Vaccines and Autism
The current CDC web site offers this response
to the question, “Do vaccines cause autism spectrum disorders?”
“A: [There are] many studies that have looked at whether there is a
relationship between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). To date,
the studies continue to show that vaccines are
not [sic] associated with ASDs.
”[i]
This statement does not
accurately depict the state of vaccine safety science today. While some studies
do not find evidence of an association between vaccines, heavy metal components
such as thimerosal, and autism, many do. The peer-reviewed meta-analysis
released by DeSoto and Hitlan, addressed in Chapter 7 (“An Urgent Call for More Research), found that 74 percent of the relevant
studies support an association between autism and heavy metals such as
thimerosal and autism.
Contrary to the CDC
’s statement, there are now approximately 60 studies that support
the autism-vaccine causation theory.
[ii] However, parents, attempting to make fully informed decisions
about vaccinating their children, who Google
“Do
vaccines cause autism spectrum disorders?" will see the page containing
the CDC's inaccurate claim as the first search result that is returned to them.
The trust those parents have that the government is giving them accurate
information is misplaced.
In early 2012, in
preparation for the paperback version of Vaccine
Epidemic, CDC was contacted directly to ascertain their current stance on
vaccine autism causation. Thomas W.
Skinner of the Centers for Disease Control, Office of the Director, Office of
the Associate Director for Communication responded:
“Subject: Re:
MI-Normal-Book author-Autism/Vaccine
Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2012
20:32:40 +0000
From: Skinner, Thomas W.
(CDC/OD/OADC) <tws3@cdc.gov>
To: 'ginger@adventuresinautism.com'
Autism presents
difficult challenges for thousands of families across the United States. Scientists do not know what causes
autism. However, very thorough studies
conducted by some of the world’s brightest scientists
simply do not point to an association between vaccines and autism. Hopefully additional research will someday
provide answers as to what is the cause or causes of autism.”
Because this
statement is inconsistent with current research, I sent Mr. Skinner a follow-up
email, in which I brought to his attention a list of sixty studies (listed in
Appendix) that point to an association between vaccines and autism. I had three inquiries: 1) the list of studies that "do not
point to an association between vaccines and autism; " 2) the reasons for
the CDC’s failure to mention any of the studies that point to an association
between vaccines and autism; and 3) the
person or panel responsible for approving his statement.
No reply was
forthcoming from the CDC as of the publication of this edition.
