Women’s Division Sponsors Educational Event on Mercury-Containing Vaccines, Drugs

by Barbara Wheeler*

Raising awareness of the use of mercury as a preservative in some vaccines and other drugs will be the focus of a June 6-7 event sponsored by the Women’s Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries. “The Truth is Coming to Light” will be at Simpsonwood Retreat Center in Norcross, Ga.

The event is focused on education about the dangers of vaccines and other drugs that contain the mercury-preservative Thimerosal.

In April 2006, directors of the Women’s Division called on the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to take action to protect children from mercury-containing drugs.

The division advocates informed consent before mercury-containing drugs or vaccinations are administered to children and adults. The division supports vaccinations as a means to prevent disease and encourages parents to seek out vaccinations that do not contain toxins or preservatives that may be dangerous, especially to developing bodies.

The Women’s Division, the policy-making arm of United Methodist Women, has a legacy of advocacy for children, including issues related to their health and well-being. In recent years, this work has been done through United Methodist Women’s Campaign for Children, which is on improving the lives of children in their communities, safety and well-being of children, and promoting all children’s access to quality public education. United Methodist Women members support and volunteer in ministries of health and well-being for children and adults in communities across the United States and around the world.

June 8, upon the conclusion of the Women’s Division’s educational event, two grassroots organizations, Moms Against Mercury and the Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs (CoMeD) will hold a rally and press conference at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Tonya Murphy, president of United Methodist Women in North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, and Lois M. Dauway, interim deputy general secretary of the Women’s Division, will speak at the rally.

United Methodist Women is an organization of approximately 800,000 members within the United Methodist Church in the United States. Its purpose is to foster spiritual growth, develop leaders and advocate for justice. United Methodist Women members give more than $20 million a year for programs and projects related to women, children and youth in the United States and around the world.

*Barbara Wheeler is an executive secretary for communications for the Women’s Division of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries.

See Also:
Division Examines Danger of Mercury-Containing Vaccines, Drugs
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/news/news-1/division-examines-danger-of-mercury-containing-vaccines-drugs/

Division Addresses Mercury Poisoning through Vaccines
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/news/news-1/division-addresses-mercury-poisoning-through-vaccines/