No link to autism
Settlement fails to strengthen case against vaccinations
The Rocky
Published March 10, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Colorado parents should not hesitate to have their children vaccinated, even though a Georgia family recently won a settlement by claiming that their 9-year-old daughter's autism-like symptoms are linked to vaccinations she received as a toddler.
That's the message from Colorado chief state medical officer Dr. Ned Calonge, and we agree wholeheartedly. The case of Hannah Poling may be a first, as it's apparently the only time the federal court overseeing a vaccine-injury fund has offered an award in a case referencing autism.
But the unfortunate young girl does not have autism. Instead she suffers from a mitochondrial disorder, a rare genetic disease. It had not been detected before she was vaccinated, and it was almost certainly present before her shots. The government did not conclude that any of the five vaccinations she received directly triggered her disease; instead the vaccines could have worsened her underlying disorder, and could have even caused a fever or an infection or stress that uncovered autism-like symptoms she had not exhibited earlier.
As Calonge told us, there are a lot of "mights" in this case. And federal health officials are emphatic that the Polings' case sets no precedent.
That's important because nearly 5,000 families with autistic children (and their attorneys) are seeking compensation from the same vaccine-injury fund. Should those families prevail, not only would they bankrupt the compensation program, they would also send a clear signal to pharmaceutical companies: Stop producing vaccines.
That could cause a public-health catastrophe. Measles, polio and meningitis are returning in regions where vaccination rates are on the wane. These outbreaks can afflict the entire population, not just children.
The furor began a decade ago when the respected British medical journal The Lancet published an article claiming a connection between vaccines and autism; but in 2004 the magazine published a retraction, in part because the lead author was doing research on behalf of families who were seeking damages from vaccine makers.
Researchers have yet to find evidence supporting a link between autism and vaccinations or thimerosal - Calonge cites 16 separate studies from five countries.
Moreover, the rate of autism diagnosis has more than doubled since 2002; if thimerosal were the cause, the rate should be dropping, because vaccine makers stopped using thimerosal almost entirely in 2001. Calonge says it's used only to preserve flu vaccine stored in vials, and small children aren't supposed to get flu shots.
The good news is, Colorado is part of a five-year, multistate study that will gather as much information as possible from autistic children and their parents in the hopes of finding the actual causes of autism and preventing its occurrence.
The Study to Explore Early Development, a joint project of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Kennedy Center at Vanderbilt University, seeks to enroll 2,700 autistic children. Researchers will log information about their prenatal health, genetic profiles, illnesses or infections, gastrointestinal ailments (autistic kids tend to have GI issues) and the like.
They'll also gather information about mothers' behavior during pregnancy, exposure to potentially dangerous substances at home or on the job, and so on.
That data will then be compared with information about nonautistic children with the goal of finding patterns and, with luck, isolating the causes of the disease.
Meantime, parents should consider the significant risks that follow when children aren't immunized. The responsible conclusion: Get those vaccinations.
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March 10, 2008
6:24 a.m.
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weemoose writes:
Thank you for this article. I wish there was as much interest in this article as there is in the Bronco's drafting (fan that I am). I am an RN who has worked in public health and parents do not realize the damage they are doing to their own children and other's children by not getting them vaccinated. I often found that educating the compliant parents was of more help than trying to educate the fearful. I am not sure I would let my children into a school where there was not 100% compliance anymore. People may have the right to not vaccinate, but the parents who do vaccinate need to understand the dangers that this policy produces.
March 10, 2008
6:46 a.m.
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vudumom writes:
The court has just opened a can of worms.Millions of parents who already believe that vaccines are harmful will now feel vindicated.Attorneys around the the country will start bombarding us with television ads trying to get people to sign up for huge class action lawsuits.
In just the little that I've read in this case ,I believe it was a wrong verdict and award.How is a doctor or a vaccine company know if a child has a rare genetic disorder before being vaccinated?
I certainly don't want my children in schools filled with unvaccinated children.I believe they do much more good than harm.There may be a few cases of side effects but everything has side effects to some people.Example: Leslie Fishbein
March 10, 2008
7:21 a.m.
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palmrita writes:
The gov't conceded a case that links autism to vaccines. This was not a verdict, this was a concession. The case was so solid it never got to that point. Have you not been reading? This child represents many, many more and those who have known for years that vaccines are toxic will sit back, watch and nod. The world has changed.
I'll take my chances with chicken pox over Russian roulette with autism seven days a week.
You make your decision. I'll make mine.
RP
March 10, 2008
7:28 a.m.
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Art writes:
The problem is with the use of thimerasol in the vaccines, not with the vaccines themselves. If the pharmeceutical companies would cease using this mercury derived compound parents would not have the worry. Ask your doctor for the vaccines without thimerasol, they are available.
March 10, 2008
8:25 a.m.
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Lesforlife writes:
And then there is the moral outrage of using fetal cells from aborted
babies in vaccines' production.
The thimerasol problem has been known for years, but the industry was lax
in removing it from the market, imo.
To learn more: http://www.cogforlife.org/vaccineques...
March 10, 2008
8:35 a.m.
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kathyM writes:
palmrita, Do you know why so many children were born deaf, blind, or both before the rubella vaccine? Do you know how many people died an agonizing death by smallpox and influenza before the vaccines?
The 1997 study focused on 12 children! The author has since acknowledged that and other gaping flaws in the study. One of the numerous studies since then is a Japanese study that showed a continuing rise in autism after MMR vaccines were discontinued. And the sample size was over 30,000 (New Scientist, 2005).
I'll take my chances with autism over Russian roulette with birth defects or death seven days a week.
March 10, 2008
9:13 a.m.
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AngelontheSidelines writes:
Thimerasol is but one factor in the rise of autism, cel phones and wifi take up the slack where thimerasol use wanes.
March 10, 2008
noon
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mytwosense writes:
I'm for vaccinations. I believe my child has one of the best pediatricians in the state, and she is absolutely for vaccinations, too. If we were seeing widespread autism very much in proportion with vaccination dosings, I might re-think my opinion, however, we're simply not.
And I absolutely don't want to see diseases come back that killed and/or disabled countless children and adults.
However, I can't help but wonder why some people are worried about sending their vaccinated kids to schools with unvaccinated kids. Your child is going to be immune if those other kids are carriers, are they not?
March 10, 2008
12:12 p.m.
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stuckiniowa writes:
I have been vaccinated and let me list of tne myriad of ailments I have now -- ummmmm ---- let me see here ---- yaaaa -- ummm
Well I did opt out of a Yellow Fever vaccine a couple years ago before a trip to Central America. Then they found a mosquito carrying the disease about 5 miles from where I was staying. But I didnt catch it -- so I guesss we are good.
Vaccines are responsible for eradication of several fatal diseases, and as a result have reduced childhood mortality rates (and overall mortality rates.)
Are there more cases of autism -- or more diagnoses?
March 10, 2008
1:17 p.m.
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nonayerbsns writes:
RMN: that pile of poop which, from a distance, looks like chocolate cake is STILL A PILE OF POOP!!! In other words: there most certainly IS a link between autism and vaccinations (which, for the most part are safe, but there IS a risk). to say otherwise, is a bold-faced lie.
March 10, 2008
1:45 p.m.
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kathyM writes:
nonayerbsns, Please cite the scientific, peer-reviewed, published studies that prove there IS a link between autism and vaccinations.
March 10, 2008
2:29 p.m.
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Coco writes:
kathyM - There IS a link becuz nonayerbsns sez so! Never let the facts get in the way of your beliefs! (Anyone looking for deep pockets can find a "link" between anything.) I slipped on my ice covered gravel driveway the other day, conked my head, got a concussion. This is clearly the fault of Chevrolet. If they hadn't made my darn truck so darn big - you see, it cast a large area of shade on the driveway - the sun could have melted the ice. Where's muh muney? Park it in the garage? HA! The builder made the garage too small to accommodate my truck. Mo muny, mo muny, mo muny!
March 10, 2008
3:01 p.m.
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kathyM writes:
Good one, Coco. Good luck with your lawsuit...:)
March 10, 2008
3:04 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ nonayerbsns
How can it be a "bold-face lie" when the incidence of autism is the same in groups of kids vaccinated and groups of kids who aren't vaccinated? Surely, if vaccines were the cause there would be fewer kids with autism in the unvaccinated group. This clearly isn't so.
March 10, 2008
3:06 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ mytwosense
"However, I can't help but wonder why some people are worried about sending their vaccinated kids to schools with unvaccinated kids. Your child is going to be immune if those other kids are carriers, are they not?"
The problem is the phenomenon known as "vaccine break-through" in which vaccinated kids get the disease. It's unusual and generally the disease is less severe. But it is the disease none the less.
March 10, 2008
3:08 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ Art
"The problem is with the use of thimerasol in the vaccines, not with the vaccines themselves. If the pharmeceutical companies would cease using this mercury derived compound parents would not have the worry."
Art - Thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines in 2001. Surely, if it were the cause, we would have seen a decline in the incidence of autism by now. But that's not the case, is it?
March 10, 2008
3:35 p.m.
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palmrita writes:
A study to compare non-vaccinated populations to vaccinated populations was conducted by GenerationRescue.org. The results are interesting and anyone who questions the motivations of Big Pharma should refer to them. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is trying to get a Congressional Act passed that would compel the gov't to do a much larger study. Why not? Doesn't everyone want to know?
The more you read on this topic, the more doubt one has on the safety of the vaccines. Clearly, the one-size-fits-all formula does not work for all God's children and if it's your kid that goes from normal to not, suddenly that risk is anything but 'extremely rare'. There are many balanced books on the topic and anyone with a questioning mind (remember Vioxx?) should read them. Then exercise your right to informed choice.
March 10, 2008
4:24 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ palmrita
"Generation rescue" pushes the thimerosal link. Yet thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines 7 years ago. You'd think by now the incidence of autism would have declined. Not only has this NOT occurred, it's continuing to increase.
Look for your culprit elsewhere. (Hint - start with genetics.)
March 10, 2008
10:38 p.m.
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kathyM writes:
bryanZ, I'm glad you mentioned genetics. It's possible that parents of an autistic child might have some kind of genetic blip. It seems even more obvious with parents of more than one autistic child. These cases scream for attention from genetic experts and other researchers.
It's eerie that an autistic child starts showing symptoms around age 2, and that the behavior change seems to be out of the blue.
But there are many other diseases that present at specific ages. Does that mean a medical treatment (i.e., a vaccine) caused the disease?
March 11, 2008
3:18 a.m.
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quicksilver writes:
5 000 waiting to claim compensation from anaphylaxis the normal UNWANTED reaction to a vaccine.
There are more than 250 000 who aren't claiming money because their lives have been ruined by adverse reactions to vaccines but the financial burden makes the cost and trauma of putting in a legal claim IMPOSSIBLE.
BIG PHARMA IS WALKING OVER THE ORDINARY PERSON
March 11, 2008
3:36 a.m.
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quicksilver writes:
@bryanz
Check your facts:
Mercury is still in vaccines,
And worse,
More and more is being given to younger and younger children.
(Hint Dont speak about things you don't understand and don't add confusion where CLARITY and STUPIDITY are in FULL ABUNDANCE.)
THIMEROSAL must attract a WORLDWIDE BAN
March 11, 2008
7:22 a.m.
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PonchoVia writes:
Poor, poor big Pharma - here's a message for big Pharma: "Find a way to make vaccines without mercury.". The first to do that will make billions more than they already make. They can even patent it and jack up the price
March 11, 2008
7:34 a.m.
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saveferris writes:
I thought I saw a story once that stated that the older the father of the child is, the higher the risk for autism. Since a lot of people are waiting until later to start having children, couldn't that have something to do with the rising numbers of austistic children? Just a thought....
March 11, 2008
8:13 a.m.
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kathyM writes:
quicksilver, Please tell us which vaccines are still being made using thimerosol as a preservative.
March 11, 2008
8:48 a.m.
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KelcyCo writes:
I wouldn`t really care whether parents withhold vaccinations from their children so long as they had to sign a legally binding document that said they would be personally responsible for all costs associated with that child should said child develop the disease he or she was not vaccinated against. If they are covered by public health coverage of some form I don`t want that to be used to pay for the childs illness should it get one of the vaccine covered diseases. It would also be up to the insurance companies whether to cover the diseases were a child not to be vaccinated.
I also don`t want my tax dollars to be spent on your child forever when they become permanently disabled due to the disease.
People do have choices and they should have the right to make their choice. However, the consequences should also be theirs to live with and not mine. When said child becomes an adult they are then allowed to make a different choice to be vaccinated. Until then we give the decision making power to the parents and they should be the ones responsible.
Autism is horrible as is every other disability that children can be born with or develop. As parents we want all our children to be born perfect, in perfect health and to stay that way. When they aren`t we want someone to take the blame because it makes us feel better somehow. Life does not work that way however.
I wonder what these people who blame the vaccinations say when having not vaccinated their child they still show up with autism like symptoms. They are going to be really depressed when they find out most of autism is genetic based and therefore they need to look in the mirror to see the person to blame is themselves as they passed on those nasty genes. Shoot, even the family that is getting the bonus dollars for their child admits it is a genetic defect in the child herself that caused the problem. Hmmm. Her genes came from them. With or without the shots she may eventually have developed the autism like symptoms at some point.
March 11, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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vudumom writes:
I think we are seeing a rise in Autism because it was misunderstood and misdiagnosed for many years.The science is catching up now.I also think it is a genetic link.Since many years ago they had no name for what was wrong with a child they would label that child as slow,special ed,retarded etc...Now they have all kinds of names for children's behaviors and learning disabilities.In the mean time people have been having children and passing this gene onto more and more people which is also a reason for a rise in Autism and other now known disorders.When my youngest brother was in school he was having alot of trouble.They didn't know what Dyslexia was and now they know.So for how many decades have these disorders been around and not diagnosed?I'd venture to say a long time.Just now are we understanding the human brain in more ways and the disorders children and people have. There is still alot of research to be done.I do not believe vaccines caused my brothers Dyslexia.I do not believe it causes Autism or other disorders.I think it's genetic.Common sense is needed and research dollars should be spent on trying to figure out this disease and coming up with a solution to help these children become all they can be with therapy and specialized education programs,which are working.
March 11, 2008
10:14 a.m.
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kwatkins writes:
I am currently an RN working in an Immunization clinic. Directly from the manufacturer package inserts comes the following information for the most common childhood vaccinations.
Pediarix (hep B, IPV, DTaP)- no preservatives-thimerosal free
Act HIB- thimerosal free
Prevnar- thimerosal free
MMR- no preservative-thimerosal free
Varicella- thimerosal free
DTaP (Infanrix)-thimerosal free
Again this comes directly from the package insert.
March 11, 2008
1:15 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@Pancho
If all "big pharma" wanted to do is make money, then they would stop making vaccines. The result would be a lot more infectious diseases and hospitalizations. Antibiotics and antivirals are far more profitable than vaccines. "Big pharma" would be rolling in a lot more dough if vaccines weren't available.
March 11, 2008
1:20 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ quicksilver
You clearly believe that if you say something enough times, it will come true. Thimerosal has not been formulated in routine childhood immunizations for 7 years now. Fine if you don't believe me, but kwatkins has showed you package inserts from the actual vaccines. Do you think s/he is lying, too? Is it a "big pharma" conspiracy? Can you explain why autism rates are the same whether kids are immunized or not? Can you explain why autism hits 4 boys for every girl? Can you explain why autism rates have higher concordance in identical twins as opposed to fraternal twins or siblings? The reality of it is, genetics is THE underlying factor to autism.
March 11, 2008
1:33 p.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@ vudumom
You have nailed it. Here's the chain of events.
Pre-1980s - Autism was single disease (think "Rain Man")
Late 1980s - Congress provides funding for "special education" (i.e., more funding for special ed kids; schools love that [especially in Colorado])
Early 1990s - Autism's definition was expanded to "autism spectrum disorder" to include behavioral anomalies with far less severe symptoms
Early 1990s - Autism is diagnosed more frequently
If you apply today's definition of autism ("ASD") to pre-1980s, I bet the rate would be virtually the same.
March 12, 2008
5:11 a.m.
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palmrita writes:
Thimerosal has not been removed from the vaccines. I called GlaxoSmith Kline and asked myself. Additionally, the stockpile of vaccines with thimerosal still to be used are getting into our kids. Moreover, there are dozens of other toxic ingredients that are put into the shots and our babies.
The CDC is unwilling to release the raw data they use to compile their 'studies' and it has been a legal issue for years. They manipulate their data to create 'research' that covers their tracks. Why does anyone find this difficult to believe? Big business and Big government are rarely benevolent. Doesn't anyone remember WMD?
Vaccine companies needs to make these things safer, fewer and later.
March 12, 2008
9:58 a.m.
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bryanZ writes:
@palmrita
Here you go: http://www.fda.gov/CBER/vaccine/thime...
Table I is what you want. As you can see, there are thimerosal-free versions of every childhood vaccine, and the ones that have detectable thimerosal are only at trace levels - far less than what used to be used. If thimerosal was the cause, then there should be a decrease in autism cases by now.
I also see you're moving the goalposts by your "Moreover, there are dozens of other toxic ingredients that are put into the shots and our babies." Are you trying to CYA since the thimerosal evidence is so overwhelming?
March 12, 2008
11:01 a.m.
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palmrita writes:
Fortunately, many more parents are questioning the vaccines, researching, understanding, discovering and refusing. With the Poling case, discussion about vaccines is taking place at every playgroup and grocery store line in America. Whatever your decision is, make it an educated and informed choice. If there is even a small yet persistent doubt, start reading.