H1N1 Vaccine, Optic Neuritis and Disseminated Encephalomyelitis

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2010 Aug 3. [Epub ahead of print]
ADVERSE NEUROLOGIC REACTIONS AFTER BOTH DOSES OF PANDEMIC H1N1 INFLUENZA VACCINE WITH OPTIC NEURITIS AND DEMYELINATION.

Lapphra K, Huh L, Scheifele DW.

From the *Vaccine Evaluation Center, Department of Pediatrics, British Columbia Children' Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; and daggerDivision of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract

When a neurologic condition develops after vaccination of a patient, the causal relationship is difficult to determine. We report an unusual case in which neurologic signs occurred in a previously healthy child after both doses of H1N1 2009 influenza vaccine, culminating in bilateral optic neuritis and disseminated encephalomyelitis. A causal association is more likely with repeated injury following influenza vaccination.

PMID: 20686434 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

We Finally Get a Vaxxed v. Unvaxxed Study, Vaccinated Primates Have Brain Changes Seen In Autism

We finally get a vaccinated v. unvaccinated study. No... no actual children yet, but infant rhesus macaque monkeys.



And no wonder main stream medicine doesn't want vaccine studies with an actual baseline (completely unvaccinated), because the results are dramatic.

The infant primates vaccinated according to the US vaccine schedule (equivalent to their size/development rate, pre 2002 shots WITH full doses of mercury) showed the same brain changes found in children with autism. The amygdala, the fear and anxiety center, did not mature properly in the vaccinated group, and those differences did not appear until AFTER the 12 month vaccines were given.

The abstract:

Influence of pediatric vaccines on amygdala growth and opioid
ligand binding in rhesus macaque infants: A pilot study

Acta Neurobiol Exp 2010, 70: 147–164
©2010 by Polish Neuroscience Society - PTBUN, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology

Laura Hewitson1,2,*, Brian J. Lopresti3, Carol Stott4, N. Scott Mason3 and Jaime Tomko1

1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA;
2Thoughtful House Center for Children, Austin, TX, USA; 3Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 4Independent Chartered Scientist, Cambridge, UK;
*Email: lch1@pitt.edu

This longitudinal, case-control pilot study examined amygdala growth in rhesus macaque infants receiving the complete US childhood vaccine schedule (1994-1999). Longitudinal structural and functional neuroimaging was undertaken to examine central effects of the vaccine regimen on the developing brain. Vaccine-exposed and saline-injected control infants underwent MRI and PET imaging at approximately 4 and 6 months of age, representing two specific timeframes within the vaccination schedule. Volumetric analyses showed that exposed animals did not undergo the maturational changes over time in amygdala volume that was observed in unexposed animals. After controlling for left amygdala volume, the binding of the opioid antagonist [11C]diprenorphine (DPN) in exposed animals remained relatively constant over time, compared with unexposed animals, in which a significant decrease in [11C]DPN binding occurred. These results suggest that maturational changes in amygdala volume and the binding capacity of [11C]DPN in the amygdala was significantly altered in infant macaques receiving the vaccine schedule. The macaque infant is a relevant animal model in which to investigate specific environmental exposures and structural/functional neuroimaging during neurodevelopment.

Key Words: rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, non-human primates, animal model, neuroimaging, PET, MRI, amygdala, opioids, ethyl mercury, thimerosal, neurotoxicity

The full paper: Hewitson et. al.

The editorial written by the editor of the journal, who says:

An alarming finding is reported by Hewitson and coworkers showing that, in infant monkeys that were immunized, the amygdala does not show the normal pattern of maturation but is hypertrophied. Although these are only preliminary data, given the well-known role of the amygdala in generation of fear and other negative emotions, they support the possibility that there is a link between early immunization and the etiology of autism.

Mark Blaxill and Dan Olmsted's discussion of the paper: New Study Shows Vaccines Cause Brain Changes Found in Autism

It should be noted that in the spring of 2008, The American Academy of Pediatrics was informed of this study. At the conclusion of the DAN conference in Cherry Hill, NJ in April of 2008, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel personally discussed it with Dr. Louis Cooper who was there representing the AAP. Cooper skirted the issue, acting as if he was concerned with the cost of the study, and Kartzinel replied that the study was fully funded and underway. Cooper was clearly not comfortable with the discussion of the study, and changed the subject. In their discussion of what Cooper had seen at the conference and how to proceed with some sort of partnership between ARI and AAP, Cooper had already stated to Kartzinel:

"I’m concerned about immunization policy and how you protect immunization."

To my knowledge, AAP never got back to anyone on their input into, or involvement with, this primate study. Note that the study was not published by Pediatrics, where it belongs, as it is AAP's journal and AAP is Pharma's main vaccine distributor. I am sure they want this buried as deep as is possible.

I am interested to see what AAP's public comment will be on this. If there is one.

AAP's (@ameracadpeds)twitter page can be found here: http://twitter.com/ameracadpeds

Feel free to call this post to their attention.

Thomas Maugh Can't Read (or just doesn't wanna)

Wanna know how the media tries to trick ya into believing that vaccines don't cause autism? Watch closely.

Today in the LA Times, biased health reporter Thomas Maugh wrote that a new research study had been published that showed that Delaying Childhood Vaccinations Does Not Improve Children's Health. Take a moment and read it... it is quite convincing.

Booster Shots
Oddities, musings and news from the health world

Delaying childhood vaccinations does not improve children's health, study finds
May 24, 2010 | 12:11 pm

Now that the thimerosal-autism link has been thoroughly discredited, some autism advocates argue that neurodevelopmental problems are caused by overloading children's immune systems with too many vaccines too early in life. As a result, a growing number of parents are asking pediatricians to use alternative vaccination schedules that spread out the shots, even though there is no evidence to suggest that the practice may be helpful. In fact, common sense suggests that it is more likely to be harmful because the highest incidence of infection and mortality from pertussis, for example, occurs in the first six months of life. Failure to vaccinate also exposes other children in the community to infectious diseases that they might otherwise avoid.

Researchers cannot ethically conduct a clinical trial of delayed vaccinations because of the potential risks to the children involved. In an effort to circumvent this problem, pediatric infectious disease specialists Dr. Michael J. Smith and Dr. Charles R. Woods, both of the University of Louisville School of Medicine, analyzed data on 1,047 children enrolled in a previous study designed to determine whether thimerosal produced an autism risk. The children were born between 1993 and 1997, vaccinated by their parents on a schedule of the parents' choosing, and then subjected to a series of 42 neuropsychological tests between the ages of 7 and 10.

Just under half of the children (491 or 47%) received their vaccines on a timely basis, within 30 days of schedule. An additional 235 (23%) received all vaccinations, but not on schedule, and the remaining children received some but not all vaccines. On-time vaccination was most likely to occur among households in which the mother was highly educated and in which household income was higher.

The Louisville duo reported Monday in the journal Pediatrics that delayed vaccinations did not improve outcomes. In fact, outcomes in this group might have been worse. The researchers found that children vaccinated on time performed higher on 15 of the 42 tests than those who were not vaccinated on time. The latter group did not perform higher on any test. The researchers did not offer a potential explanation for this finding, but it may be linked to the higher household incomes.

Current vaccination schedules call for even more shots, so the results are not directly translatable, the authors conceded. But even with the added shots on the new schedule, children are actually exposed to lower doses of antigens because of improvements in the vaccines, they said, so the safety should remain the same.

"This study provides the strongest clinical outcomes evidence to date that on-time receipt of vaccines during infancy has no adverse effect on neurodevelopmental outcomes 7 to 10 years later," the authors wrote. "These results offer reassuring information that physicians and public health officials may use to communicate with parents who are concerned that children receive too many vaccines too soon."

The study was funded internally at the university. Woods has received honoraria from pharmaceutical companies for speeches and has received research funding from them for other projects.

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

He reviewed (badly) a study that reported that a sample of children who were both vaccinated according to the CDC schedule, and their peers who were unvaccinated or vaccinated selectively, and found that there was no difference in neuropsychological outcomes. The study, according to the authors, was needed in part because:

"as the visible threats of vaccine-preventable diseases have decreased, parental concerns about vaccine safety have increased. Most recently, these concerns have focused on the now debunked links between autism and the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine as well as concerns about the ethyl mercury–
containing preservative thimerosal..."

Well no, the thimerosal link has not been debunked, but lets skip that for now and note that parents greatest vaccine concern these days is autism. So that suggests that this study will address that concern, right?

Thomas Maugh certainly sees it that way. He wrote that the study, "analyzed data on 1,047 children enrolled in a previous study designed to determine whether thimerosal produced an autism risk."

Well GREAT! This looks like one of those studies that I personally have been begging Main Stream Medicine to do! Except that it actually isn't, it doesn't do what Maugh is telling you it does, and it looks to be just another PR stunt.

Maugh might see this too, if he read the whole study carefully. Curiously, the word "autism" only appears twice in the paper. Once in the intro, where I quoted above, and once a full nine pages in, tucked in the last paragraph before the conclusion that curiously reads:

Finally, our analyses were limited to publicly available data from the original study. Future VSD studies without this restriction would be able to assess a wider range of outcomes. These include putative vaccine adverse effects such as neurodevelopmental delay, autism, and autoimmune disorders.

What's that? Neurodevelopmental delay, autism and autoimmune disorders weren't measured? I am confused. I thought that this study was supposed to allay my fears about those things too?

You see this study is not really a new, good study, it is just a rehash of an old, bad study that the New England Journal of Medicine published to make it look like vaccines didn't cause autism. In the fall of 2007, they published a study called, "Early thimerosal exposure and neuropsychological outcomes at 7 to 10 years.", which reported that getting more thimerosal in vaccines didn't cause adverse neuropsych outcomes 7 to 10 years later. (except that if you read the whole study you find that it did cause verbal tics and speech delay). But here is where the sleight of hand takes place... pay close attention.

The abstract of that first study contains this very important note (that none of the media seemed to see):

"(We did not assess autism-spectrum disorders.)"

That's right readers... NONE of these wonderful, fab, illuminating, reassuring studies have anything to do with autism! Autism was part of the EXCLUSION criteria for the first study, therefore it was also not measured in the second study. No children in these two studies had autism. If you had autism, you were not allowed in these studies! (* see note regarding these last two sentences)

NOT AUTISM STUDIES!

(wanted to make sure I got my point across)

But you wouldn't know that from reading Maugh or from the Pediatrics study... you would have to have read the abstract in the New England Journal of Medicine yourself (not the press on it, as that was left out of the media), know that it was not an autism study, to know that this Pediatrics study is not an autism study, to know that Thomas Maugh has no idea what he is talking about. He is either incompetent to report on health research or he is purposefully lying to the public when he claims that this is based on a "previous study designed to determine whether thimerosal produced an autism risk".

You might try to point that out to him, but I have found that he is not really open to discussing the problems in his writing.

So that is how they do it folks... they do a vaccine study, not on autism, but something autism sounding and phrase it so the reader assumes that autism is included, don't mention that autism is not measured in the press release, let journalists print that it actually DOES study autism, then base more studies on that initial study that never mention that autism is not even on the menu, and viola! The public hears lots of stories about how vaccines don't cause autism.

But that one small sentence "(We did not assess autism-spectrum disorders.)" is like the pea under the mattresses for the autism mom princess. It pokes at us and keeps us awake all night, but few others will ever even notice it is there.


* Update:
While I was out of town this week an interesting conversation has taken place in the comments section on this last claim of mine that autism was in the exclusion criteria. I think that I may have made an assumption here. As you can see, it is not explicitly stated that those with autism were excluded from the study. I think I made that leap when reading that autism was not measured.

But it brought up more interesting questions about potential shenanigans in the sampling. To reasoning, this study should have NO ONE with and ASD diagnosis in the sample (as it is not measured) or should have a representative sample of ASD (to the rate in the gen pop of the birth cohort) as would a true random sample.

But neither is stated and as the discussion notes, children were dropped from the study with no explanation of why.

I would like to know the answer to a simple question... how many children with an ASD diagnosis are in this sample?

Mind you, even if there was a representative sample of kids with ASD in it (which I will shocked if there are) it is still not an autism study, so comments sentence "Autism was part of the EXCLUSION criteria for the first study... No children in these two studies had autism. If you had autism, you were not allowed in these studies!" would need to be dropped from this article to make it accurate.

Read the discussion below and thanks to those who held this exchange in my absence.

ANOTHER NOTE:

Another potential problems is the cessation of vaccination following autistic regression.

If you use the sample of my two sons, you would get results that the fewer vaccines one has, the higher the chance of having autism. Because when Chandler regressed after 18 months and 21 doses of vaccines, we stopped vaccinating him. While his older brother received more shots because:

1. He was older and was on the recommended schedule for twice the time his little brother was and
2. We allowed him to have two additional shots after his brother's regression (but he is now done).

So any study would need to take into account vaccination stoppage following regression, which is probably now the norm.

Which is why I think that only a fully vaccinated, completely unvaccinated study would really give us true insight into autism risk according to vaccine intake.

Neurotoxic Aluminum Adjuvants, Gulf War Syndrome, ALS, and Alzheimers

Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration

Christopher A. Shaw and Michael S. Petrikc

Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Experimental Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

J Inorg Biochem. 2009 November ; 103(11): 1555. doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2009.05.019.

Abstract
Gulf War Syndrome is a multi-system disorder afflicting many veterans of Western armies in the 1990–1991 Gulf War. A number of those afflicted may show neurological deficits including various cognitive dysfunctions and motor neuron disease, the latter expression virtually indistinguishable from classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) except for the age of onset. This ALS “cluster” represents the second such ALS cluster described in the literature to date. Possible causes of GWS include several of the adjuvants in the anthrax vaccine and others. The most likely culprit appears to be aluminum hydroxide. In an initial series of experiments, we examined the potential toxicity of aluminum hydroxide in male, outbred CD-1 mice injected subcutaneously in two equivalent-to human doses. After sacrifice, spinal cord and motor cortex samples were examined by immunohistochemistry. Aluminum-treated mice showed significantly increased apoptosis of motor neurons and increases in reactive astrocytes and microglial proliferation within the spinal cord and cortex. Morin stain detected the presence of aluminum in the cytoplasm of motor neurons with some neurons also testing positive for the presence of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein, a pathological hallmark of various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. A second series of experiments was conducted on mice injected with six doses of aluminum hydroxide. Behavioural analyses in these mice revealed significant impairments in a number of motor functions as well as diminished spatial memory capacity. The demonstrated neurotoxicity of aluminum hydroxide and its relative ubiquity as an adjuvant suggest that greater scrutiny by the scientific community is warranted.

Keywords: Aluminum hydroxide; Adjuvant; Neurotoxicity; Gulf War Syndrome; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Full paper here

Combined Diphtheria and Tetanus Increase Asthma Risk - GI Link

Early-Life Infections, Immunizations Alter Childhood Asthma Risk
From Reuters Health Information CME
http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/719682

News Author: Megan Brooks
CME Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Released: 04/02/2010; Valid for credit through 04/02/2011

April 2, 2010 — Recurrent bouts of gastroenteritis in the first two years of life increase the risk of asthma by age 6 years, a study in allergy-prone children suggests.

Combined diphtheria and tetanus (DT) immunization in the first year of life also increased the risk of childhood asthma in the prospective study.

"There are a range of possible explanations for the finding of an association between CDT in the first year and asthma," lead author Dr. Jennifer A. Thomson from the University of Melbourne, Australia told Reuters Health by email.

"CDT is only used for those children who meet specific indications such as a reaction to triple antigen (DTP)," she said. "The requirement for combined DT may reflect (or) be a marker for those children with delayed or altered development of their immune systems and consequent inherent allergic tendency."

The role of early childhood infections and immunizations in the development of allergic diseases "remains controversial," Dr. Thomson and colleagues noted in a March 23rd online paper in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

To investigate associations between gastroenteritis, otitis media, and lower respiratory tract infections before age 2, immunizations, and asthma, the researchers enrolled 620 infants who had first-degree relatives with allergies. The children all belonged to the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study. By age 6, 488 (79%) were still in the study.

Each of the three types of infection was associated with a modest increase in risk of asthma by age 6, the investigators report. The average increased risk per infection episode ranged from 7% to 58%. The relative risks (RR) with gastroenteritis, otitis media, and lower respiratory tract infection (including bronchitis) were 1.07, 1.30, and 1.58, respectively.

Children with at least three bouts of gastroenteritis in the first two years of life had a greater than twofold increased relative risk of having asthma by age 6 (crude RR, 2.36; adjusted RR, 2.03).

"Children with recurrent gastroenteritis in infancy/early childhood may be at increased risk of asthma in later childhood and therefore a higher level of clinical suspicion and monitoring for asthma is appropriate," Dr. Thomson told Reuters Health.

By age 1, approximately 98% of the children had received at least one immunization with diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTP) and 99% received at least one Sabin oral polio immunization. Less than 5% received at least one combined DT immunization in each of the first or second years.

According to the researchers, combined DT immunization in the first year yielded crude and adjusted relative risks of asthma at age 6 years of 1.76 and 1.88, respectively.

Dr. Thomson said she was not aware of other studies that reported an association between combined DT vaccination and asthma. She emphasized, however, that the study does not suggest a "causal link." Rather, it shows a statistical association "for which a range of explanations (some noted above) may apply."

"While chance is an unlikely explanation for the finding, it can not be eliminated completely; nor can unknown or recognized confounders for which we lacked data be definitively excluded," Dr. Thomson said.

Importantly, she added, the association between combined DT and the later development of asthma "should not deter parents from immunizing their children when weighted against the benefits."

The study also found that oral polio immunization in the second year of life was associated with a decreased risk of asthma at 6 years (crude RR, 0.60; adjusted RR, 0.63).

"Early childhood immunizations that are administered orally such as Sabin and/or more recently introduced immunizations such as the rotavirus vaccine may offer benefit in preventing the development of childhood asthma and other allergic diseases," Dr. Thomson said.

Pediatr Allergy Immunol. Published online March 23, 2010. Abstract
Reuters Health Information 2010. © 2010 Reuters Ltd.

Clinical Context
The impact of early childhood infections and immunization on subsequently developing allergic diseases is still unclear. Results have been inconsistent from epidemiologic studies assessing immunization and allergic disease, with different findings based on which vaccines were given and in which settings.

One theory suggests that immunization may contribute to the development of allergic diseases by preventing natural infection, by providing a different microbial exposure, or by affecting the natural microbial flora. On the other hand, an alternate theory proposes that by providing some microbial exposure, immunization may help prevent the development of allergic disease.

Study Highlights
• This prospective study examined the association between early childhood infections and immunization and the development of allergic disease, particularly asthma, in a high-risk cohort of allergy-prone children from birth to age 6 years.
• The study cohort consisted of 620 infants who had first-degree relatives with allergic diseases and who were recruited into the Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study.
• A questionnaire administered by an interviewer gathered data on risk factors and outcomes, which were based on parental report and/or clinician diagnosis.
• Potential risk factors were gastroenteritis; otitis media; lower respiratory tract infections; and other early childhood infections, as well as immunizations from birth to age 2 years.
• Outcomes were current asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema reported at age 6 years.
• RR and confounding were determined with univariate and multivariate regression analysis.
• Study retention was 79% of the original cohort at 6 years.
• All of the early childhood infections studied, including otitis media and lower respiratory tract infections, were associated with an increased risk for asthma at age 6 years, but the most consistent increased risk was with multiple episodes of gastroenteritis.
• Participants with at least 3 episodes of gastroenteritis were at increased risk for the development of asthma at age 6 years (crude RR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.41 - 3.95; adjusted RR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.50 - 2.75).
• For scheduled immunizations, Sabin immunization in the second year was associated with a lower risk for asthma at age 6 years (crude RR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.37 - 0.98; adjusted RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.39 - 1.02).
• Combined DT immunization in the first year was associated with a greater risk for asthma at age 6 years (RR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.11 - 2.78; adjusted RR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.28 - 2.77).
• A similar pattern was not seen with combined DT immunization in the second year.
• The investigators concluded that recurrent gastroenteritis in early childhood is associated with a later risk for asthma, which could reflect a cause-and-effect relationship or exposure to common risk factors.
• They also noted that Sabin immunization in the second year is associated with a lower risk for asthma in later childhood.
• Although combined DT immunization in the first year may be a risk factor for asthma, the need for combined DT immunization could also be a marker of greater risk for asthma in later childhood.
• The investigators recommend that clinicians have a higher level of clinical suspicion and monitoring for asthma among those children with recurrent gastroenteritis.
• Limitations of this study include possible overestimation of risk for the general population of children, possible unknown confounders, limited statistical power, lack of data on perinatal risk factors or child care, reliance on parental or clinician reporting, and some loss to follow-up.
Clinical Implications
• In the prospective Melbourne Atopy Cohort Study, recurrent gastroenteritis in early childhood was associated with a later risk for asthma, which could reflect a cause-and-effect relationship or exposure to common risk factors.
• In this cohort, Sabin immunization in the second year was associated with a lower risk for asthma in later childhood. Although combined DT immunization in the first year may be a risk factor for asthma, the need for combined DT immunization could also be a marker of greater risk for asthma in later childhood.

Authors and Disclosures
As an organization accredited by the ACCME, Medscape, LLC, requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of an education activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines "relevant financial relationships" as financial relationships in any amount, occurring within the past 12 months, including financial relationships of a spouse or life partner, that could create a conflict of interest.
Medscape, LLC, encourages Authors to identify investigational products or off-label uses of products regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, at first mention and where appropriate in the content.
Author(s)
Megan Brooks
Megan Brooks is a freelance writer for Reuters Health Information.

Disclosure: Megan Brooks has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
Editor(s)
Brande Nicole Martin
CME Clinical Editor, Medscape, LLC

Disclosure: Brande Nicole Martin has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
CME Author(s)
Laurie Barclay, MD
Freelance writer and reviewer, Medscape, LLC

Disclosure: Laurie Barclay, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Low level Hg and Autism: Mercury induces inflammatory mediator release from human mast cells

Mercury induces inflammatory mediator release from human mast cells

Duraisamy Kempuraj, Shahrzad Asadi, Bodi Zhang, Akrivi Manola, Jennifer Hogan,
Erika Peterson, Theoharis C Theoharides

Journal of Neuroinflammation 2010, 7:20 doi:10.1186/1742-2094-7-20

Abstract
Background: Mercury is known to be neurotoxic, but its effects on the immune system are less well known. Mast cells are involved in allergic reactions, but also in innate and acquired immunity, as well as in inflammation. Many patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have “allergic” symptoms; moreover, the prevalence of ASD in patients with mastocytosis, characterized by numerous hyperactive mast cells in most tissues, is 10-fold higher than the general population suggesting mast cell involvement. We, therefore, investigated the effect of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on human mast cell activation.

Methods: Human leukemic cultured LAD2 mast cells and normal human umbilical cord bloodderived cultured mast cells (hCBMCs) were stimulated by HgCl2 (0.1-10 μM) for either 10 min for beta-hexosaminidase release or 24 hr for measuring vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and IL-6 release by ELISA.

Results: HgCl2 induced a 2-fold increase in β-hexosaminidase release, and also significant VEGF release at 0.1 and 1 μM (311±32 pg/106 cells and 443±143 pg/106 cells, respectively) from LAD2 mast cells compared to control cells (227±17 pg/106 cells, n=5, p<0.05). Addition of HgCl2 (0.1 μM) to the proinflammatory neuropeptide substance P (SP, 0.1 μM) had synergestic action in inducing VEGF from LAD2 mast cells. HgCl2 also stimulated significant VEGF release (360 ± 100 pg/106 cells at 1 μM, n=5, p<0.05) from hCBMCs compared to control cells (182 ±57 pg/106 cells), and IL-6 release (466±57 pg/106 cells at 0.1 μM) compared to untreated cells (13±25 pg/106 cells, n=5, p<0.05). Addition of HgCl2 (0.1 μM) to SP (5 μM) further increased IL-6 release.

Conclusions: HgCl2 stimulates VEGF and IL-6 release from human mast cells. This
phenomenon could disrupt the blood-brain-barrier and permit brain inflammation. As a result, the findings of the present study provide a biological mechanism for how low levels of mercury may contribute to ASD pathogenesis.

Whew! Our Kids Don't Have Bowel Problems! What a Relief!

The award for the most hilarious and absurd research ever goes to....


PROFESSOR ALAN EMOND,
CENTER FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH
UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL!

*LARGE CHEER*

The good doctor and his crack team have searched high and low and found that children with autism don't have bowel problems!

I can't tell you how relieved I to find that the constipation that Chandler had for TWO FREAKING YEARS was just a figment of my imagination. And how when he ate that bread three weeks ago at that wedding he was a nightmare for a week. Or how when his brother gave him a couple of slices of toast yesterday I had to pull him screaming from a grocery store, prying his clutching fingers off a refrigerator unit as if I was taking him to the gallows.

Make sure you get in touch with the good doctor and send him your appreciation for his revolutionary finding. Send him a few of your poop pictures and let him know that he might have missed something in his study. alan.emond@bristol.ac.uk

And thanks to the good people at the BMJ for bringing us the highest science that it is possible for mankind to produce.

Don't forget to call Dr. Tim Buie at Harvard and tell him his was mistaken about all those patients that he has with bowel problems.



... oh... also call CDC/HHS/AAP and tell them to change that part of the Autism Alarm that says, "Look for other conditions known to be associated with autism (eg, seizures, GI, sleep, behavior)" so that GI symptoms are taken off the list.

Any one wanna take bets on where the money for this study came? Just sayin'.

Update: Sorry for the sarcasm. It has been a hard couple of days and this piece of crap just took the cake.

BIGGER UPDATE: This story just took a very unfunny turn.

Our friend from across the pond, Mark at Something Beginning with an A, has realized that the Professor Emond is on the the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI is the "non elected body our government has just handed the vaccine decision making to". Vaccine approvals have always had to go before the legislature. Now JCVI will approve them. The committee that is currently considering making the H1N1 vaccine compulsory for all Britons.

Ya think perhaps that this little something should have been mentioned as a BIG FAT CONFLICT OF INTEREST in this study?!

I went back to the study just to make sure that I didn't miss his mention of the fact that he is a vaccination official and found this conflict of interest statement:

"Competing interests: None."

Brilliant.

The balls these people have are astonishing.

And it doesn't stop there. Remember my little joke about the funding for this study?

Turns out the study was supported by The Wellcome Trust . As in Wellcome Pharmaceuticals that was purchased by Glaxo and is now part of GSK. Their charity arm funded this study. (don't miss the part of the site where Henry Wellcome was the first guy to visit his docs one on one and convince them to buy his Rx - he was the first pharma rep "How Wellcome transformed the marketing of pharmaceuticals").

No conflicts of interest there? Seriously?

And the pièce de résistance ? The study was funded by the Medical Research Council, the first body to go after Andrew Wakefield.

BRAVO! A symphony of conflicts of interests. Truly a masterpiece of scientific integrity.

The Adverse Vaccine Reaction blog has posted a planned rally to protest the JCIV in October.

If I had the time and the cash I would be out there with them. If you are in the neighborhood, I hope you will go and yell at Emond for me. He is not returning my emails.

UPDATE: An email on this from John Stone:

"Ginger,

Alan Emond is on the JCVI:

http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/jcvi/DOI-2007.htm

While Emond declares no competing interests on the JCVI he is closely associated with ALSPAC which receives funding from the Wellcome Trust and the MRC (who funded the new paper), as well as historically many industrial sources. The change in status of the JCVI was not quite as you describe in your blog. The vaccine schedule in the UK has never been mandatory and has not required legislative acts. The state simply acted on the recommendations of the JCVI - and citizens could take it or leave it - the innovatory (and illegal) change earlier this year placed an obligation on the government to enact their advice, which led to reasonable suspicions that the government was trying to introduce compulsory vaccination by the back door. However, they seem to be backing off this at the moment.

Emond was involved early on in the Georgie Fisher case:

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/12/mmr-and-the-inq.html

Georgie's dad wrote to JABS Forum in 2006:

'Hello to all thank you for your kind words and support. we had meeting wiyh the coronor today to talk about our concerns regarding George's symtoms before he died it made him raise his eyebrows when we showed him the leaflet from mmr manufactures.He cancelled the inquest due to further investigation. He has asked professor/doctor Emond who apparently an expert in mmr to have a look at our case.More samples are going to be tested with more sophisticated equiptment to find the virus that was responsable.We do feel that he listened to us and said he would do his best.We have also written a letter to mr blair to express our concerns and dissapointments as to MMR,NHS,and the secrets around it all. It all makes us sick they need telling in person not keep hiding away.'

http://www.jabs.org.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=198

I remember it was I who told Chris Fisher in an email that Emond was on the JCVI, so no one else had.

John"

Update:

From Scott Taylor:

The UK vaccine rally will be too late in October. They're starting [administering the vaccine] in August? That's 1-2 weeks from now?

Well looks like we will have some testing data after all - the UK population. Sorry Britain. Keep a stiff upper lip. We appreciate your sacrifice.

Europe fast-tracking swine flu vaccine

Update: More from John Stone.

UPDAE: For more on the machine that is driving all this bad research, Please see my post called "Anatomy of a Witch Hunt".

First Swine Flu Shots Will Not Be Safety Tested

The HHS plan this far is to release the first few tens of millions of doses in September before the clinical trials have been completed.

Children, infants and pregnant women are the focus of this vaccination campaign.

Please read my full post at Age of Autism.

Update: Media begins to notice: FDA Likely to Approve H1N1 Vaccine In Advance of Data.

Children Vaccinated for Flu at Three Times the Risk for Hospitalization than Unvaccinated Peers

...and those with asthma at a higher risk of hospitalization if they get the flu vaccine.

The American Thoracic Society: Flu Shot Not Effective in Preventing Flu-Related Hospitalizations in Asthmatic Children
News Release
FOR RELEASE MAY 19, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. PDT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Keely Savoie or Brian Kell
ksavoie@thoracic.org or bkell@thoracic.org
ATS Office: 212-315-8620 or 212-315-6442 (until May 13)
Cell phones: 917-860-5814 (KS) or 516-305-9251 (BK)
ATS Press Room: 619-525-6323, 619-525-6324 or 619-525-6325 (May 15 to 20)
Mini-Symposium time: May 19: 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Presentation time: May 19: 3:20 p.m.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, Room 3 (Upper Level)

Flu Shot Not Effective in Preventing Flu-Related Hospitalizations in Asthmatic Children

ATS 2009, SAN DIEGO— The inactivated flu vaccine does not appear to be effective in preventing influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma. In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than their peers who do not get the vaccine, according to new research that will be presented on Tuesday, May 19, at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in San Diego.

Flu vaccine (trivalent inactivated flu vaccine—TIV) has unknown effects on asthmatics.

“The concerns that vaccination maybe associated with asthma exacerbations have been disproved with multiple studies in the past, but the vaccine’s effectiveness has not been well-established,” said Avni Joshi, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. “This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the TIV in children overall, as well as the children with asthma, to prevent influenza-related hospitalization.”

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend annual influenza vaccination for all children aged six months to 18 years. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (3rd revision) also recommends annual flu vaccination of asthmatic children older than six months.

In order to determine whether the vaccine was effective in reducing the number of
hospitalizations that all children, and especially the ones with asthma, faced over eight consecutive flu seasons, the researchers conducted a cohort study of 263 children who were evaluated at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from six months to 18 years of age, each of whom had had laboratory-confirmed influenza between 1996 to 2006. The investigators determined who had and had not received the flu vaccine, their asthma status and who did and did not require hospitalization. Records were reviewed for each subject with influenza-related illness for flu vaccination preceding the illness and hospitalization during that illness.

They found that children who had received the flu vaccine had three times the risk of hospitalization, as compared to children who had not received the vaccine. In asthmatic children, there was a significantly higher risk of hospitalization in subjects who received the TIV, as compared to those who did not (p= 0.006). But no other measured factors—such as insurance plans or severity of asthma—appeared to affect risk of hospitalization.

“While these findings do raise questions about the efficacy of the vaccine, they do not in fact implicate it as a cause of hospitalizations,” said Dr. Joshi. “More studies are needed to assess not only the immunogenicity, but also the efficacy of different influenza vaccines in asthmatic subjects.”

###

Session # C94: “Viral Infections in Childhood Respiratory Disease”
Abstract # 561: “Flu Vaccination in Asthmatics: Does It Work?”
http://www.call4abstracts.com/ats/society_admin/abs_preview.php?absnum=561
Close Window
ATS 2009 · San Diego
International Conference
Abstract Number: 561
Contact/Presenting Author: Avni Y. Joshi
Department/Institution: Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Address: 200, First St. SW
City/State/Zip/Country: Rochester, MN, 55905
Phone: 01-507-284-2511 Fax: 01-507-284-0902 E-mail: joshi.avni@mayo.edu
ATS member: No Student or in training: Yes
Funding Source: None.
Abstract Category: 14.03 - Pediatric Asthma
Presentation format: Either Poster or Oral
Preview Disclosure
Travel Award: Yes
Publication of email address: Yes, joshi.avni@mayo.edu
I confirm that all authors listed on this abstract have knowledge of the abstract submission:
Yes
Title: Flu Vaccination in Asthmatics: Does It Work?
A. Y. Joshi, MD1, V. N. Iyer, MD,MPH1, M. F. Hartz, MD1, G. W. Volcheck, MD,Ph.D1, A. M. Patel,
MD1 and J. T. Li, MD,Ph.D1. 1Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN.
INTRODUCTION: Influenza is known to be associated with asthma exacerbation but the
effectiveness of the trivalent inactivated flu vaccine (TIV) in asthmatics is unknown.

METHODS: We conducted a cohort study of all pediatric subjects( 6 months to 18 years age) who were evaluated at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA who had laboratory confirmed influenza during each flu season from 1999-2006 to evaluate the efficacy of TIV. A case control analysis was performed with the cases and the controls being the subjects with asthma who did and did not required hospitalization with the influenza illness respectively.

RESULTS:
There were 236 subjects with laboratory confirmed influenza from 1996-2006.

In assessing the effectiveness of the TIV for preventing hospitalization with influenza in all subjects, there was an overall trend towards higher rates of hospitalization in subjects who got the TIV as compared to the ones who did not get the TIV( OR:2.97, CI: 1.3,6.7).Using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel (CMH) test for Asthma status stratification, there was a significant association between hospitalization in asthmatic subjects and TIV (P=0.006).

http://www.call4abstracts.com/ats/society_admin/abs_preview.php?absnum=561 (1 of 2) [5/11/2009 1:43:56 PM]
http://www.call4abstracts.com/ats/society_admin/abs_preview.php?absnum=561
In the asthmatic subset:
There was no association between ER visit and receiving the TIV ,severity of asthma and the risk of hospitalization or the hospital length of stay and receiving the TIV.

In assessing access to medical care, there was no association between hospitalizations and health care insurance plans (Odds ratio:0.3, P= 0.13)

CONCLUSION:
1) TIV did not provide any protection against hospitalization in pediatric subjects' esp. children with asthma. On the contrary, we found a 3- fold increased risk of hospitalization in subjects who did get the TIV vaccine.This may be a reflection not only of the vaccine effectiveness but also the population of children who are more likely to get the vaccine.

2) More studies are needed to assess not only the immunogenicity but also efficacy of different influenza vaccines in asthmatic subjects.
http://

Congressional Briefing by Maloney on Vaxxed v. Unvaxxed Bill

Call your Senators and Representatives offices and ask them to attend:

Rep. Maloney and Rep. Smith To Host A Second Autism Congressional Briefing An Update On Federal Autism Research And Treatment Initiatives

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR US SENATORS (HERE) AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS (HERE) AND URGE THEM TO ATTEND OR SEND A STAFF MEMBER TO THIS IMPORTANT AUTISM-VACCINE BRIEFING ON CAPITOL HILL

Friday, July 17 at 9:30 AM
210 Cannon House Office Building
Independence Avenue, Washington, DC.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) is hosting a special briefing for Members of Congress and their Staff to discuss issues related to autism research and treatment. We hope that you will attend the briefing to learn about the changing dynamics of the autism debate, as you will find many in government and science believe this debate is far from settled.

David Kirby, investigative journalist and author of The New York Times bestseller Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic – A Medical Controversy, will inform Members and their staff about developments regarding environmental factors in autism and the “Seven Studies to Watch” – Plus, changing ASD demographics post-thimerosal reduction. Mr. Kirby will also be joined by Mark Blaxill, Editor-at-Large of Age of Autism, Director of the Coalition for SAFE MINDS and co-author of a forthcoming book on the roots of the autism epidemic, who will address the policy and public health implications of the autism crisis.
Among the issues to be discussed are:

• The unanimous endorsement by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee to look at the feasibility of a large vaccinated-unvaccinated study, with autism as an outcome.
• 
  
• The NVAC endorsement of three other vaccine-autism investigations, including children with mitochondrial dysfunction, children with regressive autism, and vaccine injury as a risk factor for ASD.
• 
  
• Recent Vaccine Court decisions finding the MMR and Hep B vaccines caused injuries that led to autism and MS.
• 
  
• The NIH Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigations EARLI study and the HHS/EPA National Children’s Study, both of which are looking at vaccination and mercury exposures, with autism as a possible outcome.
• 
  
• The CDC’s Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) Network, whose five-year goal includes studying "specific mercury exposures, including any vaccine use by the mother during pregnancy and the child's vaccine exposures after birth.”
• 
  
• Cleveland Clinic – A recent article in PLoS Online by authors from the Cleveland Clinic, Harvard and Johns Hopkins University reported that, "Large, population-based studies will be needed to identify a possible relationship of vaccination with autistic regression in persons with mitochondrial dysfunction.”
• 
  
• Recent statements by Federal health officials such as Dr. Duane Alexander, Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), who said it was “legitimate to ask” whether vaccines can trigger autism, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, who said in a US News and World report article, “we may want to screen everyone prior to vaccination (for) undetectable diseases like a subclinical mitochondrial disorder."
• 
  
• The U.C. Davis M.I.N.D. Institute study which found, that the seven- to eight-fold increase in the number children born in California with autism since 1990 cannot be explained by either changes in how the condition is diagnosed or counted — and the trend shows no sign of abating. This as young adults begin to flood the social services system
• 
  
• Reports of reduced Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) severity among the youngest children, following reduction of thimerosal in childhood vaccines.

Please contact your elected representatives and urge them to attend.
A RUNNING TALLY OF CONGRESSIONAL RSVPS WILL BE KEPT AT WWW.AGEOFAUTISM.COM,
IF YOU RECEIVE ANY REPLY FROM LAWMAKERS IN YOUR STATE, PLEASE FORWARD THAT INFORMATION TO kirbylecture@gmail.com

Maine CDC Autism Conference: How Do We Know What Autism IS NOT if We Do Not Know What Autism IS? by Jon Poling, MD, PhD

Maine CDC Autism Conference 2009
Looking Forward Beyond Vaccines: How Do We Know What Autism IS NOT if We Do Not Know What Autism IS? Followed by Q&A with other conference speakers.
Jon Poling, MD, PhD
Neurologist, Clinical Assistant Professor
Medical College of Georgia
Father of child with autism

Maloney Vaxxed v. Unvaxxed Study Reintroduced

Call your representative and ask for support for HR 3069.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2009
CONTACT: .
Jon Houston, Maloney, (202) 225-7944

Jeff Sagnip, Smith, (202) 225-3765

Legislation Introduced to Require First Comparative

Study of Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated Populations

WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Christopher Smith (R-NJ) have introduced the “Comprehensive Comparative Study of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Populations Act of 2009,” HR 3069, legislation that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a comprehensive, peer-reviewed, comparative study of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations, which has never before been completed.

“Vaccines have been instrumental in reducing the incidence of many once-common diseases, but we owe it to parents and children to study and resolve the questions that have arisen over the possible link between vaccines and neurological disorders,” said Maloney. “What is ultimately needed to resolve this issue is a comprehensive national study comparing outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated children. As the most scientifically advanced country in the world, we should be jumping at the chance to resolve the questions that have been raised. Parents deserve answers, and children deserve no less than absolute certainty and safety.”

“Vaccines have been a truly revolutionary contribution to global public health that I have strongly supported. At the same time, it would be unconscionable if we did not fully investigate every aspect of vaccine safety, including varying vaccines schedules, to ensure that individuals were not being exposed to unnecessary risks,” said Smith. “This study would explore critical questions about our children’s health. Only a comprehensive, national examination of data that contrasts vaccinated children to unvaccinated children will answer some of the questions many if not all parents have about the safety of the vaccines we give our children. Congresswoman Maloney and I feel strongly that this will add greatly to the body of knowledge for the healthcare community and the public.”

Other original cosponsors of the bill include Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), Chair of the House Science and Technology Committee, and Reps. Dan Burton (R-IN), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Virginia Brown-Waite (R-FL), and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

Background: Maloney and Smith have also introduced legislation (H.R. 2618) that would improve the current system for vaccine safety monitoring in this country by assigning responsibility for the nation’s vaccine safety to an independent agency within the Department of Health and Human Services; and another (H.R. 2617) that puts in statute definite timelines for the elimination of mercury from vaccines.

Maloney introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress. Click here for more information.

Induction of Metallothionein in Mouse Cerebellum and Cerebrum with Low-dose Thimerosal Injection

Induction of metallothionein in mouse cerebellum and cerebrum with low-dose thimerosal injection.

Cell Biol Toxicol. 2009 Apr 9.

Minami T, Miyata E, Sakamoto Y, Yamazaki H, Ichida S.

Department of Life Sciences, School of Science & Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1 Kowakae, Higashi-osaka, Osaka, 577-8502, Japan, minamita@life.kindai.ac.jp.

Thimerosal, an ethyl mercury compound, is used worldwide as a vaccine preservative. We previously observed that the mercury concentration in mouse brains did not increase with the clinical dose of thimerosal injection, but the concentration increased in the brain after the injection of thimerosal with lipopolysaccharide, even if a low dose of thimerosal was administered. Thimerosal may penetrate the brain, but is undetectable when a clinical dose of thimerosal is injected; therefore, the induction of metallothionein (MT) messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein was observed in the cerebellum and cerebrum of mice after thimerosal injection, as MT is an inducible protein. MT-1 mRNA was expressed at 6 and 9 h in both the cerebrum and cerebellum, but MT-1 mRNA expression in the cerebellum was three times higher than that in the cerebrum after the injection of 12 microg/kg thimerosal. MT-2 mRNA was not expressed until 24 h in both organs. MT-3 mRNA was expressed in the cerebellum from 6 to 15 h after the injection, but not in the cerebrum until 24 h. MT-1 and MT-3 mRNAs were expressed in the cerebellum in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, MT-1 protein was detected from 6 to 72 h in the cerebellum after 12 microg/kg of thimerosal was injected and peaked at 10 h. MT-2 was detected in the cerebellum only at 10 h. In the cerebrum, little MT-1 protein was detected at 10 and 24 h, and there were no peaks of MT-2 protein in the cerebrum. In conclusion, MT-1 and MT-3 mRNAs but not MT-2 mRNA are easily expressed in the cerebellum rather than in the cerebrum by the injection of low-dose thimerosal. It is thought that the cerebellum is a sensitive organ against thimerosal. As a result of the present findings, in combination with the brain pathology observed in patients diagnosed with autism, the present study helps to support the possible biological plausibility for how low-dose exposure to mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines may be associated with autism.

Methyl B12 and Folinic Acid Raise Glutathione Levels in Autistic Children

Efficacy of methylcobalamin and folinic acid treatment on glutathione redox status in children with autism.

James SJ, Melnyk S, Fuchs G, Reid T, Jernigan S, Pavliv O, Hubanks A, Gaylor DW.

Departments of Pediatrics and Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute, Little Rock, AR.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic abnormalities and targeted treatment trials have been reported for several neurobehavioral disorders but are relatively understudied in autism.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether or not treatment with the metabolic precursors, methylcobalamin and folinic acid, would improve plasma concentrations of transmethylation/transsulfuration metabolites and glutathione redox status in autistic children.

DESIGN: In an open-label trial, 40 autistic children were treated with 75 mug/kg methylcobalamin (2 times/wk) and 400 mug folinic acid (2 times/d) for 3 mo. Metabolites in the transmethylation/transsulfuration pathway were measured before and after treatment and compared with values measured in age-matched control children.

RESULTS: The results indicated that pretreatment metabolite concentrations in autistic children were significantly different from values in the control children. The 3-mo intervention resulted in significant increases in cysteine, cysteinylglycine, and glutathione concentrations (P < 0.001). The oxidized disulfide form of glutathione was decreased and the glutathione redox ratio increased after treatment (P < 0.008). Although mean metabolite concentrations were improved significantly after intervention, they remained below those in unaffected control children.

CONCLUSIONS: The significant improvements observed in transmethylation metabolites and glutathione redox status after treatment suggest that targeted nutritional intervention with methylcobalamin and folinic acid may be of clinical benefit in some children who have autism. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00692315.

UPDATE: Some one provided me with a TIF of the full study.

Julie Gerberding Tells Congress That The Verstraeten Study is Junk!

I am stunned.

I can't even think of a snarky comment to write.

My only question is, when is the press release from the CDC retracting Verstraeten coming out?

David Kirby "CDC: Vaccine Study Design "Uninformative and Potentially Misleading"

For those of you who may not understand the significance of this development, Julie Gerberding, the head of the CDC, has just taken down the tent pole arguement in the "vaccines don't cause autism" claim, on her own, with her bare hands.

UPDATE:

Pamella Addresses the AAP and All Star Pediatrics about the Gerberding report and their continued disrespect for parents.
The American Academy or Pediatrics in an Awkward Position after CDC Takes Thimerosal Safety Studies Off the Table

Vaccinated Primates Show Signs of Autism

I am on a deadline for work and can't do this justice, but it huge news, so go read the two pieces about it on Age of Autism.

More on Mitochondrical Disorders from the Clevland Clinic

Since the Poling's press conference three weeks ago, we have been hearing from health authorities like Julie Gerberding and Anne Schuchat that Hannah's mitochondrial disorder was genetic and rare.

David Kirby's most recent article let us know that the CDC has known since at least March 11th that Hannah's case is not at all rare, and famed The Cleavland Clinic here informs us that mito disorders are not all genetic, but can be caused by toxins.

Which leads us back to the same question as always in dealing with CDC officials... are they incompetent, or are they liars?

I have put the relevant pieces of information in bold.

Myths and Facts About Mitochondrial Diseases

Myth
All mitochondrial diseases are known by acronym abbreviations (e.g., MELAS, MERRF, NARP, LHON).

Fact
Acronyms were commonly used when these disorders were first described. Today, the naming of mitochondrial disorders is evolving. Mitochondrial disorders are currently named by any of the following methods:

* By acronym descriptions (still in use although most people with a mitochondrial disorder do not have an "acronymic-named" disorder)
* By a name based on a person who described the disease
* By a name based on a specific genetic mutation
* By a name based on a microscopic description of tissue, or
* By a name based on the deficient enzyme

It is important to note that the labels given this disorder do not, in and of themselves, predict the long-term outcome or alter treatment.

Myth
Mitochondrial diseases are inherited only from your mother.

Fact
The current thinking is that most mitochondrial diseases are the result of one or more complex inheritance patterns. Most mitochondrial diseases are the result of mutations (changes) in DNA located in the nucleus of the cell. Only mitochondrial disorders caused by mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (a specific structure in living cells, located outside the nucleus) are inherited exclusively from mothers.

Another source of mitochondrial disorders that affects a large percentage of patients is poorly functioning mitochondria that become that way because of:

* another disease process (including other chromosomal disorders)
* exposure to toxins or viruses
* other inherited genetic mutations that are not disease-causing until "triggered" by some other genetic factor

Myth
Mitochondrial disease is a childhood disease.

Fact
Although mitochondrial disorders are commonly seen in infants and children, they can occur at any age.

Myth
An individual with mitochondrial disease has mental retardation, growth problems, and/or seizures.

Fact
Only some individuals have these developmental problems. Patients' symptoms can range from extremely mild to severe, can involve one or more body systems, and can emerge at any age. The brain, muscles, heart, liver, nerves, eyes, ears, and kidneys are the organs and tissues most affected. Most patients' symptoms fluctuate over the course of their illness -- patients at some times experience no or few symptoms, and at other times have many and/or severe symptoms. Even family members with the same disorder can experience vastly different symptoms.

Myth
Since mitochondrial diseases are incurable, no treatments can be given to these patients.

Fact
Even though these disorders are long term and incurable, treatments are available. Early treatment of symptoms can reduce their impact and limit further disability. Avoiding certain medications and stressful situations that worsen symptoms is also helpful. Certain medications and supplements may improve mitochondrial disease-related symptoms -- just as they do for other incurable diseases -- such as diabetes and emphysema.

Myth
Patients with mitochondrial disease all have elevated lactic acid levels in their blood.

Fact
An elevated lactic acid level, along with other symptoms, typically does indicate a mitochondrial problem and requires further investigation. However, elevated lactic acid levels are not seen in all types of mitochondrial diseases. In making the diagnosis, your doctor will look for other signs of mitochondrial disorders in blood, urine, and spinal fluid samples.

Myth
A muscle biopsy is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of mitochondrial disease.

Fact
Although the muscle biopsy is a powerful diagnostic tool, it should not be considered a "gold standard." Examination of a biopsy includes microscopic evaluation, enzyme testing, and genetic testing. Although all U.S. labs that offer muscle biopsy meet strict laboratory guidelines, there is no agreed-upon standard approach for enzyme testing. Furthermore, a muscle biopsy with full analysis costs well over $10,000 and poses both surgical and anesthetic risks. In some patients, the diagnosis can be made based on clinical symptoms and a positive blood test (identifying a genetic mutation) or a combination of clinical findings and other non-invasive testing -- in either case, a muscle biopsy is not necessary. Finally, since biopsy results usually do not alter the long-term outcome or treatment considerations, some specialists and patients choose to treat without the need for a muscle biopsy.

Myth
A muscle biopsy is a muscle biopsy no matter where and how it is done.

Fact
Muscle removed for biopsy can be tested in many ways. For example, enzyme testing can be done on either ground-up muscle or on mitochondria extracted from muscle. Testing on extracted mitochondria is performed in only a few medical center laboratories and must be performed immediately. This procedure is known as a "fresh biopsy." In an alternative procedure, called a "frozen biopsy," the muscle is quickly cooled and stored at -80 degrees Celsius for testing at an outside facility. The scientific community is currently debating the advantages of testing "fresh vs. frozen" mitochondria. Some evidence indicates that the "fresh biopsy" may be the superior method. Other types of mitochondrial testing of the muscle biopsy may need to be conducted; a limited number of laboratories offer such testing.

For additional information on mitochondrial diseases, contact:

The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
8085 Saltsburg Road, Suite 201
Pittsburgh, PA 15239
412.793.8077
www.umdf.org

The Mitochondrial Medicine Society
www.mitosoc.org

HT: MomResearch

The Study That FINALLY Got The CDC to Pay Attention

Last night we learned from David Kirby that the CDC is actually waking up to the vaccine/autism connection because of the recent revelation of previously missing middle man Mr. Mitochondria.

Here is the study that was the slap in the fact that has been so badly needed for so long:

Epidemiology of autism spectrum disorder in Portugal: prevalence, clinical characterization, and medical conditions

Guiomar Oliveira MD PhD, Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra; Assunção Ataíde BSc, Direcção Regional de Educação do Centro Coimbra;
Carla Marques MSc, Centro de Desenvolvimento da Criança, Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra; Teresa S Miguel BSc, Direcção Regional de Educação do Centro, Coimbra;
Ana Margarida Coutinho BSc, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras; Luísa Mota-Vieira PhD, Unidade de Genética e Patologia moleculares, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo, Ponta Delgada, Açores; Esmeralda Gonçalves PhD; Nazaré Mendes Lopes PhD, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Coimbra; Vitor Rodrigues MD PhD; Henrique Carmona da Mota MD PhD, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra; Astrid Moura Vicente PhD, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
*Correspondence to first author at Hospital Pediátrico de Coimbra, Av Bissaya Barreto, 3000-076 Coimbra, Portugal. E-mail: guiomar@hpc.chc.min-saude.pt

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and identify its clinical characterization, and medical conditions in a paediatric population in Portugal. A school survey was conducted in elementary schools, targeting 332 808 school-aged children in the mainland and 10 910 in the Azores islands. Referred children were directly assessed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn), the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised, and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Clinical history and a laboratory investigation was performed. In parallel, a systematic multi-source search of children known to have autism was carried out in a restricted region. The global prevalence of ASD per 10 000 was 9.2 in mainland, and 15.6 in the Azores, with intriguing regional differences. A diversity of associated medical conditions was documented in 20%, with an unexpectedly high rate of mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders.

Drunk Moms Cause Autism

Or so says this reporter who wants us to just take her word for it as the study that would support this claim is unpublished and the researchers won't talk to her about what it actually says. But she feels just taking their word for it is investigation enough to for publication in a major newspaper?

This really bothers me.

My letter to Sarah-Kate Templeton:

Wow.. what a horribly irresponsible piece of journalism.

"Guess what everyone... drinking causes autism, and we have a study to prove it, but we are not going to tell you what is in the study, and no one can check our work but we want you to print it in the newspaper and tell everyone anyway. Trust us... we have presented it in "scientific meetings".

Ms. Templeton, women have been drinking while pregnant for thousands of years. (tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands? When was fermentation discovered?) It seems reasonable to assume that if it caused something like autism, people would have discovered, labeled and described autism in the literature long before Kanner did it in the 1930's.

When there is a published study for people to read for them selves and see if there is any merit to the theory, then write about it.

But publishing the headline, "Drinking while pregnant risks autism in babies", when you have no data to actually back up the claim is just wrong.

An equally salient point from Clifford G. Miller of Beckenham, England:

If drinking alcohol whilst pregnant causes autism, why is the autism rate so high in teetotal Utah, USA?

- 1 in 133 Utah children has autism's 3rd highest rate in 14 US states (according to US Centers for Disease Control 9/2/07 - http://unews.utah.edu/p/?r=020807-2)

- Utah 2.5 million population - (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49000.html)

- approx 75% of Utah is Mormon (http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/contact-us/usa-utah)

- approx 49% regular church attenders (http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2886596).

"Latter-day Saints generally adhere strictly to their health code which prohibits the use of tobacco and alcohol. These practices have always shown up in national health data, which consistently rate Utah as having the lowest rates of smoking, alcohol use, lung cancer, etc. The National Institute of Mental Health ranked Utah as the second-lowest U.S" (http://www.adherents.com/largecom/lds_dem.html)

March 23, 2008
Drinking while pregnant risks autism in babies
Sarah-Kate Templeton, Health Editor

Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy may be putting their babies at risk of developing autism, according to new research.

The consultant psychiatrist who alerted the medical profession to the finding that drinking while pregnant can give babies a condition called foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has now found that the consumption of alcohol by expecting mothers can also cause autism.

The research is the first to suggest that autism may be triggered by the child’s mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

The findings will heighten concern about the increase in alcohol consumption among women of childbearing age.

More than half of all mothers drink alcohol while pregnant, according to the Department of Health. This week the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will issue a new warning about the dangers.

A recent survey showed 8% of women aged 18 to 24 had consumed at least 35 units of alcohol, the equivalent of about 15 glasses of wine, during the previous week. Binge drinking among young women has resulted in the number of alcohol-related deaths in women aged 35 to 54 doubling between 1991 and 2005.

Earlier this year, the British Medical Association warned that the increase in alcohol consumption by young women will be reflected in a rise in drinking during pregnancy and, subsequently, will put more babies at risk of being damaged by alcohol while in the womb.

Raja Mukherjee, consultant psychiatrist at Surrey Borders Partnership NHS trust, has spent the past 18 months examining children who have been damaged by their mother’s drinking during pregnancy and found that a high proportion of them have autism. The research has been presented at scientific meetings.

Mukherjee, who has presented his findings to medical colleagues, declined to discuss them in detail before their publication in a medical journal but said: “Genetic conditions are by far the most common cause of autism but that is not to say that other things cannot cause it, and prenatal alcohol appears, possibly, to be [a cause].

“Unlike genetic conditions, this is 100% preventable.”

Mukherjee has previously warned against any drinking during pregnancy and believes that even low levels of alcohol may endanger babies.

Drinking during pregnancy can cause foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the umbrella term for a range of disorders — from minor anomalies such as low birth weight to severe FAS, the symptoms of which include mental retardation and facial abnormalities such as a short nose.

The number of cases of FAS in Britain has increased in recent years. So far the government and medical bodies have given out conflicting messages about how much alcohol it is safe to drink during pregnancy.

Cases rising

One per cent of British children suffer from autism, according to the Office for National Statistics. Some academics argue that the percentage of children suffering from the disorder is increasing but others say that numbers are up because of better diagnosis.

Although the cause of autism is unknown, many doctors believe some people have a genetic predisposition towards it.

Dr Andrew Wakefield linked autism to the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, but the research was discredited. It led to a fall in immunisation.

Serious Concerns Over Hepatitis B Vaccine

Today is one of those days that I read things like this and it just makes me cry.

If I knew this in March of 2002, would I have allowed Chandler to have that first Hep B shot that sent him on his journey down the rabbit hole?

All this information was out there. My doctor told me none of it.

Serious Concerns Over Hepatitis B Vaccine
Friday, March 21, 2008 7:05 AM
Michael Arnold Glueck and Robert J. Cihak, The Medicine Men


As some readers know, we have expressed our concerns about childhood vaccinations a number of times. (See Newsmax,com Medicine Men Archives.)

We are not saying that all vaccines are bad, but we ask that parents, physicians, and health authorities proceed with care and caution and sometimes resist some of the "automatic" childhood vaccinations.

Today the issue is that of the hepatitis B vaccine.

From 1994 to 1998, almost two-thirds of the French population and almost all newborn babies were vaccinated against hepatitis B, but the campaign was temporarily suspended because of concerns about side effects.

In what was called a "thunderclap in the vaccine industry," French authorities have opened a formal investigation regarding a hepatitis B vaccination campaign by GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur in the 1990s. It is alleged that the companies failed to fully disclose neurologic side effects.

Another investigation opened by Judge Marie-Odile Bertella-Geffroy concerns the death ("manslaughter") of a 28-year-old woman from multiple sclerosis, allegedly connected to the vaccine (Le Figaro 1/31/08).

Some 30 plaintiffs, including the families of five patients who died after the vaccination, have launched civil actions (Reuters 1/1/08).

A British case-controlled analysis showed an odds ratio of 3-to-1 (95 percent) for the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis in recipients of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine compared to controls. Two previous French studies had shown a ratio of about 1-to-5. Other studies showed a non-significant increase (or null findings) especially when date of diagnosis rather than date of first symptoms was used (Neurology 2004; 63: 838-842).

According to attorney Clifford Miller, "British doctors administering hepatitis B vaccine to infants could face criminal prosecution if fully informed consent is not obtained. Civil prosecution for damages is possible over 21 years later if the injured survive as adults" (UK Press Association Newswire/Romeike, September 2005).

The hepatitis B vaccine has been considered "one of the safest vaccines ever produced" (Neurology, 2004; 63: 838-842). On the other hand, French medical expert Marc Girard has said that "for a preventive measure, hepatitis B is remarkable for the frequency, variety and severity of complications from its use" (Romeike, September 2005).

In the past, individual concerns over vaccination have often been transgressed because of the platitude that the public good takes precedence over the individual.

We suggest that when it comes to the routine childhood hepatitis B vaccination those affected and involved should think a little harder before they shoot.

We think that the French authorities finally got something right.

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Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., comments on medical-legal issues and is a visiting fellow in Economics and Citizenship at the International Trade Education Foundation of the Washington International Trade Council.

Robert J. Cihak, M.D., is a senior fellow and board member of the Discovery Institute and a past president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.