The News:
Vaccine-autism link challenged
Cases of the neurological disorder continued to rise even after California removed much-maligned thimerosal from children's shots, a study found.
By Alicia Chang The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Autism cases in California continued to climb even after a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder was removed from routine childhood shots, a new study has found.
Researchers from the state Department of Public Health found the autism rate in children rose continuously during the 12-year study period from 1995 to 2007. The preservative thimerosal hasn't been used in childhood vaccines since 2001 but is used in some flu shots.
Doctors say the latest study adds to existing evidence refuting a link between thimerosal exposure and autism risk and should reassure parents that the disorder is not caused by vaccinations.
If there were a risk, they said, autism rates should have dropped between 2004 and 2007.
The findings show "no evidence of mercury poisoning in autism" since there was no decline in autism rates even after the elimination of thimerosal, said Dr. Eric Fombonne, an autism researcher at Montreal Children's Hospital who had no role in the research. more...
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
In June of 2003 I took my then 5 y.o. daughter for her pre-K vaccines. I asked to see the package insert before the shots were given (I have an older son on the Autism spectrum so I was leery). Lo and behold, in black-and white, the word "THIMERISOL"" jumped off the page at me. I politely refused the vaccine, at which point the pediatrician was called in to the room. She was shocked that T. was still in the vaccine, she too, thought it had long before been removed. What this study fails to point out is, Thimerisol is a preservative, the drug companies never did recall the vaccines, so they were continuing to inject young children with this substance for years to come. No wonder the rates haven't decreased!
Post a Comment