AGE OF AUTISM

MERCURY STUDY RELEASED EARLY TO HELP AAP BASH ABC

By Barbara Loe Fisher

The AAP leadership is just not going to give up insisting that it is a very, very good thing to inject mercury into infants and children. They are going to twist themselves into pretzels trying to defend the indefensible premise that a known neurotoxin belongs in childhood vaccines, as evidenced by today's early release of a methodologically questionable "study" by Michael Pichichero, M.D. purporting to exonerate the mercury-based vaccine preservative, thimerosal, from any responsibility for children developing vaccine- associated autism. HERE.

The study, originally scheduled to be published Feb. 4 in the AAP journal, Pediatrics, was released "early" in an effort to blunt the impact of tonight's broadcast of a fictional drama on ABC-TV that highlights the ordeal of a family whose son developed autism after receiving mercury-containing vaccines. HERE.

Here is what all the fuss is about (for today at least): Pichichero claims his study of about 200 babies and children, who were injected with vaccines containing ethyl mercury (thimerosal), showed that measurable mercury levels in the blood of the children were gone within 3.7 days. This, says Pichichero, is much quicker than the average 44 days it takes for methyl mercury (found in fish) to be undetectable in the blood. Ergo, he says, exposure to thimerosal does not cause brain damage or autism!

ELI LILLY, ELI STONE AND A BRIDGE IN NYC

In light of the uproar over the Eli Stone TV show, we ask, "Why should we trust pharmaceutical companies, federal regulators or the doctors who prescribe drugs?"  (Did you know that Eli Lilly created Thimerosal, the mercury based preservative at the center of the controversy?) Time and again they've sold our health down the river for profit. And we're to believe vaccines are exempt from these practices?  I gotta go polish up a bridge I'm selling.....    From the New York Times:  Lilly Considers $1 Billion Fine to Settle Case

And remember when the government told our elderly citizens that buying drugs from Canada could be unsafe? Also from the Times today:  A huge state-owned Chinese pharmaceutical company that exports to dozens of countries, including the United States, is at the center of a nationwide drug scandal after nearly 200 Chinese cancer patients were paralyzed or otherwise harmed last summer by contaminated leukemia drugs.

Last week, The New York Times asked the F.D.A. whether the Shanghai Pharmaceutical Group exported to the United States any drugs or pharmaceutical ingredients other than the abortion pill. But after repeated requests, the agency declined to provide that information; it did not cite a reason.  Tainted Drugs Tied to Maker of Abortion Pill

OREGONIAN OPINION: PEDS AGAINST FREE SPEECH?

Our own JB Handley is featured in THIS article from Oregon Live which begins: "When the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) learned that the first episode of a new television series on ABC would feature an autistic child harmed by vaccines, it cried "irresponsible" and demanded that the show be canceled. In turn, activists like Portland's J.B. Handley, founder of Generation Rescue, which supports parents of autistic children, cried: "Censorship."

The article ends with:

The AAP and the CDC would rather the ABC program not air so that parents do not even learn about the vaccine controversy. Most parents are unlikely to use medical information from a fictional television program as the only basis to make health decisions for themselves or their children. But such a program can raise real life issues that trigger personal research so that when medical treatments are considered there is true informed consent. What is the AAP so afraid of?

The middle is pretty good too. Check it out. Thank you Sandra Duffy.

CONCERN, ANXIETY, AND WORRY: GETTING PLAYED BY THE CDC (AND OTHERS)

By J.B. Handley

“The belief that you can inform and warn people, and get them to take appropriate actions or precautions with respect to a health threat or risk without actually making them anxious or concerned. This is not possible…This is like breaking up with your boyfriend without hurting his feelings. It can’t be done.”

- Glen Nowak, Director of Communications, Centers for Disease Control, Presentation at the 2004 Vaccine Summit

Man, did I get played by the CDC. It was the winter of 2003. You couldn’t turn on the T.V. without reading about another child dying from the flu: it’s a particularly bad strain, children are at high risk, flu shot supply is strained, get your child vaccinated while you still can!

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?

By Tim Kasemodel

According to a September 26, 2006 Department of Health and Human Services response to the Coalition for Mercury Free Drugs, the FDA concludes that “exposure to mercury from vaccines is minimal” because routine infant and flu vaccines totaling 28 micrograms of ethyl mercury is “significantly below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculated exposure guideline for methyl mercury of 65 micrograms during the first 6 months of life for a child in the fifth percentile body weight.”  To the uninterested observer that may actually make sense.  To anyone with 6th grade math skills however, it seems a little perplexing.

CRUMBLING TRUST

By Kim Stagliano

Why are parents, particularly those of us in the autism world, skeptical of the AAP, CDC, FDA, and LMNOP?  Remember the reports that Hurricane Katrina survivors were getting sick from their FEMA trailers due to formaldehyde filled materials heating to extreme temps during the day, outgassing and then being breathed in by residents? FEMA fudged the data to prove "NO EVIDENCE OF HARM."  Sound familiar?  (By the way, formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, is in vaccines. But just a skosh, so don't worry.)

CONTACT ABC TO KEEP ELI STONE ON AIR

We've learned that the Immunization Action Coalition has released a press release, complete with "talking points" asking it's "immunization colleagues" to protest the ABC drama Eli Stone.   In short, they want ABC to just shut up and drop the program.

(IAC Funding 2008 to-date Sources of support The Immunization Action Coalition receives funding from a variety of sources, but maintains strict editorial independence in all publications and print materials. Funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is provided for specific projects. Contributions from pharmaceutical companies are in the form of educational grants. The grants are made with the strict understanding that the company does not have input into publication content or our editorial policies.)

We thank the IAC for this press release. It tells us to contact the following people at ABC to voice your opinion.  Saved us a lot of work tracking down names and numbers. So start dialing and emailing!  Make sure you're polite to the people at ABC , they're the good guys (so far.)  You can help prevent the censorship demanded by CDC/IAC.

ABC CONTACT INFORMATION

Nicole Nichols
Senior Vice President of Entertainment Communications for "Eli
Stone"
Email: Nicole.Nichols@abc.com
Phone: (818) 460-5267

Charissa Gilmore
Vice President of Media Relations for "Eli Stone"
Email: Charissa.Gilmore@abc.com 
Phone: (818) 460-7950

Who is the IAC? Think CDC.  From their site:  "The Immunization Action Coalition, a non-profit organization, works to increase immunization rates and prevent disease. The Hepatitis B Coalition, a program of IAC, promotes hepatitis B vaccination for all children 0–18 years; HBsAg screening for all pregnant women; testing and vaccination for high-risk groups; and education and treatment for treatment for people chronically infected with hepatitis B.

This website is exclusively supported by Cooperative Agreement No. U66/CCU524042 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of IAC and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Immunization Action Coalition  |  1573 Selby Avenue  |  St. Paul MN 55104

contact: admin@immunize.org  |  www.immunize.org

tel: 651.647.9009  |  fax: 651.647.9131"

If you want to read the entire press release, it's below.

NATIONAL AUTISM ASSOCIATION AND AAP: ELI STONEGATE

By Wendy Fournier

The headlines this week have me sitting at my computer with utter contempt for the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

The AAP is frantic about a fictional TV show scheduled to air on ABC this week.  The show, entitled "Eli Stone" will depict the story of a family who is awarded a multi-million dollar lawsuit based on the theory that thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative still used in many vaccines – caused their child to develop autism.  AAP president Renee Jenkins sent a letter to ABC demanding that this show be cancelled.  Has the AAP got nothing better to do than worry about a TV show?

MOM CALLS OUT AAP ON ABC LETTER

Managing Editor's Note: Not long ago, doctors ENDORSED cigarette smoking. Tobacco executives stood before Congress and lied about cigarette safety. To all the Moms and Dads involved in the vaccine safety cause: "Don't Quit."  Angela Warner, who wrote this article isn't. Her husband serves in the US Military and is about to go on deployment. She is a warrior too. Thank you, Angela.

By Angela Warner

Eli Stone, Autism and Vaccines. I Have to Call You out on This One AAP.

January 28, 2007

To the Attention of Dr. Jenkins and the American Academy of Pediatrics:

I don't have much time to email my friends and family anymore, but I will most certainly MAKE the time to email you regarding the letter released today from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

You see I have four children; two of whom have autism, and another who was vaccine damaged in a different way (female). My youngest has
received no vaccines, is 16 months old, and believe it or not, the healthiest of all my children. Autism takes up most of my time these days. I know what caused my boys' autism. The vaccine damage my daughter sustained in two different instances is irrefutable. It is the same with
my boys.

I find it highly disturbing that the AAP would send a letter to ABC President Anne Sweeney requesting them to censor a fictional TV show.

Especially in light of the AAP's position on censorship which was firmly
stated in Pediatrics Vol. 83 No 2 in February of 1989 (pages 314-315).

"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly opposes censorship." As a healthcare consumer and one who relied on the advice and guidance of my AAP physician who injected my children with vaccines that caused them harm; I expect you will please clarify this obviously conflictingsituation. Does the AAP strongly support or strongly oppose censorship?

ABC DOESN'T CAVE TO PEDIATRIC GROUP

By Kim Stagliano

From Reuters: "The ABC network said on Monday it will go ahead with plans to air an episode of its new legal drama "Eli Stone" despite objections from pediatricians who say the show may discourage parents from having their children immunized."

Read the complete story HERE.

Do doctors demand censorship of programs where fictional characters engage in unsafe sex? Do doctors demand censorship of programs where underage drinking is shown? 

I think the AAP realizes they have a huge problem on their hands. Parents do not believe that over the counter drugs, prescription drugs or vaccines are 100% safe for 100% of children 100% of the time. Instead of mounting studies to prove that administering dozens of vaccines to infants and toddlers is safe, the AAP screams, "IT'S NOT TRUE! LIES! CRAZY PARENTS!"

Pass the popcorn. I've got a program to watch. Thursday night at 10pm. Eli Stone.

(PS)  Who can tell me why I chose that headline? Tell me in the comments.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism, a Huffington Post blogger and blogs HERE. She and her husband have three daughters with autism.

10 WORST AUTISM/VACCINE CLICHES

Editors Note: This piece is part one of two titled: "Semantics, Rhetoric and Spin: 10 Worst Autism/Vaccine Cliches"

By Nancy Hokkanen

You groan when you see them each week, over and over – newspaper and Internet articles on autism and vaccines using the same old inaccurate clichés. You wonder how such bad reporting got by the editor. Where is the fact checker?

PHYSICIANS DO LISTEN TO PARENTS

THIS article from Pediatric News shows physicians are hearing concerns from a growing number of parents on vaccine safety and many are addressing those concerns pretty well. Out of four docs who were recorded in this study, only ONE threatened to call child services and only ONE lied that the child would not be able to go to school without immunizations.

Physicians scored very well in listening to the mother's concerns about vaccines, maintaining eye contact, spending adequate time with the mother (a median of 19 minutes per visit), using understandable terms, and behaving in a nonpaternalistic manner, reported Dr. Bryant and her associates. They also scored well in eliciting the mother's agenda for the visit, avoiding interrupting, and being warm, compassionate, and nonjudgmental.

DAVID KIRBY ON ABC AND CENSORSHIP

Our colleague David Kirby has a piece over at Huffington Post on the AAP asking ABC to D-E-E-P SIX the Eli Stone episode about autism and vaccines. Read his piece HERE.

PEDIATRICIANS DEMAND CENSORSHIP FROM ABC

Managing Editor's Note: Last week we told you about a program from ABC called, "Eli Stone" in which the character questions pharmaceutical companies and vaccine safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics has sent a letter to ABC demanding that they censor this program. We got a copy of the letter (see below in red) and are sharing it you, our readers.  JB Handley, Co-founder of Generation Rescue and the driving force behind Age of Autism since it's inception as Rescue Post last Spring, puts his unique voice into the story below.   

I believe that pediatricians are hearing from more and more parents that there is an unease, a mistrust regarding vaccination safety.  Instead of allaying our fears via true studies on the safety of dozens of vaccines for infants and toddlers, the American Academy of Pediatricians wants to censor a TV program to shut down the story.

I also want to point out the I have had several wonderful pediatricians over the years - all of whom were genuinely interested in the health of my three girls. And I know more parents than I can count who have "medical vaccine exemption" written in their kids' charts by their doctor.  Individually they respect a parent's wishes. Here's the story.

By J.B. Handley

American Academy of Pediatrics, we’ve had it with you. Generation Rescue, an international autism organization, is officially declaring war on you for inexplicable complacency, complicity, and bureaucratic arrogance.

Most parents and autism organizations are extremely frustrated with the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC. They have been the target of attack ads, parent protests, and an entire website chronicling their misdeeds. Yet, at least with the CDC, we all see the conflict clearly: their #1 job, their raison d’être, is to administer vaccines.

With the AAP, the crime against our kids is actually more insidious, and in many ways more morally reprehensible. You are the people who are supposed to have our kid’s backs. And you don’t, not remotely.

Pouring salt in a growing wound is an absurd letter the AAP has written to the ABC television network protesting an upcoming TV show which they will be releasing to the press tomorrow, a complete copy of which you can read down below.

The letter, which I encourage you to forward to as many people and reporters as possible, takes the wildly predictable path of trying to guilt ABC into pulling a fictional TV show that lends credibility to the autism-vaccine link. The AAP writes:

“ABC will bear responsibility for the needless suffering and potential deaths of children from parents' decisions not to immunize based on the content of the episode.”

TIME TO RAIN ON THE MEDIA PARADE

By Dan Olmsted

The sad state of American journalism's coverage of the autism epidemic is on display today in tens of millions of Sunday newspapers, probably including yours. Parade magazine's cover story is titled: "With Children Struggling, Parents Ask: Is There Hope for Autism?"

Looking out from the cover is a child identified as "Nick Furth, 9, (who) attends a school for autistic children in New Jersey." When I saw that, my jaw dropped all the way to Beijing. This is the same Nick Furth who in May 2006 was on the cover for Time magazine's “New Insights Into the Hidden World of Autism” (caption: "Nick Furth, 8, of Mine Hill, N.J.").

Good heavenly days, as my mother might have put it. Out of thousands and thousands of children with autism, you're telling me Parade couldn't find one other child suitable for its cover? There's a technical term for this in my journalism dictionary. It's spelled l-a-z-y.

In the interest of full disclosure -- and also to make my point -- I need to say that I used to work for Parade's main Sunday supplement competitor, USA Weekend. Coming from this small universe, I can tell you these mega-circulation magazines have all the time and money they need to find and photograph anyone they want.

Both these photos were taken by the same photographer -- are they even new? I wonder. But here's what really sucks: After putting young Nick on the cover, both Parade and Time drop him like a hot potato. There's no mention of Nick, his family, his challenges and triumphs, that special school he attends and whether it helps, why his parents think he has autism, whether living in New Jersey, the state with the highest autism rate in the world, might conceivably have anything to do with it -- nothing. Two national magazine covers, and he's still a cipher. 

This is the commoditization of children with autism.

REP. DAN BURTON ASKS FDA FOR PROOF ABOUT VACCINES

By Twyla Ramos

On December 31, 2007, I wrote the article "Emails From CDC and FDA on Vaccines and Mercury -- Has Mercury Really Been Removed from Vaccines?" consisting of the emails between the CDC, the FDA, and me.  In these emails, the CDC confirmed that thimerosal is still used in the early stages of making some vaccines, and said that it is removed through a "purification process".  However, neither the CDC nor the FDA would answer my repeated questions about whether any government agency tests the final product for mercury, to verify the effectiveness of this purification process.

Apparently, my emails came to the attention of Representative Dan Burton, of Indiana, who sent a letter to the FDA on January 17, 2008, demanding answers.  His letter can be found HERE, thanks to The National Autism Association.

Twyla Ramos and her husband have three children.  Their middle child, age 15, has both Autism and Williams Syndrome.  Twyla has a B.A. in English and works in the banking industry.  She serves on the board of the Foothill Autism Alliance, a nonprofit group providing support and information to the autism community.

ARE WE THAT FAR AWAY FROM MAINSTREAM MEDICINE?

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

In preparation for my daughter Jacqueline’s yearly neurology appointment she had eight vials of blood drawn a few weeks ago.  (She has seizures as well as autism.)

It’s our second year with this neurologist and she wanted to do a number of tests she thought the previous neurologist had neglected to do, such as testing for Angelman’s Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome. 

When we arrived I asked the doctor if the tests had revealed anything new.  Jacqueline came back negative for Angelman’s and Fragile X as I’d expected, and this brilliant physician shrugged her shoulders and said, “Well, we didn’t find out anything new.”  Our doctor is board-certified in pediatrics and child neurology, as well as being Chief of the Northern California Kaiser Child Neurology Group.  It’s difficult to get much more main-stream.

I then asked if there were any additional tests or therapies which had come about in the last year which she thought might help.  Again, the answer was negative.

EXONERATED! HOW ONE GUTSY DOC TOLD THE TRUTH...

...and lived to tell about it.

Editor's Note: Our good friend Sandy Gottstein at Vaccination News  sent us this link (see below), in which British physician Dr. Jayne L.M. Donegan tells the extraordinary story of the misconduct accusations brought against her for her testimony in a vaccine trial. This is a long account but well worth reading to the ending -- which is a lot happier than we're used to lately. Here's hoping it sets a precedent for Andy Wakefield's inquisition. We can't resist pointing out this comment from Dr. Donegan: "It is notable that under cross examination on Day Two, Dr Elliman was forced to concede, that there have been no randomised placebo controlled trials of any of the vaccines in use in the last 20 to 30 years where vaccinated children are compared with unvaccinated children given an inactive placebo (sterile water or normal saline).

In the one placebo controlled trial that he cited for MMR, the 'placebo' contained, amongst other ingredients, neomycin and phenol red.  Neomycin is listed in the British National Formulary as 'too toxic for parenteral (by injection) use'.  Evidence for the safety and efficacy of all these vaccines come from epidemiological studies which are by nature controversial, and which do not satisfy the criteria for scientific proof."

HERE's the link.

TWO EUROPEAN GIRLS DIE FOLLOWING GARDASIL SHOTS

Two young girls in the Europe have died following the administration of the Gardasil vaccine for the sexually transmitted disease known as "HPV" that is associated with cervical cancer.

Read the story HERE.

Following the vaccine's debut and immediate crush of marketing to encourage children as young as 11 to get the shot, the lead researcher, Dr. Diane Harper, issued a statement strongly recommending against vaccinating young girls.

LEBANON, N.H. — A lead researcher who spent 20 years developing the vaccine for humanpapilloma virus says the HPV vaccine is not for younger girls, and that it is "silly" for states to be mandating it for them.

MISUNDERSTANDING THE ABC's OF THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC

By Anne Dachel

I watched the ABC Nightline "SEE ABC CARES ABOUT AUTISM" piece in which reporter John Donvan investigates how autism affects girls.  We see 8-year-old Kaede Sakai on the news video.  Donvan speaks in soft, concerned tones, expressing his understanding of the struggles faced by this young girl.

Kaede has problems at recess, interacting appropriately with the other students.  She doesn't possess the social skills to get along like most kids.

The question is raised about the rate difference between boys and girls with autism.  Why are boys more likely to have autism than girls?  We're left with the idea that it's easier to recognize autism in boys than In girls.

ABC Nightline produces Brenda Myles, "one of the lead researchers specializing in the quite narrow field of girls with autism. "  This expert tells us that the disparity is because "autism can be more difficult to detect in girls."  We're told "girls are under-diagnosed" and that Myles believes "social skills are not as ingrained in boys as they are in girls."

So what is the lesson ABC Nightline is trying to teach us here?

FDA TO REQUIRE SUICIDE DATA

The FDA is requiring drug manufacturers to study whether patients become suicidal during a clinical trial. Read the article from the NY Times HERE. 

From the article: The drug agency’s concerns are consistent with a growing body of research confirming that behavior is heavily influenced not only by genes but also by seemingly innocuous changes in body chemistry. Drugs not reaching the brain were once thought to be largely free of mental effects. 

Class, can you think of another "behavior" disorder (think 299.0* diagnosis code) that could be the result of both genetics and "innocuous/innoculated?" changes in body chemistry?

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THIS VAXED-UNVAXED SURVEY

By THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

Dear Age of Autism: So what if you crackpots have turned up another survey (CLICK HERE) strongly pointing to an association between vaccines and autism? So what, because we've already seen a bunch of so-called studies like that, and they don't mean a darn thing. Even if a full-scale study of the autism rate in vaccinated-versus-unvaccinated kids has never been done, this case is closed. We already told you so.

First of all, this so-called survey was done by the Dutch Association for Conscientious Vaccination, a questionable crowd made up of doctors, parents and therapists "among others" -- and who might those secret unnamed "others" be? We can only guess -- whose stated aim is "freedom of choice for parents when it comes to vaccinating their children, based on honest, comprehensive and independent information. We view the current 'one size fits all' vaccination policy with great concern. The NVKP is therefore urging the adoption of more thorough independent research by representatives from different disciplines."

Ha! Clearly a foreign cabal of know-nothings.

ABC: GIRLS WITH AUTISM, AIRS TONIGHT

From ABC News. This program airs TONIGHT, January 23.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2008
GIRLS WITH AUTISM ON “NIGHTLINE” WEDNESDAY, TOMORROW, JANUARY 23rd

Tomorrow night, Nightline continues its series on autism by exploring the relatively rare occurrence of girls with autism. In the U.S., far more boys than girls are diagnosed with autism. That fact alone has consequences: it tends to focus most of the research, effort, and money on boys. But in a surprising twist, correspondent John Donvan and producer Caren Zucker talk to several researchers and psychologists who believe there are actually more girls with autism in the U.S. than diagnosed. Not only may there be many under-diagnosed girls, according to these experts, but some girls with autism may be assigned some other diagnosis. In fact these girls are often being under-diagnosed or
diagnosed with something else. The researchers believe that many of the symptoms are being missed, or that they are just more subtle in girls. Nightline takes an in-depth look at how girls and boys are brought up culturally, and how these differences could contribute to a misdiagnosis in girls, resulting in the harsh reality that we just don’t know how many cases of girls with autism really exist.

ABC DRAMA TAKES ON AUTISM AND VACCINES

By Kim Stagliano

ABC is running a drama called "Eli Stone" at 10pm (EDT) on January 31st. The story line takes on autism and vaccines. On prime time, network TV! And it doesn't portray autism mothers in straight jackets or delusional fathers waving swords like Don Quixote.

From the New York Times article, "(Eli Stone) centers on a lawyer who begins having visions that cause him to question his life’s work defending large corporations, including a pharmaceutical company that makes vaccines.

NY RESTAURATEUR MORE DILIGENT THAN PEDIATRICIANS

              Is your pediatrician as diligent as a NYC restaurateur?  Read about high levels of mercury found in NYC restaurant tuna (Sushi) HERE.  From the article:

Both Drew Nieporent, a managing partner of Nobu Next Door and Andy Arons, an owner of Gourmet Garage, were shocked by the Times' findings.

"I'm startled by this," said Nieporent. "Anything that might endanger any customer of ours, we'd be inclined to take off the menu immediately and get to the bottom of it."

How come these articles get quotes from Toxicologists and the autism/mercury articles get stuck with epidemiologists?

AUTISM SPEAKS IN AMER-REE-CAH!

By Kim Stagliano

Autism Speaks seems to have accomplished the impossible, bringing together autism's "Jets and Sharks" (The "Curebies" and the "ND's") in a moment of agreement.   

Here's another analogy for those of you who might not be familiar with 50 year old Broadway plays....  Think of observant Jews who keep kosher and observant Muslims who also do not eat pork.  Two fairly disparate groups, yes? Autism Speaks is often considered a slab of ham wrapped in bacon smothered in sausage gravy by both groups.

DOES YOUR INCOME AFFECT DIAGNOSIS & SERVICES?

Do wealthy districts offer better/more services to kids on the spectrum than poorer districts?  Are poor children less likely to receive an autism diagnosis? From NEWSDAY on Long Island (NY.)

PARENT DRIVEN TREATMENT WHEN DOCS DENY ILLNESS

Autism is regularly disregarded as a medical condition by mainstream doctors, forcing parents to forge their own path for their children.

Here's another example of a parent taking her child's health and treatment into her own hands. From the Shreveport Times you can read the article HERE.

Take note of the negative reaction by the pediatric GI doc interviewed.

VACCINE REACTION. NOW WHAT?

This story from Iowa illustrates how the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS ) works.  A child had a reaction to the MMR and spent three months in the hospital. The pediatrician reported the event. It's now in the database. 

Read the story HERE. We hope Miss Sarver recovers fully from her illness.

KILLER COFFEE!

A new study suggests that caffeine can contribute to miscarriage of a pregnancy.  Expect your OB to tell you to stop drinking dangerous coffee as he rolls up your sleeve to inject 25mcg of mercury into your bloodsteam in that flu shot. 

Read the article HERE.

"AUTISM YESTERDAY" - A TRIBUTE TO TIRELESS PARENTING

By David Kirby

At a time when Big Medicine, Big Government and Big Media are trying hard to make the vaccine-autism debate go away, along comes a quiet little film like “Autism Yesterday” to throw a wrench in the establishment’s best laid plans to stifle the pesky vaccine chatter once and for all.

Anyone out there still declaring that this debate is over, that medical science has fully exonerated mercury and vaccines, and that thousands of parents who insist otherwise don’t know what they are talking about, really should watch THIS film before embarrassing themselves further.

“Autism Yesterday,” a beautifully shot film with a stirring original soundtrack of softly strumming guitars and plaintive but hopeful songs, tells the story of five West Coast families who bucked all conventional wisdom -- and began to recover their kids.

CAN'T ANYONE GET THESE DELUSIONS OUT OF MY HEAD?

By Dan Olmsted

Help me -- I'm suffering again from what the psychiatrists call "delusions of reference." In layman's terms, I believe that all kinds of seemingly unrelated things -- from government pronouncements to scientific studies to newspaper headlines to cable-news "crawls" -- actually speak to me. Some of them seem to be sending messages only I and a small group of others (fellow basket cases like you, perhaps?) can truly understand.

My latest attack began with the news, reported on our site this week, that the anti-cholesterol drug Zetia doesn't seem to do much of anything (in fact, nothing at all; in fact, maybe worse). There is the further issue of whether the drug manufacturers and marketers, Merck and Schering-Plough, held on to the study results because they were such a bummer (of course not, the companies say, but Congress seems to want to put that reassurance to the perjury test, under oath. No doubt both companies welcome the opportunity).

Call me crazy -- I do! -- but couldn't anyone with a third eye see this one coming? The current Newsweek has an ad for Zetia (along with ads for Crestor on the back page and the page before that, Lyrica on pages 7, 8 and 9, Plavix on 13 and 14, Alli on 19 and 20, Effexor on 25 and 26, Prilosec on 50, Ambien on 70 and 71):

"The most common cholesterol-lowering medicines, statins, are a good option. Zetia is different. Statins work mainly in the liver. Zetia works in the digestive tract ... Unlike some statins, Zetia has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks."

If I'm reading this correctly -- and obviously my cognitive processes are not to be trusted -- Zetia is different, all right: Some cholesterol drugs really do help your heart, but there was never any evidence Zetia was one of them. And that's the AD, for crying out loud. Whatever happened to the FDA not approving drugs until they were proven both safe and EFFECTIVE?

SURPRISE ON MONDAY

A new contributor arrives on Monday. We think you'll be pleased.

G'DAY MATE: TOXIC MOMS AND AUTISM

Well THIS report from Australia is interesting.

"WOMEN thinking of becoming pregnant can greatly reduce the danger of having an autistic child by undergoing toxicity tests, a Geelong scientist has claimed."

THE PUDDING TEST

By Kelli Ann Davis

It’s that time again – when political promises are a “dime a dozen”, mudslinging is a national sport, and every politician wants you to believe they would love to join your mobile “Circle of Friends” if only given the chance.

SOUTH CAROLINA, JOHN EDWARDS AND AUTISM

Maurine Meleck, an advocate for children with autism, spoke to Presidential candidate John Edwards at a recent rally in S. Carolina.  You can read about it HERE.

What are your thoughts on the candidates?

AUTISM GRANTS FOR FAMILIES

The National Autism Association is accepting applications for its 2008 Helping Hand grants.

NAA is the only national autism membership organization to provide financial assistance to families in need of therapies and treatments for their children.

Of course, if you want the BIG grant bucks, we suggest you skedaddle back to school and get your PhD in genetics, psychiatry or anthropology.  (Wink. Wink.)

AUTISM IS TREATABLE.

If you have a recently diagnosed child, we invite you to click HERE. Autism is treatable. You should know that. 

Our sponsor, Autism Research Institute was founded over 40 years ago with the goal of helping the children who are living with autism right now. Not fifty or a hundred years hence when genetics becomes usable. Now. Today.

DAY SEVENTEEN AUTISM OMNIBUS TRIAL

The Return of a Lost Child – Day Seventeen of the Autism Omnibus Proceeding – Snyder v. the Secretary of Health and Human Services

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

An anonymous child falls down a well in an anonymous American town and suddenly the entire country is transfixed by the rescue effort.

Why do we care about somebody we never heard of before this event?

I think it’s because we like to know what’s possible for human beings when confronted by terrible dangers.  A child has vanished from the surface of the earth.  Can he be rescued?  We want to know what humans beings can accomplish when they are at their best. 

The tale of Colten Snyder is one of those stories.

PROZAC AND PAXIL STUDIES WITHHELD - YOU'VE BEEN HAD

Are you on Paxil? Prozac? Did you know that neither works as well as reported? The New York Times reports today that there is a "bias toward positive reporting of studies." 

"In published trials, about 60 percent of people taking the drugs report significant relief from depression, compared with roughly 40 percent of those on placebo pills. But when the less positive, unpublished trials are included, the advantage shrinks: the drugs outperform placebos, but by a modest margin, concludes the new report, which appears Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine."

Read the full article HERE.

When are doctors going to demand that the pharmaceutical companies devote as much attention and care to their research and reporting as they do to their pretty, "Me so happy now!" advertisements for their drugs?  You'd be happier licking that lollipop.

DEIRDRE IMUS "SPINS OF OMISSION"