Posted on 01/07/2002 1:15:35 PM PST by expose
Edited on 07/12/2004 3:50:29 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Parent Groups in US and Britain Charge Governments Manipulated Study Data to Stop Further Research Into Vaccination and Autism
Washington, D.C. - -Parent child health advocacy groups in the US and Britain are charging that public health officials in governments of both countries manipulated research data in June 1999 in order to stifle further investigation into the association between the live virus MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine and the development of autism in some children. The parent groups are criticizing the conclusions of British government authors of a study published in the June 11 The Lancet and an accompanying statement, written by US government health officials, who are claiming that the small study lays to rest the possibility that MMR vaccination is a co-factor in the development of autism in some children.
The population-based, case-series analysis conducted in the North East Thames region of Britain revealed that the number of children diagnosed with typical and atypical autism has risen by 25 percent in Britain each year since the 1980’s, after the MMR vaccine was introduced into that country, and also found a significant clustering of parent-identified behavior changes in children within six months of MMR vaccination. Despite these two findings and the fact that the pre-selected medical records of only 498 children were included in the retrospective study, the study authors categorically stated that "our analyses do not support a causal association between MMR vaccine and autism. If such an association occurs, it is so rare that it could not be identified in this large regional sample."
Allergy Induced Autism (AIA), the largest and most influential parent advocacy group representing autistic children in Britain, labeled the study "fatally flawed and statistically inadequate" and called for the resignation of key members of the government Study Group and an independent study to be conducted. Rosemary Kessick, AIA President, said "The authors manipulated the results to ‘prove’ their own pre-existing hypothesis. They are prepared to place a skewed and feeble study into the public arena in an attempt to defend the MMR vaccination. AIA considers that any such attempt to justify health policy by using inadequate research as propaganda is reprehensible."
In a commentary, US Centers for Disease Control officials criticized the "media frenzy" in Britain when a study published in Gastroenterology in June 1999 concluded that children who catch measles and mumps disease within a year of each other have a six times greater risk of developing Crohn’s disease as adults, an incurable inflammatory bowel disorder that has become five times more common in young adults since the early 1970’s. A 1997 study published in The Lancet found an association between the receipt of the combined MMR live virus vaccine and the development of intestinal bowel dysfunction and autism. Dismissing the significance of persistent reports by parents that their previously healthy children are suffering intestinal bowel dysfunction and exhibiting autistic behaviors following MMR vaccination, the CDC commentary authors state "In most cases, autism represents a birth defect."
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), the largest and oldest parent vaccine safety advocacy group in North America representing parents of vaccine injured children, and Autism Research Institute, the largest and oldest organization representing autistic children in the US, are joining British parents in questioning the validity of the study. Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC co-founder and president, said "It is clear that government health officials in both countries, who have conflicting responsibilities for licensing, monitoring and promoting vaccines, are attempting to prematurely shut down any legitimate scientific investigation into why bright, healthy children get vaccinated and then develop severe intestinal problems and autistic behaviors. This is not real science, it is pseudo-science and the public will not be fooled. We need to take funding for vaccine adverse event research out of the hands of government epidemiologists protecting existing policies and put it into the hands of real scientists who can get the job done."
Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., Director of the Autism Research Institute (ARI) and founder of the Autism Society of America, said "The enormous rate of increase in autism is very real and has catastrophic implications for society, not just for the children and their families. All suspected causes – and vaccinations are a prime suspect – must be objectively studied and not summarily dismissed by hastily concocted studies designed to prove vaccines safe. There can be no sacred cows too holy to be scrutinized."
Both the US and Britain have seen dramatic increases in the numbers of children diagnosed with autism in the past two decades. A report from the California Department of Developmental Services (www.dds.ca.gov) found that the number of young children diagnosed with autism has increased 273 percent between 1987 and 1998 while other developmental disorders showed only increases of 47 percent or less. A dramatic increase in autism cases began to occur in California after 1978, which coincides with the introduction of the combined MMR shot into the mandatory vaccination schedule in the U.S.. Previously, the live virus measles, mumps and rubella vaccines were given separately at different times during early childhood.
Founded in 1982, the National Vaccine Information Center (www.909shot.com) has long been an advocate for congressional funding of independent basic science research into the biological mechanisms for vaccine-induced immune and neurological dysfunction in children. "There is an inherent conflict of interest when the same government officials promoting mandatory vaccine use are also in charge of investigating vaccine associated health problems. Without an oversight mechanism in place, the public and Congress can be misled by data primarily controlled and generated by government health officials anxious to defend existing policies," said Fisher.
Parents ultimately have to decide - and take the consequences if they are wrong - but a great deal of misery all around would be prevented by linking the vaccine schedule to the time at which the disease becomes problematic.
Although the committee has concluded that the evidence favors rejection of the causal relationship at the population level between MMR vaccine and ASD, the committee recommends that this issue receive continued attention. It does so in recognition that its conclusion does not exclude the possibility that MMR vaccine could contribute to ASD in a small number of children and in recognition as well of the following factors discussed in this report including: the identified limitations of the evidence, the seriousness of ASD, the seriousness of the diseases prevented by the vaccine, the immense concern of parents, and the prominence of the issue in public debate. The committee recognizes that there are conditions under which a conclusion favoring rejection of the hypothesized causal relationship would result in a recommendation that no further research, surveillance, communication, or policy attention be mounted. Those conditions include strong evidence against the relationship; an understanding that no further mechanistic or pathogenesis research could shift the balance of evidence; an adverse event of little medical or public health significance; a vaccine-preventable disease posing little danger of significant morbidity or mortality should immunization rates fall; and little public, political, or media attention to the problem. The hypothesized relationship between MMR vaccine and ASD does not meet these conditions at this time. Specific recommendations regarding policy review, research and surveillance, and communication follow.
IOM Report (all of which is worth reading)
Candi
The government calls it crib death.
Please cite your qualifications in pediatric medicine and epidemeology to support your claim.
I have another child due in a couple weeks, and there is no way I am stressing her immune system with a hep shot. She is at no risk for hepatitis anyway.
There were a number of babies in my upper-middle-class suburb infected with hepatitis by a daycare worker ten years ago. It's VERY politically incorrect to say that daycare puts your baby at risk. I don't know if the workers are now required to be tested for this or not.
Mrs VS
Blood and body fluid transmission is responsible for the largest percentage of infections but is not the exclusive cause.
I have not had the vaccination; I refused to give it to my child.
BTW, I have worked with HBV contaminated materials and teach classes in safe handling of biohazardous materials.
Talk about Tin Hats!!!
EOM
You use Comvax by Merck to vaccinate at 2 months, 4 months, and one year of age. The HepB is combo'd with the H. Flu immunization.
Delays in vaccination coverage are not acceptable. It is a combination of child abuse and rude behavior. Your family's failure to immunize your child causes the entire community to be at heightened risk of disease.
One month ago, people on this board were complaining about the lack of small pox vaccine. Now, with Hepatitis B threatening to permanently infect America (the Communist Chinese have not controlled Hep.B. in the epidemic maternal-fetal transmission in China), you are choosing to keep your family at risk.
I hope your child does not end up requiring emergency surgery with a tainted blood transfusion. While the risk is low of such an occurance, the risk is still known and present. You would alleviate that risk by simply immunizing your child with a TOTALLY SAFE vaccine at the recommended time.
Please identify this physician who has publicly testified in this manner. It is my professional opinion that his hypothesis is incorrect and has no merit. Millions of dollars have been budgeted and spent on researching this claimed relationship, not a single study has been published to warrant changing or altering vaccine protocols in our nation.
I am open to discussion, but find the tin hat philosophies in this thread to be more reflective of FEAR and WIMPY behavior than actual LOGIC, scientific rationale, or medical science.
There is simply no relationship between any vaccine protocol and autism. NONE.
Blood products are screened for Hep B.
Of course, testing is not perfect.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.