So... What Is the Autism/Vaccine Debate About, Anyway?
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The questions themselves are very complex, and virtually all of them can be argued from at least two sides (and have been!). They are also radically different from one another, and relate variously to the contents of different vaccines, the implementation schedule of different vaccines, the possible significance of various reactions to vaccines, the significance of a single settled case in the federal Vaccine Court, and the intentions and connections of a wide range of government officials, researchers, lawyers, journalists, actors, and individual families.
Here are just a few of the questions that have rolled themselves together into the "Vaccine and Autism Debate":
- Did thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative used in most vaccines until last year, actually cause a rise in cases of autism?
- Does measles virus, introduced into children's bodies at approximately age 2 through the Mumps Measles Rubella (MMR) vaccine, cause inflammation which leads to autism?
- Has the rise in the number of standard vaccinations in general, because they include of a variety of potentially toxic elements, caused a variety of reactions which variously led to a rise in cases of autism (and other neurological disorders)? Is there any legitimate (meaning scientifically-arrived-at) evidence that unvaccinated children are less likely to be autistic than vaccinated children?
- Based on the recent Vaccine Court case which awarded a large settlement to the family of Hannah Poling, are children with autism actually children with a mitochondrial disorder which is set off by typical vaccine reactions?
- Did various government agencies, such as the CDC and NIH, knowingly and deliberately urge pediatricians to vaccinate infants with the intent to cause harm?
- Even if they did not actually intend to cause harm, did these agencies connive with big pharmaceutical agencies to hide evidence of harm caused by vaccines?
- Is there an incentive for lawyers to represent families claiming vaccine injury, since the Vaccine Court underwrites the cost of legal counsel for families filing claims? If so, are lawyers pressing families to file suits even if the suits are unlikely to win?
- Is there an incentive for journalists and media personalities to take on vaccines as a cause, since the issue has become a major focus of television, radio and Internet outlets? And by the same token, are those few doctors who are best known for their anti-vaccine advocacy actually campaigning for the public good - or are they in it for the fame and money?
- Is the CDC deliberately choosing to avoid certain types of vaccine-related studies because they fear the outcomes, or have they legitimately researched the subject extensively enough to claim that the outcomes have already been made clear?
In short, there is nothing simple or obvious about a connection between autism and vaccines. There is no clear, unbiased answer. If you're confused by the contradictory evidence - or "agnostic" in your beliefs relative to these issues - welcome to the club.
As an interesting sideline to this conversation, an article in this week's Newswise notes:
News stories about an allegedly harmful link between the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine and the onset of autism had little effect on whether U.S. parents immunized their children, according to a review of immunization records and news stories. Parents’ decisions were more likely influenced by recommendations from their child’s pediatrician, the researchers said….Is it really possible that parents are NOT reacting to the media blitz on autism and vaccines? If so - or if not - feel free to share your thoughts right here!The lesson for the public health community may be that the willingness to immunize a child is a story played out in the examination room during private conversation between the doctor and family,” said Smith. “Updating the doctor with the most credible information and with strategies for discussing vaccine safety with parents may be the most efficient way to guarantee successful immunization practices in the face of increasing amounts of often unreliable and misleading information.”
Comments
I don’t think too many reality based advocates are suggesting that public health officials or pediatricians are acting with intent to cause harm.
Rather, it is that some, in their zeal to promote public health may be erroneously accepting a level of adverse reaction risk that is too high (and possibly avoidable by reverting to a more conservative schedule). Some in the public health field appear to be and some are aggressively incurious about exploring this possibility.
I think the central question is whether the increase in the recommended schedule initiatied in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s: more vaccines, earlier, and in stronger, multiple preserved doses may trigger autism in some susceptible individuals and subgroups on the spectrum (like Hannah Poling.)
The vaccine causes autism proponents have to explain why autism prevalence tripled in California by birth year between 1970 and 1991 yet, there was no change in the vaccine schedule administration and only one thimerosal containing vaccine, DPT, and assuming increased uptake why there was no corresponding decrease in pertussis which would have had to have been of a much larger magnitude than the corresponding autism increase.
I have written more about this in detail here
Actually, CA is not a good state to really base autism rates on. They have regional centers and certain age groups are not counted at all, and depending on the diagnosis it is also not counted.
“…which awarded a large settlement to the family of Hannah Poling”
Do we know that a settlement has been reached and it is “large”? I don’t think that is public, if it has happened yet.
There is a full debate on the link between autism and vaccines between experts at Opposing Views.
Theory: Vaccinations are the primary cause of food allergies. Infant formula, infant vitamins, and antibiotics that contain peanut products directly or indirectly may be secondary causes.
BACKGROUND: This study began as a “wild idea” that vaccinations or medicine could be causing peanut allergy. It soon turned into a horrible realization. A very small amount of food proteins from many sources are considered inert ingredients that fall under trade secret protection and are not on the vaccine inserts. Various studies have shown that injecting an animal with protein is one method of inducing an allergy. Every study done of food allergy that could be located does not disprove this theory. There was a study done on Indonesian and Thai children that has been frequently quoted as saying that there are no peanut allergies in Thailand or Singapore in spite of the high consumption of peanuts. Evidence was presented that Singapore has a major problem with peanut allergy. The study itself says that many children reacted to peanuts in a skin prick test and that it eliminated a number of children from the study. The “hygiene theory” was examined and found to have no merit. Evidence of a long list of food protein that can be used in vaccine production has been found in various patents on-line. The increased childhood vaccination schedule coincides with the increase in food allergies in industrialized nations. The lower incidence of food allergies in less industrialized nations also coincides with a lower vaccination rate. The lower incidence of food allergies in the Hispanic population of the United States also coincides with a lower vaccination rate. The evidence of food allergy in animals has only been found in vaccinated animals. Evidence of ingredients that can be one of the patented adjuvants with various food oils has been presented. Evidence that “pharmacy grade” peanut oil still contains peanut protein has been presented. Package inserts have been examined and found to have ingredients that do not disclose its actual composition. EVERY SINGLE FOOD ALLERGY THAT I HAVE FOUND, I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT FOOD LISTED AS AN INGREDIENT IN A VACCINE OR MEDICAL PRODUCT.
Many of these pages were copied from my blog. The blog grew too big and was too hard to follow. The links listed below link to the article in my blog. Use the buttons to the right to go to the article on this website. If you’d like to leave a comment, you can do so on the blog or you can e-mail me by way of the contact page- bfg
1. Vaccines are given to create an immune response from the body. It only makes sense that the body treats anything in the vaccine as an invader that needs to have an antibody created to combat it. That is why we give vaccines. But if the vaccine has a trace of food in it such as egg or peanut, it only makes sense that the vaccine can cause a food allergy.
2. Peanut oil is used in vaccines in adjuvants or as a vaccine carrier. The ingredients of adjuvants or vaccine carriers are not listed individually on the package insert. So the physician would have no way of knowing that there was peanut oil in the vaccine. The ingredients of adjuvants is considered a “trade secret” and has the protection of many governments not to be revealed.
3. Peanut allergy decreases in populations that have decreased percentage of vaccinated children. There are a number of studies that link vaccinations to allergies.
4. Peanut allergy is almost unknown in Israel. The population eats lots of peanuts. Israel produces sesame oil. Israel manufactures its own vaccines. Sesame is a major allergy there. Hypothesis: Sesame oil is used instead of peanut oil in the vaccines used in Israel.
5. Study that is frequently cited saying that Indonesia and Thailand people do not suffer from peanut allergies was erroneous. Many children in the study reacted to peanuts in the skin prick test. The study relied on parents of report food reactions. I found a Thai parent quoted on the Internet saying that her child had a peanut allergy. I also found a physician from Singapore stating that peanut allergy is a major problem there.
6. The “hygiene” theory points out that there is less food allergy in underdeveloped countries. They speculated that the people and environment is less clean so it is the early exposure to bacteria, etc. that protects against allergies. However, children as young as 8 months have been diagnosed with peanut allergy and it is only since 1990 that peanut allergies have become a huge problem. The populations in the underdeveloped countries are also not as compliant with childhood vaccinations which would account for less peanut allergy.
7. The United States and China are major producers of peanut oil and vaccinations. There are many patents for products used in vaccines that contain peanut oil.
8. The secondary causes of peanut allergy are due to young children having a “leaky gut”, immature digestive system. Introducing foods too soon can lead to allergies. Medicines given with traces of peanut protein could lead to an allergy. Also antibiotics kill off good bacteria as well as bad and can lead to an overgrowth of yeast which can cause food allergy type problems. I don’t know if any infant formula in the United States contains peanut oil. One website said it was more of a problem in Europe.
9. Our vaccinated animals are getting food allergies Dogs are allergic to peanuts. Searching the Internet – I found a wild elephant allergic to wheat; the elephant had been immunized. (Wheat germ oil is used as a carrier of vaccines. Wheat protein is used to manufacture vaccines/medicines.)
10. The statistics for allergies is appalling!! The allergy epidemic increased with every new mandate for more childhood immunizations.
11. How pure can we make peanut oil? I assume it is highly refined but it only would take a teeny weeny bit of peanut protein in a vaccine to create a problem. That is, of course, assuming that it is ONLY the peanut protein that causes the allergy. Using my “guessing” math, only 1 shot out of 1680 would need to be contaminated to create a peanut allergy in 1 in 70 people in Great Britain.
12. Vaccine adjuvants/ vaccine carriers contain many other oils/ingredients. These other ingredients could account for allergies to other foods. Fish oil is used. Shellfish can be mixed in with the fish by-products which are used to make fish oil. Wheat germ oil, corn oil, soy oil are used. Milk and eggs are also used in the production of vaccines. I expect that the oils are mixed in the vaccines so that you might get a vaccine with peanut oil and soy oil in it or any number of other oils.
I keep looking but so far, I have been unable to DISPROVE my theory. And perhaps that is because VACCINES ARE A MAJOR CAUSE OF FOOD ALLERGIES!!
Take a look at independent data that was carried out in the Netherlands. Note the absolute comparisons of vaccinated vs. not vaccinated. It was basically monitored by the parents like you…They have no reason to lie. Please observe the chart I believe on page 2 that shows Autism incidence. Who knows, maybe it’s just a typo?
Dutch Association for Conscientious Vaccination
Independant Vaccine Study
Roosendaal, 1 December 2004
Independant Vaccine Study
We need totally unbiased participants such as parents of Autistic children or adults. No one on evaluation panel can be associated with vaccine mfg. or related group.All participants must be screened just as was in Dutch Association for Conscientious Vaccination study.
Or, just visit their Home page at:
vaccination.inoz.com