MMR AND THE SIMPLE TRUTH ABOUT AUTISM

By Dan Olmsted

Does the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine cause autism? I vote yes.

Of course, that’s just one man’s opinion – but one who’s spent the last three years listening to parents and enlightened pediatricians and combing through adverse events reports and just generally trying to think for himself.

Right below this post is yet another study seeming to exonerate the MMR. That sure sounds familiar – the CDCAAPFDAIOMETC have already given it multiple clean bills of health. And manufacturer Merck says no studies show any link to autistic regression.

On the right hand side of our home page is a collection of my Age of Autism columns for UPI. The one titled Pox – Part 1 of 7 installments --  sealed the deal for me as far as the MMR is concerned. I’m not going to repeat myself here except to say, there’s every reason to worry about the interaction among live viruses when you stick ‘em in the same shot and inject ‘em into 12-month-old kids. Especially kids whose immune systems are already shot thanks to vaccine mercury and other toxins, thanks to the selfsame CDCAAPFDAIOMETC.

When Merck decided to toss the chickenpox virus into the MMR mix, kids started developing autism in clinical trials; that wasn’t reported to the FDA before the drug was approved because, Merck said, the parents never got around to mentioning that their kids had regressed into autism. A few months after the Pox series appeared, Merck suspended production of that four-in-one vaccine, claiming they’d run low on chickenpox vaccine even as they launched a new shot for shingles that contains gobs of it.

The cluelessly credulous mainstream media did its usual thing – they essentially reprinted the press release about the “vaccine shortage.” Now they have a new study to “report,”  reaffirming the MMR’s safety and reassuring parents.

Never mind that Merck and the pharmaceutical industry are starting to show a pattern and practice that ought to make anyone stop and think before they become stenographers for the drug companies: There’s Vioxx with its $5 billion settlement and suppressed data about the heart attacks that fell just outside the study window, causing the New England Journal of Medicine to complain; and Zetia with its delayed results that showed no protection against heart attacks even as the company convinced millions of doctors and patients to switch from cholesterol-lowering drugs that actually did work; and Eli Lilly with its Zyprexa side effects and the looming possibility of a $1 billion fine and a criminal misdemeanor plea because they tried to get doctors to prescribe it for conditions for which it was not approved. Not very nice. Not very nice at all.

And never mind that the FDA has all but admitted it's so overwhelmed and underfunded it can't reasonably be expected to do its job (the one about making sure drugs, including vaccines, are safe and effective).

The tragedy is that if the people who are supposed to protect our kids had relied less on dubious data produced by “experts” with blatant conflicts of interest, and more on common sense and the evidence of their own senses, the whole autism debacle of the 1990s through today might have been averted.

In an article titled “Adverse Events,” I wrote about some of the early warnings on file with the federal government’s VAERS database.

Here’s a report from 1992, listing Feb. 21 as both "vaccination date" and "adverse event date" for a 1-year-old boy: "Patient received MMR vaccination and experienced fever, autistic behaviors, encephalitic condition, began to tune out; sound sensitivity, hand-flapping, wheel-spinning, nighttime sweats, appetite increase."

The child's diagnoses included autism, encephalopathy (brain swelling), mental retardation, personality disorder and speech disorder.

Another report: Two days after being vaccinated in August 1994 a 1-year-old girl experienced "low fever, much discomfort. Patient lay in bed and cried and moaned; three-four days post-vaccination, rash traveled over patient's body and lasted at least one week. Within six weeks of vaccination patient was observed as losing previously gained language and social skills; diagnosed autistic."

Soon after the article was published I heard from the mother who filed that report, and I wrote a follow-up story (“Case Number 88924”): “The patient so clinically summarized in that report, Mary Jo Silva realized with a start, was her 1-year-old daughter Carmen, who fell ill the same day she got the MMR -- measles-mumps-rubella -- and Hepatitis B vaccinations at age 1.”

That’s bad.  But here's the killer: A 1994 report filed by a California physician citing 10 -- yes, 10 -- children "who received vaccination and (were) diagnosed with autism and encephalopathy." That doctor reported "there are currently 10 cases of autism in children who received DPT/OPV/MMR at 15-18 months."

The real tragedy here is the dates – 1992 to 1994, just as the big wave of new mercury vaccines was crashing into America’s kids. These were but a few of the many, many missed opportunities to do what medical professionals are supposed to do – be alert and suspicious, notice something new and grab hold of it till the truth yells Uncle.

Instead, the person who took that report about 10 kids with autism who shared a specific vaccination pattern took a dismissive tone: "Dr. ... is not treating physician and does not possess any original records; unclear whether reporter [the doctor, who was identified and could have been contacted] is suggesting possible causal association."

Well, it’s pretty clear to me – doctor is suggesting causal association.

And so am I. Lest the CDC miss the point again, let's repeat it: Yes, the MMR causes autism.

--

Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism

Comments

[Natasa]

"Trust me, leave the thinking to the people like me."

Genius, we actually did do exactly that, for decades.

And that is exactly why we sank in this bottomless pile of shit.

[atinele86]

My three year old sweetheart never got vaccinated and she does not have autism and is a healthy child. Because i love my child, i decided to not get her vaccinated because i did not want her to die (where do you think the cause of sids comes from, is it really unexplained, i think its vaccines), and i didnt want to give her autism. I am proud of my daughter and very happy when she smiles for me and tells me "its okay" when im sad.
An infants inmune system is not fully developed when they are born (thats where jaundice comes from, the liver, which detoxifies your body), but they get like 8 vaccines in the first two months of life and about 16 more by their sixth month of live. This is a lot of mercury.
Thankfully you can just go to a lawyer and sign a paper that "for religious reasons"(which now encompass personal believes) you do not vaccinate your child and wont have to. Even atheism is recognized as a religion. This went to court in NY and was amended this way.

[April]

if u wait until age 2 or 3 for your child to get mmr shot, will they be protected against autism?

[Andrea]

Amanda-
In response to you question if anyone had heard of after MMR child getting Measles and it being related to autism...

That is finding on the original study which pointed autism with MMR. I read the article last night, but unfortunately I didn't bookmark it and don't remember the DR's name (Study done back in 70's??)- it has to do with inflammation from measles which can in turn damage the brain.
Go to Dr. Sear's website and look for articles on vaccinations/autism. It will mention the original study- and explains why Dr. Bob gives the option of alternative vaccination schedule.

[Amanda]

My daughter had her 12 month needle in early April. She had the MMR and 15 days later broke out with a rash all over her body. Bloodwork confirmed that it was Measles. The doctors informed me that there had not been a case of measles in this city for years....I DO believe it was caused by the MMR vaccine. I am wondering if anyone has heard of this happening and if it is related to autism. My daughter will not be getting the 18 month needle, as I fear what the reaction to it may be.

[Jeanne D.]

I'm sorry, I meant to post the quoted source: GeniusIQ160.
Also, I meant to say that DOCTORS generally are trying to help.
Sorry for the confusion.

[Jeanne D.]

"Trust me, leave the thinking to the people like me. I am serious here. There are people capable of using scientific method and objectivity, and there are people with average and below intelligence who go on witch hunts for mysterious enemies (such as vaccines) based on trendiness and plain stupidity.

Suggestion: Read an actual science textbook or professional journal regarding this issue. No, I do not mean Discover Magazine. Read something respected and used by actual scientists."

Um, okay, what about Thalidimide? Or 1960's X-ray treatments? You think the average person doesn't know as much as you do, but these were accepted treatments of their time. Yes, we know more now. But that doesn't mean we know it ALL now. I say, approach anything injected or administered to your child with cautious skepticism. Generally, they are trying to do the right thing, but most are too busy to really study the studies, and they rely on their gut.

[Dbone Garms]

Anytime you go to a doctor based on another persons reasons, you are at risk. A child knows no better, so they go based on another persons reasons. Yes, if the child is sick and shows signs of it, he/she must go. But, there in no preventive anything out there in the world. Everything that is handed out, is produced so that it can generate an income in the future. Kind of like growing flowers from seeds. The human body is so genetically perfected that if you listen to it, it will tell you when it needs assistance and except for cuts that need to be stitched, bones that need to be realigned/reset, organs that need to be removed, and drugies needing their prescriptions refilled, there is absolutely no need to seek medical assistance. Especially, since I just seen a clip on AOL that showed a hospital harvesting body parts on a person who was clinically, brain dead. They used to do this with cars that were totaled in the 70s.

[Mikeey]

I think that alot of people are getting confused here.

As the ed says, thimerosal has never been put into live vaccines. Obviously injecting mercury into people, no matter how much, is not a good thing. Hence why they are now phasing it out.

There are plenty of people who are saying what I am about to say, but here goes:

There is no link between autism and the MMR triple vaccine.

One of the only studies to have shown this link (by studies I mean of more than 1 person) was by Andrew Wakefield. This study has now been totally discredited as false.

Several large studies have shown that the MMR is not linked to autism. There are countries where MMR has been used for years and autism levels are falling, and there are countries where autisms levels are rising and the MMR has not been used for years.

And to the poster who recommends using homeopathic "medicine" to treat children instead of conventional medicine and vaccines- I hope you sleep well at night, as I would worry about my children realising one day the danger I put them in and them leaving me and never coming back.

[Jenifer]

Our son developed problems within 24 hours of his MMR. He stopped talking and walking and started screaming. Screaming which lasted for over 2 years. For us there is NO debate on what happened to our child. It took over 3 years to get a diagnosis of autism due to his regression. Children don't regress into autism don't we all know. I don't care what anyone thinks, our child (who he was) died that day and was replaced with someone else. We love our son, but mourn who he was. This is an atrocity that needs to end. We haven't immunized a child of our since and the two we didn't are our healthiest children by far! Thank you for the article. I hope there are people who will listen.

[Randy]

"Trust me, leave the thinking to the people like me."

Gatagorra's $6M man entry in another thread just lost top spot for funniest post this week.

GenuisIQ160 - wrap your superior intellect around this:

Dilbert's Boss: "I've hired the Dogbert 'Touchy-Feely' Institute to teach us about teamwork"
Dogbert: "We'll start with an exercise about trust. I want each of you to sign blank checks and give them to me."
Dilbert: "What will this teach us about trust?"
Dogbert: "It will teach you that trust is an excellent quality for others to have."

[Julie Swenson]

GeniusIQ160, my husband has an even higher IQ than you- I think I'll listen to him, thanks. Please go back to your delusions of grandeur of being a supreme being and stay off of AoA unless you have something of worth to add. We're used to insults and disbelief on this site. You are not impressing anyone.

[Terri Lewis]

Rosita,

Thank you for stopping by!

You're right--the side effects of vaccination are NOT rare.

You don't need to be "torn" between opposing theories: just educate yourself.

You can start at www.vaccinationnews.com or www.insidevaccines.com. Vaccines can cause death and disabilities, including autism, and they can trigger chronic diseases, including seizure disorders, asthma, and life-threatening allergies.

Look around you at all the chronically sick and disabled children and young adults today. It *wasn't* like this when I was young. Things have changed in the last 20 to 30 years, and most of this chronic disease and terrible disability in our children can be linked to overvaccination.

Why vaccinate your child against diseases that are rare, or that your child has little risk of being exposed to?

Why vaccinate against three diseases at once, when this is much more likely to cause serious damage than any of the individual diseases themselves, even if your child *does* catch them?

Please check back in and let us know how you are doing!

I'm sure your doctor has the very best intentions, but pediatricians are very much in denial about the true risks of vaccination.

[rosita]

I have a three month old precious girl named Eva. She has not yet been injected/vaccinated. I know too mothers with autistic children, both of whom claim that the symptoms started within 24 hours of vaccination. I'm torn between to opposing theories. My daughter's doctor said she did vaccinate her children becuase she would rather act to prevent a disease, rather than not act to prevent a rare side-effect. I get the impression that the side-effects are not RARE and I refused to administer the vaccines that day, without discussing it with my husband. I was vaccinated and am breastfeeding and my child should be recieving immune support from me.

[MOMAGAINSTTHEMMR]

My husband and I strongly believe the MMR causes autism. Obviously, it doesn't cause it for every child but to me there is proof that the vaccines is not safe for children. We refuse to put our daughter at risk! We have also spaced out her other vaccinations. Her doctor keeps telling us we should vaccinate her against Hep B (a disease I did not have at birth and do not have) for daycare. Since she's not in daycare she can wait until she is a teenager for the vaccine. We also decided against vaccinating her against rotavirus which she can get anyway. At her one year visit, we are just saying no to the MMR and Varicella. The doctor is well aware of how we feel. When he mentions other vaccines we say "no thank you!" I undersntad doctors need to mention it but if we give our daughter the MMR and she gets sick the same doctor won't be holding our hands throughout the process so I say do what is best for your child.

[GeniusIQ160]

It is hilarious that my intelligence is being made fun of here due to my criticism of anecdotal evidence. A vast majority of scientists are on my side. Perhaps that is due to the fact that they, like me, have the intelligence to see the necessity of scientific method and not the emotionally-driven anecdotal "evidence" of paranoid mothers who learned their "science" from TV shows.

Trust me, leave the thinking to the people like me. I am serious here. There are people capable of using scientific method and objectivity, and there are people with average and below intelligence who go on witch hunts for mysterious enemies (such as vaccines) based on trendiness and plain stupidity.

Suggestion: Read an actual science textbook or professional journal regarding this issue. No, I do not mean Discover Magazine. Read something respected and used by actual scientists.

[For Genius]

Hey Genius, everyone who smokes does not get lung cancer. So do cigarettes cause lung cancer?

Your IQ alone does not do the trick, you need to apply it intelligently. Perhaps with common sense?

[Twyla]

No, Geniusiq160, that is not our "line of logic"; that is the line of reasoning among people within the gov't and medical establishment, who often tell us that since most people who receive vaccines don't become autistic, therefore vaccines don't cause autism.

A few people such as Dr. Bernardine Healy have suggested actually studying the injured children, but those who should be doing these studies say there is no need to study individual children because statistics are all that is needed.

As Dr. Bernardine Healy said, "population studies are not granular enough to detect individual metabolic, genetic, or immunological variation that might make some children under certain circumstances susceptible to neurological complications after vaccination."
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/brain-and-behavior/2008/04/10/fighting-the-autism-vaccine-war.html

Like so many other people today, you dismiss as "anecdotal" parent observations of their toddlers' vaccine reactions followed by loss of language and social skills and regression into autism. However, what parents witness is important evidence.

In addition, there is a whole lot of other evidence of various kinds linking vaccines and autism, including studies of the immune system, nervous system, and biochemical processes in the body.

And the autism-vaccine link is consistent with a history of vaccines causing immune system reactions and encephalitis. In the article cited above, Dr. Bernardine Healy also said, "Go back 40 or 50 years. The medical literature is replete with reports of neurological reactions to vaccines, such as mood changes, seizures, brain inflammation, and swelling." In recent studies, brain inflammation has been found in autopsied brains of people with autism. And inflammatory markers have been found in the spinal fluid of people with autism.

So, wrap your 160 IQ genius mind around a little more of the evidence. There will be more and more evidence coming out in the coming year.

[Twyla]

Geniusiq160 -- but wait, there's more!

This reluctance to study individual children has been aroung for a while -- for example, go to www.putchildrenfirst.org/chapter6.html for a discussion of the 2004 IOM report which is often pointed to as "proof" that vaccines don't cause autism, including this:
____

The committee refused to look at hundreds of case reports showing the relationship between vaccinations and autism.

Dr. Johnston: Barbara Loe Fisher [NVIC] could give you names. Mrs. Fisher said she had cases. I think she came up to say if you needed any cases to demonstrate the points, you could have them.

Dr. McCormick: She was demonstrating causality. She was taken by your case series that you did-the Guillaume Barre (sic) and whatever, the tetanus. She was all ready to get you cases to prove causality.

Dr. Wilson: Well, let's see them.

Dr. McCormick: Let's not do that. Do you have a free weekend that you want to plod through them?

- IOM Committee Meeting, 1/12/2001 Closed-Door Meeting Transcript, pp. 149 & 150 (emphasis added)
______

and this:

Email from Marie McCormick, "Injure the Nervous System"
June 9, 2004
Private email to a parent

This private email was written by Marie McCormick, Chairperson of the 2004 IOM Committee. It highlights how misused and misquoted the 2004 IOM report is, often referred to as proof that thimerosal is "safe", which the report never concluded. In it, she quotes a portion of the IOM report:

"The committee accepts that under certain conditions, infections and heavy metals, including thimerosal, can injure the nervous system."
______

Veterinarians and pet owners are reporting the same health conditions in over-vaccinated pets as are common among people with autism, such as seizures and IBD. Veterinarian organizations have responded by revising the animal vaccine protocol to group vaccines into "core" vaccines most important for common serious illnesses, and other vaccines which are less critical (see www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/veterinarian-wi.html ).

But go ahead, just keep dismissing all evidence as anecdotal and coincidental.

[Not an MD]

To Genius -
Based upon your logic, there would be no such thing as a peanut allergy due to the fact that many people eat peanuts, yet do not drop dead right after eating them. Ridiculous. Sometimes, anecdotal evidence accurately represents the truth.