Comments on: The "Open Question" On Vaccines and Autism

[getsmart9]

Thank you Dr. Healy, for keeping an open mind. The hardest part about being the mother of an autistic child is the fact that there are no answers as to why this is happening. If the powers that be turn their backs on the research, we will never see the possibility of a cure, or at least proper treatment. The idea of all these children being institutionalized one day is horrifying.

[Diamonddavej]

anniepema - the reason for older people having more autistic kids is social skills and genes. I myself did not first date until I was 30 years old. Late bloomers are more likely to carry a few autistic genes, that impact subtly on their social skills, thus they get married later and have kids later too.

This is particularly true of men - Prof. Chris Gillberg found that immigrant families had a much higher rate of autism, looking closer he found that fathers with mild autism had gone abroad to marry foreign women and then returned to Sweden. They went abroad because women in their own country viewed them as too odd & eccentric, but foreign wifes saw them their behaviors as Swedishness.

[Diamonddavej]

I have an autism spectrum disorder myself and I hold a Ph.D. I''m on youtube under "Asperger documentary". The reason for the increase in autism cases is the widening of the diagnostic criteria that now includes commoner milder cases like myself. There is no real increase in autism.

Furthermore, I agree that autism-mercury myth is a modern "snake oil" business that preys on the vulnerable emotions of parents who are desperate for help with their autistic children.

The most active attorney is a business partner of the Dr. who does the most of the "research" into the mercury-autism myth. He has not published in respected journals - three of his papers were published in the discredited "Journal of the American Physicians and Surgeons", which is not listed on any medical database and is listed as "untrustworthy, non-recommended periodical." by Quack Watch dot org.

[anniepema]

The reason those in autism research and charities say it is mysterious is because autism is a lucrative business. The major cause of sporadic autism is older paternal age and older age of the mother''s father at her birth.


http://www.schizophreniaforum.org/for/curr/Malaspina/default.asp

[thoj0]

Is there a reason why you link to an expert report from the Omnibus as "For a list of more than 60 supporting studies, click here"?

This report is writen to support the vaccine trial which started today--it is far from an objective report, and certainly not merely a list of papers.

As noted in the opening statements, the family''s lawyers are trying this in the press while the government is doing the right thing and trying this in the court.

Dr. Healy talks in vague generalities about there being credible evidence, while not actually discussing which studies she feels would lend credibility to this idea.

This story is filled with most of the vaccines-cause-autism buzz phrases, many of them totally inaccurate, that one has to wonder at the goals of the author.

For example:

"Yet the government continues to frame the conversation in all-or-nothing, "one-size-fits-all" terms. "

Did you not hear the CDC talk about the vaccine schedule and how parents need to talk this over with their own pediatrician? Anyone following this story for the past few months could never make that statement as journalism.

Sorry, but this blog post belongs on a fringe blog like the Age of Autism, rather than on the website of an actual news organization.

[thoj0]

Is there a reason why you link to an expert report from the Omnibus as "For a list of more than 60 supporting studies, click here"?

This report is writen to support the vaccine trial which started today--it is far from an objective report, and certainly not merely a list of papers.

As noted in the opening statements, the family''s lawyers are trying this in the press while the government is doing the right thing and trying this in the court.

Dr. Healy talks in vague generalities about there being credible evidence, while not actually discussing which studies she feels would lend credibility to this idea.

This story is filled with most of the vaccines-cause-autism buzz phrases, many of them totally inaccurate, that one has to wonder at the goals of the author.

For example:

"Yet the government continues to frame the conversation in all-or-nothing, "one-size-fits-all" terms. "

Did you not hear the CDC talk about the vaccine schedule and how parents need to talk this over with their own pediatrician? Anyone following this story for the past few months could never make that statement as journalism.

Sorry, but this blog post belongs on a fringe blog like the Age of Autism, rather than on the website of an actual news organization.

[preventnow]

Thank you for covering this story!

Vaccine safety is an issue of importance for ALL parents, not just parents of children with autism.

Please watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo&feature=related

(The 2 minute edited version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc)

The video asks the Candidates for their positions regarding two actions the next President can take to begin to improve vaccine safety.

Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal: http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/1.13.pdf

Page 2: "Exposure to mercury in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

April 4, 2008, page 33:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda_recommendations_080404.pdf

"Simultaneous vaccination

. Usually simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied
at time of licensure....
. ACIP recommends simultaneous vaccination, unless
contraindications are present (CDC, ACIP General Recommendations,
2006)."

The video transcript the transcript with live link references is here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html)

[preventnow]

Thank you for covering this story!

Vaccine safety is an issue of importance for ALL parents, not just parents of children with autism.

Please watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo&feature=related

(The 2 minute edited version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc)

The video asks the Candidates for their positions regarding two actions the next President can take to begin to improve vaccine safety.

Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal: http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/1.13.pdf

Page 2: "Exposure to mercury in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

April 4, 2008, page 33:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda_recommendations_080404.pdf

"Simultaneous vaccination

. Usually simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied
at time of licensure....
. ACIP recommends simultaneous vaccination, unless
contraindications are present (CDC, ACIP General Recommendations,
2006)."

The video transcript the transcript with live link references is here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html)

[preventnow]

Thank you for covering this story!

Vaccine safety is an issue of importance for ALL parents, not just parents of children with autism.

Please watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo&feature=related

(The 2 minute edited version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc)

The video asks the Candidates for their positions regarding two actions the next President can take to begin to improve vaccine safety.

Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal: http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/1.13.pdf

Page 2: "Exposure to mercury in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

April 4, 2008, page 33:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda_recommendations_080404.pdf

"Simultaneous vaccination

. Usually simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied
at time of licensure....
. ACIP recommends simultaneous vaccination, unless
contraindications are present (CDC, ACIP General Recommendations,
2006)."

The video transcript the transcript with live link references is here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html)

[preventnow]

Thank you for covering this story!

Vaccine safety is an issue of importance for ALL parents, not just parents of children with autism.

Please watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo&feature=related

(The 2 minute edited version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc)

The video asks the Candidates for their positions regarding two actions the next President can take to begin to improve vaccine safety.

Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal: http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/1.13.pdf

Page 2: "Exposure to mercury in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

April 4, 2008, page 33:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda_recommendations_080404.pdf

"Simultaneous vaccination

. Usually simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied
at time of licensure....
. ACIP recommends simultaneous vaccination, unless
contraindications are present (CDC, ACIP General Recommendations,
2006)."

The video transcript the transcript with live link references is here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html)

[preventnow]

Thank you for covering this story!

Vaccine safety is an issue of importance for ALL parents, not just parents of children with autism.

Please watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo&feature=related

(The 2 minute edited version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc)

The video asks the Candidates for their positions regarding two actions the next President can take to begin to improve vaccine safety.

Material Safety Data Sheet for Thimerosal: http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/1.13.pdf

Page 2: "Exposure to mercury in utero and in children may cause mild to severe mental retardation and mild to severe motor coordination impairment."

April 4, 2008, page 33:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/00_pdf/draft_agenda_recommendations_080404.pdf

"Simultaneous vaccination

. Usually simultaneous vaccination is incompletely studied
at time of licensure....
. ACIP recommends simultaneous vaccination, unless
contraindications are present (CDC, ACIP General Recommendations,
2006)."

The video transcript the transcript with live link references is here: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html)

[raphaelgrn67]

as a scientifically oriented mind it is very comforting to know that there are people like Dr. Healy who understand how science works and I can see her frustration at seeing how it is handled by the government who in essence understand very little about the immense effort not only in terms of money but also in procedures and re-search. I think politicians should realize that science doesn''t work like government where you can somehow manage or handle situations or outcomes, in science one is basically working blindly and it requires a constant, unvarying approach if one can hope at breakthroughs. I think the fact that we can send rovers to mars and not yet being able to tell whether a child has autism or some other thing really shows how conservative we still are when it comes to the study of human beings

[george3231]

Healy''s story gives the impression that large scale studies of the effects of vaccination on autism occurence are not available. However, there are many such studies using data bases in Denmark, Sweden, England and Canada. The studies have consistently found no association with vaccination or the preservatives in vaccines. This is why professional societies have consistently said that there is very little likelihood that vaccines contribute to autism. However, it now appears that failure to vaccinate is contributing to increased mortality from childhood infectious diseases. Healy has contributed to the irresponsible reporting in this area.