There are researchers who think that there MAY be a link between mercury and autism (yes, I said may be)
Follow the money. David Geier, one of the authors of this study, is "president of MedCon, a medical–legal consulting firm that helps vaccine injury claimants to obtain money from both the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and through civil litigation".
"I'm not confused. Linking Diet Coke, vaccines, and pesticides to autism can be construed as absurd."
Yes, you are still confused. The issue is whether mercury, a known neurotoxin (which as a nurse you are already well aware of) can cause autism. Your attempt to cloud the issue with Diet coke and other stuff is the absurd part and doesn't help get to the truth.
"Follow the money."
Yep. Follow the money. But don't just point the finger at David Geier.
Vaccines are big business. The pharmaceutical companies are trying to say that financially they can't produce them without complete legal indemnity. Given the number of studies recently that have been "creatively" interpreted so that they can get dangerous drugs onto the market, these guys don't need indemnity, they need more integrity. Ever heard of Vioxx, Bextra, Fen-fen/Redux, Seldane, Hismanal, Rezulin, Baycol, etc.? That's just a partial list of the more sensational ones which caused serious problems or death. They knowingly ignored significant negative events in all of the field trials and studies for these meds.
What about the supposedly safe Smallpox vaccine? Do they need indemnity for that, too, after it caused several deaths?
BTW, did you get your smallpox vaccine?
The prescription drug companies are in it for the profit, and that's fine, but if you are going to talk about someone only after money in this whole vaccincation issue then you need to look into what has happened to the FDA vetting process for new meds. Even PBS has been reporting on this:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/prescription/etc/synopsis.html