Is Autism Speaks At War With Itself?

By David Kirby

“We are committed to exploring the role of vaccines”
– Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr

“The vaccine-autism issue has really been put to bed”
- Autism Speaks Vice President of Scientific Affairs Dr. Andy Shih

Do officials at Autism Speaks believe in a possible link between vaccines and ASD, or do they believe that the irksome issue has been settled for good, and now it’s time to move on?

The answer is yes.

Confused? You could hardly be blamed. If you listened to AS Co-Founder Bob Wright speak in England recently, you heard him say that immunization cannot be ruled out a possible contributing factor. And if you looked at new AS research grants, you would see money going to studies of thimerosal and vaccines.

But if you only paid attention to the words and deeds of some executives at Autism Speaks, you would probably surmise that the vaccine debate is kaput.

The “debate is over” people, however, hold influential and high-profile positions within the organization, leading one to wonder if Autism Speaks is at war with itself, or at the very least, suffering from multiple personality disorder.

On December 11, Bob Wright’s daughter Katie posted a blistering essay here (HERE) about two people at Autism Speaks who, she said, go out of their way in trying to pull the plug on vaccine-autism research.

“For far too long Dr. Andy Shih and Ms. Alison Singer have been representing only their own rigid belief systems in their roles at AS, doing whatever necessary to thwart environmental and vaccine research,” Katie wrote.

Dr. Shih, VP of Scientific Affairs, is “an avowed disbeliever of vaccines as a possible trigger for autism,” she said. And Shih has argued that vaccines are “totally safe, can not and do not trigger autism, and that excessive quantities of mercury are perfectly safe to inject into babies and children.” Shih recently told reporters that the issue “has really been put to bed.”

Ms. Singer is head of media relations at AS, manages its website, and represents the group on the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. At the IACC, she recently voted against research of environmental causes into autism, Katie noted. (And let’s face it, if Katie did not have a son with autism, there would be no Autism Speaks).
And, Katie noted, both Singer and Shih, “maintain a strong professional friendship with Dr. Paul Offit,” the world’s leading advocate of stifling debate over vaccines and autism.

“AS PR and AS science need not fear open discussions of the vaccine issue, what they should fear is colluding with the CDC in behaving as if parents’ voices do not matter, regression is inconsequential, GI disease is insignificant, adverse vaccine reactions are non-existent, all successful biomedical interventions are aberrations,” Katie wrote.
She ended by saying that AS President Mark Roithmayr had been “made well aware of Shih and Singer’s serious lapses in judgment and failure to fully represent the community. Mr. Roithmayr appears to want to ignore this situation and its adverse consequences for our children. Maybe the parents who worked so hard to pass the CAA should ask him why?”

Then, AOA’s Managing Editor noted: “You can email Mark Roithmayr at mroithmayr@autismspeaks.org”

So I did.

Here is his response, in its entirety. PLEASE NOTE that Mr. Roithmayr acknowledged my email very quickly, and had this written response back to me within 24 hours, on December 12. I regret the delay in publishing it.

"Autism Speaks unequivocally supports the tireless work of our staff and their passionate dedication to uphold the mandates and mission of our organization.  We value the wide range of opinions and voices of those across the autism community, and continually seek to foster open, constructive, and mutually respectful dialogue about the issues and challenges that concern us all.

In response to inquiries regarding  research initiatives and related activities, Autism Speaks’ broad-based agenda includes: 

o We support the efforts of the public members of the IACC to address changes in the NIH strategic plan which will serve the diverse and urgent needs of our community. 

o In 2008, as part of a special environmental factors initiative, Autism Speaks has provided $3.6 million in grants focusing on the role of environmental influences as risk factors for autism.

o We are committed to discovering the causes of autism, including exploring the role of both genetic and environmental factors, including toxins, hormones, vaccines, diet, among others.

o Autism Speaks is promoting the current efforts to restructure the way Health and Human Services agencies monitors and studies vaccine safety, including multiple agency oversight and greater funds allocated for vaccine safety research and administration.

o Autism Speaks co-founders Bob and Suzanne Wright, accompanied by Drs. Lou Cooper, Louis Sullivan and Sam Katz personally presented a comprehensive proposal regarding vaccine safety, monitoring, oversight and funding to the Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt.

We are hopeful that the new federal administration will follow up and adopt the proposals and continue to build upon the momentum and gains that the entire autism community has helped achieve.”

It’s a strong statement, and a welcome one. But it doesn’t quite clear things up.

On the one hand, Autism Speaks’ Executive VP for Communications and Awareness votes against federal funding of vaccine-autism research as an official representative of the group, while its VP of Scientific Affairs tells the media that the vaccine debate has been “put to bed” and that, “There is no merit to studying over-vaccination as a trigger for autism."

On the other hand, the President of Autism Speaks tells me that his organization is “committed” to vaccine-autism research and “hopeful” that the Obama Administration will share in that commitment.

Finally, I just noticed that Autism Speaks has posted a “Statement of Vaccine Research and Safety” on its Website. I don’t know how long it has been there, nor what influence, if any, that Katie Wright may have had over it: AUTISM SPEAKS: Statement on Vaccine Research and Safety (HERE). 

Autism Speaks is committed to the health and well-being of all children. As such, we support the programs that ensure the public health, including an effective and safe immunization program designed to prevent major diseases. Immunization programs have been very effective in reducing mortality, morbidity and costs associated with common childhood diseases. Today's parents no longer need to worry that once dreaded diseases like polio and smallpox could be threats to their children.

Public trust in immunization programs must be protected. Thus it is critical that we take steps now to do all we can to affirm the public confidence in the safety of vaccines.

Autism Speaks is committed to actively supporting research to find answers to the following questions;

• Are there adverse events from vaccines that impact neurodevelopment over time?

• Are common adverse events occurring more frequently than before? If so, what changes have occurred and why?

• Does the use of combination vaccines or the practice of giving several vaccinations in one day confer increase risk for adverse events?

• Are there subgroups in the general population that exhibit more adverse events than others?

After reading this statement, I am fairly certain about one thing: Andy Shih and Alison Singer might want to get with the program – or get a new job.

David Kirby is author of Evidence of Harm, a contributor to Age of Autism and a founding contributor to Huffington Post.

Comments

[bitter, jaded and disappointed]

Based on my experiences with Autism Speaks, i think it is a total mess. I will never send them another donation until they start really helping people with autism.
I have been involved in lengthy expensive litigation with my child's school district. I win my case at every level and the school continues to appeal the decision to the next level. I applied for and was awarded a family legal support grant from Autism Speaks. I received a letter in writing stating so. However they never honored it. They would never answer or return my phone calls. The contact person was always changing. It was a mess. It has been over a year now, I gave up. What has autism speaks done to improve the lives of people with autism? (besides funding irrelevant and bogus research?)

[Tanners Dad]

WOW! Check out Autism Speaks news today for December 29th Six articles from our point of view. Five directly linking to Age of Autism. Maybe our emails woke them up a little? What do you think?

[John Stone]

I welcome the much more tolerant tone of R Karcher's new post. However, I would point out that the focus of this article was not on bio-medical treatments, but on vaccine damage, and officers of Autism Speaks misusing their position to further obstruct long delayed research. Not only do these represent profound differences but also reflects on the organisation's integrity. To dismiss concern about what has happened as "bickering" is to trivialise something immensely serious.

[John Stone]

I welcome the much more tolerant tone of R Karcher's new post. However, I would point out that the focus of this article was not on bio-medical treatments, but on vaccine damage, and officers of Autism Speaks misusing their position to further obstruct long delayed research. Not only do these represent profound differences but also reflects on the organisation's integrity. This is a very serious matter - to characterise concern about it as "bickering" is decidedly unfortunate.

[R. Karcher]

John Stone missed the point. I am advocating more discussion. In fact, I want all points of view voiced in a civil manner. Autism is as different to one child as it is to another so your experience living with it offers a completely different perspective. To AOA promoting biomed is the chosen path. To AS and others it is to create awareness the issue of Autism in general. AS still has much to do but in the same breath biomed is not the cure that many advocates proclame. In fact, I am of the opinion that promoting biomed and DAN Dr.'s as a cure or a way to defeat autism may harm Autism the issue. Many uninformed or ignorant of the issues facing families with Autism see and hear about biomed and DAN Dr.'s and believe that all those impacted by Autism can be cured by biomed treatments etc. Unfortunately that is not the case. To see a different perspective of my view check out the link. Keep the issue alive and in the face of all who can help with your particular issue. If yours is biomed, creating awareness, acceptance or whatever good luck. Ours is making sure that our daughter has the help and love she needs in a nurturing environment.

[Jen]

Sorry but I find these parents who spend hours and hours walking for Autism Speaks, fundraising for Autism Speaks, talking about how wonderful Autism Speaks is and so on completely pathetic. It seems so many of them are attached to ABA centers who are nothing but money whores themselves. It always seems to be the same theme of needing more and more money when they already rake in thousands. Wake up people, this organization is a joke.

[John Stone]

R Karcher

That sounds simply like a bad tempered attempt to close down reasonable discussion.

It is very clear how AS is operating as an exercise in political exclusion. After a decade of this deplorable lobbying exercise it is not surprising that people are fed up with it.

[R. Karcher]

I am getting tired of the infighting amongst the Autism community. It is clear that AOA has a beef with AS and other organizations take issue with both and bla bla bla... cut the bull pucky. Do your thing AS and others will do their thing and we can all get along. As for me, my daughter is having a meltdown in the other room and bickering is doing nothing to help me or my daughter. Respectfully.

[Raymond Gallup]

Dear John,

You are so right that Autism Speaks as an organization has no soul.
I agree 100%.

It is so sad and shameful. It is making the same mistakes as Cure Autism Now and the National Alliance for Autism Research.

Ray

[biomedmom]

From Dr. Paul G. King

"Factually, regarding Thimerosal in vaccines: though
the number of vaccine formulations containing any
level of Thimerosal has been reduced, several of today's
FDA-approved non-influenza vaccines [22] still contain
some level of Thimerosal (see reviewer's Table "1"
BELOW).
[22] http://www.fda.gov/cber/thimerosal/htm#t3.

Of the seventeen FDA-approved vaccine formulations
apparently still available or currently being stock-
piled for use, all but four (4) inactivated influenza
vaccines can be given to some children and all ten (10)
of the Thimerosal-preserved vaccines can be administered
to pregnant women and/or nursing mothers.

Furthermore, the potential harm from Thimerosal was
increased in 2002 when the CDC's Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practice (ACIP) began recommending
that inactivated-influenza vaccines be given to preg-
nant women [23] without toxicological proof of safety
to the developing human in the womb and in spite:
· All doses of the U.S.-licensed flu vaccine's
containing Thimerosal with almost all doses of
the 2002-2003 influenza vaccine for pregnant
women and children being Thimerosal-preserved,
and
· Published findings that Thimerosal-preserved flu
shots given to pregnant women significantly
increased their children's risk of being born with
serious birth defects [24]. [Note: Among other
adverse Thimerosal-preserved-influenza-vaccine-
related teratogenic effects, the study found that
Thimerosal exposure during the first 4 months of
pregnancy was associated with a statistically
significant standardized increased risk (SRR =
2.69) for birth defects.]
[23] Bridges CB, Fukuda K, Uyeki TM, Cox NJ, Singleton
JA. Prevention and Control of Influenza Recommen-
dations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2002 Apr 12; 51(RR03): 1-31.
[24] Heinonen OP, Slone D, Shapiro S. Birth Defects and
Drugs in Pregnancy (Littleton: Publishing Sciences
Group, Inc., 1977).

Also, given the facts that Thimerosal's ethylmercury
components: a) cross the placental barrier [12] and
b) preferentially accumulate in the developing fetus
[25], it should be apparent to the unbiased reader
that injecting a mother with a Thimerosal-preserved
flu shot increases the risk of: a) mercury poisoning
and b) serious teratogenic effects (serious birth
defects) in her child.
[25] Gasset AR, Itoi M, Ishii Y, et al. Teratogenicities
of ophthalmic drugs. II. Teratogenicities and
accumulation of Thimerosal. Arch Opthalmol. 1975;
93: 52-55.

ABBREVIATED TABLE 1 -- FULL TABLE IN THE ATTACHMENT
(Missing the "Mercury per dose" column)
Table "1." March 2008 FDA-licensed Thimerosal-containing
Vaccines
[Taken From: FDA's "Table 3: Thimerosal and Expanded List
of Vaccines - (updated 3/14/2008) Thimerosal Content in
Currently Manufactured U.S. Licensed Vaccines" & Recent
approvals]

No. Trade Manufac Thimerosal
[8] Vaccine Name turer Concntrt'n[1]
1 DTaP Tripedia[2] Sanofi Pasteur, <= 0.00012%
Inc [SPI]
2 DTaPH TriHIBit SPI/Sanofi SA <= 0.00012%
(Tripedia+
ActHIB [2])

3 DT None SPI < 0.00012%
(single ds)
4/1 DT None Sanofi Pasteur, 0.01%
(available but Ltd [3]
not marketed)[3]
5/2 Td None Mass Public 0.0033%
Health
6 Td Decavac SPI <= 0.00012%
7/3 TT None SPI 0.01%
8 HepA/HepB Twinrix GlaxoSmithKline < 0.0002%
Biologicals
(GSKB)
9/4 Influenza Afluria CSL Limited 0.01%
(multi-dose)
10/5 Influenza Fluzone SPI [6] 0.01%
11/6 Influenza Fluvirin Novartis Vaccines 0.01%
& Diagnostics Ltd
(NVDL)
12 Influenza Fluvirin NVDL < 0.0004%
(Preservative Free)
13 Influenza Fluarix GSKB < 0.0004%
14/7 Influenza FluLaval ID Biomedical 0.01%
Corporation
of Quebec
15/8 Japanese JE-VAX Research Foundat'n 0.007%
Encephalitis for Microbial
[7] Diseases of
Osaka University
(distributed by
SPI in USA)
16/9 Meningococcal Menomune SPI 0.01%
A, C, AC (multidose)
& A/C/Y/
W-135
17/10 Avian Influenza SPI 0.0098%
Influenza Virus (multidose with
[9] Vaccine, doses at 0 & 2
H5N1 months)

Table Footnotes
1. Thimerosal is approximately 50% mercury (Hg) by
weight. A 0.01% solution (1 part per 10,000) of
Thimerosal contains 50 µg of Hg per 1 ml dose or
25 µg of Hg per 0.5 ml dose.
2. Sanofi Pasteur's Tripedia may be used to recon-
stitute ActHib to form TriHIBit. TriHIBit is
indicated for use in children 15 to 18 months
of age.
3. This vaccine is not marketed in the US but it is
available.
4. ..
5. ...
6. Children under 3 years of age receive a half-dose
of vaccine, i.e., 0.25 mL (12.5 µg mercury/dose.)
7. Aventis Pasteur distributes JE-VAX. Children 1 to
3 years of age receive a half-dose of vaccine,
i.e., 0.5 mL (17.5 µg mercury/dose).
8. The second numbers are the count for the current
Thimerosal-preserved vaccine formulations that
have FDA approval.
9. Approved April, 17 but not in "Table 3" as it is
currently only licensed for use in a pandemic
outbreak; approvals for children are pending or
deferred.

Therefore, it appears that the CDC officials have been
knowingly engaged in a shell game whereby the decrease
in the mercury-poisoning risk by removal of Thimerosal
from some vaccines and the reduction in others was, and
is, knowingly being offset by adding an ineffective
vaccine [26],[27],[28],[29],[30], the Thimerosal-pre-
served influenza vaccine that contains Thimerosal at
levels proven to be poisonous, teratogenic, mutagenic,
carcinogenic, and immune-system-disruptive in developing
and adult humans [31], to the recommended vaccination
schedules for pregnant women and children from 6 months
to 23 months of age in 2002, and increasing the age range
to 39 months in 2004, to 59 months in 2006, to 59/107
months in 2007 and, most recently, to 203 months in 2008.
[26] Geier DA, King PG, Geier MR. Influenza Vaccine: Review
of effectiveness of the U.S. immunization program, and
policy considerations. J Am Phys Surg 2006; 11(3):
69-74.
[27] Jefferson T, Smith S, Demicheli V, Harnden A, Rivetti
A, Di Pietrantonj C. Assessment of the efficacy and
effectiveness of influenza vaccines in healthy chil-
dren: systematic review. Lancet 2005; 365:773-780.
[28] Simonsen L, Reichert TA, Viboud C, Blackwelder WC,
Taylor RJ, Miller MA. Impact of influenza vaccination
on seasonal mortality in the US elderly population.
Arch Intern Med. 2005; 165: 265-272.
[29] Maeda T, Shintani Y, Nakano K, Terashima K, Yamada Y.
Failure of inactivated influenza A vaccine to protect
healthy children aged 6-24 months. Pediatr Int. 2004;
46: 122-125.
[30] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Assessment
of the effectiveness of the 2003-04 influenza vaccine
among children and adults-Colorado, 2003. MMWR. 2004;
53: 707-710.
[31] a. 1-Sept-1993 - Lilly & Company Material Safety
Datasheet on Thimerosal.
b. 22-Dec-1999 - Lilly & Company Material Safety
Datasheet on Thimerosal.
c. 30-Sept-2001 - Gihon Laboratories Material
Safety Datasheet on Thimerosal.
d. 28-July-2003 - Merck Material Safety Datasheet
on Thimerosal.

Therefore, it is clear that drug companies have NOT
voluntarily phased out Thimerosal from all vaccines
given to children but rather phased it out of some,
reduced its level in others, and intentionally left
Thimerosal in some vaccine at preservative levels,
mostly at the 0.01% level.

To cover up the decrease in the level of harm as the
maximum Thimerosal exposure decreased, it is evident
that, in 2002, CDC officials knowingly added the
Thimerosal-preserved inactivated-influenza vaccine
to the recommended vaccination schedule for pregnant
women and children starting at 6 months of age:
· Without proof of safety to the requisite minimum
standard, "sufficiently nontoxic ." [32] and
· With the certain knowledge that injecting
Thimerosal-preserved flu shots into pregnant
women will increase the risk of severe birth
defects (specifically, cleft palate, hydrocephaly,
and pyloric stenosis) in their children24 as well
as the risk of mercury poisoning because the
specific dose to which the fetus will be exposed
will be significantly higher than the former
specific dose of Thimerosal in the "day of birth"
dose of a Thimerosal-preserved hepatitis B vaccine
(e.g., Merck's Energix® B) that was recommended
for all babies prior to 2000.
[32] Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Section 610.15(a) [21 C.F.R. § 610.15(a)]."

[biomedmom]

Thimerosal is still in 9 vaccines, the flu and tetanus shots containing the largest amounts. I don't know why this post wasn't approved yesterday. People, especially people who are lobbying on behalf of our children need to know that. Thank you.

[John Stone]

I often wondered about the title 'Autism Speaks', with its claim to be so very representative of a community, although all it really seems to want of the community is to give them money - if you want to help you can walk (or if you live in the UK you can run), but they don't want your intellectual contributions, and least of all do they want your experience.

On the other hand perhaps the title was peculiarly apt: the perpetuation of autism as an institutional necessity, with all the associated greed, conceit and self-deception. Autism personified.

As it happens I don't think this is what the Wrights intended. Lisa Blakemore-Brown who attended Bob Wright's London talk, witnessed how he spoke openly about the vaccine issue and was patently sincere.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/10/the-panel-from.html

But AS is stalking the world like a latter day Golem causing havoc when it was supposed to protect and support a community. Here we have the to-ing and fro-ing of the institutional machine, abuzz with money, and saying all the time "Don't listen to them: we are important, we are credible, we are big science!!!". But it doesn't have a soul.

[kim]

this makes me sick. i once served on the board of a local autism non-profit. the 2 mom who started it paid themselves $35,000/yr. there was certain outrage at this salary. they just wanted jobs for themselves to keep going. i dealt with the community's grumblings about this when i asked for $$ from my family, family business and anyone else. i always compared it to sloan-kettering. when someone dies of cancer around here that's where they want the $$ to go. people write checks nilly-willy for that group. it gets local, and it becomes microscope. a check to SK pays for their post-its. (and goes to pharma, too). it's all sick what good people think they are doing to walk for AS. how can we combat this for change? i have been in this circle for 5 years, and AS is the LAST charity to give to. I send out emails to people who know I have a child with autism and request they never donate to AS. it's a sick situation. GAG GO NAA, Generation Rescue, ARI, etc. GAG again

[Raymond Gallup]

Dear John,

Thank you very much.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I looked at the 2007 990 (pdf) which is 69 + pages long and didn't see anything pn Louis Z Cooper.

May be someone looking at it further may spot something at

http://www.autismspeaks.org/annual_report.php

and click on 2007 990 (pdf)

I did see the following on page 65 that is VERY curious............

"Two members of the Board of Directors of AS also hold positions at institutions which received funding from AS. At December 31,2007, AS had grants payable and commitments to these institutions totaling $3,023,833. During the year ended 2007, AS's expenses included $2,303,177 related to research awards granted to these institutions..................Certain members of AS's Scientific Advisory Board, which makes recommendations as to which research proposals are to be funded, are also associated with institutions that receive funding from AS."

AS words, not mine on the 990 form.

I also noticed that AS funds lots of researchers like Edwin Cook, Jocelyne Bachevalier, Fred Volkmar, etc. going back to 1995 when I went to an NIH conference and saw their names there. When it comes to research funding, AS is being led around by the nose by the NIH.

Why I suggested they start to look into housing instead of research because they are just duplicating NIH research projects or creating useless avenues that lead to no positive results that will alter the lives of vaccine-damaged kids with autism. At least with starting a housing program they will better serve the ever increasing autism population. Especially since AS wants to avoid at all costs finding an answer to this epidemic that is being caused by adverse reactions to vaccines. AS is going through the motions in the research arena.....obvious to those that know better and have been around long enough (like myself and yourself).

AS is also close to Kennedy Krieger where lots of kids with autism have aggression problems (our son, Eric included who was there for 4 months in 2004). Kennedy Krieger has a land office business accepting lots of kids with autism and aggression behaviors......many who are then sent to residential centers like Eric.

A matter of connecting the dots.....and actions speaking louder than words. AS actions do speak louder than words. No studies connecting adverse reactions to vaccines to autism (As's favorite word in their scientific advisory board is VERBOTEN...just the German interpretation, not the English interpretation). Only studies disproving a link to vaccines causing autism will be allowed.

Ray

[John Stone]

Actually, I think I don't agree with David on this one. I don't expect anything from Shih or Singer or Cooper, but it is up to the Wrights to sort this out or walk away from Autism Speaks.

[John Stone]

Great post Ray,

It reminds that we got into this mess by paying a certain class of people a great deal of money - so what it is the point of proposing to get out of it by paying them even more money. I also noticed the presence in David's account of Louis Z Cooper:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/rxforsurvival/series/experts/v_louis_cooper.html

Without doubting Cooper's sincerity, how do we expect to get to any objective assessment of the results of immunisation if you put him at the head of investigating it?

I don't know whether you can dig out how much AS is paying/compensating him?

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,

John

[Raymond Gallup]

A few years ago I went to the NJ Governor's Council on Autism in Newark, NJ when TAAP was still represented with the Council.

Emanuel DiCicco-Bloom, MD was and is the Autism Speaks representative at the Council. He said the following: "The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the gold standard for medical research." Eric London who is also with Autism Speaks didn't think much of immunology research and autism but is high on genetic research and autism brain autopsies, as is his colleague, Dicicco-Bloom.

These two along with Shih and Singer and some others at Autism Speaks think highly of the NIH as well as the CDC. When I asked DiCicco-Bloom what diseases or disorders the NIH cured, he said cancer, believe it or not. So news to all of us.....cancer has been cured and the NIH did it.

Nice to know that Autism Speaks likes to keep the autism epidemic thriving and it is a business with them by funding research that goes nowhere. Plus they enrich themselves in the process as one can see by going to the 2007 990 (pdf) at

http://www.autismspeaks.org/annual_report.php

Andy Shih
Total compensation $147,762 + $20,524 employee benefits

Alison Singer
Total compensation $180,180 + $9,555 employee
benefits

Mark Roithmayr
Total compensation $356,000 + $31,107 employee benefits

and Geraldine Dawson makes a paltry $75,000 + no employee benefits

Meanwhile, something for all of us and Autism Speaks to look forward to.........

Mental patients isolated for years despite laws

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081223/ap_on_re_us/mental_health_outliers

When Eric was in NJ we were told Trinitas Hospital was the best place for people with autism and once he was taken there. We came in to find Eric strapped to the bed because the people there couldn't handle Eric.

Per...........

http://www.trinitashospital.org/behavioral_health.htm

So great going Autism Speaks!!! Congratulations on making autism a thriving and perpetual business that will last a lifetime for yourselves. The "GOLD STANDARD" for autism.

Ray Gallup

[carol hoernlein]

Angie,

You were definitely right on about what I was trying to say. Thank you.

I did not say Thimerosol was not dangerous. But if that is your ONLY argument, then you have already lost the war because the vaccines makers have taken it out of the vaccines and ASD cases are STILL RISING.

HOWEVER, if you are talking about VACCINES causing autism and what is STILL IN THEM that is the key - glutamic acid - for example, which is linked to lower glutathione levels and lower taurine levels because it inhibits cysteine handling in the body, which definitively affect epilepsy, irregular heartbeat, diabetes, and digestive disorders - which are found disproportionately in children with ASD, then you have a valid argument they cannot so easily dismiss.

Use the word VACCINES instead of the word THIMEROSOL. If you focus solely on THIMEROSOL, then they will say "Well we got rid of it, so end of problem, end of discussion, end of story". Which is exactly what they are trying to do to you all. And they succeed every single time a child gets ASD because of a new vaccine WITHOUT THIMEROSOL, while you cry THIMEROSOL till you are hoarse. That is why I have a beef with the word Thimerosol. It is hurting your cause instead of helping it. Use the word VACCINE instead until we get real research of unvaccinated children to vaccinated before they make it so mandatory that we won't be able to even find a child who hasn't been vaccinated.

Say VACCINES cause ASD and they can't so easily dismiss you.

[Raymond Gallup]

My prior comments about Autism Speaks to stop funding research and turn their direction to provide housing are appropriate.

Autism Speaks is really NOT interested in stopping the autism epidemic or otherwise the millions of dollars they spent on research would show this to be the case.

Of course they won't follow my advice because Autism Speaks is only interested in creating the illusion that they want to do something about autism just as Cure Autism Now (CAN) and the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) did before Autism Speaks.

Millions of dollars were spent by CAN and NAAR and what were the results on the autism epidemic?

NOTHING, NADA.

The same can be said going forward with Autism Speaks, but then illusions are great for those that are unaware of their game.

Ray Gallup

[Kathy Blanco]

To Biomed mom

I am listening to you, and you make a hell of a lot of sense. I know that my fourteen amalgams contributed to my two autistc children. I know years of MSG and Aspartame predisposed them as well (and I wasn't a diet coke drinker, I am talking the hidden sources). I know those years when I had those kids, they sprayed malathione over silicon valley, which has mercury salts in it. I vaccinated them full blown of course, and whala...autism.

*(currently, I have a cracked amalgam, which came out with a sticky candy, and I want to send it to someone to measure how much is outgassing by one amalgam which is nearly forty years old now, and caclulate what fourteen would have amounted to...anybody know where I can send it?).

But, I think even beyond the glutamate/mercury issue, is issues like how about FLUORIDE, which damages the blood brain barrier? Or spirochete lyme buggers which unlocks the tight barriers and causes leaky gut and brain? What about BT toxins? And GMO? Or Oxidative stress, such as having HIGH IRON in the diet which is given through formulas and gruels? What about Dioxins, and Plastics, and Mold? (I think that rhymed?). See the trend? Nothing we are doing is right, as well as not testing ACCURATELY for mothers with low thyroid function. And what is causing that? Bromine in breads, iodine insufficiency and infections, and gluten intolerances? Ever thought that autism could be caused by an STD? One researcher I talked to did...I mean syphils (another spirochete lyme family), or others? What about unmonitored Mycoplasma and or SV-40?

The point being, we really don't know what combinations are wicked enough, to cause autism either in utero, through breastfeeing or not, and or wee babes. Personally I believe the "stew" of toxins is the problem. As well... as our regulatory agencies admissions that low level toxins cause DNA mutations (chemo drugs). How about our recommendations to give tylenol while vaccine reacting? (www.rollingdigital.com/autism ) Alongside that, the denitalist, that there is a lyme epidemic being sexualy transmitted and placentally transmitted to our kids. And lastly, that we are asphyxiating our kids with cord clamping too soon, which is known to cause autism in monkeys. Let alone our birth drugs....the list goes on, and on and on..

Now, you put that in a family that has thyroid disorders, autoimmunity genes or the illnesses themselves, and you have the recipes for disasters like autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Apraxia, SEizures, Depression, Obesity, you name the diseases that are becoming all epidemic now. All of the quiet genes are now being forced to express. Otherwise would be silent.

I think the point is, that AS has never addressed autism like that, nor will they ever. They won't see the forest through the trees, and won't admit, that in general, our environment is causing an "epidemic of genetic proportions", as well as a "genetic epidemic is causing an epidemic". We are, not GOD, is forcing this to come to surface, by the almighty dollar and or some more insidious, evil design.

The point is...ban the world from your child, ban the AMA/AAP/IOM/ADA/ and others agencies, and possibly, just maybe, you won't have an autistic child because you figured out, what causes it in the first place.

AS has a way to go, before they will ever recommend what it intends to have autism speak. In my mind, let's just let our children speak, WITHOUT AUTISM. Where are the recommendations on their PSA going? To feel sorry for our kids and parents, not how to STOP IT. To me, that's a crime of major proportions.