The National Autism Association (NAA), a 501c3 non-profit organization that advocates for children's rights and provides financial aid to affected families, is one of eleven national orgs to support the joint effort. Executive Director Jo Pike says her organization will also be there to spread awareness about numerous peer-reviewed studies that have shown a link between mercury and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. "Our children will never receive the care they need unless our government health agencies admit what's happened," says Pike.
For years, parents and supporters of the link have been labeled as 'anti- vaccine' after speaking out against thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in vaccines and other inoculations. "The argument is not about vaccines," says Laura Bono, chair of NAA, "it is about a neurotoxin being placed within medical products to which our children are exposed."
Rita Shreffler of NAA agrees. "We need to keep our children's rights intact. They depend on us to be their voice, and to make sure other children are not exposed. If we are anti-vaccine, they are pro-poison. I am against poison, and we will fight for its removal on July 20th."
Members of NAA will meet with legislators later that day in hopes to prevent legislation that indemnifies drug companies from thimerosal-related liability. The last rally of this kind centered around the repeal of a rider placed in the Homeland Security Act which protected Eli Lilly from thimerosal litigation.