Monday, October 15, 2007

Am I the only parent who doesn't believe vaccines cause autism???

I feel like the lone voice in the wilderness. Every time I read one of these articles such as the one written by Dr. Dach I am infuriated. These people who think that autism is caused by vaccines always leave out credible research and quote the shaky research (such as Andrew Wakefield’s Lancet reports, which he later rescinded as inaccurate). It’s so obvious that parents are looking for a scapegoat here. The data just isn’t there to support a vaccine/autism link, folks! I am the parent of a 12-year-old boy with autism and I am a medical journalist. I am sick to death of these fly-by-night, fear-inducing reports. Yes, autism is scary. In fact, at times it’s downright horrible! But the scientific evidence is there on hundreds of thousands of kids from around the world showing that vaccines do not cause autism! Let’s focus our efforts on more credible theories and move on already! I’m sick to death of it! Of course parents are going to be in a frenzy and try to sue vaccine companies. As if they know about this supposed link and are setting out to intentionally give our kids autism? Let’s get on with the real work and support scientifically based research that does not have hidden agendas. Theresa

9 comments:

lindaweino said...

Theresa,

You are right vaccines don't cause autism they cause mercury poisoning. My son was mis-labeled with autism, the convenient lie of main stream medicine. 100% of independent science supports the identical symptoms of autism as mercury poisoning. The only studies that show no link to vaccines are those studies done by those who profit from vaccines either the manufactures, doctors, health departments, schools, politicians. Follow the money. These are called conflicts of interest. Don’t take my word for it. Prove that your son does not have a vaccine adverse event from mercury, order a urinary porphyrin profile and rule out mercury toxicity, he deserves it. We have done at least 14 and all show mercury toxicity. The level of mercury body burden is decreasing as we continue to chelate.

Linda

Matt said...

You are definitely not alone. As Linda has noted: Doctors, Health Departments, Schools, Politicians? Many people who have studied the issue (besides a whole lot of us parents) know that there is no connection between autism and vaccines.

People have to rely on a very complicated conspiracy theory to uphold the vaccine/autism connection. It is amazing that it works, even for this (very vocal) minority.

Seriously, does anyone believe that a doctor would take part in a vast coverup in order to be able to profit from vaccines?

For anyone suspecting heavy metal poisining of themselves or their children: go to a real toxicologist.

AutismNewsBeat said...

Thank you Matt and Nerdymom. It's nice to know that I am not alone.

The symptoms of mercury poisoning and autism are distinct. This is not a matter of opinion. That anyone would say differently speaks to an utter disregard for facts, and reveals an agenda that serves no one, especially the children.

Anonymous said...

No, you are not alone. The entire scientific community and anyone who has researched this in depth stands with you. I believed it at first -- there seemed to be so much scientific sounding evidence -- but the more I looked into it, the more I realized that it was untrue. It is shameful how many people are out for our money and will try to get it by telling us these lies. It saddens me even more that this supposed reporter is interviewing infamous charlatans and falling for their lines. This can only hurt kids with autism. I hope she wakes up.

Anonymous said...

Not in the least. Trust me.

For anyone suspecting heavy metal poisining of themselves or their children: go to a real toxicologist.

Adding to that, note that testing for porphyria is not the same as testing for heavy metal poisoning.

AutismNewsBeat said...

There's a terrific op-ed in today's WSJ by Dr. Ari Brown, an Austin pediatrician and member of the Council on Communications and Media for the National Academy of Pediatrics. She strongly criticizes Jenny McCarthy for spreading dangerous misinformation about vaccines:

Call it the New McCarthyism: Who cares about 100 years of scientific research? Vaccines are evil, because the Internet says they are. When a well-meaning parent like Ms. McCarthy blames vaccines for her child's autism, it's dangerous. Celebrity books come and go, but the anxiety they create lives on in pediatricians' offices across the
country. A small but growing number of parents are even lying about their religious beliefs to avoid having their children vaccinated, thanks in part to the media hysteria created by this book.


A successful journalist is more than a stenographer. Be informative. Show context. Be skeptical. There is too much ignorance about autism and vaccines to give a free platform to fringe practitioners and wild tales of conspiracy and cover up. Your credulity serves no purpose. Ask for evidence.

Vaccines are a public health issue, but not for the reasons Ayoub and McCarthy think. That's what your viewers need to understand.

Anonymous said...

I also am a parent who sees no evidence at all to support the idea that vaccines ever could cause autism. The amount of mercury in thimerosal containing vaccines is miniscule. A microgram is one millionth of a gram. Vaccines have a few dozen micrograms at the most, many have no mercury in them at all. Human beings on average have 6 mg. (thousandths of grams) of mercury in them.

We all have mercury in us. If we couldn't deal with micrograms of mercury we would die. Because we are constatly exposed to mercury even if we don't eat fish ever, even if you don't have amalgam fillings. That's how we end up with an average of 6 mg in us.

Every person has mercury in their brain. Arguably every person who ever lived had mercury in their brains. The stuff is everywhere. It's pumped into the atmosphere by volcanoes, it's in hot springs and it's in pollution.... and thermometers, barometers, light bulbs, computer monitors...

It's a fallacy to think that the only exposure to mercury a kid would get is through a vaccine.

It's just dumb to rely on mail order lab tests or the porphyrin test to indicate mercury. Porphyrins are raised by exposures to lots of different substances, not just mercury. Also, autism is not porphyria.

Anonymous said...

Emile, that's good information to share, especially since it's easily verified. You're not speculating or spinning conspiracies, but you are stating facts which throws some other claims in doubt. I hope KOMU sees fit to put this information in its proper context.

lindaweino said...

I commend KOMU for being so diligent in their investigation and not taking the word of those trying to cover-up for and profit from vaccines. They are going beyond the pharmaceutical paid talking points. Parents want the truth! I'm very fortunate to have found the truth about my son's mercury poisoning so I can treat it. This is not a conspiracy theory, Mercury causes mercury poisoning and should not be injected into any form of life. My child was mislabeled as he regressed into autism. The medical community, that caused this tragedy of autism, don’t want you to believe this could be possible. It would be too terrible to believe this is doctor caused disease. The debate could be ended tomorrow if the mercury defenders would agree to study the vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children. I welcome independent studies, not those paid for by Pharma. Not everyone is susceptible to mercury poisoning. Genetics have a part, but genetics is not the flaw, the injection of mercury to newborns and infants is the flaw. My family is very unique, we all have 2 polymorphism in the MTHFR which make it difficult to excrete heavy metals. These snips combined with high testosterone and mercury are a recipe for disaster. My children born in the 80’s, without the birth does Hep B, RhoGAM in utero and HIB are neuro typical college athletes. Science and EPA standards for mercury are very clear. Water supply is allowed 2 Part Per billion, waste material is considered toxic and must be disposed of as hazardous waste at 200 ppb, a trace amount thimerosal or preservative free vaccine has 2,000 ppb mercury and a flu shot contains 50,000 ppb. Yes we all have mercury exposure from living, why on earth would we want to add more? Why does every state in the U.S. have similar triple digit increases in the regressive autism rate during the same time period? Science agrees that autism is triggered environmentally, so what happened in every state at the same time. The logical answer is the mandated vaccine program. Autism exploded in the 90’s with the addition of the thimerosal containing Hepatitis B and the HIB and the expansion of RhoGAM to pregnant mother during their 28th week. When I was young hospitals were closing and now they are adding the biggest expansions in history. Why are we all so sick? According to the CDC, and HHS we have 1 in 6 children with neuro developmental or behavior disorders. Why? All 3 of my children were fully vaccinated, do I regret it, yes because of the toxins not the diseases that are in the vaccines. I come from a medical family; physicians, nurses and an orthodontist. My uncle said in the early 70's diabetes in an toddler is unheard of, now it is happening all the time. Our cildren are sick andnot nearas healthly as the children born in the 80's. We should learn from other mercury poisoning and the science with pinks disease.