Email: "WORLD FOCUS: A virus called swine flu"
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The timing couldn’t have more auspicious. When nearly every newscast has a report on “2009 H1 N1 Flu,” originally referred to as “swine flu,” the Environmental Science and Policy Film & Lecture Series at the College of William & Mary is providing a platform to Dr. Vera Stejskal, an internationally recognized expert on vaccine safety and immunology.


    The series, organized by W&M’s Mercury Global Inquiry Group, (GIG) features two films and four lectures about environmental hazards, conservation and mercury contamination that become a problem across the globe.


    Dr. Stejskal is professor of Immunology at the University of Stockholm and at the Medical Faculty at Charles University in Prague. She has worked as a research scientist and is an adviser to the World Health Organization. She served also as an expert witness to a U. S. Congressional Committee responsible for an investigation on vaccine safety.


    Responding to my question of how valid is public concern about the safety and effectiveness of the so-called “swine flu” vaccine, she said: “Public concerns have to be taken seriously, especially since the swine flu vaccine contains thimerosal. Thimerosal is vaccine-preservative containing organic mercury, which is a highly toxic substance. In addition to its high toxicity, it is also allergenic. This means that in the population there might be some people who are already allergic to this type of mercury.”


    She added: “These people should be offered mercury-free vaccines. In Japan, pregnant woman are offered mercury-free vaccines as a precaution.”


    As the founder of the Melisa-Medica Foundation, and the inventor of the Melisa test, Dr. Stejskal is known for her research interest in the field of immunotoxicology. She wrote more than 100 scientific papers on the subject...


    Reflecting on the concern of people who worry about exposure to metals used in dental restoration, she said: “Regarding amalgam, which is 50 percent mercury, the FDA has now changed their assessment from “safe” to “moderate danger.” Despite the fact that only a small amount of mercury is released from amalgam fillings, this might be enough to cause health problems in people who are allergic to mercury. If you are allergic to any metals in dental amalgam, you shouldn’t get amalgam fillings.”


    According to Dr. Stejskal, a survey of dentists indicated that they are very satisfied with non-metallic dental restorations that are available today, where the patient is allergic to such metals as gold and titanium.


    At William & Mary, Dr. Stejskal talked about the increasing evidence of the role of heavy and transition metals in various chronic inflammatory diseases such as skin or neurological diseases, and even cancer. But mostly, she was conveying a message.


    “I would like to get the students thinking about common environmental toxins, and how unnecessary exposure can be avoided or limited,” she said, “for example, by stopping smoking, and checking foods for preservatives and color pigments. Even though the standard of medical care has improved enormously, the rise of ‘modern’ and ‘incurable’ diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cancer is very worrying, Animal studies show how metals can induce both autoimmunity and cancer, and we are looking to see if the same is true in humans.”


    Considering all the safeguards required in the field of medicine, progress can be slow. “However, there is increasing awareness of environmental pollutants and their impact on human health. By proving that metals may play a role in many chronic diseases, amalgam ‘silver’ filling should be banned. This is already the case in Scandinavia. There is really no need to use a material which contains mercury when there are safer alternatives available.”


    Clearly, Dr. Stejskal’s message has validity everywhere.





Frank Shatz lives in Williamsburg, Va. and Lake Placid. His column was reprinted with permission fro The Virginia Gazette.

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