Dear RFK Jr.,
Children’s Health Defense,
& Team Kennedy,
You and I, as Americans with the same mission—Make America Healthy Again—are well aware that numerous drugs currently on the market share one striking commonality: the ability to kill or disable an individual with a single dose.
If you take anything away from this letter, please let it be that all gadolinium-based contrast agents, known as MRI contrast, fall into this category.
Pharmaceutical companies try to convince the American public otherwise, and they have gotten away with doing so for decades under a watertight marketing campaign (and even a misleading drug application). However, this facade is unraveling as science has caught up with what we all intuitively know: rare earth heavy metals, particularly lanthanides, do not belong in the human body.
The purpose of this letter is to:
inform you that there has been a multi-decade coverup regarding the toxicity & purported safety of gadolinium-based contrast dyes (GBCAs)
provide evidence to support this claim
unite heavy metal toxicity efforts under one larger umbrella
request that GBCAs be considered in any regulatory changes requiring informed consent, FDA action, or patient compensation
facilitate connections with organizations, politicians, and/or public figures whose efforts are in alignment with this cause
reveal how recent research uncovers the role of gadolinium nanoparticles and toxicity in contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction, posing a hidden health crisis for countless Americans
The Problem Statement
Each year, millions of Americans are injected with a toxic heavy metal, gadolinium, during contrast-enhanced MRIs. The majority of individuals are told that there are no risks associated with receiving an MRI and that the contrast dye is completely safe. Because MRI facilities author their own consent forms, there is neither consensus nor enforcement of true informed consent, leading to infinite variations in what patients are told. At best, some patients are informed that gadolinium retains in the body for months to years without any long-term effects; at worst, they are told the dye is “just water.” Both statements are far from the truth. The reality is thousands of cases of disability and death have occurred immediately or within weeks of receiving gadolinium-based contrast agents, in even the healthiest of patients. FAERS reports ~23,000 individuals disabled or dead across all GBCA brands, but this figure is a gross underestimation for the following reasons:
Most individuals never learn that they were injected with gadolinium, a toxic heavy metal lanthanide.
Most individuals are never tested for gadolinium because standard heavy metals tests exclude it unless specifically requested.
Gadolinium does not exist unbound, so it leaves the bloodstream quickly in favor of binding to bone, organs, and tissues, detectable only through specialized tests upon autopsy.
With every passing moment, more and more citizens are walking into imaging centers for MRIs, seeking answers about their health. A portion of those individuals will leave in a body bag or a wheelchair, develop dozens of horrific symptoms, or spend the rest of their lives in and out of bed, ERs, and doctors' offices, trying to understand why their health took such a sharp decline.
Gadolinium Toxicity Testimonies
I know this because it happened to me. At age 23, I had a gadolinium-enhanced MRI to investigate tingling in my hands and feet caused by an allergic reaction. Within hours of my GBCA injection, I experienced convulsions, acute cerebral ischemia, and a temporary loss of speech. Over the next three and a half years, I faced a cascade of more than 40 symptoms, including, many times, the inability to walk.
As you browse Gadolinium64, you will uncover the history of iatrogenic harm from gadolinium-based contrast dyes. However, in even less time, I can prove to you:
the harm from gadolinium has been
hidden in plain sight.
In this 2021 segment of Tucker Carlson Tonight, Steph de Garay details all that her daughter tragically endured after being in the mRNA clinical trials. At the forty-second mark, Steph says something cryptic, a line that might sound like an afterthought to most. However, to those awakened to the dangers of gadolinium, it unveils a darker truth about MRI contrast dye:
“She also couldn’t walk at one point, then she could, and now after an MRI with contrast, it affected her in some way, and I don’t understand why. They’re not looking into why, and now she’s back in a wheelchair, and she can’t hold her neck up. Her neck pulls back.” - Steph de Garay, Tucker Carlson Tonight
Challenges with Detection
When a person is injected with MRI contrast, gadolinium deposits in the brain and damages the central nervous system (Kobayashi, et al., 2021; Alkhunizi, et al., 2020; Yao, et al., 2024). As a result of this, people mistake their symptoms as part of their original injury, when in reality, gadolinium produces a secondary injury that never gets discovered. People do not commonly identify as MRI-contrast-injured because it often is not their first neurological or immunological insult. However, in many cases, it may be the reason they never recover.
Why are neurological injuries so difficult to reverse? Could it have anything to do with the practice of embedding a neurotoxic heavy metal, capable of forming “sea urchin shaped,” nanoparticle spikes, into the brains, neurons, and cells of every patient injected with MRI dye? (DeAguero et al., 2023).
Clinical Examples
Let’s explore another example of this phenomenon. Brain lesions are a hallmark clinical finding in multiple sclerosis, and patients are often told they need GBCAs to monitor these lesions. However, gadolinium itself can cause brain lesions, along with acute neurotoxic symptoms such as stereotyped movements and myoclonus, as well as long-term complications like ataxia and tremors (Ray, et al., 1996).
This pattern is evident in various conditions including but not limited to:
Cancer - Gadolinium is given to cancer patients, yet it promotes multiple myeloma cell growth (Fulcinti, et al., 2009).
Neuropathy - Gadolinium is used for nerve imaging, despite being linked to small fiber neuropathy, with clear post-GBCA onset in patient testimonies (Radbruch, et al., 2020; Williams & Grimm, 2014).
Headaches - Gadolinium is injected to investigate headaches, even though headaches are the most common side effect of GBCAs—affecting up to 9.4% of patients intravenously and 28% intrathecally (FDA, page 4; Edeklev, et al., 2019). These gadolinium-induced headaches can last for years in some cases due to the deposition of gadolinium (Semelka 2018; Williams & Grimm, 2014).
Conditions of the eyes and ears - GBCAs are used to enhance imaging of the head, eyes, and ears, yet impair vision and hearing in up to 70% of gadolinium toxicity patients (Williams & Grimm, 2014).
But how does gadolinium cause harm, scientifically?
GBCA Chemical Science
Gadolinium, a rare earth heavy metal, is more toxic than lead in its ionic form and possesses magnetic properties that had never been in contact with human biology for hundreds of thousands of years until the advent of MRI contrast. In an attempt to counter gadolinium’s inherent toxicity and formulate it as a drug, pharmaceutical manufacturers encapsulate gadolinium in a molecular cage called a chelator or ligand. This ligand is the only reason GBCAs are not colloquially classified as direct heavy metal poisoning, despite demonstrable toxicity even in low amounts. The pharmaceutical industry has been given the authority to define the safety of its own products, shaping public discourse and downplaying risks. Time after time,
the pharmaceutical industry claims
toxin + chemical ligand ≠ toxin.
(“Toxin” refers to gadolinium & “chemical ligand” refers to the molecular cage, aka chelator.)
Does this make logical sense to you?
This argument for safety collapses under recent research, which reveals that gadolinium does not remain securely bound to its chemical ligand. However, this has not stopped the drug manufacturers from expanding the use of the GBCAs, and even repealing safety measures that were previously put in place to protect renal failure patients from developing incurable, fatal, systemic fibrosis from gadolinium.
Furthermore, once dechelated, gadolinium ions form jagged metal nanoparticles within the body. The innate toxicity of gadolinium, combined with these nanoparticle structures, can set off a series of inflammatory and damaging biological cascades, cited below:
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Research has demonstrated that gadolinium can dechelate, or dissociate from its ligand, freeing highly toxic gadolinium ions in the body.
Citations: Rogosnitzky, et al., 2016; Wagner, et al., 2024.
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When MRI contrast agents dechelate in the presence of endogenous compounds, it leads to the formation of gadolinium-rich nanoparticles. These metal precipitates form within seconds to minutes of exposure to biological compounds and take on a jagged, spiked structure. They are found in various tissues and may contribute to systemic fibrosis, nephrotoxicity, and other organ damage.
Citations: Wagner, et al., 2024; DeAguero et al., 2023.
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Gadolinium deposition induces structural damage in affected tissues, including mitochondrial toxicity, vacuolation, and fibrosis. Mitochondria exhibit swelling, disrupted cristae, and reduced density in renal and other tissues. Electron-dense precipitates are often located in or around lipid vesicles, cytoplasmic vacuoles, and mitochondria, contributing to organ and systemic dysfunction.
Citations: Wagner et al., 2024, DeAguero et al., 2023, Yao et al., 2024.
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Gadolinium disrupts inflammatory pathways, transchelates with glycosaminoglycans, and affects macrophage activity, potentially triggering processes like nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.
Citations: Taupitz et al., 2013; Weng et al., 2018; Do et al., 2019; Maecker et al., 2020. -
Studies confirm that gadolinium crosses the blood-CSF barrier shortly after administration, accumulating in the brain and optic pathways even in individuals with intact blood-brain barriers.
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Gadolinium interferes with calcium, sodium, and potassium ion channels, causing functional disruption in cellular signaling, including in stretch-sensitive ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors.
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Gadolinium induces mitochondrial toxicity, interferes with intracellular calcium signaling, activates nociceptive neurons, and contributes to neuropathic pain through retention in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
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Gadolinium (Gd) is retained in the brain, bones, and other tissues for years after MRI contrast administration, even in patients with normal renal function. Retention has been linked to cumulative effects, long-term excretion, and potential re-release from bone through remodeling processes, leading to chronic poisoning.
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Repeated GBCA exposure results in gadolinium deposition in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. This deposition, especially pronounced in sciatic nerve tissues, causes pain hypersensitivity, cognitive impairments, and decreased muscle power. Spherical “sea urchin”-like deposits near vascular membranes highlight localized damage. Macrocyclic GBCAs show reduced deposition compared to linear agents.
Citations: Yao et al., 2024 -
Gadolinium induces systemic fibrosis by activating fibrocytes.
Citation: Do, et al., 2020
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Gadolinium (Gd3+) has a similar ionic charge radius to calcium (Ca2+). Gadolinium magnetically overpowers calcium at presynaptic calcium channels. “The similar ionic radius of Gd3+ (107.8 pm) and Ca2+ (114 pm) means that trivalent gadolinium ions can compete with divalent calcium with higher affinity for Ca2+-binding enzymes at nano- to micromolar concentrations, leading to adverse biological effects”.
Gadolinium “may replace Ca2+ in the body and significantly impact biochemical processes at the cellular level, and, finally, the results of recent studies demonstrating accumulation and long-term retention of Gd3+ in the body”.
Citation (respectively): Garcia, et al., 2017, Unruh, et al., 2020
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Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) can cause nephrotoxicity, especially in individuals with preexisting kidney impairment. Gadolinium toxicity arises when free gadolinium ions (Gd³⁺) are released due to transmetallation, where other ions displace gadolinium from its chelator. This process is exacerbated by conditions such as metabolic acidosis, hyperphosphatemia, and low renal clearance. Gadolinium accumulates in kidney tissues, causing structural damage, including tubular necrosis, interstitial inflammation, and calcium-phosphate deposits. These pathological changes can result in acute kidney injury (AKI) or exacerbate chronic kidney disease (CKD). Linear GBCAs are particularly associated with higher rates of nephrotoxicity compared to macrocyclic agents
Citations: Martino, et al., 2021;
Neurotoxicity
When discussing GBCAs, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “They use a safer type of contrast now.” The newer gadolinium agents, marketed as safer and more stable alternatives, are actually more lethal and neurotoxic than the original “linear” gadolinium-based contrast agents. Despite the success of this marketing campaign, which led European regulators to ban linear agents entirely, a 1995 rat study revealed that macrocyclics killed rats 5–20 times faster. American hospitals continue to promote these claims, leading patients to believe they are receiving a safer product when truthfully, they are being administered with a product that is even more deadly (Vogler, et al., 1995).
The CDC Statement
The following is a statement from the CDC, published in March 2022, underscoring the need for an ICD-10 code specific to gadolinium toxicity,
“Gadolinium is a heavy metal with paramagnetic properties in the middle of the lanthanides in the F block of the periodic table of elements. Gadolinium has many uses in electronics, medical imaging (as a contrast agent for MRI), phosphor in polymer matrix in x-ray detector, microwave applications, fabrication of various optical components, computer memory, refrigeration and in alloys making magnets and data storage discs.
Gadolinium toxicity has the potential to cause disease in humans, and even in small amounts may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Gadolinium toxicity can affect many body systems, including the musculoskeletal, brain, skin, renal, and neurologic systems.
This toxicity can manifest itself in various symptoms and effects on the body including but not limited to central nervous system symptoms, including impairment of cognition, memory, impairment of sight, painful tinnitus, and pseudoangioedema. Additional manifestations can include impairment of voice and pharyngeal swallowing mechanisms, cardiac arrhythmias, changes in blood pressure, and impaired function of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. Symptoms can be mild in some patients, while others develop severe life-threatening illness similar to cytokine response.”
As a result of this statement, the CDC generated four new diagnostic codes:
New subcategory T56.82 Toxic effect of gadolinium
New code T56.821 Toxic effect of gadolinium, accidental (unintentional), Toxic effect of gadolinium NOS
New code T56.822 Toxic effect of gadolinium, intentional self-harm
New code T56.823 Toxic effect of gadolinium, assault
New code T56.824 Toxic effect of gadolinium, undetermined
Despite these additions, none of the codes attribute the toxic effects of gadolinium to MRI contrast agents (GBCAs), even though this is the primary source of exposure for nearly all affected patients. There is also a general code, T50.8X for “Poisoning by, adverse effect of and underdosing of diagnostic agents,” which is also not specific to gadolinium toxicity.
Furthermore, despite the CDC’s acknowledgment of gadolinium toxicity in 2022, it remains largely unrecognized by the medical community and regulatory agencies. To date, no significant changes have been implemented in MRI practices: patients are still without genuine informed consent, doctors are not diagnosing Gadolinium Toxicity/GDD patients with the ICD10 gadolinium codes, and patients’ treatments are not covered by insurance. Despite all of this, and patients warning others of the dangers of gadolinium for decades, the use of MRI contrast agents is actually increasing.
Gadolinium Safety Initiatives
These are the proposed safety initiatives that my advocacy community hopes to achieve under your secretaryship and Trump’s presidential legacy.
Obtain a second FDA hearing because new developments in research have surfaced since the initial 2017 hearing
Require true informed consent each time an MRI with contrast is performed, which entails:
the warning of gadolinium deposition disease, its effects in individuals with normal renal function, & admission that certain symptoms are permanent, i.e. skin changes, tinnitus, etc.
changing the medication guide verbiage from “retains for months to years” to “retains for life” or “retains indefinitely”
receiving the medication guide and consent forms during discussions with the ordering physician, not after you’ve already agreed—such as at the facility, in front of the machine, or while in a gown—when there’s no opportunity to research the dye, which is the current protocol
removing the statement, “effects are unknown,” because there is evidence of biological effects & harm, and the only reason effects are not more widely known is because, “Long-term consequences are not studied at all,” according to Dr. Brent Wagner, MD
admitting that gadolinium can dissociate and lead to the formation of metal nanoparticles in the body
Correct the ICD10 Codes to reflect MRI contrast, GBCAs, as a source of toxicity
Update relative contraindications / risk assessment for patients with heightened immune responses due to increased risks of gadolinium toxicity and fibrosis, i.e. those with MCAS, CIDP, CIRS, GBS, those undergoing immunotherapy, or environmental toxicities
Expand access to gadolinium testing beyond a single hospital and eliminate misleading "normal range" references to ensure accurate detection and timely intervention for gadolinium-related health issues
Consider biocompatibility & allergy tests for gadolinium since it is technically a heavy metal implanted into the body
Require doctors to have updated education on heavy metals, including gadolinium-based contrast agents & all contraindications or concerns, i.e. proteinuria, kidney tumors, or pre-existing heavy metal toxicity or other conflicts
Add the question, “If you’ve received an MRI with contrast in the past, did you experience any new or worsening symptoms?” to all screening forms to help identify gadolinium toxicity early and prevent patients from reaching an irreversible or life-threatening stage
Mandate an option for emergency DTPA chelation in those who react immediately because if the facility can inject gadolinium, they already have the equipment to administer IV DTPA chelation
Require insurance to cover gadolinium toxicity treatments
Allow patients to legally pursue financial settlements from pharmaceutical companies due to their lack of full disclosure of risks
Obtain medical recognition from SSDI/SSI for disabled patients
Expand gadolinium research & grants since long-term effects are not studied. We respectfully urge the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to prioritize identifying or developing effective treatments for individuals affected by Gadolinium Deposition Disease to improve their health and quality of life.
Conclusion
Your tireless dedication to safeguarding public health and advocating for those who have been harmed by toxic exposures makes you perfect allies. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your time.
As the truth about manmade nanoparticles and their impact on mitochondrial health comes to light, now is the time to educate the public on the critical distinction between heavy metals and essential minerals. While humanity has achieved remarkable advancements through chemistry, the playing field is no longer level. Corporations are mining elements and synthesizing compounds with no prior history of human exposure, making it impossible for everyday citizens to keep up.
Opening public discourse about which elements sustain life and which disrupt biological functions—combined with informed consent when nonbiological metals are being injected—will empower individuals to make decisions that protect their health and their children’s health for generations to come.
Gadolinium must be part of this conversation. Gadolinium contaminates water sources in American cities, as a direct consequence of being injected into bloodstreams 30+ million times globally per year.
The path forward has never been more clear.
With unwavering gratitude,
Gadolinium Toxicity Patients & Researchers
Kate Bonds ○ Website, Letter Author, & Researcher
Sharon Williams & Hubbs Grimm ○ Researchers & GadoliniumToxicity.com Authors
Bridget Brothag-Belo ○ Medical Literature Researcher, Website, Letter Author, & Nurse Anesthetist
Debbie Heist Lambert ○ Patient Advocate & LivingWithGadolinium.com Author
Matthew James ○ Patient Advocate
