Can Vaccines Cause Autism? CDC: "We Don't Know"
David Kirby - The Huffington Post
March 29, 2008

It was a big morning in Atlanta today. In case you missed CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding this morning on CNN's "House Call with Dr Sanjay Gupta," it was rather interesting:

• TRANSCRIPT
• VIDEO

If I have read the transcript below correctly, Dr. Gerberding is saying that, yes, in some mitochondrial disorder cases, vaccines can be the trigger that causes "symptoms that have characteristics of autism." So, Dr. Gerberding admits a link -- but then denies that it is a link to autism.
 
The only problem with this line of argument is that I know for a fact that Hannah, as well as the kids in the new unpublished mito study were, as one doctor told me, "plucked right from autism clinics. They all have autism, there is no question of that."

Read more.

Give us answers on vaccines

By DAVID KIRBY
3/20/08

By now, many parents in America have heard of the Hannah Poling court case. They know the government has acknowledged that vaccines contributed to autism in at least one little girl from Georgia. Understandably, they are worried, and they want answers.

But instead of frank talk from leading health officials, their concerns are being met with stonewalling, denial and misinformation.

By refusing to address what really happened to Hannah — by commanding parents to settle down and adhere to the nation's rigid immunization regime — officials will only drive people away from vaccines in anxiety-ridden droves.

But what if we could test children for underlying conditions that might increase their risk of vaccine injury and autism? And what if we allowed those at risk to slightly delay and spread out their shots?

It's a difficult, but not impossible, proposition. And I believe doing so would reduce the rate of autism, seizure disorders and even asthma in some children. And we would boost vaccination rates by restoring faith in the nation's teetering immunization program.

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Dr. Jon Poling to Dr. Steven Novella on Age of Autism

By Dr. Jon Poling, father of Hannah Poling.

OPEN LETTER TO DR. STEVEN NOVELLA IN RESPONSE TO
"Has the Government Conceded Vaccines Cause Autism?"

Dr. Novella,
Thank you for generating interesting discussion regarding my little girl, Hannah Poling.  I would like to give you additional information in order to generate further productive discussions on this matter amongst the neurology community.  This information should assist you, Dr. DiMauro, and Dr. Trevethan, who have also commented publicly, to formulate better theories as to the significance of Hannah’s mitochondrial dysfunction in relation to her autism.
1. Mito Dysfunction or Mito Disease?  Chicken or Egg?

READ THE ENTIRE LETTER

Gov't: Girl’s Autism Symptoms Linked to Vaccines
Federal Officials Say Vaccines Worsened Condition That Led to Autism Spectrum Disorder in Georgia Girl
 
WebMD Medical News

 March 6, 2008 -- Federal officials say a Georgia girl is entitled to compensation from a federal vaccine injury fund because she developed autism-like symptoms after receiving childhood vaccines in 2000.

The parents of 9-year-old Hannah Poling are expected to relay their appreciation that "a move toward justice has been made" in a news conference today, says John Gilmore, executive director of Autism United, a coalition of autism groups.

The government has not said that childhood vaccines cause autism; rather, officials conclude that the vaccines given to the girl in 2000 aggravated a pre-existing condition that then manifested as autism spectrum disorder.

Those who believe there is a vaccine-autism link call the decision a victory, but those who see no link worry that parents will once again shy away from childhood vaccines.

Autism-Vaccine Debate on Larry King

Read Associated Press story

SafeMinds Statement on VICP Concession

Read more about the science

David Kirby and Imus on WABC-AM Radio

IMUS: Good morning Mr. Kirby. How are you?

DAVID: I'm good. It's been exactly 3 years ago when you and Diedre really started bringing this to the people's attention. Boy, talk about "Ground Hog Day". It just seems like we're beating the same issues all over again, without getting anywhere.

IMUS. I thought it was kind of amusing to me, after Senator McCain said what he said in Texas, which I'll ask you about in a second....to see my name in a couple of columns blaming me for influencing him. When I've never said anything of the kind. I've got my own suspicions, but, any way, what exactly did Sen. McCain say now?

DAVID: Sen. McCain said, after being asked a question Texas by a woman referring to the big court case, which was just conceded, in which the government said that a girl's vaccine injury led to and resulted in an ultimate diagnosis of autism. She asked him about it and he, to just about everyone's surprise, said he believed there was strong evidence to implicate the vaccine ingredient called thimerosal, in the rise in the numbers of cases. He said the rise of cases is indisputable, meaning it's not just better diagnosis, we have more autism in America today then we had 10 or 15 years ago. He's trying to figure out what is going on. He recognizes there is a national emergency. It may not be the mercury in the vaccines, it may not be the vaccines at all, but, until we get to the bottom of this it's refreshing, to say the least, to hear a politician out their talking about what a lot of other people are talking about. At some point, if you want to get into some of the studies that are coming out, McCain, who's been blasted in the last 24 hours, taking more "incoming" that I've received in 5 years in just 24 hours. He is referring to actual studies that have been published by very top flight scientists, and, he has a very good medical and science staff. He would not have made this statement flippantly, and, it didn't come out of nowhere.

IMUS: The next question: There is scientific evidence out there suggesting that there is a definitive link?

DAVID: There's lots of science evidence, when taken together might suggest a link.

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The Science on Autism, Mitochondria, and Mercury

Information has recently come to light that the U.S government has conceded a case in the Vaccine Injury Court. The case is a child diagnosed with autism who has a mitochondrial disorder. The child's vaccinations triggered an adverse effect that led to her autism. David Kirby, author of Evidence of harm, has written an extensive article on the Huffington Post about the case and its implications.

Kirby mentions that mercury, including thimerosal, can trigger mitochondrial dysfunction. Mercury can also lead to oxidative stress (OS) and calcium (Ca2+) dysregulation, both of which are key features of mitochondrial dysfunction. Several studies have linked increased OS, Ca2+ imbalance, and mitochondrial dysfunction to autism.

To help our readers understand the science relevant to this court case, SafeMinds has posted an assortment of research articles (in full or the abstracts) that pertain to mitochondria function, related physiology (that is, calcium homeostasis and oxidative stress), mercury (including thimerosal) and autism.

SafeMinds Statement on VICP Concession

Read more

ABC Drama, Eli Stone, Tackles Autism-Thimerosal Controversy

January 30, 2008

SafeMinds asks network for balanced viewer information despite AAP pressure

SafeMinds has formally asked ABC to resist the latest attempt by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to stifle public discussion on the link between thimerosal and autism. According to an article published in the New York Times last week, the premiere episode of Eli Stone, an ABC drama, depicts the main character, Eli Stone, successfully bringing a mother's lawsuit to court against a pharmaceutical company claiming that a vaccine additive, "mercuritol", in their influenza vaccine caused her son's autism. 'Mecuritol' resembles the real-life mercury-containing compound thimerosal, used in infant vaccines as a preservative.

A letter from AAP's president has urged ABC to cancel the program.  Along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), AAP's Committee on Infectious Diseases makes official recommendations on infant vaccines, and together they were responsible for the addition of mercury-containing vaccines to the infant immunization schedule, including influenza vaccines. Despite the availability of mercury-free flu vaccines, both AAP and CDC have refused to state a preference for them for infants and pregnant women. AAP's conflict of interest on thimerosal vaccines was not stated in their letter to ABC.

ABC has responded that they will air the episode and add a statement that the episode is fictional and to visit the CDC's website for more information on autism. SafeMinds, in its own letter to ABC, applauded their resolve to air the episode.  In the interest of offering objective and balanced information on the real-life mercury-autism issue, SafeMinds has requested that ABC state that research on thimerosal's effects is on-going and that viewers be given the opportunity to visit the SafeMinds website as well as CDC's. The Safeminds website provides information on scientific research and analysis supporting a mercury-autism link and mercury-containing vaccines and their alternatives.

The episode airs on Thursday, January 31st at 10/9c and the parallels to real life drawn by the episode are undeniable.  There are thousands of vaccine-autism cases yet to be heard in federal vaccine court.  The autism epidemic is a national emergency, with 1 in 150 children diagnosed with some form of this debilitating disorder. The cost to society for specialized education and long term care is large. Mercury in any form is a potent neurotoxin and is especially harmful to the fetus and infants. Environmental mercury exposures are increasing. The rapid increase in autism rates indicates that one or more environmental factors are playing a role in autism. While research on the role of mercury in vaccines in relation to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism continues, SafeMinds cannot support the use of mercury-containing vaccines. The Eli Stone premier is a needed addition to continued discourse on this important subject for our children's health

Read SafeMinds letter to the ABC

Read SafeMinds Mercury FAQ

Read February 2006 Emails from Len Lavenda - Sanofi Pasteur US Media Relations on the Preservative Free Influenza Vaccine Supply 2006/2007 Season

Download SafeMinds flu vaccine brochure

David Kirby on The Huffington Post:  Pediatricians, ABC and Censorship: Facts Are Scarier Than Fiction

Age of Autism: PEDIATRICIANS DEMAND CENSORSHIP FROM ABC

SafeMinds board member Deirdre Imus was on the Imus speaking about the NY Times article by Edward Watt in which he reviewed the upcoming show on ABC, "Eli Stone."

Mercury in Vaccines Leaves Blood Fast Study Shows Ethyl Mercury in Thimerosal Leaves Blood Quickly

January 30, 2008

By Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD

Ethyl mercury from the vaccine preservative thimerosal leaves the blood 10 times faster than methyl mercury, on which current risk assessments are based.

Only trace levels of thimerosal can be found in U.S. vaccines, except in multi-dose vials of flu vaccine (single-dose flu vaccine has no thimerosal). But the inexpensive vaccines that allow poorer nations to afford to immunize their children still use thimerosal to prevent bacterial contamination. Read more

SafeMinds Statement on Paper on California's Autism DDS Data and Thimerosal Exposure

January 7, 2008

A paper* was published today on autism rates and thimerosal exposure. The authors, Robert Schechter and Judith Grether, used the California Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDS) data on autism enrollments over time and compared them to thimerosal exposure rates. They conclude that "the DDS data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to thimerosal during childhood is a primary cause of autism."

SafeMinds examined the DDS data set, the thimerosal exposure information in the paper, and Schechter and Grether's interpretation of the findings as summarized in their concluding statement above. SafeMinds arrives at a different interpretation of the findings, showing that the data can equally support a primary causative role of thimerosal if autism causation is multifactorial. Vaccine components and environmental mercury, as well as other toxicants, are additional likely candidates. Deficiencies of the DDS data and imprecise thimerosal exposure assumptions make determination of the contribution of thimerosal to autism rates difficult. The increase in autism cases reported by Schechter and Grether since the 1980s highlights the urgency of the autism epidemic and the need to institute a rigorous and comprehensive environmental factors research program.

SafeMinds analysis now available

* Schechter R., Grether JK. Continuing Increases in Autism Reported to California's Developmental Services System. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008. Vol 65(1); 19-24.

NIH Strategic Plans for Autism Research

As directed by Congress through the Combating Autism Act, NIH is preparing a strategic plan for autism research in the first quarter of 2008. The draft strategic plan will then be presented to the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee for approval. Lyn Redwood, director of SafeMinds, sits on the IACC. Organizations that fund autism research were asked by NIH to submit two documents to start this process off. The first document is the organization's research recommendations for NIH, and the second is a list of the top research initiatives and accomplishments of the organization. SafeMinds submitted both documents, which are provided here along with the original NIH requests.

• SafeMinds autism research strategic plan recommendations, issued in conjunction with the National Autism Association
  
  
• NIH request for research recommendations for strategic plan
  
  
• NIH request for organizations' top research initiatives and accomplishments

(added January 7, 2008)

SafeMinds challenges IOM to back up words with actions - demands release of all documents on connection between thimerosal and autism
(July 1, 2005)

IOM Statement

SafeMinds Presents Evidence Exposing Vaccine-Autism Link at 09/08/04 Congressional Hearing (Announcement)

NewMax Article - Mercury Linked to Autism
(September 10, 2004)

BBC News - Health - Vaccine Scrapped Over Autism Fear
(August 07, 2004)

Green Bay News-Chronicle: Exposure to mercury linked to neurobehavioral disease epidemic in children
(July 30, 2004)

Mothering Magazine Warns Parents About Mercury In Flu Vaccines
(July 05, 2004)

CBS News Special report: Vaccine Links to Autism?
(June 22, 2004)

CBS News Special Report: Mercury Rising
(June 12, 2004)

Breakthrough Research: New Columbia University Study Confirms IOM Vaccine-Autism Report Is Wrong
(June 14, 2004 - Washington, DC)

Full Text of Columbia University Study
Hornig et al - Molecular Psychiatry
(Immediate Communications - June 2004)

Office of Special Counsel Forwards Public Health Concerns On Vaccines To Congress
(May 20, 2004 - Washington, DC)

Testimony of Lyn Redwood, RN, MSN, President of SafeMinds Before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness Committee on Government Reform - U.S. House of Representatives, September 8, 2004 - Hearing: "Truth Revealed: New Scientific Discoveries Regarding Mercury in Medicine and Autism"

Joint Statement Regarding The IOM Committee Reviewing the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project

SafeMinds Statement Regarding The IOM Committee Reviewing the Vaccine Safety Datalink Project
(Sally Bernard, Executive Director)

Is Thimerosal the Missing Link to Autism and Development Problems?

SafeMinds RESPONDS TO FAILED IOM REPORT

Research, not arguments, is the answer - Nancy Blackmon, Andalusia Star-News, May 19, 2004

The March/April issue of Mother Jones includes "Toxic Tipping Point,"...