Kirby Scaring Canadian Healthcare Establishment

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NEWS

Friday, October 27, 2006

Health-care providers oppose autism conference speaker's view

By Everest

The Daily News

HEALTH - Halifax's largest health-care providers have some strong

objections toward a presentation sceduled for an autism and

Asperger's syndrome conference that begins today in metro.

The IWK Health Centre, Capital Health and Public Health Services are

taking issue with the ideas of Kirby, a speaker at the Keys to

the Treasure Chest conference, organized by the Edmonton-based group

Autism Today. Kirby will discuss the alleged link between the

contents of children's vaccines and autism.

Joanne Langley, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the IWK,

said the idea that thimerosal, an anti-bacteria preservative

containing mercury found in some vaccines, could contribute to autism

was raised about 15 years ago, but was later retracted.

" There is now a huge body of evidence that shows there is no

association between infant vaccines and autism, " she said, adding

that thimerosal has not been used in children's vaccines in Canada

for 10 years.

Langley also said it's important that parents know vaccines are safe

and information to the contrary is " fear mongering " and could be

dangerous.

" If they're concerned and don't immunize their children, they are

susceptible to those infectious diseases, which are very serious. "

Diseases for which children are vaccinated, such as measles, affect

thousands and can cause death, whereas autism is much more rare, she

said.

, CEO and founder of Autism Today, compared the

controversy to a ping pong game.

" There's people who say that there is evidence and there's people who

say that there isn't, " she said in a telephone interview last night

from Toronto. " I know that mercury is one of the most toxic

substances that there is, and there's a possibility that it is a

contributing factor.

" Our stand is that people should be able to look at the facts and

figures and make up their own minds. "

When asked if she was concerned Halifax's hospitals are opposed to

some of the conference's contents, said the " proof would be

in the pudding. "

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