Lisa K. Sykes, a pastor in Richmond, Virginia, sought medical help for her son, Wesley. Doctors diagnosed him with autism; then, tested him for heavy metal poisoning.

Tests showed that the child had mercury levels in his blood stream exceeding danger levels.

For Rev. Sykes, the devastating news came when she discovered that the vaccines and common shots, administered to her during pregnancy and to her child as an infant, had contained mercury - a documented poison at certain levels.

"Neither my physicians nor I knew mercury was present in these pharmaceuticals, because it comprised part of an antiquated preservative that was, and still is, labeled as Thimerosal," Sykes told directors at the Women's Division board of directors meeting this past weekend in Stamford, Conn.

Several childhood vaccines and the Rho Gam shot given to some women during pregnancy contained Thimerosal until 1999 when companies removed it gradually.

However, the flu shot administered to young children, pregnant women, and the elderly still contain the preservative, according to the Center for Disease Control web site. Also, other non-standard immunizations being used more and more by parents contain Thimerosal, said Rev. Sykes.

"When you take something lethal, and put it in something lifesaving, does that make the lethal thing, safe, or the lifesaving thing, lethal?" Sykes asked.

"Along with being denied safe pharmaceuticals, I also was denied informed consent, making this not only a medical crisis, but also a crisis of civil - and some say, constitutional - rights."

Rev. Sykes, with other concerned parents, began a campaign to educate parents, to change legislation, and to make government regulators and pharmaceutical companies study the issue and alternative uses of Thimerosal.

Rev. Sykes believes there is a direct correlation between the increasing rate of autism in this country and the rate of exposure to the vaccines that contained Thimerosal, she told directors. She does not stand alone in stating that certain children have a genetic disposition, which causes life-long reactions to mercury, such as with autism, and potentially, other childhood disorders. Researchers from John Hopkins, Columbia, Tufts, Baylor, and similar institutions, are finding supporting evidence.

Dr. Mark Geier, president of the Genetic Center of America, writes that a decreasing load of mercury in the immunization schedule in 2003 has produced a falling rate in the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders three years later.

However, these disorders are expected to increase again as Thimerosal is beginning to appear in newer vaccines.

"Safe alternatives exist," Rev. Sykes said to directors. "But, pharmaceutical companies prefer Thimerosal because it is cheap and allows them to use old factories and old manufacturing processes."

For four years, Rev. Sykes took her cause to the federal government, health agencies, and the Virginia State legislature, seeking to get a mercury-ban in pharmaceuticals. Seven other states have passed mercury-banning legislation, including Iowa, California, Delaware, Missouri, Illinois, New York, and Washington.

According to California, Proposition 65, "Thimerosal has been recognized by the California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, as a developmental toxin, meaning that it can cause birth defects, low birth weight, biological dysfunctions, or psychological or behavior deficits that become manifest as the child grows, and maternal exposure during pregnancy can disrupt the development or even cause the death of the fetus. Exposure to mercury in utero and to children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

"When the Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration protest that they have found no 'evidence of harm,' they sidestep the issue that they are required by law to show proof of safety - clinical proof," Rev. Sykes said.
In the Virginia legislature, the mercury-banning bill never got out of committee, and a top aide told Ms. Sykes that "your enemies are more powerful than you know."

Ms. Sykes disagreed, deciding it was time to enlist the support of the Church. The Virginia Conference, led by Bishop Charlene Kammerer and Virginia United Methodist Women, passed a resolution on "Protecting Children from Mercury-Containing Drugs."

For Christians, the issue intensifies into a moral and ethical issue, as the developing world has passed laws keyed to those in the United States, after being victimized by unsafe and cheap pharmaceutical products. If the United States bans Thimersosal, other countries will do the same thing, forcing companies to provide them with an alternative drug that costs the companies more, Rev. Sykes told directors.

This weekend, Women's Division directors shared the concern of Rev. Sykes and voted to share it with their nearly one-million members, advocating for changes in safety guidelines for childhood shots. The Division wants members to call on the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to protect children from mercury-containing drugs. They want members to push for mercury-free stocks of vaccines and other pharmaceutical products; prioritize these for pregnant women, newborn infants and children; and ensure that an "informed consent" form is given to all individuals regarding mercury exposure through these products.

The Women's Division represents United Methodist Women, an organization of approximately one million members whose purpose is to foster spiritual growth, develop leaders and advocate for justice. Members raise nearly $25 million each year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and in more than 100 countries around the world.