NEW STRONG EVIDENCE LINKS AUTISM TO VACCINE

GuluFuture.com ^ | 10th August 2002 | GuluFuture.com

[USA21]

NEW STRONG EVIDENCE LINKS AUTISM TO VACCINE

Scientists have uncovered the strongest evidence yet that the three-in-one Measels-Mumps-Rubella(MMR) vaccine plays a clear role in the development of autism.

Earlier this year British expert Dr Andrew Wakefield and molecular pathologist Professor John O'Leary established a possible link between the measles virus, autism and a related bowel disorder. They found fragments of the measles virus from the MMR jab in the guts of autistic children who also suffer a rare form of bowel disease.

Now scientists at Utah State University, have reported finding a strong association between the MMR vaccine and an autoimmune reaction which is thought to play a role in autism.

The team led by Dr Vijendra Singh analysed blood samples from 125 autistic children and 92 children who did not have autism. Dr Singh, is an acknowledged expert with more than 20 years experience of immunology research.

In 75 of the 92 autistic children they found antibodies showing there had been an abnormal reaction to the measles component of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Nine out of ten of those children were also positive for antibodies thought to be involved in autism.

These are incredible statistics. The antibodies attack the brain by targeting the basic building blocks of myelin, the insulating sheath that covers nerve fibres. This stops the nerves developing properly and may affect brain functions. Dr Singh has suggested that an abnormal immune response may be the root cause of many cases of autism.

None of the non-autistic children showed the unusual anti-measles response.

Not one. Not any. Zero. Nil. What a damming statistic. Read that sentence again and consider it well.

But incredibly, the UK Government's Chief Medical Officer and the British Medical Association, both still insist there is a wealth of scientific evidence that the triple jab is the safest way to protect children.

And Peter Lachmann, Emeritus Professor of Immunology at Cambridge, said that the conclusions drawn by Vijendra Singh and his team did not make for a direct link between MMR and autism.

“In my view the associations that Dr Singh makes do not follow. His hypothesis does not show causality; he is drawing unjustifiable conclusions from the antibody data he has collected. I do not think such conclusions can be drawn.”

As these comments reveal, the new evidence has the Government and the BMJ fighting a rearguard action to keep the lid on the vaccine/autism disaster.

Dr Singh's team report their findings in the latest issue of the Journal of Biomedical Science. The news of their findings is unreported as of this date in the US media.

They sensibly conclude: 'Stemming from this evidence, we suggest that an inappropriate antibody response to MMR, specifically the measles component thereof, might be related to pathogenesis of autism.'

[TomB]

let the parents decide what's best...

Even if they're given erroneous information like you've been producing?

How can that help parents decide what's best?

We have here a situation where someone is behaving as some sort of expert or at least informed advocate, and he doesn't have the slightest idea what he is talking about (note very well that he ignored the lymphadenitis question, something I learned in college). I posted study after study that were CURRENT and RELEVANT to the vaccine issue. He has posted anecdotes, opinion pieces, and a strange hodgepodge of old studies and studies that have nothing to do with vaccines (his post 126 never even had the word "vaccine" in it!), not to mention the tremendously irrelevant information from the 1800s.

Yes, parents need to make an informed decision, but they won't get the "informed" part from krodriguesdc.

[bonesmccoy]

You're confused. You've offered no explanation based in either clinical studies or scientific fact. You've offered a few press releases which are also inconsistent with scientific fact. So, why are you doing this? Do you have an aversion to scientific fact and good clinical studies?

[aruanan]

yes you are missing something...

Well, at least he didn't miss spotting the fact that your source was "complete garbage".

[rubbertramp]

Tom B. is really threatened. He has tried to spam this article with maximum verbiage that no one will bother to read...least of all himself.

The scary thing is that mercury, a known neurotoxin, is still in the vaccine and the pharmacuetical companies have gone on record saying that they will take it out when they damn well please. Meanwhile, unknowing physicians are telling their baby's moms that the evil mercury has been removed.

Nobody would eat fish with mercury, so why inject your kid with mercury...and why can't moms make their own decision?

[TomB]

Tom B. is really threatened. He has tried to spam this article with maximum verbiage that no one will bother to read...least of all himself.

First of all, if you are going to attempt to flame me, at least have the guts to include me in your response.

Second, most people don't find reading such a difficult endeavor as you do. It is obvious you don't want to be bothered with the facts.

The scary thing is that mercury, a known neurotoxin, is still in the vaccine

That is a complete, utter, and abject LIE. Thimerosal is not now, nor has it ever, been used as a preservative in the MMR vaccine.

Nobody would eat fish with mercury, so why inject your kid with mercury...and why can't moms make their own decision?

You can't make it through ONE post without screwing the pooch, can you?

ALL fish contain mercury, at higher levels than you would get with a Thimerosal contining vaccine (which, incidentally are ALL being phased out because of whining from people like you.):

Mercury Levels in Seafood Species

The following tables provide the mean and range of mercury levels in a variety of fish and shellfish

Table 1
Fish With Highest Mercury Levels

SPECIES	MEAN (PPM)	RANGE (PPM)	NO. OF SAMPLES
Tilefish	1.45	0.65-3.73	60
*Swordfish	1.00	0.10-3.22	598
King Mackerel	0.73	0.30-1.67	213
*Shark	0.96	0.05-4.54	324

Table 2
Fish and Shellfish With Much Lower Mercury Levels

SPECIES	MEAN (PPM)	RANGE (PPM)	NO. OF SAMPLES
Grouper (Mycteroperca)	0.43	0.05-1.35	64
Tuna (fresh or frozen)	0.32	ND-1.30	191
*Lobster Northern (American)	0.31	0.05-1.31	88
Grouper (Epinephelus)	0.27	0.19-0.33	48
*Halibut	0.23	0.02-0.63	29
*Sablefish	0.22	ND-0.70	102
*Pollock	0.20	ND-0.78	107
*Tuna (canned)	0.17	ND-0.75	248
*Crab Blue	0.17	0.02-0.50	94
*Crab Dungeness	0.18	0.02-0.48	50
*Crab Tanner	0.15	ND-0.38	55
*Crab King	0.09	0.02-0.24	29
*Scallop	0.05	ND-0.22	66
*Catfish	0.07	ND-0.31	22
*Salmon (fresh, frozen or canned)	ND	ND-0.18	52
*Oysters	ND	ND-0.25	33
*Shrimps	ND	ND	22

Table 3
Fish With Methylmercury Levels Based on Limited Sampling

Data presented in Table 3 are based on limited sample sizes and therefore have a much greater degree of uncertainty

SPECIES	MEAN (PPM)	RANGE (PPM)	NO. OF SAMPLES
*Red Snapper	0.60	0.07-1.46	10
Marlin	0.47	0.25-0.92	13
Moonfish	0.60	0.60	1
Orange Roughy	0.58	0.42-0.76	9
Bass Saltwater	0.49	0.10-0.91	9
Trout Freshwater	0.42	1.22 (max)	NA
Bluefish	0.30	0.20-0.40	2
Croaker	0.28	0.18-0.41	15
Trout Seawater	0.27	ND-1.19	4
*Cod (Atlantic)	0.19	ND-0.33	11
Mahi Mahi	0.19	0.12-0.25	15
*Ocean Perch	0.18	ND-0.31	10
Haddock (Atlantic)	0.17	0.07-0.37	10
Whitefish	0.16	ND-0.31	2
Herring	0.15	0.016-0.28	8
*Spiny Lobster	0.13	ND-0.27	8
Perch Freshwater	0.11	0.10-0.31	4
Perch Saltwater	0.10	0.10-0.15	6
Flounder/Sole	0.04	ND-0.18	17
*Clams	ND	ND	6
Tilapia	ND	ND	8

*Fish and shellfish among the most consumed of the domestic seafood market

Sources of methylmercury data:

FDA database FY 85-99
EPA Mercury Study Report to Congress, 1997
A Survey of the Occurrence of Mercury in the Fishery Resources of the Gulf of Mexico Report (2000)
NMFS 1976, 1978 Report

[krodriguesdc]

Federal judge strikes down religious exemption to Arkansas vaccination law

By JAMES JEFFERSON

The Associated Press

8/14/02 11:23 AM

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- A federal judge has struck down a religious exemption to a state statute requiring vaccinations before children can attend public school.

The exemption, granted only to members of "recognized churches," violates the establishment and free association clauses of the First Amendment, Judge Susan Webber Wright ruled Tuesday.

The decision left intact the state's vaccination requirement, meaning students still are subject to the requirement with no religious exemption to immunization.

The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by Cynthia Boone, the mother of a student who refused to be vaccinated. The lawsuit said that although Ashley Boone is not a member of a recognized religious group with tenets against vaccinations, she personally believes that vaccinations "are against the will of her God."

Cabot High School officials had barred Ashley from classes during the 2001-2002 school year because she refused to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, a sexually transmitted disease.

Boone filed a federal lawsuit against the school district and the Arkansas Health Department, claiming the state selectively allows religious exemptions from vaccinations.

After the suit was filed, Wright temporarily ordered the district to allow Ashley to return to classes. The order was later extended to allow her to finish the school year.

As a result of the ruling, she will have to be vaccinated in order to return for her senior year.

The effect of Arkansas' religious exemption, Wright said in Tuesday's ruling, was to discriminate against individuals with sincerely held individual religious beliefs.

"It is difficult to imagine how the state would have a compelling interest in limiting the religious exemption to some religious sects and individuals over others," the judge wrote.

[luckystarmom]

Basically, they don't know what causes autism, but there is a strong genetic link behind it. For example, if one identical twin is autistic the chances of the other twin being autistic is like 90%.

Anyway, autistic symptoms do not start to appear in children until they are about 18 months old, just about the same time as they get the MMR booster.

[TomB]

Anyway, autistic symptoms do not start to appear in children until they are about 18 months old, just about the same time as they get the MMR booster.

A very cogent point, mom.

And, as epidemologists say, "Correlation does not equal causation".

[tutstar]

ping

[luckystarmom]

Well, this is a very interesting topic that I have participated in another yahoo group.

I have a daughter with cerebral palsy, and she has severe speech problems. I joined a yahoo group for speech problems, and there are many parents with autistic kids in the group.

I am strongly in favor of vaccines because my daughters almost died when they were 6 weeks old. They do not have a vaccine for their illness, respiratory synctial virus (RSV), but they are trying to find one.

One of my daughters had seizures and makes her prone to having problems associated with DPT vaccine. The doctors told us that our daughters would probably die if they caught Whooping Cough (Pertussis). Also, whooping cough is on the rise in our country because of people not being vaccinated (I think lots of illegals are not vaccinated).

I think that vaccines are wonderful and have saved many lives. I also think that parents need to review the information for each vaccine to see if the benifits outweigh the risk.

For my family, we had an alternative DPT shot given to our daughters. It has fewer side-effects and it is routinely used now.

For example, if autism runs in the family, I don't know if I would give a kid the MMR. I'd have to read the literature, do the research, and ask the doctors.

I also don't know if I would give a healthy kid the chickenpox vaccine. My son got it because I was pregnant with twins, and he had to start daycare. I didn't want him bringing home chickenpox to his baby sisters.

My twins got the chickenpox vaccine because they are occasionally on oral steroids for asthma. It lowers their immunity and chickenpox could be very serious if they caught it while on the steroids.

I get mad at people saying all vaccines are bad, and I get angry when people say they don't cause problems. Vaccines have risks, and each parent needs to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks. For us, the benefits have outweighed the risks.

[luckystarmom]

Ahhh, we meet again. Thank God, your little sweet children are vaccinated!!!

[luckystarmom]

You're right. I think there needs to be lots more research on this topic.

My doctor told me something else interesting. One of the reason that there are more autistic children is because they have changed the definition of what autism is. The definition has been broadened and encompasses a lot more children.

[TomB]

You're right. I think there needs to be lots more research on this topic.

Well, there needs to be much more research into autism, but considering the lack of evidence of a connection to MMR, I'm afraid the money could be better spent on other areas of autism.

One of the reason that there are more autistic children is because they have changed the definition of what autism is.

There is a post in this thread that essentially shows that, according to the current diagnosis guidelines for autism, most FReepers are autistic!

[discostu]

Post 48 has a list of symptoms for one of the "new" forms of autism, which I found to be suspiciously close to the symptoms of political activism. Glad to see my quips weren't completely ignored.

[TomB]

Yea, well, ahem, I did find myself singled out as one obviously with autism. ;-)

I assure you, any similarities are purely coincidental.

[rubbertramp]

The mercury is still in the vaccine. Read some of bonesmccoy's posts.

You must have been born without logic...or maybe your mother took the MMR vaccine...People can choose not to give their baby swordfish. They cannot choose not to vaccinate their child...why is that?

[rubbertramp]

Tom B is soooo droll. Autism is not funny. Maybe you are lucky and your children don't have it. But wait a while, this issue will affect your children's children. Autism is usually not diagnosed initially by docs. They don't like to tell parents the bad news...they lose a customer. Little Joey isn't talking at three and the neighbors kids are way ahead of him. He doesn't hang with the other kids but flaps his hands or lines up his toy cars.

The broadening of this category is not good news. More serious conditions are lumped into the Autism category because it is easier for Medicaid rules to handle it that way. Just think neurolgical and mitochondrial...that is the level that this poison is attacking the children of this country.

[TomB]

The mercury is still in the vaccine

There is no mercury (Thimerosal) in the MMR vaccine. If you are that uninformed, I suggest it is pure folly to believe ANYTHING you say.

Thimerosal Content in Some Currently Manufactured U.S. Licensed Vaccines
Vaccine	Trade Name	Manufacturer	Thimerosal Concentration1	Mercury
Anthrax	Anthrax vaccine	BioPort Corporation	0	0
DTaP	Tripedia2	Aventis Pasteur	<0.0002% (single dose)	<0.5µg/dose
	Infanrix	GlaxoSmithKline	0	0
DT	All Products		0.01%	25µg/dose
Td	All Products	Mass Public Health	0.003%	25µg/dose
		All other manufacturers	0.01%
TT	All Products		0.01%	25µg/dose
Hib	ActHIB/OmniHIB3	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
	HibTITER (Single dose)	Wyeth-Lederle	0	0
	PedvaxHIB liquid	Merck	0	0
Hib/HepB	COMVAX4	Merck	0	0
Hepatitis B5	Engerix-B	GlaxoSmithKline	<0.0002%	<0.5µg/dose
	Recombivax HB	Merck	0	0
Hepatitis A	Havrix	GlaxoSmithKline	0	0
	Vaqta	Merck	0	0
IPV	IPOL	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
	Poliovax	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Influenza6	All	Aventis Pasteur, Evans, Wyeth-Lederle	0.01%	25 µg/0.5 mL dose (12.5 µg/0.25 mL dose)
Japanese Encephalitis7	JE-VAX	BIKEN	0.007%	35 µg/1.0mL dose (17.5 µg/0.5 mL dose
MMR	MMR-II	Merck	0	0
Meningococcal	Menomune A, C, AC and A/C/Y/W-135	Aventis Pasteur	0.01% (multidose) 0 (single dose)	25 µg/dose
Pneumococcal	Prevnar (Pneumo Conjugate)	Lederle Laboratories	0	0
	Pneumovax 23	Merck	0	0
	Pnu-Imune 23	Wyeth-Lederle	0.01%	25 µg/dose
Rabies	IMOVAX	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
	Rabavert	Chiron	0	0
Typhoid Fever	Typhim Vi	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
	Typhoid Ty21a	Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute	0	0
Varicella	Varivax	Merck	0	0
Yellow Fever	Y-F-Vax	Aventis Pasteur	0	0
Table Footnotes Thimerosal is 50% mercury (Hg) by weight. A 0.01% solution (1 part per 10,000) of thimerosal contains 50 µg of Hg per 1 ml dose or 25 µg of Hg per 0.5 ml dose. Aventis Pasteur?s Tripedia may be used to reconstitute ActHib to form TriHIBit. TriHIBit is indicated for use in children 15 to 18 months of age. OmniHIB is manufactured by Aventis Pasteur but distributed by GlaxoSmithKline. COMVAX is not licensed for use under 6 weeks of age because of decreased response to the Hib component. Merck?s Hepatitis B vaccine for adults still contains thimerosal as a preservative. Children under 3 years of age receive a half-dose of vaccine, i.e., 0.25 mL (12.5 µg mercury/dose.) JE-VAX is manufactured by BIKEN and distributed by Aventis Pasteur. Children 1 to 3 years of age receive a half-dose of vaccine, i.e., 0.5 mL (17.5 µg mercury/dose).

You must have been born without logic...or maybe your mother took the MMR vaccine...People can choose not to give their baby swordfish.

This was your initial comment:

"Nobody would eat fish with mercury"

That would mean that nobody eats fish. Since there is mercury in just about all fish, it is almost impossible to avoid mercury.

[Politicalmom]

Autistic children are NOT stupid.

[Politicalmom]

EVERY child should be vaccinated? Children with cancer, children on immuno-suppressants, children with severe allergies, children with family history of brain damage from vaccines, children with depressed immune systems?

What a whacked out statement.