[discostu]

I don't read opinion pieces, I read peer reviewed research. I'm sorry if you can't read the graph. It's clear the rate of autism is climbing steadily before the MMR. It's clear that as with so many psychological symptoms the definition of autism is expanding. Observe this list of "symptoms" of Asperger Syndrome (one of autism's subspecies, only diagnosed since the 80s):
lack of empathy
naive, inappropriate, one sided interaction
little or no ability to form friendships
pedantic, repetitive speech
poor nonverbal communication
intense absorbtion in certain subjects
clumsy and ill coordinated movements and odd postures

Now go over to a WOD or crevo thread and tell me how many FReepers are autistic. When the definition keeps expanding you're bound to get an "epidemic". To blame that epidemic on medicine that didn't even start getting used until after the epidemic has begun is fool hardy. Let's lock down the definition of autism and see what happens to the rate of diagnosis before we cast aspersions on vaccines that have saved thousands, possibly millions, of lives.

[Al B.]

To blame that epidemic on medicine that didn't even start getting used until after the epidemic has begun is fool hardy.

You've got me confused with someone else. I'm not blaming the huge increase in autism diagnoses on anything. As a parent who has vaccinated his kids with MMR, I AM, however, interested in getting to the truth of the matter, not just play some silly game of abstract posting.

And I know all about the objectivity of medical journals, peer-reviewed and otherwise. Getting to the truth in medical research these days isn't all that easy.