Vaccines and Autism: Together Again in the Media Spotlight
Autism Speaks has published a report on findings by the U.S. Senate on alleged misconduct by the CDC and related agencies relative to thimerosal in vaccines and its possible link to autism. The following is a summary of the outcome of that committee's research:
On Friday, September 28, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP Committee) released a report from Ranking Member Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY), entitled Thimerosal and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Alleged Misconduct by Government Agencies and Private Entities. These findings are the result of an 18-month investigation into allegations of misconduct on the part of individuals and U.S. government officials related to the use of the preservative thimerosal in childhood vaccines and its possible contribution to an increase in rates of autism. While the report does not render an opinion on the safety of thimerosal in vaccines, it assesses allegations of misconduct by government officials and private entities in connection with the thimerosal controversy.At the press conference, journalist David Kirby and others continued to raise questions about apparent associations between vaccinations and autism. Kirby's questions made it clear that the findings, which were presented as clear and plain, were...muddy, convoluted, and somewhat inconclusive.The Committee addressed a total of seven allegations brought to its attention by family members of children with autism, as well as by medical researchers active in the autism community. Of the allegations made, two were substantiated, one was partially substantiated, and four were not substantiated by the evidence gathered. Senator Enzi is closing this investigation, while continuing to monitor developments on this issue.
Meanwhile, journalist Dan Olmsted, who has been writing about autism for years, published a piece on the Generation Rescue website accusing the CDC of consistently blocking the possibility of a study comparing vaccinated to unvaccinated children. His take: "I hope more and more journalists will snap out of their hero-worship of the public health authorities and take a more critical approach to the most basic questions that their readers and viewers want answered"
Generation Rescue (which is dedicated to raising awareness of possible links between autism and vaccines) is taking out a full page ad in USA Today. The ad highlights the outcomes of Generation Rescue's informal telephone survey which suggests that vaccinated boys are more likely to develop autism - and asks families to push for more and better research.
While all this political conversation is going on (and probably not coincidentally), yet another study (this published by the New England Journal of Medicine) discounted possible links between thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in some vaccines, with autism. According to The New York Times:
...researchers from the C.D.C. and several managed-care organizations subjected 1,047 children to 42 neurological and psychological exams, which included I.Q. tests, how well children recalled a list of names and whether they could repeat the names backward, their manual dexterity, and whether they stuttered or had tics.So, here we are again. Some say thimerosal is not only harmless - but might actually have some benefits to infants. Others are convinced that it is the single most significant cause of a massive rise in autism diagnoses. Some say that the CDC and related agencies are the authors of a huge, illegal coverup. Others say that's just nonsense.The researchers also took detailed medical histories to determine whether the subjects’ mothers were exposed to thimerosal while pregnant, and how much thimerosal the children were exposed to in their first seven months of life.
After subjecting the data to nearly 400 different statistical measures, researchers found 19 different possible associations between thimerosal and various mental outcomes — most of which suggested that thimerosal was actually beneficial.
Researchers largely dismissed these associations as statistical flukes.
All of this seems to be working up to major television docu-drama - but no one will buy the rights until we actually have conclusive evidence on one side or another. And while both sides have a great many research studies that support their perspective, neither side seems willing to believe that the others' studies are legitimate, properly constructed, or authoritative. In fact - at this point - it's hard to imagine what kind of evidence could possible sway either group to change its mind.
Generation Rescue and several journalists have suggested that the CDC's reluctance to compare unvaccinated with vaccinated children is a sign of guilt. And perhaps it is.
But what if the CDC finally broke down and put significant resources into such a study. What if their study showed - again - that vaccines and autism are not closely connected? Would that end the debate - or fuel additional fears of tainted research?
If you have a strong perspective on this issue - what would it take to change your mind? Could the CDC really conduct a study that would make all the difference? What's your take on this issues?
Comments
“researchers found 19 different possible associations between thimerosal and various mental outcomes ”
It is worth noting that this is what would be expected from random chance–about 20 “hits” in a field of about 400 tries.
“could the CDC really conduct a study that would mae all the difference?”
It depends on what difference you are referring to. Can they make a study that will show that mercury can cause autism or show (once again) that it very likely does not? Yes. Can they change the minds of Generation Rescue, Dan Olmsted and David Kirby? I’d like to think so. Given the behaviors we have seen this last week, I wouldn’t place a large bet on it.
“what would it take to change your mind?”
Decent, peer reviewed, journal published science that thiomersal or MMR has a causative association with autism.
Re: MMR: In the UK, MMR uptake went down by 10% over the course of a decade. Autism rates continued to rise. Thiomersal was removed from all UK vaccines. Autism rates continued to rise.
In the US, by Feb 2002, a CDC study found that only 1.9% of all vaccines on doctors shelves still contained thiomersal. Now there are none aside from the flu vaccine. Autism rates continue to rise.
The Autism Omnibus petitioners have had over five years to gather together evidence. We all saw the pathetic state of that evidence at the recent Cedillo hearings.
There has been over 10 years for autism/antivaccine groups to perform studies finding a causative link. These groups are not poor and are not run by poor people. They could easily have designed a proper study and yet….10 years later, we still have no scientific evidence whatsoever.
Kirby’s criticism of the latest CDC study is bizarre given that his good friend Sally Bernard of Safe Minds was partly responsible for designing it. She only disowned it after it produced results she didn’t like. Up until then she seemed fine with it.
The question is a scientific one: do vaccines cause autism? The scientific answer is ‘no’. How much longer will the sparse money of donated money be thrown away on this mumbo-jumbo? Autistic people need education, valid scientifically justified interventions, housing and career support. A whole generation of autistic kids have so far been sacrificed to the ego of a few. We need to move on.
The mere fact that all who benefit from drug company monies or ignore the fact vaccines are drugs with potential hazardous side effects will not discuss the following survey tells me a crime against our children is in progress:
For Immediate Release: Vaccinated Children Two and a Half Times More Likely to Have Neurological Disorders Like ADHD and Autism, New Survey in California and Oregon Finds.
PORTLAND, OR, Sep 25 — A new survey indicates a strong correlation between rates of neurological disorders, such as ADHD and autism, and childhood vaccinations.
The survey, commissioned by Generation Rescue, compared vaccinated and unvaccinated children in nine counties in Oregon and California. Among more than 9,000 boys age 4-17, the survey found vaccinated boys were two and a half times (155%) more likely to have neurological disorders compared to their unvaccinated peers. Vaccinated boys were 224% more likely to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and 61% more likely to have autism.
For older vaccinated boys in the 11-17 age bracket, the results were even more pronounced. Vaccinated boys were 158% more likely to have a neurological disorder, 317% more likely to have ADHD, and 112% more likely to have autism. Complete survey results are available at www.GenerationRescue.org.
Generation Rescue commissioned the phone survey. Data was gathered by SurveyUSA, a national market research firm, which surveyed parents by phone on more than 17,000 children, ages 4-17, in five counties in California (San Diego, Sonoma, Orange, Sacramento, and Marin) and four counties in Oregon (Multnomah, Marion, Jackson, and Lane).
The survey asked parents whether their child had been vaccinated, and whether that child had one or more of the following diagnoses: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), ADHD, Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder — Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), or Autism. The phone survey was chosen to mirror the methodology the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) uses to establish national prevalence for neurological disorders in their national phone survey.
Generation Rescue also ran a full-page advertisement in USA Today. The ad compares the 36 pediatric vaccines the CDC recommends today to the 10 recommended in 1983, and asks, “Are We Over- Vaccinating Our Kids?”
“No one has ever compared prevalence rates of these neurological disorders between vaccinated and unvaccinated children,” said J.B. Handley, co-founder of Generation Rescue, whose son was diagnosed with autism. “The phone survey isn’t perfect, but these numbers point to the need for a comprehensive national study to gather this critical information.”
In Washington, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has been advocating for such a survey. Co-sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), the “Comprehensive Comparative Study of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Population Act of 2006,” or H.R. 2832, was introduced on June 22, and would require the National Institutes of Health to complete this research.
“Generation Rescue’s study is impressive and forcefully raises some serious questions about the relationship between vaccines and autism. What is ultimately needed to resolve this issue one way or the other is a comprehensive national study of vaccinated and unvaccinated children,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “The parents behind Generation Rescue only want information. These parents deserve more than road blocks, they deserve answers. We can and should move forward in search of those answers. That’s why I’ve introduced a common sense bill that would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct a comprehensive, comparative study on the possible link between autism and thimerosal.”
From 1983 to 2007, autism rates have climbed from 1 in 10,000 children to 1 in 150 children, a growth rate of 6,000% (boys are significantly more affected by neurological disorders, accounting for approximately 80% of all cases). ADHD currently affects 1 in 13 children. In the same period, the CDC’s recommended vaccine schedule more than tripled. The simmering debate over the cause of childhood neurological disorders shows no sign of cooling, but no study had ever been done to look at unvaccinated children.
Lisa Handley, co-founder of Generation Rescue, adds, “Everyone working with autism wants to identify the cause so we can focus on treatment and prevention. A national study like HR 5940 could help end this debate and focus all of our resources on helping our kids. Its time has come, and we hope Congress will choose to put our children first.”
About Generation Rescue
Generation Rescue was formed by parents of children who have been diagnosed with childhood neurological disorders (NDs), and is dedicated to examining the causes and biomedical treatments for Autism, Asperger’s, ADHD, ADD, PDD-NOS, and other learning disabilities. Visit www.GenerationRescue.org for more information and to see complete survey results.
CONTACT: Mike Smith of Fenton Communications, 415-901-0111 msmith@fenton.com, for Generation Rescue
Your article does not ask the main question here. Do VACCINES cause autism? Forget thimerisol for a moment. What if something else in the vaccines is responsible. Based on the latest research on genes for autism, we all now know that glutamate neurotransmission is what those genes code for and for YEARS and STILL glutamate is IN THESE VACCINES. And so - do us a favor and quit harping ONLY on the thimerisol angle - which is where the vaccine manufacturers want you to focus. Focus on WHAT ELSE IS IN THE VACCINES BESIDES THIMERASOL. When you say vaccines don’t cause autism because ONLY ONE INGREDIENT in them does not cause autism, you are doing millions of children and parents a disservice. You are also doing hack scientific reporting by not going into more detail about why the CDC won’t compare vaccinated children VS. unvaccinated children. It’s because they KNOW the answer. It ISN’T thimerasol - its the glutamate in the vaccines damaging the brains of children who have genes that code for miswiring of the nervous system when it comes to glutamate transmission. If we had better reporters, perhaps we would have consensus on this issue right now instead of “controversy”.
I would be interested in seeing a comparison of vaccinated verus unvaccinated kids, done by an outside reputable source,no one involved with cdc or pharmacy jobs, also not the Griers.Someone everyone would consider to be without a pre existing viewpoint.Involving a large group for comparison( ?1000’s of unvaccinated children, which is apparently possible with Homefirst and the Amish)Am also interested in studies that look at thimerosal in antibiotics, ear infection pain killers etc.I think it is even a preservative in the TB test routinely given to pregnant Moms.Looking at the vaccine part, and also the thimerosal part would be interesting.
In response to Carol:
Just so you know, I’m not an investigative reporter. I write on topics related to autism, and I produce a blog which comments on autism news, provides resources, passes along reader questions, and opens the floor to commenters like yourself.
But if I WERE an investigative reporter looking into the question you raise, I would certainly delve into not only the evidence that suggests glutamates are to blame for autism but ALSO the evidence against. And I’d be likely to report on the evidence supporting each perspective.
The more I learn about this subject, the more I feel that the answer to “what causes autism” is likely to be complex - and to differ from case to case. I suspect that that’s why SOME kids respond to special diets and some don’t; SOME respond to behavioral therapy and some don’t; SOME have severe sensory issues and some don’t…
Overall, I am finding that there are people of good will and good intentions on both sides of every autism fence. And so far, while I have found many people who are poorly informed, I haven’t run across any who would intentionally harm a child.
Lisa
When I read articles like this I just despair. The Autism community has been overrun by the quacks and the pseudo-scientists. There is no credible evidence. The people confusing correlation and causation need to go back and take the basic science courses they obviously slept through the first time.
There’s no debate here. There are people that don’t understand and apparently don’t care to understand science. Without science there is no rational discussion in this arena.
Mitch–
you are so right. Families with young kids who have autism might as well paint a great big bulls-eye on their backs.
The Generation Rescue “survey” mentioned above is a prime example. Any responsible party would have looked at the vast number of problems with that survey and gone back to do it right. The results are contradictory (such as in some cases vaccines seem to prevent autism!)
It’s time to move on. Many parents want to just move on from mercury and get on with actually helping the kids–and adults–with autism.
I agree with Carol. It may be thimerosal or it may be another substance in the vaccines. My daughter became autistic the day after she got her 4-month vaccinations. I was able to state that she had some new problems as soon as we came out of the hospital stay (she was admitted in the hospital the day after getting those vaccines). So, to Lisa’s question: There is no study under the sun that will ever convince me that vaccinations do not cause autism. Because I know of 1 case and I am absolutely positive of that case (I’m the mother). So, the CDC would do better trying to understand what is causing current rates of autism instead of working on maintaining status quo (that is somehow causing autism). My concern is that the CDC is so concerned about disproving thimerosal that they are not focusing on what are potential factors in the vaccines that can cause autism.
I am of the belief that in some children vaccines will act as a trigger and for some the result of this will be autism. I rarely become involved in this issue but having seen my middle son who was almost 3 when he had the MMR react so badly that within days he had suffered his first convulsions which hospitalized him right over Christmas then I did wonder. Of course at that time MMR was new and my son was one of the very first children to receive it. I do not however believe that the MMR caused his autism. I think that the first vaccines that he had opened the door and the MMR brought his immune system down like a house of cards. His immune system has never recoved. He now has multi-allergies and a progressive eye condition which may lead to blindness or at the very least a double cornea transplant.
My youngest did not have the MMR and yet he is also autistic. He did have his early jabs and again I think they opened the door. He also has multi-allergies and can not tolerate many foods or medicines. He has cyclical vomiting syndome and I can remember his very first attack of this it happened within hours of his first set of jabs.
There are too many parents who believe that there is a link for this very emotive topic to be ignored. Vaccines may not be the cause of autism, personally I do not think they are, but for children they are more than their system can take and they result in overload.
Anna answered your question not only for the thimerosal but any issue related to how people get autism. It is a highly emotional issue, and parents who truly feel their child ‘got autism the day after they were vaccinated’ will never be swayed. Clearly, Anna will never be swayed. Same for the Generation Rescue folks, who would do better spending their time and money on actually helping people who have autism instead of playing the blame game with non-scientific surveys designed to cause a stir. Remember when autism was thought to be caused by ‘refrigerator moms?’ We know that’s not true, but a lot of people blamed moms for their child’s condition (some probably still do), and truly believed this was true.
On the other hand, folks who don’t think vaccines cause autism or other neurological disorders, think that way because of valid research and sound logic. These people feel the research answers the questions. The comments regarding folks in the UK are very telling. Many folks in the UK have stopped getting their kids vaccinated out of fear, and diseases onces wiped out are re-surging, however rates of ASD still increase. It would be great to know for certain what causes autism, but in the mean-time money, time, energy, and other resources are being thrown at finding the cause and so little is being done to help parents, teachers, doctors, and other care-providers get the appropriate skills and knowledge they need to HELP people with autism TODAY.
To all those of you who winessed your child’s immediate and on-going decline after vaccinations — I feel your pain (x2).
To those of you who cannot believe there is a link, you are entitled to your opinion, too.
Regardless of the side of the fence you are on, we are STILL injecting aluminum, thimerosal (it is NOT completely out of ANY vaccine, except MMR where it never was, just reduced in a number — flu, Rho’s, and some hep Bs still contain 12.5 mg mercury and flu is recommended 2x a year for 6 month olds and up and is administered to pregnant women), Aluminium, Squalene, Freund’s (FCA), MF59, preservatives, Alcohols, Glycerine , Neomycin, 2-phenoxyethanol (2-PE) , Streptomycin, Polymyxin B,
Mercury, forrmaldehyde, Stabilisers/solvents, Tween 80 Bovine , Human fetal cells, Gelatin, Methiolate, Monkey kidney cells, Msg, Phenols.
Consider that vaccine companies
have never been required to test their vaccines for safety nor for efficacy,
then look around you and you will see that 1 in 6 children now suffer from a
significant developmental disability. Finally ask yourself why, if there is
no concern regarding the safety and efficacy of their products, Big Pharma
needs to be released from any and all responsibility for damage their
vaccine products may cause?
We do not free any other manufacturer from liability for damages their products cause.
Finally, consider that NO study has proven vaccines DO NOT cause autism.
For those who want to point a finger at thimerosal, take a look at the MSDS:
Section 3: Hazards Identification
Potential Acute Health Effects:
Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation.
Slightly hazardous in case of eye contact (irritant).
Severe over-exposure can result in death.
Potential Chronic Health Effects:
CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells.
TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available.
DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICITY: Not available.
The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver, spleen, bone marrow, central
nervous system (CNS).
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs
damage.
Repeated exposure to a
highly toxic material may produce general deterioration of health by an
accumulation in one or many human
organs.
Seems a reasonable place to point…If you aren’t supposed to touch this stuff, why would you choose to have your newborn mainlining it?!
for Liz:
it seems to me that vaccines are just the tip of the iceberg relative to environmental insults. Why look only at vaccines?
Why not look, too, at … household cleaners… pesticides… vapors from new carpets, paints, and other industrial elements… food additives (prenatal and postnatal)… ultrasounds… pitocin… over the counter drugs taken by moms… coffee… sugar… mercury-laden fish… television… cell phones… C02 emissions… dental amalgams… glutamates… ?
In short, what is it about vaccines that make them the single most likely culprit for an autism explosion?
I’m not on either horse. But, ya know, there is just something about putting mercury into a baby that doesn’t sit well.
When they *doubled* the amount back in the early 1990s, that is when we started to see the big influx of autism.
It’s just too coincidental to be ignored….
what is it about vaccines that make them the single most likely culprit for an autism explosion?
In short, the number of required vaccines has greatly increased since the early 1990s, and for increasingly younger ages. During that time, it became mandatory that newborns be given the HEP-B vaccine.
What effect do vaccines have on a newborn’s developing immune system? How is the brain and central nervous system affected at that age, since the blood-brain barrier may not yet be fully developed?
For those that just want to “move on”, I would ask to what? Science has not yet fully answered whether or not vaccines play a role in not only autism, but other neurological disorders.
I agree with Carol But add this to it. Reference was made to the N.Y.Times article[9/27/07] that said thimerosal may be beneficial. Same paper same day different article. “Seven of the largest pharmaceutical companies have formed a group to develop genetic tests to determine which patients would be at risk from dangerous drug side effects. The question is…Aren’t babies patients? Is there a link between vaccinations and Autism Thimersal or not? Is there a Genetic link to Autism and vaccines especially in an infant? etc,etc.
Thimerosal is just about the most toxic mercury compound ever.
Mercury (compounds or ions) is the most toxic non radioactive element.
It kills in the smallest amounts.
It accumulates in the brain.
It destroys the brain.
If they put much more in vaccines it would kill everyone vaccinated.
Who has ever measured it?
The Geier’s have and what does the world think of them?
The medical world thinks they are the lowest.
Why?
In any event we know a less dangerous mercury compound in a lesser amount killed Karen Wetterhahn and the chemical industry did their level best to make her death due to anything else.
Anything!
John Fryer MScBSc Advanced Analytical Chemist
The study that purportedly shows that thimerosal is harmless is terribly flawed. Read my article on News Target, Dissecting a Thimerosal Study, and you’ll see why it has absolutely no validity. The study was financed by an organization that has an interest in the outcome. The lead researcher has strong ties to pharmaceutical firms, and many of the others do, too. Most of the children who were originally enrolled in the study were eliminated, and a significant number of those appear to have been because they were more likely to have suffered neurological problems, such as babies under 5-1/2 pounds, though they are given the vaccines anyway. Children who developed autism were excluded!
That study has no validity.