Topic category:  Other/General

It started out as a discussion on autism. It ended up with an education not only on autism but on Big Pharma.

Michael Savage has several times addressed the issue of misdiagnosing certain children, pinning the tags of ADD and ADHD on them.

On his website Savage notes:

“Just as some drug companies have overdiagnosed ‘ADD’ and ‘ADHD‘ to peddle dangerous speed-like drugs to children as young as 4 years of age, this cartel of doctors and drug companies is now creating a national panic by overdiagnosing ‘autism’, for which there is no medical diagnosis!”

When kids act up in the classroom teachers may refer them to others in the school system for help. When this happens many times it results in the kids being given drugs. Very often it also turns the kids into numbed students. They may not be a problem any longer, but also the learning process and growing process is hampered. There is little tolerance for individualism. The teachers are not entirely to blame for this. Their classloads are such that there isn’t much time for deviant behavior, even if it is relatively harmless.

Savage discussed this and referred to autism. He was immediately chastised for misunderstanding autism and disrespecting those with the condition. The condition itself can often be severe and is a life-changing occurrence for kids and their families. There are also less severe manifestations that resemble autism and they are lumped into a group called an autistic spectrum. These other conditions are very difficult to diagnose and some kids go their entire lifetimes without a definitive diagnosis.

Savage’s wrath was directed at those who profit from treating and medicating those who may not actually have this condition. In general, Savage was showing a righteous anger toward the pharmaceutical companies that aggressively push their wares, sometimes in instances that take your breath away.

Savage again:

“Many children are being victimized by being diagnosed with an illness which may not exist, in all cases. Just a few weeks ago doctors recommended dangerous anti-cholesterol drugs for children as young as 2 years of age! Without any scientific studies on the possible dangers of such drugs on children, corrupt doctors made this controversial, unscientific recommendation.”

Michael Savage is no “Johnny-come-lately” to the study of the health of children. As early as the 1980s he published “The Art of Feeding Children Well”. It was offered again in March, 2007 as “Healing Children Naturally”. Those who advocate for paying attention to the diet of children are anathema to Big Pharma. It cuts them out of the treatment. Doctors do not study diet very much and rely on pills more than food to treat.

Savage’s philosophy is summed up in the Preface to his book, “Healing Children Naturally”:

“Just as the undrawn sword is the mark of the best swordsman, so too is the best physician one who relies least on synthetic drugs to heal.”

His book is a compendium of “go-to” remedies and suggestions, from babyhood on. Nursing mothers are given advice. Herbal remedies abound. There is also a generous section of recipes called “Recipes for Resisters”.

Not only is Big Pharma advertising for ailments you have, it is now advertising for ailments you might have. Its approach is that you might as well treat for an illness you might have later on. There have been marvelous drugs brought to market, for which we are grateful, but when the drug companies tell us we should be taking a certain drug just because we might develop a disease, that is overly aggressive and should be resisted.

In the matter of prevention the question of vaccinations comes up. No studies so far have pinpointed the cause of autism, but some strongly suggest that something in the vaccines given to children could be the cause. There are many stories by parents who noticed a distinct change in their children after receiving the vaccines. These are not scientific studies, but parents are with their children so much that their observations deserve some weight.

Also, as noted on the website commondreams.org, in an article titled “Dr. Frist Immunizes Big Pharma” by Dan Hamburg:

“In metropolitan Chicago, Homefirst Health Services serves several thousand children whose families have taken advantage of the religious exemption in Illinois state immunization mandates. According to Dr. Mayer Eisenstein, Homefirst’s medical director, of the 35,000 children served by Homefirst over the past thirty years not a single case of autism has been noted among unvaccinated children. Statistically, there should have been over 200 cases of full-blown autism. Similar results have been noted among the Amish in Pennsylvania. No vaccinations, no autism.”

Sounds like a pretty compelling study to me.

Perhaps the most egregious promotion of a vaccine came when Texas’ Governor Perry issued an order mandating that Texas girls entering the sixth grade, generally aged 11 and 12, be given Gardasil. This vaccine acts against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. Perry used an executive order to get around having to face the legislature, where there was substantial opposition. This is the cowardly act by fiat.

Also, Texas state health authorities were directed to make Gardasil available free of charge to uninsured girls aged 9 to 18. Those whose insurance did not cover the vaccine were also to be given Gardasil, courtesy of the taxpayer. Leaving no source of revenue to Merck unturned, he also ordered that Gardasil be offered under Medicaid to women aged 19 to 21. At a cost of $360.00 per the three stage vaccine, Merck stands to profit handsomely from this vaccine, especially if most states follow suit and mandate its usage.

More and more vaccinations are required for school attendance. As an example, some states demand for the school year 2008-2009, that a child entering kindergarten have the following shots:

5 Dipththeria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTAP)

4 Polio1 Varicella (chickenpox)

2 Measles

1 Mumps

1 Rubella

3 Hepatitis B

2 Hepatitis A

Newborn babies are given certain vaccines. While most seem to tolerate these foreign substances being introduced into their bodies, many have adverse reactions.

Savage has often referred to his brother in passing, but because of this controversy he told his audience the tragic story of his brother, who was put into an institution at age 5 or 6. His brother died there at around age 20 without ever speaking a single word. Many years have passed, but the sadness in Savage’s voice when he speaks of it reveals that this is still a tragedy in his personal life. His family has lived through what many parents of autistic children are living through.

Michael Savage is asking caution in what we are injecting into our children. He is asking that we not label children when they have not been given a definitive diagnosis.

He says:

“To permit greedy doctors to include children in medical categories which may not be appropriate is a crime against that child and their family. Let the truly autistic be treated. Let the falsely diagnosed be free.”

Barbara Anderson

Biography - Barbara Anderson

Barbara regularly writes for CapitolHillCoffeeHouse. She also appears in California Chronicle, Border Patrol, and Citizens Caucus. Her primary interest is illegal immigration, but she writes about other subjects as well.

Barbara lives in a large city on the West Coast. Her loyalties are with God, family, country, heritage and borders.

She enjoys music, painting, poetry and song writing.