In recent years Katie and her crew have gone after vaccine makers and the make believe link between vaccines and autism, taking up the cause of trial attorneys on the one hand and glossing over the scientific data demonstrating no relationship on the other...
Back in June 2007, “CBS Evening News” featured a story titled “Vaccines suspected in rise in autism rates.” CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reported on the hardships of the parents of an autistic child and their fight to win money from a federal fund for “vaccine damages.”
“Twelve-year-old Michelle Cedillo doesn't know it, but she's the center of a landmark case that started today in federal vaccine court, one that could open the door for thousands of autistic children to be paid by a government fund,” Attkisson said on the June 11, 2007, “CBS Evening News.” “The controversy: whether their autism was caused by their childhood shots.”
Seven months later, the study, supported through the California Department of Public Health according to a press release, got little fanfare. It got only a brief mention on “CBS Evening News,” despite CBS airing six stories over the past two-and-a-half years that sounded alarm bells over thimerosal, according to a Nexis search.
One CBS story, aired on July 15, 2005, included the ranting and ravings of environmental extremist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “The science connecting brain damage with thimerosal is absolutely overwhelming,” Kennedy said.
See here.
In June of 2008, Attkisson was at it again, this time trying to discredit scientists and organizations who support immunization because they receive support from vaccine companies (ignoring the fact that Robert F Kennedy and others she provided fawning coverage for are on the trial attorney take...) Here's the lead into a story on Katie's show one month after the California study came out:
"For years some parents and scientists have raised concerns about vaccine safety, including a possible link to autism and ADD. Many independent experts have sided with government officials and other scientists who say there's no possible connection. But how "independent" are they? "
Now it turns out that Katie is bringing another reporter into her stable with close ties to trial attorneys whose history is writing about health litigation issues – principally sourced from class action litigators, Heather Won Tesoriero.
Heather Won Tesoriero is brand new to CBS and this is probably working now on her very first stories. At the beginning of September she joined a leading talent agency ( N.S. Bienstock) which helped her move from medical and law reporter at the Wall Street Journal to CBS NEWS as a field producer covering medical issues. It appears she’s trying to make a big leap and name for herself with Katie Couric. Will CBS and Couric become the latest platform for Tesoriero’s history of big class action law firm-sourced attacks? If Atkisson's autism crusade is any indication what's to come, the answer is yes.
While a WSJ staff health reporter and blogger she primarily focused on medical-related fraud/litigation issues and is clearly well-connected to the plaintiff’s attorneys side quoting their claims and interviewing them unchallenged on WSJ-TV. She was “co-counsel” for the WSJ Law Blog. She’s done several reports on drug side effects (clearly promoted by class action litigators), some environmental-linked health claims and other purported health fraud topics. No one should be surprised if she brings the same sources, bias and unbalanced reporting to CBS.
Links to other related stories written by Tesoriero on behalf of class action litigators:
· Oil Firms Settle Claims In MTBE Leak Cases – article
· Video interview with plaintiff attorney by Tesoriero on MTBE leak
· Patients Sue Icelandic Drugmaker Over Recalled Heart Drug
· Health-Care Fraud: Keep an Eye on the Small Fry
· Wayward Medical Records Sold as Scrap Paper for $20
· Whistleblower Law Blog: Tesoriero and quitam lawsuit
· Vioxx Study Casts Doubt on Merck Claim
