GRINKER'S STINKER: HIS WIFE RUNS THE IACC
By J.B. Handley
Who is Joyce Chung, MD?
According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, she’s the new “Autism Coordinator” and the Executive Secretary of the IACC. Let’s take a quick step back: when you read the acronym “IACC”, if you are anything like me, you wonder, “what the hell is that?”
So, from the website of the National Institutes of Mental Health, the IACC is the:
“Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee…the Combating Autism Act of 2006… mandated the reestablishment of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) to coordinate autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research and other efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)…The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) at the NIH has been designated the lead for this activity. Although the Committee's mission continues to focus on the efficient and effective exchange of information on autism activities, the new law expanded the responsibilities of the IACC…The new IACC is authorized to coordinate research efforts concerning ASD, to provide annual updates on research advances, to make recommendations to the Secretary of DHHS regarding public participation in decisions related to ASD, and to develop a strategic plan for ASD research.”
In an ARTICLE I wrote last week about Roy Grinker, an autism epidemic-denier funded by Autism Speaks, I included THIS set of emails between Roy Grinker and the CDC which were obtained through a FOIA filing.
One email from Grinker in particular caught the eye of several of our readers where Grinker writes the following to a CDC employee:
“p.s. Did I tell you that ___________ just started working at NIMH as the Autism coordinator (Director’s office) and exec. secretary of IACC?”
Now, the “blank” in the above email where a name should be, was redacted by the CDC, apparently because, according to the CDC’s cover letter, “the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
The blank is Grinker’s wife, Joyce Chung.
Is it private for us to know that Joyce Chung, now the Autism Coordinator at NIMH, is married to Roy Grinker?
Should it matter who Joyce Chung is married to, even if her husband wrote a book stating unequivocally that there is no autism epidemic?
Does Joyce Chung agree with her husband? Did they ask her this question before she took the job?
I hope when the IACC meets tomorrow, someone asks her.
J.B. Handley is Editor At Large for Age of Autism and co-founder of Generation Rescue.
All,
Can I suggest that we try and put an end to all the mudslinging?
Maddie is absolutely right on this: ALSO, I find it fascinating that people that claim to value open minds would tell commenters to "go away" and would even begin to judge the extent to which individuals do or do not value human life without ever citing concrete evidence. (She never said it was the Moderator)
And Kim is absolutely right on this: And no one cares if Dr. Grinker is married to Pamela Anderson, Dr. Joyce Chung or Pebbles Flintstone (lol) - it's the fact the the person helping to steer millions of research is married to a man who doesn't believe there is an epidemic. No epidemic = no urgency? That's our concern.
As soon as JB posted this piece, I wrote an e-mail to Dr. Raub, Science Advisor to Secretary Leavitt to bring our concerns to his direct attention. Below are the pertinent parts of the e-mail that correspond to this whole topic.
It’s not my normal practice to share personal e-mails on a public domain, but I think Dr. Raub would want me to share what he wrote in an effort to help shed some light on the situation and hopefully alleviate some of the concerns.
We must remember that Joyce is a fellow parent and because of that one fact, I personally think she deserves to be respected and not “drug through the mud” on a public forum.
We all know the facts now about a possible conflict of interest. And Dr. Raub knows our concerns. I’m sure he’ll also pass this on to Dr. Insell.
All we can do now is watch the process closely and speak up if anything questionable comes up.
Sent: Tue Jan 15 14:52:07 2008
Subject: Possible IACC Conflict?
Second, did you know anything about this possible conflict of interest below? The e-mail was obtained through FOIA.
I think the implications of this situation are pretty evident: How is the autism community supposed to trust a process which is directing the future research agenda for autism research when the Autism Coordinator is married to an individual who denies the very existence of an increase in the disorder???
Your thoughts?
Kelli
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:13 PM
Subject: Re: Possible IACC Conflict?
I would not read anything sinister into the redaction. CDC was following the general privacy guidance as I understand it.
Regarding staff's potential biases, Dr. Insel, like other NIH leaders, will expect his team to check them at the door. I feel confident that he will be attentive for any breaches in objectivity.
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Possible IACC Conflict?
I met Joyce at the IACC meeting in November (I think she actually came up to you and I while we were talking) and she seems like a decent person -- I know she worked hard to try and get the IACC agenda finalized for the meeting -- BUT, again it's the perception of conflict that's proving problematic for our community.
The FOIA e-mails are on a public autism blog and many in our community are concerned about the possible conflict of interest.
Posted by: Kelli Ann Davis | January 22, 2008 at 02:39 PM
"FYI: Once again, its not news at all that Grinker is married to Chung. This is available publicly (via a simple google search) on this article from last May http://psych.wisc.edu/lang/pdf/Chronicle_May11_2007.pdf and also don't think this was ever kept private to begin with. Any good researcher would have been able to find this out through multiple routes. That link is just one example."
If this was public knowledge I do not understand why Chung was appointed as Coordinator anyway. Did they not see that it would cause a conflict of interest?
Posted by: Clancy | January 22, 2008 at 02:14 PM
To MaddieLynn, please let me assure you the "Go away" comment did not come from anyone who works for Age of Autism, but an anonymous commenter. And I did look at it a few times before approving it, since I also thought it was a tad rude. Such is the blogosphere.
And no one cares if Dr. Grinker is married to Pamela Anderson, Dr. Joyce Chung or Pebbles Flintstone - it's the fact the the person helping to steer millions of research is married to a man who doesn't believe there is an epidemic. No epidemic = no urgency? That's our concern.
Thanks for commenting on Age of Autism.
Yours,
Kim Stagliano
Managing Editor
Posted by: Managing Editor | January 22, 2008 at 01:00 PM
FYI: Once again, its not news at all that Grinker is married to Chung. This is available publicly (via a simple google search) on this article from last May http://psych.wisc.edu/lang/pdf/Chronicle_May11_2007.pdf and also don't think this was ever kept private to begin with. Any good researcher would have been able to find this out through multiple routes. That link is just one example.
ALSO, I find it fascinating that people that claim to value open minds would tell commenters to "go away" and would even begin to judge the extent to which individuals do or do not value human life without ever citing concrete evidence.
The lack of quality of information and "analysis" on this site is just appalling.
Posted by: maddie | January 22, 2008 at 11:12 AM
"IOW, this person says that so long as Dr. Chung does not agree with them, they do not have have to provide the minimum of personal respect. This is very typical of people who have closed minds, or no minds."
Dear TheProbe, what Brown nosing was referring to was the original post by JB and the controversy ensuing from it (hint, see the number of comments the post has received). I think we don't give "open" minds their due worth.
Hint, hint - please go away.
Posted by: Not IOW | January 21, 2008 at 10:05 AM
"Dear m brown, please note that we treat all people with the utmost respect when they show that they value human life over and above everything else that they hold dear to their heart, family relationships notwithstanding. The day Joyce does the same we shall be happy to call her whatever you desire."
IOW, this person says that so long as Dr. Chung does not agree with them, they do not have have to provide the minimum of personal respect. This is very typical of people who have closed minds, or no minds.
As for Dr. Chung, considering that her area of reasearch concerns itself with health care delivery to people, she is well qualified for her position.
Posted by: TheProbe | January 21, 2008 at 09:13 AM
Dear Katie Write,
Please accept my deepest apologies. I need to learn to read better. Sometimes I just get carried away. However, I seriously believe that Joyce should then be clear as to which doctors she is referring to.
Posted by: Elucidatus | January 21, 2008 at 12:01 AM
"Dear m brown, please note that we treat all people with the utmost respect when they show that they value human life over and above everything else that they hold dear to their heart, family relationships notwithstanding. The day Joyce does the same we shall be happy to call her whatever you desire."
Yeah, doctors don't value human life much.
Posted by: Angela | January 20, 2008 at 10:15 PM
"Katie Wright has been referred to by the managing editor as Ms. Wright but Dr. Chung is referred to as Joyce"
Dear m brown, please note that we treat all people with the utmost respect when they show that they value human life over and above everything else that they hold dear to their heart, family relationships notwithstanding. The day Joyce does the same we shall be happy to call her whatever you desire. I hope that will then make you truly happy. Now if you have something useful to contribute in the way of - how can we make the world a better place - we will be more than happy to hear from you again.
Posted by: Brown nosing | January 20, 2008 at 06:08 PM
Can Katie Wright tell us where Dr. Joyce Chung expressed these opinions?
Also seems rude that Katie Wright has been referred to by the managing editor as Ms. Wright but Dr. Chung is referred to as Joyce. From the posts of you both, I don't get the impression you folks are on a first name basis with her. I do get the impression that you are trying to demean these people.
Posted by: m. brown | January 20, 2008 at 03:11 PM
(Managing Editor's Note: Elucidatus, Ms. Wright is referring to Joyce's opinion. You'll have to consult with Joyce for specifics.)
Hello Katie Write,
Did I read this correctly? You wrote
"Joyce does not believe that food allergies are real, that GI disease exists and that so many of us are being taken advantage of by unscrupulous DAN! doctors with their "quack" therapies."
Please elaborate as to which doctors you are talking about. I want to make sure we all know which "quack" doctors we should stay clear from.
Thanks,
Posted by: Elucidatus | January 19, 2008 at 11:12 PM
@So what,
Hope you will keep reading and very best wishes.
Posted by: Kristina Chew | January 18, 2008 at 02:33 PM
To Kristina Chew -
"@So what:
You can see Dan Olmsted's email here.
http://www.autismvox.com/elementary-my-dear-mr-handley/#comment-306925"
I am sorry I seem to have missed the rule that says you have to quote the "entire" comment to show that you have read it.
Let's try this again -
"Here is the link to an email (dated January 29, 2007) from Dan Olmsted to Roy Richard Grinker regarding the recent publication of Grinker's book, _Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism_.
http://www.autismvox.com/elementary-my-dear-mr-handley/#comment-306925"
To Kristina Chew - so where is the problem? I don't see it. I did not know that the expression of an open mind was a problem. Now is it? Awaiting your response.
Posted by: So what | January 18, 2008 at 01:23 PM
@7thgradenotepasser:
It is noted in my comment on Autism Vox that the email "was sent to me a while back."
@So what:
You can see Dan Olmsted's email here.
http://www.autismvox.com/elementary-my-dear-mr-handley/#comment-306925
best wishes.
Posted by: Kristina Chew | January 18, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Per..........
"Does this mean you want them to remove Lyn Redwood and Alison Tepper Singer because of their connections to biased autism groups?
Just asking."
Posted by: HCN | 01/17/2008 at 06:50 PM
We are talking not about autism organization but a Federal agency, the NIH, FUNDED by THE TAXPAYERS. As taxpayers, parents have a right to get their say and if not maybe parents should request that the funding be cut for the NIH especially if the NIH is not listening to us, the taxpayers.
Monday, January 21, 2008 will be the US observed holiday for Martin Luther King (he was actually born on January 15th, two days before our son's birthday, Eric....see http://www.vaproject.org/
Eric's Story). Martin Luther King moved the civil rights struggle on by civil disobedience. I would not be adverse to joining with parents/organizations to do the same with the NIH if they won't fund vaccine link to autism research. Or get politicians and the media to put pressure on the NIH to fund such studies as vaccinated populations versus unvaccinated populations, immune blood panel test studies involving mothers and their children with autism, etc.
Also, if this isn't done I would be willing to work with parents/organizations that request Washington to cut the funding for the NIH and CDC.
At 63 years old I would be glad to be involved in a civil disobedience rally at the NIH to get our point across if enough parents/organizations will be involved regarding the NIH and funding of various studies that link vaccines to autism. I was once thrown into a cell (for shenanigans that involved a shipmate buddy I was trying to get him out of) while serving in the US Navy during the Vietnam era so I know how it feels and would not be adverse to having it done again for a worthwhile cause....our kids.
Raymond Gallup
[email protected]
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 18, 2008 at 10:22 AM
How did a personal email from a journalist to an author end up on a blog to begin with? Classy....
Posted by: 7thgradenotepasser | January 18, 2008 at 09:36 AM
..."link to an email (dated January 29, 2007) from Dan Olmsted to Roy Richard Grinker"...
To Kristina Chew - so where is the problem? I don't see it. I did not know that the expression of an open mind was a problem. Now is it? Awaiting your response.
Posted by: So what | January 18, 2008 at 09:22 AM
Here is the link to an email (dated January 29, 2007) from Dan Olmsted to Roy Richard Grinker regarding the recent publication of Grinker's book, _Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism_.
http://www.autismvox.com/elementary-my-dear-mr-handley/#comment-306925
Posted by: Kristina Chew | January 17, 2008 at 10:39 PM
Does this mean you want them to remove Lyn Redwood and Alison Tepper Singer because of their connections to biased autism groups?
Just asking.
Posted by: HCN | January 17, 2008 at 06:50 PM
Per............
Another comment--has anyone been able to find if Dr. Chung has received any funding from "Big Pharma"? I don't see it on any of her papers. My guess is that if it existed, we would have heard about it.
Richard Schultz
The following........
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/290/1/57?linkType=FULL&journalCode=jama&resid=290/1/57
Treating Depression in Predominantly Low-Income Young Minority Women
A Randomized Controlled Trial
Jeanne Miranda, PhD; Joyce Y. Chung, MD; Bonnie L. Green, PhD; Janice Krupnick, PhD; Juned Siddique, MS; Dennis A. Revicki, PhD; Tom Belin, PhD
JAMA. 2003;290:57-65.
Funding/Support: This work was funded by grant R01 MH56 864 from the National Institute of Mental Health. Paroxetine was provided by GlaxoSmithKline.
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 17, 2008 at 03:25 PM
As I mentioned I went to the NIH in 1995, 1997 and 2001 to get research funded with zero results. I worked with NAAR, CAN and COSAC to get the NJ Governor's Council on autism started. When I wanted to get funding for Dr. James Oleske on the MMR vaccine link to autism I managed only $50,000.00 back in 1999/2000. I had to go public and put pressure on the organizations involved to fight to get that.
The only way to get the kind of research on the vaccine link to autism is to get independent organizations to fund it directly....not through state or Federal agencies or organizations such as Autism Speaks. These state, Federal agencies and Autism Speaks are tied to closely to the pharmaceutical industry.
It would have been better for parents and organizations to stay at home and spending time with their families rather than push through the Combating Autism Act (CAA). I learned my lesson well and refuse to bother anymore.
I live by the following adages when it comes to the NJ Governor's Council on Autism, NIH, CDC, Autism Speaks, etc. Hopefully parents and independent autism organizations will learn and live by these adages as well.
1. "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."
2. "Lay down with dogs then you get up with fleas."
Raymond Gallup
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 17, 2008 at 02:10 PM
Another comment--has anyone been able to find if Dr. Chung has received any funding from "Big Pharma"? I don't see it on any of her papers. My guess is that if it existed, we would have heard about it.
Richard Schultz
Posted by: Richard | January 17, 2008 at 02:09 PM
"But I'd think the head of a committee about autism at NIMH would have had a career, or at least part of a career, devoted to autism. Silly me"
Stagmom: did you, in your searches, notice that Tom Insel is the chair of the committee, not Joyce Chung? She's the "coordinator".
Did you, in your searches, notice the meeting held last November by the IACC? At that time, no one had any complaints about Dr. Chung's credentials. Only now, when there is this odd impression of a conlfict of interest has this become a possible issue.
This has the markings of people trying to create a tempest in a teapot.
Posted by: Richard | January 17, 2008 at 12:58 PM
More Fyi...........
http://georgetownuniversityhospital.org/body.cfm?id=555556
Joyce Y. Chung M.D.:
Joyce Y. Chung, M.D. received her BS and medical degrees from Northwestern University. She completed her psychiatric residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and then a research fellowship in medical anthropology at Harvard Medical School. Her research interests include the study of sociocultural barriers to mental health care, treatment interventions for mental health problems in minority populations, ethnographic/qualitative research methods, and patient-provider discourse and communication. She is the recipient of several research grants. Dr. Chung has also been active in the area of HIV psychiatry through her clinical practice, educational lectures and published articles about psychiatric complications associated with HIV/AIDS. She helped formulate and was the chief writer for the American Psychiatric Association's Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients with HIV/AIDS. During her eleven-year affiliation with Georgetown, Dr. Chung has served as chief of the Consultation-Liaison service at the Washington VA and as medical director of the Mental Health Care Unit at Georgetown University Hospital. She is a member of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, American Anthropological Association, and Alpha Omega Alpha.
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 17, 2008 at 12:29 PM
FYI...........
http://georgetownuniversityhospital.org/body.cfm?id=1345
Joyce Y. Chung, M.D.
Joyce Y. Chung, M.D. Receives 5 Year Grant for Patient-Oriented Research From the National Institute of Mental Health
The Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Hospital is pleased to announce that Joyce Y. Chung, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has received a 5 year mentored training grant for patient-oriented research (K-23) from the National Institute of Mental Health. This grant will allow Dr. Chung to develop the capacity to conduct independent research on an important public health problem, the under-treatment of mental disorders among ethnic minorities. The overall goal of this proposal is to understand sociocultural barriers to mental health treatment in order to translate research findings into community-baseThe Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University Hospital is pleased to announce that Joyce Y. Chung, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, has received a 5 year mentored training grant for patient-oriented research (K-23) from the National Institute of Mental Health. This grant will allow Dr. Chung to develop the capacity to conduct independent research on an important public health problem, the under-treatment of mental disorders among ethnic minorities. The overall goal of this proposal is to understand sociocultural barriers to mental health treatment in order to translate research findings into community-based intervention trials that will improve treatment acceptance and effectiveness. Her primary mentors will be Charlotte Brown, Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, and Bonnie Green, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Research in our department. The grant includes three research projects which will be situated within the low-income urban African American community in Washington, DC and concern:
cultural models of depression and mental health care
discourse patterns and process of care during clinical encounters
culturally-informed pilot interventions that support the treatment of depression.
Her community partners include For Love of Children's Hope and Home Program and Unity Health Care. We are very proud that Dr. Chung has received this grant and for her continuing outstanding contributions to our research programs for the underserved with mental health problems.d intervention trials that will improve treatment acceptance and effectiveness. Her primary mentors will be Charlotte Brown, Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, and Bonnie Green, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Research in our department. The grant includes three research projects which will be situated within the low-income urban African American community in Washington, DC and concern:
cultural models of depression and mental health care
discourse patterns and process of care during clinical encounters
culturally-informed pilot interventions that support the treatment of depression.
Her community partners include For Love of Children's Hope and Home Program and Unity Health Care. We are very proud that Dr. Chung has received this grant and for her continuing outstanding contributions to our research programs for the underserved with mental health problems.
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I read Dr. Grinker's book, as opposed to many people writing and commenting on this blog. It never gave me the impression he dismissed the challenge of raising an autistic child. He related many difficult moments for him and his family, his fights with the system to get proper education, the prejudice and ignorance from parts of society, all the things we parents go through. He also did serious and detailed research on how autism is viewed in different countries (India, Korea, South Africa), and how the study and diagnosis of autism evolved over the years, and the earliest accounts of autistic behaviors in History and Literature around the world.
The fact that you guys don't even know that he's got another child (NT) and only speak about him from hearsay, without having ever read the book or listened attentively to his interviews, speaks volumes.
Academia is a small world, and it’s rather common that scholars with autistic offspring or siblings may pursue autism-related research. Washington, D.C. is also smaller than people think, and that's where the Grinkers live and work. It doesn’t strike me as odd or wrong that Joyce Chung is working for the NIMH. She has all the credentials to do a great job. By the way she is also a cancer survivor.
It's funny because when parents like Sallie Bernard participate on official studies or Boards, you guys don't think there's a conflict of interest.
Posted by: Leila | January 17, 2008 at 12:10 PM
Who should we write to about this, in addition to our congresspeople and senators? Who are the decision makers in charge of setting up this process to determine which research the Combating Autism dollars will fund?
Posted by: Twyla | January 17, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Google Joyce Chung - check out her bio, - tell me where you see her professional work with autism. I know she's a mother of a daughter with autism. Her career is impressive and includes laudable work, including studying psychiatry for AIDS/HIV patients. But I'd think the head of a committee about autism at NIMH would have had a career, or at least part of a career, devoted to autism. Silly me.
Posted by: Stagmom | January 17, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Uh, how can one REQUEST Joyce Chung's name when one doesn't KNOW that Joyce Chung's name was under the blackout ink?
Left unsaid in these letters and the article is previous encounters and correspondence with those individuals mentioned.
And their past actions speak volumes about their future intent.
Posted by: nhokkanen | January 17, 2008 at 09:53 AM
Why so much speculation under the guise of journalism? Have you attempted to get a comment from any of those mentioned? And further, I have a good deal of experience with FOIA (I am an independent researcher) I can tell you that if you make a request for info on certain people, any others mentioned in the documents will be blocked out. Had you requested Joyce Chung's name, you would probably have turned up less blanked out white spaces. This is embarrassing research and presentation. And many of the people commenting should also be embarrassed for how easily they get their facts wrong (following heresay, not looking for answers yourself). I also find many of these attacks rude. This is not making your case look good in the eyes of the general public.
Posted by: Maddie | January 16, 2008 at 11:28 PM
They actually have more than one child. And in Dr. Grinker's book, which I've skimmed, as well as in a Newsweek interview I read last year, he definitely describes his daughter as having autism.
As for this situation overall, I'm not sure what to think. My husband and I have extremely different views on many things, including some things related to autism. I definitely feel that our professional lives are completely independent.
This is a such a slippery slope though. Couldn't they have hired someone who didn't have any indication of a conflict of interest at all? Geez ... :(
Posted by: Autismville | January 16, 2008 at 09:22 PM
A few corrections to Katie's comment:
• The Grinkers have two children.
• Not every disease that receives funding is an "epidemic".
• The IACC is under the NIH, not the CDC.
Posted by: Autism News Beat | January 16, 2008 at 06:10 PM
Joyce and Roy are married co-parents of their only child, a daughter with autism. Roy has publicly stated, and written a book and toured the country saying he and his wife believe their daughter is "different" and "quirky", in essence, autism is not such a bad thing and certainly not a growing problem. I think it is more than fair to assume they are of similar beliefs about autism unless Joyce says otherwise. Roy is completely public about his assertion there is no autism epidemic and vaccines play no role at all in the fact that autistic children are regressing and developing numerous illnesses. The conflict of interest here is astounding. The CAA never would have even gotten passed had these two had anything to do with it. If there is no autism epidemic, why fund anymore research???? Now they have all of our money, the money families from all over the country worked so hard to have allocated by calling their representatives, visiting Congress, staging rallies. Joyce and Roy did nothing and now Joyce is leading the discusssion regarding how to allocate the money. Guess what? Joyce does not believe that food allergies are real, that GI disease exists and that so many of us are being taken advantage of by unscrupulous DAN! doctors with their "quack" therapies. Nice job CDC, so much for building trust in the community and representing the needs of our children.
Posted by: Katie Wright | January 16, 2008 at 02:23 PM
I would be very interested to see what this agency comes up with today as their strategy for autism. If there is nothing along the lines of reducing the vaccination load for infants and toddlers I am going to be writing this off as yet another federal agency smokescreen tactic. They all know its the vaccines and unless there is something sincerely done along those lines, they shall continue to face pressure from the rest of us.
Posted by: John | January 16, 2008 at 08:18 AM
I not surprised. The NIH is part of the same HHS agency that has the CDC and FDA. HHS works for pharmaceutical industry not the public. I learned that after I tried to get real autism research funding in 1995, 1997 and 2001. Instead there were roadblocks every step of the way.
To think anything will change with the NIH or the CDC and FDA is to be naive. The only sure thing is that these agencies will do everything to promote the pharmaceutical industry. More monkey butt research, more genetics research, more inane research will be forthcoming.
Raymond Gallup
Posted by: Raymond Gallup | January 16, 2008 at 08:03 AM
I must say that I am seriously dismayed to see that the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, has taken upon itself the task of appointing "The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)" as the lead for this activity. What activity do you think they have in mind? And whose mental health are they going to be investigating? Definitely not their own by the sound of it.
And why choose a psychiatrist to coordinate this, are they in need of her services, or is it that the task is going to be so monumental that by the time this is done they will likely need her services!! Have we not been saying infinite times now, that it is not a mental disorder that we are treating? What is it going to take for them to assimilate this now very simple fact?
Posted by: Woe woe woe | January 15, 2008 at 05:03 PM
This is over the edge, even for the CDC and Autism Speaks. They have disgarded the veil of science and are injecting their political agenda into the arms of people throughout the world. Saving the "vaccine program" has become more important than saving lives.
I hope they keep it up because at some point they will go too far, simply because they can't stop themselves, and because all movements go too far. When the day comes that people have had enough, and it always arrives, they will pay an enormous price, and not just in monetary terms.
Harry H.
Posted by: Harry Hofherr | January 15, 2008 at 04:48 PM
Lol. Nice Bride of Frankenstein photo.
Posted by: Robin Nemeth | January 15, 2008 at 04:04 PM
A lesson on why women keep their maiden name?
Posted by: Lisa | January 15, 2008 at 02:36 PM