Do vaccines cause autism? Higgs' error about peer-reviewed evidence of harm

[Guest guest]

Higgs' essay has a major error. He wrote, " Indeed, if you limit the

meaning of " credible evidence " to peer-reviewed studies, then Landrigan

is correct; no proof of a link between autism and vaccines exists. " (1)

I sent Higgs several citations published in peer-reviewed

journals. That email is reproduced hereinbelow.

1. /*Do vaccines cause autism?*/

by Higgs

http://www.bloomingtonalternative.com/node/10323

- - - - My email to Higgs:

subject: *peer-reviewed studies documenting vaccine damage - eg, autism

*

Just to make sure, I visited journal site for each journal. Each site

describes the journal as publishing peer-reviewed articles - tho' that

description is not necessarily on journal's home page.

Conclusion: There are some peer-reviewed studies which document autism

and other ASDs in relation to thimerosal and MMR.

27. */Thimerosal exposure in infants and neurodevelopmental disorders:

an assessment of computerized medical records in the Vaccine Safety

Datalink./*

Young HA, Geier DA, Geier MR.

J Neurol Sci. 2008 Aug 15;271(1-2):110-8. Epub 2008 May 15.

[These findings confirm the 1999 CDC findings of Verstraeten et al; see

cite 23]

The study evaluated possible associations between neurodevelopmental

disorders (NDs) and exposure to mercury (Hg) from Thimerosal-containing

vaccines (TCVs) by examining the automated Vaccine Safety Datalink

(VSD). A total of 278,624 subjects were identified in birth cohorts from

1990-1996 that had received their first oral polio vaccination by 3

months of age in the VSD. The birth cohort prevalence rate of medically

diagnosed International Classification of Disease, 9th revision (ICD-9)

specific NDs and control outcomes were calculated. Exposures to Hg from

TCVs were calculated by birth cohort for specific exposure windows from

birth-7 months and birth-13 months of age. Poisson regression analysis

was used to model the association between the prevalence of outcomes and

Hg doses from TCVs. Consistent significantly increased rate ratios were

observed for autism, autism spectrum disorders, tics, attention deficit

disorder, and emotional disturbances with Hg exposure from TCVs. By

contrast, none of the control outcomes had significantly increased rate

ratios with Hg exposure from TCVs. Routine childhood vaccination should

be continued to help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with

infectious diseases, but efforts should be undertaken to remove Hg from

vaccines. Additional studies should be conducted to further evaluate the

relationship between Hg exposure and NDs.

28. */Hepatitis B triple series vaccine and developmental disability in

US children aged 1-9 years/*

Gallagher C, Goodman M. Toxicol Environ Chem 2008 90(5):997-1008.

{free online}

http://fourteenstudies.org/pdf/hep_b.pdf

29. */Hepatitis B vaccination of male neonates and autism/*

[conference abstract as published]

CM Gallagher, MS Goodman, Graduate Program in Public

Health, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY

ls of Epidemiology, p659

Vol. 19, No. 9 Abstracts (ACE) September 2009: 651--680.

PURPOSE: Universal newborn immunization with hepatitis B vaccine was

recommended in 1991; however, safety findings are mixed. The Vaccine

Safety Datalink Workgroup reported no association between hepatitis B

vaccination at birth and febrile episodes or neurological adverse

events. Other studies found positive associations between hepatitis B

vaccination and ear infection, pharyngitis, and chronic arthritis; as

well as receipt of early intervention/special education services (EIS);

in probability samples of

U.S. children. Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) comprise a

growing caseload for EIS. We evaluated the association between hepatitis

B vaccination of male neonates and parental report of ASD.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used U.S. probability samples

obtained from National Health Interview Survey 1997--2002 datasets.

Logistic regression modeling was used to estimate the effect of neonatal

hepatitis B vaccination on ASDrisk amongboys age 3--17 years with shot

records, adjusted for race, maternal education, and two-parent household.

RESULTS:Boyswho received the hepatitis B vaccine during the first month

of life had 2.94 greater odds for ASD (nZ31 of 7,486; OR Z 2.94; p Z

0.03; 95% CI Z 1.10, 7.90) compared to later- or unvaccinated boys.

Non-Hispanicwhite boys were 61% less likely to have ASD(ORZ0.39; pZ0.04;

95% CIZ0.16, 0.94) relative to non-white boys.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that U.S. male neonates vaccinated with

hepatitis B vaccine had a 3-fold greater risk of ASD; risk was greatest

for non-white boys.

37. */Pediatric MMR Vaccination Safety/*

Mark R. Geier, MD, PhD; A Geier

International Pediatrics 2003;18(2):203-208.

The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) database was

analyzed for the incidence rate of permanent brain damage, cerebellar

ataxia, autism and mental retardation reported following MMR vaccine and

diphtheria, tetanus and whole-cell pertussis (DTwcP) containing-vaccines

from 1994 through 2000 in the US. Statistically significant increases in

the incidence of serious neurologic disorders following pediatric MMR

vaccine in comparison to DTwcP vaccine were found. The potentially

globally destructive effects of natural measles, mumps and rubella

infections means that continued vaccination is necessary, but

improvements in MMR vaccines are needed to improve its safety.

38. */A comparative evaluation of the effects of MMR immunization and

mercury doses from thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines on the

population prevalence of autism./*

Geier DA, Geier MR.

Med Sci Monit. 2004 Mar;10(3):PI33-9. Epub 2004 Mar 1.

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study agree with a number of previously

published studies. These studies have shown that there is biological

plausibility and epidemiological evidence showing a direct relationship

between increasing doses of mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines

and neurodevelopmental disorders, and measles-containing vaccines and

serious neurological disorders. It is recommended that thimerosal be

removed from all vaccines, and additional research be undertaken to

produce a MMR vaccine with an improved safety profile.

..