct a press conference to answer inquiries about the morning discussions.

This conference continues in the afternoon with a public hearing sponsored by The OSTA of the French Parliament. OSTA is composed of members of both the French National Assembly and the French Senate. They are a working group within the French Parliament responsible for studying scientific questions which elicit intense national debate.

Vaccine Adjuvants: A Disputed Issue

For many decades, aluminum salts have been added to vaccines as adjuvants to stimulate an immune response.

According to some scientists, the safety profile of these adjuvants is excellent. On the other hand, studies conducted over the last 15 years insists there is a link between these adjuvants and various medical conditions which indicate the long term effects of using aluminum salts as adjuvants should be further analyzed.

OSTA is sponsoring public debates to discuss the controversy beginning with a reception at 1:00 pm on May 22nd. The entire programme can be viewed here – (official program here)

First Round Table: The Safety and Efficacy of Aluminum Vaccine Adjuvants

Session 1: The points of view of the scientific community

• Prof Yehuda Shoenfeld, chairman of the 9th international congress on autoimmunity, chief of the medicine department, Tel Aviv University of medicine
• Prof Christopher Exley, professor in bioorganic chemistry, Keele University, United Kingdom
• Prof Romain Gherardi, chief of the department of histology and embryology, Henri Mondor Hospital
• Prof Jean-François Bach, perpetual secretary of the National Academy of Science and member of the National Academy of Medicine
• Prof Daniel Floret, chairman of the technical comity of vaccinations, High Council of Public Health
• Prof Brigitte Autran, professor of immunology at Pierre and Marie Curie University, chief of the department of immunology at La Pitié-Salpétrière Hospital, in charge of the coordination of the Consortium for research on vaccination (COREVAC)

Session 2: The points of view of the other stakeholders

• Prof Benoît Vallet, director-general of health, Ministry for social affairs and health 
• Dr. Nathalie Garcon, vaccine adjuvants specialist, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 
• Prof Michel Georget, biologist, representative of the National League for Freedom of vaccinations 
• Dr. Bernard Izard 
• Dr. Nicolas Ferry, director of innovative therapies, human body’s products and vaccines, National Agency of Drug Safety

Second Round Table: Which Patterns To Plan In The Future?

Session 1: Is a moratorium a pertinent answer?

• a former member of the studies group on vaccination of the National Assembly 
• Prof François Jérôme Authier, responsible for the reference Centre of rare diseases, Henri Mondor Hospital 
• Prof Laurent Belec, chief of the laboratory of virology, Georges Pompidou Hospital 
• Prof Pierre Bégué, member of the National Academy of Medicine 
• Mr. Serge Montero, chairman of the vaccine Comity, Drug companies

Session 2: Are there alternative vaccine adjuvants?

• Mr. Didier Lambert, chairman of the Association of mutual assistance for patients suffering from macrophagic myofasciiti 
• Prof Hervé Bazin, emeritus professor of Louvain University 
• Prof Bernard Begaud, director of the department of pharmacoepidemiology and evaluation of the impact of health products, National Institute of Medical and Research Studies 
• a member of Sanofi-Pasteur

Much to the credit of the French government, both of these round table debates will be open to the public in the presence of the press and television. These debates are not occurring behind closed doors with the proceedings hidden forever from the public.

As a matter of fact, members of E3M intend to go one step further and personally interview each scientist attending and produce a video of each scientist’s presentation for public distribution.

Make no mistake – these events did not happen by accident. They are the result of many years of hard work on the part of victims of adverse events post-vaccination, ethical scientific and medical professionals willing to conduct the necessary research and report their findings, political representatives who do the job they were elected to perform, and dedicated vaccine safety advocates.

France is leading the way toward vaccine safety. Will governments in other countries listen to the vaccine-injured? Will governments in other countries sponsor open scientific debate?

In order to protect the health of our next generation, there is really no viable alternative.

Norma Erickson is the President of SaneVax, Inc. where this first appeared.