Fw: LA Times: No Links Found Between Childhood Vaccine, Autism

[Guest guest]

In this study by the Institute of Medicine, Dr. Goodman from s

Hopkins U. School of Medicine states that the MMR is not responsible for the

sharp increase in autism. " The risk of not immunizing is much greater than

any risk from immunizing " He also said that current " current vaccination

policies should be continued. "

In California, during the 88 day period from January 4, 2001 to April 3,

2001 - 700 NEW CHILDREN WERE PROFESSIONALLY DIAGNOSED WITH DSM IV AUTISM.

(One new child every three hours with full-blown level 1 DSM IV autism).

That is the largest quarterly increase in the history of California's

developmental services system, and represents an increase of 107 more

children than reported in the previous record highest quarter. I am livid

to think that this highly qualified doctor believes that the current

vaccination policy should be continued! In the late 60's and 70's

California was adding roughly 100 - 200 new cases of autism A YEAR.

Come on, Dr. Goodman, don't give us half the story - give us the

full report on why this is occuring. Get all knowledgeable doctors together

and solve this NOW....and

you had better address the thimerosal content in those multiple vaccinations

you administered to our children...and every child with autism, ADHD,

learning disabilities, etc. Address every aspect of it......and how you

are going to help the children who were harmed. Our numbers are growing. Do

you think we'll be silent?

Weren't you questioning why there were SO MANY autistic kids showing up in

the neurology offices? ....or are you just buried in some nice comfortable

University position, oblivious to the masses affected by this? Please, cut

the crap and help us.

Aly

LA Times: No Links Found Between Childhood Vaccine, Autism

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> April 25, 2001 Search www.feat.org/search/news.asp

>

> LA Times: No Links Found Between Childhood Vaccine, Autism

>

> Health: The risks of not being immunized are far greater than those posed

by the shots that prevent measles, mumps and rubella, researchers say.

>

> [by H. Maugh II, LA Times, April 24, 2001.]

> http://www.latimes.com

>

> The controversial theory that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is

largely responsible for the sharp increase in the incidence of autism over

the last 15 years has no scientific justification, according to a report

released Monday by the Institute of Medicine.

> The report is the latest in a series of studies that have reached the same

conclusion.

> Epidemiological studies so far are too imprecise to rule out the

possibility that a small number of children might be affected by vaccines,

said Dr. Goodman of the s Hopkins University School of Medicine,

a member of the panel that wrote the report. But vaccines are unlikely to

cause many cases, if any, and " the risk of not immunizing is much greater

than any risk from immunizing, " he said.

> " The simplest thing to tell parents is that [the link between the

vaccine and autism] is not a relationship that has been proven, " Goodman

added. " It's the sort of theoretical risk that we can't close the door on, "

but current vaccination policies should be continued, he said.

> Advocates of the vaccine theory were not entirely satisfied with the

conclusions of the report, but were pleased that it had been undertaken in

the first place.

> " This is a vindication for those of us who have been trying to get

mainstream medicine to take a look at this issue, " said parent advocate Rick

Rollens, who was instrumental in creating the MIND Institute for researching

autism at UC .

> As for the conclusions of the report, he said, " The jury is still

out. . . . We're pleased to see the recommendation for more good,

independent research. "

> The purported link to the vaccine was first proposed by parents of

autistic children, like Rollens, who observed that their apparently normal

children stopped developing or regressed shortly after receiving the

vaccine.

> Subsequently, Dr. Wakefield of the Royal Free Hospital in

London identified 170 children who had undergone regression after receiving

the vaccine and who had gastrointestinal problems linked to the weakened

measles virus used in the vaccine.

> In recent months, the World Health Organization and the British

> government have issued reports suggesting no link between vaccinations and

autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics will release a similar report

next week in the journal Pediatrics.

> Supporters of the vaccination theory have charged that previous studies of

the subject were conducted by researchers with strong links to the vaccine

manufacturers, thereby rendering the studies suspect.

> The new study, commissioned last fall by the National Institutes of

Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was produced by a

group of highly respected researchers who had never worked for vaccine

companies, never received funding from them and have not been involved in

any vaccination programs.

> The study was released early so that it would be available for

> congressional hearings on autism incidence scheduled for Wednesday.

> The committee concluded that " the evidence favors rejection of a causal

relationship . . . between MMR vaccine and [autism]. " The primary reasons

for that conclusion are:

>

> * All the epidemiological evidence shows no link.

> * Wakefield's studies " are uninformative with respect to

causality " --that is, he showed no evidence that the vaccine produced the

problems he identified.

> * There is no sound biological mechanism that has been shown in the

laboratory by which the link could occur.

> * There is no animal model that shows similar effects from the

vaccine.

>

> The panel's head, Dr. Marie C. McCormick of the Harvard School of

Public Health, noted that the government has a " major responsibility to

ensure that MMR vaccine " is safe because children are required to receive

it.

> " The level of concern among parents about MMR safety is tremendous

and must be addressed meaningfully, " she said.

> " What this really tells us, " said Dr. Bruce Gellin of the Vanderbilt

University School of Medicine, " is that we don't understand the cause or

causes of autism, and that is something that desperately needs more

attention because of the impact on patients and their families. "

>

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