Autism
Is dehydration of the expectant mom the cause of autism? While vaccines appear to play a part in autism, I feel that the main cause of autism is that the expectant mother was dehydrated. In fact, while most of my inquiries were second hand, in each case the mother was dehydrated. Fortunately, one mom whose son was cured of autism told me that drinking lot of water was critical to her son getting rid of it. It is vital that we get more information and I ask anyone with either information to support or contradict what I've stated here to email me, Bob Butts at watercure2@comcast.net. Dr. Batmanghelidj, discoverer of the water cure, has proved that most so-called incurable health problems are the result of chronic dehydration.
How Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy's Son Recovered From Autism
In this CNN op-ed piece, actors Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy
reflect on their son’s recovery from autism in light of the recent federal court
decision which conceded that vaccines could have contributed to another child’s
autistic condition.
Carrey and McCarthy’s son, Evan, has been healed thanks to breakthroughs that
may not be scientifically proven, but have definitely helped, such as a
gluten-free, casein-free diet, vitamin supplementation, detox of metals, and
anti-fungals for the yeast overgrowths that plagued his intestines. Once his
neurological function was recovered through these medical treatments, speech
therapy and applied behavior analysis helped him learn the skills he could not
learn while he was frozen in autism.
When Evan was re-evaluated after these treatments, state workers were amazed by
his improvement. But although Evan is now 5, not a single member of the CDC, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, or any other health authority has asked to
evaluate and understand how Evan recovered from autism. Instead, they simply
posit that he was misdiagnosed and never had autism to begin with.
Carrey and McCarthy believe that autism is an environmental illness, and that
while vaccines are not the only environmental trigger, they do play a major
role. Even if the CDC is not convinced of a link between vaccines and autism,
changing the vaccine schedule should be seriously considered as a precautionary
measure.
Sources:
* CNN April 3, 2008 <http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/mccarthy.autsimtreatment/index.html>
Omega Juicer <http://store.mercola.com/b/abmc.aspx?b=77&z=2>
Dr. Mercola Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Rates of autism have increased nearly 60-fold since the late 1970s, with the
most significant increases occurring in the past decade. The latest numbers for
the U.S. shows it affects about one in 150 American children.
However, according to an article in the /Daily Mail/<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=466966&in_page_id=1774&ICO=HEALTH&ICL=TOPART>
(July 9, 2007) the rate of autism in Great Britain may now be as high as 1 in
58!
This shocking number was the outcome of a study performed by Cambridge Professor
Baron-Cohen and his team. They looked at the incidence of autism among 12,000
children at Cambridgeshire primary schools between 2001 and 2004.
Professor Baron-Cohen believes a combination of genetics and environmental
factors such as pesticides and exposure to excessive hormones in the womb are
potential culprits for the rise.
Genetics (the so-called “Fragile X syndrome” being the most common) was recently
hailed as “the cause,” especially in U.S. media, where most failed to underscore
the fact that genetics account for no more than 1 percent of the cases of
autism.
Meanwhile the other 99 percent are still unaccounted for.
Dr. Blaylock has written extensively on the subject of vaccine-induced autism <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/pages/the-danger-of-excessive-vaccination-during-brain-development.aspx>
, but despite sound scientific evidence of how toxins like mercury and
aluminum damage your brain, especially when introduced at such an early age, Big
Pharma-backed proponents of vaccines are still unwilling to even look at the
issue.
Environmental triggers that cannot be ignored include:
* *Mercury –*It is already an established fact that exposure to mercury can
cause <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/10/01/autism-mercury-part-one.aspx>
immune, sensory, neurological, motor, and behavioral dysfunctions -- all similar
to traits defining, or associated with autism. Thimerosal, which is added to
many vaccines, has become a major source of mercury in children who, within
their first two years, may have received a quantity of mercury that clearly
exceeds safety guidelines.
* *Vaccine Virus’ – *Vaccines contain numerous active agents, including live
viruses, killed bacteria and toxic chemicals including aluminum, mercury and
formaldehyde. Whereas many focus solely on mercury in the vaccines as the
culprit in causing autism, the virus link is equally compelling.
In this case, an abnormal immune reaction primes your immune system to react
against your body’s organs, as it creates “organ-specific” autoantibodies
against itself. In the case of autistic autoimmune reactions, the organ in
question is mainly your brain. However, gastrointestinal problems, such as
“leaky gut” are also a common organ-specific ailment.
The strongest link exists between the measles virus antibodies (from the
measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine) and anti-myelin basic protein (MBP),
suggesting that exposure to the measles virus may trigger an autoimmune response
that interferes with the development of myelin. If myelin in your brain doesn't
develop properly, nerve fibers won't work as they should, giving rise to the
brain abnormalities associated with autism.
* *Pasteurized Milk – *Other studies indicate that both autism and schizophrenia
may be linked to your inability to properly break down a protein <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/07/02/pasteurized-milk-part-three.aspx>
found in milk. Personally I believe this is related to pasteurized milk and have
seen many autistic children thrive on raw milk products, especially fermented
ones like kefir or yogurt.
When not broken down, the milk protein caseinate produces exorphins --
morphine-like compounds -- that become absorbed by areas of your brain where
they cause cells to dysfunction. The findings suggest that an intestinal flaw,
such as a malfunctioning enzyme, is to blame for your inability to break down
this milk protein.
Researchers have discovered that the protein is absorbed by 32 different areas
of your brain, including sections responsible for vision, hearing and
communication, which could account for many behavioral symptoms of both
diseases.
* *Wireless Technology* – A much more recent, groundbreaking theory <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/27/how-cell-phones-may-cause-autism.aspx?PageIndex=2>
has been suggested by a study published in the /Journal of the Australasian
College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine: /Electromagnetic radiation (EMR)
from cell phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi devices and other similar wireless
technologies may work in conjunction with genetic and environmental factors,
becoming an accelerating factor in autism.
After more than five years of research on children with autism they found that
EMR negatively affects cell membranes, allowing heavy metal toxins, which are
associated with autism, to build up in your body.
EMR can trap heavy metals inside of nerve cells, which could accelerate the
onset of symptoms of heavy metal toxicity, and hinder your body’s natural
clearance of the toxins.
*How Can You Tell if Your Child has Autism?*
On October 29, 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) sent out a news
release <http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/Oct07autism.htm>
with new evaluation guidelines and treatment recommendations, including their
34-page clinical report, “Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism
Spectrum Disorders <http://www.aap.org/pressroom/AutismID.pdf>.
”
It provides detailed information on signs and symptoms, geared toward helping
pediatricians recognize and assess autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in their
patients.
Early warning signs, prior to the age of 18 months, include:
* not turning when you say your baby’s name * not turning to look when you point
to something and say, “Look at…” and not pointing themselves to show you an
interesting object or event * lack of back and forth babbling * smiling late *
not making eye contact with people * forming attachments to hard items, such as
pens, flashlights, keys or action figures, etc. rather than stuffed animals,
special pillows or blankets
According to their report:
/“Red Flags” that are absolute indications for immediate evaluation include: no
babbling or pointing or other gesture by 12 months; no single words by 16
months; no two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months; and loss of language or
social skills at any age. /
Despite the fact that the AAP goes on to say that autism “never goes away,” I am
encouraged that they urge pediatricians to be open-minded to alternative
treatments, to become more knowledgeable of complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM), and to avoid becoming defensive or dismissive when parents want
to try nonstandard therapies.
That is a good start.
*How Can You Help Your Child Prevent or Recover From Autism?*
As Jenny McCarthy’s case has shown, there is definitely hope. Here are my best
recommendations:
*1*. Carefully review the vaccination issue, including the conventional
vaccination schedule. Know that in most U.S. states you have the right to opt
out of vaccines <http://www.mercola.com/article/vaccines/legally_avoid_shots.htm>
. You may also want to review some of the recommendations for a more sensible
vaccination schedule <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/01/the-dangers-of-excessive-childhood-vaccinations.aspx>
.
*2*. Avoid exposure to as many environmental toxins as you can, such as
pesticides, herbicides, and sources of mercury, aluminum and fluoride.
*3*. Avoid exposure to cell phones and other wireless technology, such as Wi-Fi
in your home.
*4.* Have your child eat a diet tailored to their nutritional type <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/02/26/metabolic-typing-part-three.aspx>
for optimal health. In my experience, nearly ALL children seem to respond
favorably to the dietary changes when properly implemented
*5*. Pasteurized milk restriction is an ABSOLUTE imperative to the treatment of
autism. Anyone managing this illness without restricting milk is deceiving
themselves. This includes all milk products, such as ice cream, yogurt and whey.
Even natural flavorings in food must be avoided unless the processor can
guarantee, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that caseinate is not included
*6*. Complete elimination of sugar, juice, soda, French fries and wheat (pasta,
bagels, cereal, pretzels, etc) is also highly recommended
*7*. Get proper sun exposure, as an additional theory that makes a whole lot of
sense is the link between rampant vitamin D deficiency and the proportionate
jump in autism <http://v.mercola.com/blogs/public_blog/Could-Sun-Avoidance-be-the-Missing-Link-Explaining-Rampant-Autism--18236.aspx>
. The vitamin D receptor appears in a wide variety of brain tissue early in the
fetal development, and activated vitamin D receptors increase nerve growth in
your brain
*8*. Use an effective intervention to address any emotional stresses as soon as
possible – avoid having destructive thoughts and emotions fester. Potent energy
psychology tools such as the Emotional Freedom Technique <http://www.mercola.com/Forms/eftcourse.aspx>
are excellent for this purpose
*9*. Secretin has proven effective in relieving certain symptoms of autism. It
is a powerful hormone, which has the ability to reduce intestinal permeability
(leaky gut). I have even observed one three-year-old who had no speech prior to
secretin speak in full paragraphs just days after the infusion
*10*. Homeopathy <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2003/08/27/impossible-cure-part-two.aspx>
may also help ameliorate symptoms
*Related Articles:*
The Danger of Excessive Vaccination During Brain Development: The Case for a
Link to Autism Spectrum Disorders <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/pages/the-danger-of-excessive-vaccination-during-brain-development.aspx>
Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Vaccines And Autism: Are 1 in 50 Children at Risk? <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/04/19/mitochondrial-dysfunction-vaccines-and-autism-are-1-in-50-children-at-risk.aspx>
The Film About Vaccines You Simply Must See <http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/19/the-film-about-vaccines-you-must-see.aspx>
Deadly Immunity
By Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Salon.com
“Do not the rich oppress you…” James 2:6
A
Salon/Rolling Stone joint investigation.
When a study revealed that mercury in childhood vaccines may have caused autism in thousands of kids, the government rushed to conceal the data - and to prevent parents from suing drug companies for their role in the epidemic.
In June
2000, a group of top government scientists and health officials gathered for a
meeting at the isolated Simpsonwood conference center in Norcross, Ga. Convened
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the meeting was held at this
Methodist retreat center, nestled in wooded farmland next to the Chattahoochee
River, to ensure complete secrecy. The agency had issued no public announcement
of the session - only private invitations to 52 attendees. There were high-level
officials from the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration, the top vaccine
specialist from the World Health Organization in
The federal
officials and industry representatives had assembled to discuss a disturbing new
study that raised alarming questions about the safety of a host of common
childhood vaccines administered to infants and young children. According to a
CDC epidemiologist named Tom Verstraeten, who had analyzed the agency's massive
database containing the medical records of 100,000 children, a mercury-based
preservative in the vaccines - thimerosal - appeared to be responsible for a
dramatic increase in autism and a host of other neurological disorders among
children. "I was actually stunned by what I saw," Verstraeten told those
assembled at Simpsonwood, citing the staggering number of earlier studies that
indicate a link between thimerosal and speech delays, attention-deficit
disorder, hyperactivity and autism. Since 1991, when the CDC and the FDA had
recommended that three additional vaccines laced with the preservative be given
to extremely young infants - in one case, within hours of birth - the estimated
number of cases of autism had increased fifteenfold, from one in every 2,500
children to one in 166 children.
Even for
scientists and doctors accustomed to confronting issues of life and death, the
findings were frightening. "You can play with this all you want," Dr. Bill Weil,
a consultant for the
But instead
of taking immediate steps to alert the public and rid the vaccine supply of
thimerosal, the officials and executives at Simpsonwood spent most of the next
two days discussing how to cover up the damaging data. According to transcripts
obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, many at the meeting were
concerned about how the damaging revelations about thimerosal would affect the
vaccine industry's bottom line.
"We are in a
bad position from the standpoint of defending any lawsuits," said Dr. Robert
Brent, a pediatrician at the
In fact, the
government has proved to be far more adept at handling the damage than at
protecting children's health. The CDC paid the
Vaccine
manufacturers had already begun to phase thimerosal out of injections given to
American infants - but they continued to sell off their mercury-based supplies
of vaccines until last year. The CDC and FDA gave them a hand, buying up the
tainted vaccines for export to developing countries and allowing drug companies
to continue using the preservative in some American vaccines - including several
pediatric flu shots as well as tetanus boosters routinely given to 11-year-olds.
The drug
companies are also getting help from powerful lawmakers in
Even many
conservatives are shocked by the government's effort to cover up the dangers of
thimerosal. Rep. Dan Burton, a Republican from
The story of
how government health agencies colluded with Big Pharma to hide the risks of
thimerosal from the public is a chilling case study of institutional arrogance,
power and greed. I was drawn into the controversy only reluctantly. As an
attorney and environmentalist who has spent years working on issues of mercury
toxicity, I frequently met mothers of autistic children who were absolutely
convinced that their kids had been injured by vaccines. Privately, I was
skeptical. I doubted that autism could be blamed on a single source, and I
certainly understood the government's need to reassure parents that vaccinations
are safe; the eradication of deadly childhood diseases depends on it. I tended
to agree with skeptics like Rep. Henry Waxman, a Democrat from
It was only
after reading the Simpsonwood transcripts, studying the leading scientific
research and talking with many of the nation's preeminent authorities on mercury
that I became convinced that the link between thimerosal and the epidemic of
childhood neurological disorders is real. Five of my own children are members of
the Thimerosal Generation - those born between 1989 and 2003 - who received
heavy doses of mercury from vaccines. "The elementary grades are overwhelmed
with children who have symptoms of neurological or immune-system damage," Patti
White, a school nurse, told the House Government Reform Committee in 1999.
"Vaccines are supposed to be making us healthier; however, in 25 years of
nursing I have never seen so many damaged, sick kids. Something very, very wrong
is happening to our children." More than 500,000 kids currently suffer from
autism, and pediatricians diagnose more than 40,000 new cases every year. The
disease was unknown until 1943, when it was identified and diagnosed among 11
children born in the months after thimerosal was first added to baby vaccines in
1931.
Some
skeptics dispute that the rise in autism is caused by thimerosal-tainted
vaccinations. They argue that the increase is a result of better diagnosis - a
theory that seems questionable at best, given that most of the new cases of
autism are clustered within a single generation of children. "If the epidemic is
truly an artifact of poor diagnosis," scoffs Dr. Boyd Haley, one of the world's
authorities on mercury toxicity, "then where are all the 20-year-old autistics?"
Other researchers point out that Americans are exposed to a greater cumulative
"load" of mercury than ever before, from contaminated fish to dental fillings,
and suggest that thimerosal in vaccines may be only part of a much larger
problem. It's a concern that certainly deserves far more attention than it has
received - but it overlooks the fact that the mercury concentrations in vaccines
dwarf other sources of exposure to our children.
What is most
striking is the lengths to which many of the leading detectives have gone to
ignore - and cover up - the evidence against thimerosal. From the very
beginning, the scientific case against the mercury additive has been
overwhelming. The preservative, which is used to stem fungi and bacterial growth
in vaccines, contains ethylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. Truckloads of studies
have shown that mercury tends to accumulate in the brains of primates and other
animals after they are injected with vaccines - and that the developing brains
of infants are particularly susceptible. In 1977, a Russian study found that
adults exposed to much lower concentrations of ethylmercury than those given to
American children still suffered brain damage years later.
"You
couldn't even construct a study that shows thimerosal is safe," says Haley, who
heads the chemistry department at the
Internal
documents reveal that Eli Lilly, which first developed thimerosal, knew from the
start that its product could cause damage - and even death - in both animals and
humans. In 1930, the company tested thimerosal by administering it to 22
patients with terminal meningitis, all of whom died within weeks of being
injected - a fact Lilly didn't bother to report in its study declaring
thimerosal safe. In 1935, researchers at another vaccine manufacturer,
Pittman-Moore, warned Lilly that its claims about thimerosal's safety "did not
check with ours." Half the dogs Pittman injected with thimerosal-based vaccines
became sick, leading researchers there to declare the preservative
"unsatisfactory as a serum intended for use on dogs."
In the
decades that followed, the evidence against thimerosal continued to mount.
During the Second World War, when the Department of Defense used the
preservative in vaccines on soldiers, it required Lilly to label it "poison." In
1967, a study in Applied Microbiology found that thimerosal killed mice when
added to injected vaccines. Four years later, Lilly's own studies discerned that
thimerosal was "toxic to tissue cells" in concentrations as low as one part per
million - 100 times weaker than the concentration in a typical vaccine. Even so,
the company continued to promote thimerosal as "nontoxic" and also incorporated
it into topical disinfectants. In 1977, 10 babies at a
In 1982, the
FDA proposed a ban on over-the-counter products that contained thimerosal, and
in 1991 the agency considered banning it from animal vaccines. But tragically,
that same year, the CDC recommended that infants be injected with a series of
mercury-laced vaccines. Newborns would be vaccinated for hepatitis B within 24
hours of birth, and 2-month-old infants would be immunized for haemophilus
influenzae B and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis.
The drug
industry knew the additional vaccines posed a danger. The same year that the CDC
approved the new vaccines, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's
vaccine programs, warned the company that 6-month-olds who were administered the
shots would suffer dangerous exposure to mercury. He recommended that thimerosal
be discontinued, "especially when used on infants and children," noting that the
industry knew of nontoxic alternatives. "The best way to go," he added, "is to
switch to dispensing the actual vaccines without adding preservatives."
For Merck
and other drug companies, however, the obstacle was money. Thimerosal enables
the pharmaceutical industry to package vaccines in vials that contain multiple
doses, which require additional protection because they are more easily
contaminated by multiple needle entries. The larger vials cost half as much to
produce as smaller, single-dose vials, making it cheaper for international
agencies to distribute them to impoverished regions at risk of epidemics. Faced
with this "cost consideration," Merck ignored Hilleman's warnings, and
government officials continued to push more and more thimerosal-based vaccines
for children. Before 1989, American preschoolers received only three
vaccinations - for polio, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis and
measles-mumps-rubella. A decade later, thanks to federal recommendations,
children were receiving a total of 22 immunizations by the time they reached
first grade.
As the
number of vaccines increased, the rate of autism among children exploded. During
the 1990s, 40 million children were injected with thimerosal-based vaccines,
receiving unprecedented levels of mercury during a period critical for brain
development. Despite the well-documented dangers of thimerosal, it appears that
no one bothered to add up the cumulative dose of mercury that children would
receive from the mandated vaccines. "What took the FDA so long to do the
calculations?" Peter Patriarca, director of viral products for the agency, asked
in an e-mail to the CDC in 1999. "Why didn't CDC and the advisory bodies do
these calculations when they rapidly expanded the childhood immunization
schedule?"
But by that
time, the damage was done. Infants who received all their vaccines, plus
boosters, by the age of 6 months were being injected with levels of ethylmercury
187 times greater than the EPA's limit for daily exposure to methylmercury, a
related neurotoxin. Although the vaccine industry insists that ethylmercury
poses little danger because it breaks down rapidly and is removed by the body,
several studies - including one published in April by the National Institutes of
Health - suggest that ethylmercury is actually more toxic to developing brains
and stays in the brain longer than methylmercury.
Officials
responsible for childhood immunizations insist that the additional vaccines were
necessary to protect infants from disease and that thimerosal is still essential
in developing nations, which, they often claim, cannot afford the single-dose
vials that don't require a preservative. Dr. Paul Offit, one of CDC's top
vaccine advisors, told me, "I think if we really have an influenza pandemic -
and certainly we will in the next 20 years, because we always do - there's no
way on God's earth that we immunize 280 million people with single-dose vials.
There has to be multidose vials."
But while
public-health officials may have been well-intentioned, many of those on the CDC
advisory committee who backed the additional vaccines had close ties to the
industry. Dr. Sam Katz, the committee's chair, was a paid consultant for most of
the major vaccine makers and shares a patent on a measles vaccine with Merck,
which also manufactures the hepatitis B vaccine. Dr. Neal Halsey, another
committee member, worked as a researcher for the vaccine companies and received
honoraria from Abbott Labs for his research on the hepatitis B vaccine.
Indeed, in
the tight circle of scientists who work on vaccines, such conflicts of interest
are common. Rep. Burton says that the CDC "routinely allows scientists with
blatant conflicts of interest to serve on intellectual advisory committees that
make recommendations on new vaccines," even though they have "interests in the
products and companies for which they are supposed to be providing unbiased
oversight." The House Government Reform Committee discovered that four of the
eight CDC advisors who approved guidelines for a rotavirus vaccine laced with
thimerosal "had financial ties to the pharmaceutical companies that were
developing different versions of the vaccine."
Offit, who
shares a patent on the vaccine, acknowledged to me that he "would make money" if
his vote to approve it eventually leads to a marketable product. But he
dismissed my suggestion that a scientist's direct financial stake in CDC
approval might bias his judgment. "It provides no conflict for me," he insists.
"I have simply been informed by the process, not corrupted by it. When I sat
around that table, my sole intent was trying to make recommendations that best
benefited the children in this country. It's offensive to say that physicians
and public-health people are in the pocket of industry and thus are making
decisions that they know are unsafe for children. It's just not the way it
works."
Other
vaccine scientists and regulators gave me similar assurances. Like Offit, they
view themselves as enlightened guardians of children's health, proud of their
"partnerships" with pharmaceutical companies, immune to the seductions of
personal profit, besieged by irrational activists whose anti-vaccine campaigns
are endangering children's health. They are often resentful of questioning.
"Science," says Offit, "is best left to scientists."
Still, some
government officials were alarmed by the apparent conflicts of interest. In his
e-mail to CDC administrators in 1999, Paul Patriarca of the FDA blasted federal
regulators for failing to adequately scrutinize the danger posed by the added
baby vaccines. "I'm not sure there will be an easy way out of the potential
perception that the FDA, CDC and immunization-policy bodies may have been asleep
at the switch re: thimerosal until now," Patriarca wrote. The close ties between
regulatory officials and the pharmaceutical industry, he added, "will also raise
questions about various advisory bodies regarding aggressive recommendations for
use" of thimerosal in child vaccines.
If federal
regulators and government scientists failed to grasp the potential risks of
thimerosal over the years, no one could claim ignorance after the secret meeting
at Simpsonwood. But rather than conduct more studies to test the link to autism
and other forms of brain damage, the CDC placed politics over science. The
agency turned its database on childhood vaccines - which had been developed
largely at taxpayer expense - over to a private agency,
For those
who had devoted their lives to promoting vaccination, the revelations about
thimerosal threatened to undermine everything they had worked for. "We've got a
dragon by the tail here," said Dr. Michael Kaback, another committee member.
"The more negative that [our] presentation is, the less likely people are to use
vaccination, immunization - and we know what the results of that will be. We are
kind of caught in a trap. How we work our way out of the trap, I think is the
charge."
Even in
public, federal officials made it clear that their primary goal in studying
thimerosal was to dispel doubts about vaccines. "Four current studies are taking
place to rule out the proposed link between autism and thimerosal," Dr. Gordon
Douglas, then-director of strategic planning for vaccine research at the
National Institutes of Health, assured a
In May of
last year, the
The report
may have satisfied the CDC, but it convinced no one. Rep. David Weldon, a
Republican physician from Florida who serves on the House Government Reform
Committee, attacked the Institute of Medicine, saying it relied on a handful of
studies that were "fatally flawed" by "poor design" and failed to represent "all
the available scientific and medical research." CDC officials are not interested
in an honest search for the truth, Weldon told me, because "an association
between vaccines and autism would force them to admit that their policies
irreparably damaged thousands of children. Who would want to make that
conclusion about themselves?"
Under
pressure from Congress, parents and a few of its own panel members, the
So far,
though, only two scientists have managed to gain access. Dr. Mark Geier,
president of the Genetics Center of America, and his son, David, spent a year
battling to obtain the medical records from the CDC. Since August 2002, when
members of Congress pressured the agency to turn over the data, the Geiers have
completed six studies that demonstrate a powerful correlation between thimerosal
and neurological damage in children. One study, which compares the cumulative
dose of mercury received by children born between 1981 and 1985 with those born
between 1990 and 1996, found a "very significant relationship" between autism
and vaccines. Another study of educational performance found that kids who
received higher doses of thimerosal in vaccines were nearly three times as
likely to be diagnosed with autism and more than three times as likely to suffer
from speech disorders and mental retardation. Another soon-to-be-published study
shows that autism rates are in decline following the recent elimination of
thimerosal from most vaccines.
As the
federal government worked to prevent scientists from studying vaccines, others
have stepped in to study the link to autism. In April, reporter Dan Olmsted of
UPI undertook one of the more interesting studies himself. Searching for
children who had not been exposed to mercury in vaccines - the kind of
population that scientists typically use as a "control" in experiments - Olmsted
scoured the Amish of Lancaster County, Penn., who refuse to immunize their
infants. Given the national rate of autism, Olmsted calculated that there should
be 130 autistics among the Amish. He found only four. One had been exposed to
high levels of mercury from a power plant. The other three - including one child
adopted from outside the Amish community - had received their vaccines.
At the state
level, many officials have also conducted in-depth reviews of thimerosal. While
the
But instead
of following suit, the FDA continues to allow manufacturers to include
thimerosal in scores of over-the-counter medications as well as steroids and
injected collagen. Even more alarming, the government continues to ship vaccines
preserved with thimerosal to developing countries - some of which are now
experiencing a sudden explosion in autism rates. In China, where the disease was
virtually unknown prior to the introduction of thimerosal by U.S. drug
manufacturers in 1999, news reports indicate that there are now more than 1.8
million autistics. Although reliable numbers are hard to come by, autistic
disorders also appear to be soaring in India, Argentina, Nicaragua and other
developing countries that are now using thimerosal-laced vaccines. The World
Health Organization continues to insist thimerosal is safe, but it promises to
keep the possibility that it is linked to neurological disorders "under review."
I devoted
time to study this issue because I believe that this is a moral crisis that must
be addressed. If, as the evidence suggests, our public-health authorities
knowingly allowed the pharmaceutical industry to poison an entire generation of
American children, their actions arguably constitute one of the biggest scandals
in the annals of American medicine. "The CDC is guilty of incompetence and gross
negligence," says Mark Blaxill, vice president of Safe Minds, a nonprofit
organization concerned about the role of mercury in medicines. "The damage
caused by vaccine exposure is massive. It's bigger than asbestos, bigger than
tobacco, bigger than anything you've ever seen." It's hard to calculate the
damage to our country - and to the international efforts to eradicate epidemic
diseases - if
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for Riverkeeper and president of Waterkeeper Alliance. He is the co-author of The Riverkeepers.