IVAC's Letter to JCAR Demanding
Chickenpox Vaccine Vote Delay

1/14/02

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR)
Senators
J. Bradley Burzynski (Rep.)FAX: 815-895-2905 Sycamore
Doris C. Karpiel (Rep.)FAX: 630-894-2871 Roselle
Lisa Madigan (Dem.)FAX: 773-477-2403 Chicago
Barrack Obama (Dem.), co-chair FAX: 773-363-5099 Chicago
William O'Daniel (Dem.)FAX: 618-242-7393 Mt. Vernon
Steve R. Rauchenberger (Rep.)FAX: 847-622-0948 Elgin

Representatives
Tom Cross (Rep.)FAX: 630-553-9999 Yorkville
Steve Davis (Dem.)FAX: 618-259-5043 East Alton
Phil Novak (Dem.)FAX: 815-939-0081 Kankakee
Dan Rutherford (Rep.)FAX: 815-842-2875 Pontiac
Art Tenhouse (Rep.), co-chair FAX: 217-223-1565 Quincy

Dear JCAR members:

Illinois Vaccine Awareness Coalition members ask JCAR members to delay the chickenpox vaccine mandate vote until the federal government clears Merck of plant violations. Merck manufactures Varivax, the chickenpox vaccine.

On January 4, 2002, the Food and Drug Administration released a 23-page extensive investigation/observation report of improper procedures at Merck's Pennsylvania plant. These serious violations-sterility, testing and documentation-caused Merck's plant closure for more than a month in the fall. The other vaccines in question are haemophilus B/hepatitis B (Comvax), hepatitis A (VAQTA), hepatitis B (Recombivax), measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and pneumococcal (Pneumovax).

It's too risky to force chickenpox vaccine on Illinois children when a black cloud hangs over Merck's vaccines. In addition, Merck scientists have failed to produce peer-reviewed, published safety studies on the chickenpox vaccine's ingredients and long-term effects. Safety takes precedence over concern about vaccine shortages. IVAC state-wide members value vaccine safety first.

For our children's sake,

Barbara Alexander Mullarkey, spokeswoman
FAX: 708-383-2767

Encl: IVAC Excerpts from FDA/Merck Report 1/2002 (6 pages)

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