Page 64 - summer2016

A teratogenic even though vaccine package inserts routinely Brazil is also the world’s second largest

larvicide called list encephalopathy (a general term describ- grower of genetically modified (GM) crops after
ing abnormalities in the structure or function the U.S. Roughly 90 percent of the country’s
Pyriproxyfen of the brain) as a known adverse reaction for soybean and corn crops are GM. Many GM
had been almost every vaccine on the market (Table 1). crops are “Roundup-ready,” which means that
added to the Interestingly, one of the U.S. states that makes glyphosate (Roundup’s active ingredient) is
it hardest for residents to claim a vaccine widely used. Because many weeds have devel-
drinking exemption (Mississippi) has a notably higher oped resistance to Roundup, Brazilian farms
water in prevalence of microcephaly per ten thousand increasingly use Roundup in conjunction with
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Brazil’s live births (sixteen per ten thousand) than most other toxic chemicals. Brazil’s National Cancer
other states, where prevalence mostly ranges Institute has conceded, along with the WHO,
northeast in from about one to six in ten thousand. It seems that glyphosate is carcinogenic, and Brazil’s
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2014 with reasonable to ask, therefore, whether there is public prosecutor called for a ban on glyphosate
the express an association between administration of Tdap use in 2014. Glyphosate is clearly associated
during pregnancy and subsequent birth defects with birth defects, including microcephaly.
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purpose of such as microcephaly—and to demand that the In a horrible twist of irony, mosquito-borne
causing potential risks be seriously evaluated. diseases often provide an excuse for widespread
Given Brazil’s outsized role as a global use of larvicides. In February 2016, as the Zika
malformations exporter of chemically managed agricultural drumbeat was growing louder, a group of Ar-
in developing products such as soybeans and sugar, Brazil- gentine physicians pointed out that a teratogenic
mosquitoes. ian women have ample opportunity for expo- larvicide called Pyriproxyfen had been added to
sure to pesticides and other chemicals during the drinking water in Brazil’s northeast in 2014
pregnancy. Brazil is, in fact, the world’s larg- with the express purpose of causing malforma-
est purchaser of herbicides, insecticides and tions in developing mosquitoes. The ensuing
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fungicides, including highly toxic products malformations observed in babies could hardly
such as paraquat and methyl parathion, which be a coincidence, the physicians’ report argued.
are banned in other countries for health rea- The physicians rejected chemical control mea-
sons. Industrial agriculture has particularly sures as counterproductive for both the environ-
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“flourished” in the northeast, where scientists ment and human health.
routinely find water canals contaminated with
pesticides and higher rates of cancer deaths in “NO ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS”?
farming towns. Notwithstanding the bland assurances of
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TABLE 1. Encephalopathy-related adverse reactions listed by vaccine manufacturers

TYPE OF VACCINE MANUFACTURER ENCEPHALOPATHY-RELATED ADVERSE REACTIONS*

M-M-R® II: Measles, mumps and rubella Merck Encephalitis, encephalopathy
Recombivax HB®: Hepatitis B Merck Encephalitis
Gardasil: Human papillomavirus Merck Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
Varivax: Varicella/chickenpox Merck Encephalitis
Infanrix (DTaP): Pertussis, tetanus GlaxoSmithKline Encephalopathy
and diphtheria
Pentacel: DTaP, inactivated poliovirus Sanofi Pasteur Encephalopathy
and Hib combo
Flu vaccines
-Flumist Medimmune Vaccine-associated encephalitis
-Afluria Merck Encephalopathy
-Agriflu Novartis Encephalomyelitis and transverse myelitis
-Fluarix GlaxoSmithKline Encephalomyelitis

*Listed in package insert, or based on clinical studies or postmarketing experience
64 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2016 Wise Traditions