Re: The Collapse of the Great Vaccine-Autism Link

What the article ignores, of course, is that the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal was removed from most childhood vaccines years ago, both in the U.S. and abroad...and yet autism rates in children continue to climb. If thimerosal was responsible for autism, autism rates should be plummeting by now.

Study after study finds no connection between vaccination and autism. For example:

"The prevalence of pervasive developmental disorder in Montreal was high, increasing in recent birth cohorts as found in most countries. Factors accounting for the increase include a broadening of diagnostic concepts and criteria, increased awareness and, therefore, better identification of children with pervasive developmental disorders in communities and epidemiologic surveys, and improved access to services. The findings ruled out an association between pervasive developmental disorder and either high levels of ethylmercury exposure comparable with those experienced in the United States in the 1990s or 1- or 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations."


http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/118/1/e139


More on antivaccinationists and how their arguments have gone up in smoke:


http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/medicine/autism



We know that immunization is in the spirit of this forum, as it emphasizes disease _prevention_, rather than medicating sick children and adults.

Rejecting anti-vaccination nonsense also spares children from being medicated. This includes youngsters who undergo potentially dangerous chelation therapy for supposed mercury removal, or chemically castrating autistic kids with Lupron, something that the Geiers (antivaxers mentioned in the article Raynbo posted) promote.

Given all the evidence on the safety and value of vaccination, there are two things one can do in response:

1) Rant about Big Pharma and conspiracies and try to cloud the issues with personal attacks.

2) Study the evidence and use common sense to reach your own conclusions.


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