[NVIC] New Autism MMR Report - NVIC statement

[Guest guest]

E-NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL VACCINE INFORMATION CENTER

Vienna, Virginia http://www.909shot.com

" Protecting the health and informed consent rights of children since 1982. "

=============================================

Contact: 703-938-0342

For immediate release

April 24, 2001

LEADING VACCINE SAFETY GROUP QUESTIONS INTERPRETATION

OF IOM REPORT ON AUTISM AND MMR VACCINE

The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a non-profit organization

representing families with vaccine injured children have endorsed some of

the conclusions of the report released yesterday by the newly created

Institute of Medicine (IOM) Immunization Review Committee on the

hypothesized link between MMR vaccine and autism. But the nation's largest

and oldest vaccine safety and informed consent advocacy group is questioning

whether misinterpretation and misuse of the Committee's conclusions will

compromise public health agency commitment to funding vaccine safety

research.

The Institute of Medicine Committee concluded that " the evidence favors

rejection of the causal relationship at the population level between MMR

vaccine and autistic spectrum disorders " but also stated that " the proposed

biological models linking MMR vaccination to autism spectrum disorders,

although far from established, are nevertheless not disproved. " The

Committee also called for further scientific research on the occurrence of

autism in children following MMR vaccination.

" The Committee clearly acknowledged the biologic plausibility that MMR

vaccine could be a co-factor in causing autism in some children. But the

message this report may send out, in practical terms, is that there is

absolutely no association between vaccination and autism and that the case

is closed. It can be used by those in industry, government and medical

organizations with a vested interest in protecting the status quo. " said

NVIC co-founder and president Barbara Loe Fisher. " This would be tragic

because it could fatally compromise the making of vaccine safety research a

priority in our society and delay the search for identification of

biological markers that could predict which children are more vulnerable to

vaccine-induced neuroimmune dysfunction that can, in some, take the form of

autism. "

NVIC has long advocated that scientific research into vaccine-associated

autism, learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,

asthma, and other chronic neuroimmune disorders explore the cumulative

effects of multiple vaccines in genetically susceptible children. In the

past 30 years, as vaccine recommendations have increased routine childhood

vaccinations to 37 doses of 11 different vaccines, there has been a dramatic

rise in the numbers of chronically ill children in the US, including a

doubling of those with learning disabilities, asthma, ADHD and diabetes.

Autism is now affecting 1 in 150 children.

" The conclusion of the IOM Committee that current scientific evidence

favors rejection of a causal association between autism and MMR vaccine

should not be taken out of context. There has been limited scientific

research to date to investigate the relationship between vaccination and

autism and until a more rigorous examination is conducted, the case is open,

not closed, " said Fisher.

-end-

=============================================

News@... is a free service of the National Vaccine Information

Center and is supported through membership donations. Learn more about

vaccines, diseases and how to protect your informed

consent rights http://www.909shot.com

Become a member and support NVIC's work https://www.909shot.com/order.htm

To sign up for a free e-mail subscription

http://www.909shot.com/emaillist.htm