AUTISM, MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE AND THE NEW YORK TIMES
The following is from an article from today's NYT. Did Gardiner Harris have the journalistic curiousity to attend David Kirby's lecture at NYU on Thursday night? You can read the full article HERE.
Federal health officials on Sunday will call together some of the world’s leading experts on an obscure disease to discuss the controversial case of a 9-year-old girl from Athens, Ga., who became autistic after receiving numerous vaccinations.
But the government has so far kept quiet a second case that some say is more disturbing and more relevant to the meeting.
On Jan. 11, a 6-year-old girl from Colorado received FluMist, a flu vaccine, and about a week later “became weak with multiple episodes of falling to ground” and “difficulty walking,” according to a case report filed with federal health officials and obtained by The New York Times.
The girl grew increasingly weak and feverish and “became more limp, appears sleepy, acts as if drunk,” the report said. She was hospitalized and underwent surgery and was finally withdrawn from life support. She died on April 5, according to the report.
ok.. first of all, the doctors that diagnosed autism were obviously idiots. "she developed a fever, cried inconsolably and refused to walk." “became more limp, appears sleepy, acts as if drunk,” and then she dies??!! how is that autism??!! autism does not make you weak or feverish, and it's most definitely not life threatening!! i don't see the connection. either she had Aspergers (which has no developmental delay), which was beside the point, and merely coincidental (in which case, the doctors are idiots for putting their attention there instead of the issue at hand), or the doctors are idiots that missed the real diagnosis anyways. well, it's been proven that immunizations have nothing to do with Autism, anyways. this is obviously a misjudgment on the part of the doctors, no matter how you look at it.
Posted by: An Autistic Individual | February 15, 2009 at 12:14 PM
What happened with this meeting? Was it kept completely secret or did they just spin their wheels and get nothing accomplished?
Posted by: doodle | July 06, 2008 at 11:45 AM
What is this no caps thing in Harris' emails? Is he ee cummings or just can't be bothered to hit "shift" for the lowly parent of an injured kid?
I've decided that this guy is America's answer to Brian Deer. As if we needed such a thing.
Posted by: Gatogorra | July 01, 2008 at 12:09 AM
Sorsha,
One more thing about HHV-6. And this is new information. From the HHV-6 Conference earlier this month, comes this bit of news:
Infection of Endothelial Cells by Human Herpesvirus-6 Is Associated With Profound Changes in the Healing Process, With Possible Consequences for Cardiac Disease and Cancer
BALTIMORE, MD--(Marketwire - June 27, 2008) - A new study suggests for the first time that human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infects and persists in a dormant state in endothelial cells, the cells lining blood vessels, and causes these cells to lose their ability to grow, to form new blood vessels, and to take part in healing processes. This finding was announced at the 6th International Conference for HHV-6 & 7 by a team of Italian researchers, professors Arnaldo Caruso of the University of Brescia and Dario Di Luca of the University of Ferrara.
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Hhv-6-Foundation-873904.html
In looking for information about the role of endothelial problems in autism I found this: "Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that children with autism showed signs of abnormal blood-vessel function and damaging levels of oxidative stress compared to healthy children. The children with autism possessed levels of biochemicals that indicate the presence of constricted blood vessels via the endothelium (the cells that line vessels) with a higher tendency to form clots (through cells called platelets)."
http://www.emaxhealth.com/37/7038.html
So maybe that strengthens the theory that HHV-6 could play a major role in some cases of autism. It seems like testing for HHV-6 and monitoring viral levels should be considered.
This adds another thing that should be looked at pre-vaccination and post-vaccination. In addition to testing for HHV-6 levels, doctors should probably try to figure out if there are HHV-6-mediated endothelial issues that arise after vaccination.
It may turn out that HHV-6, vaccines and endothelial problems are all intertwined in the current epidemic of autism.
The chronological overlapping of what could be called "The HHV-6 epidemic" (which seems to explode starting in the early 80s) with the autism epidemic is certainly interesting. It may suggest that autism is not just an epidemic itself, but is part of a far bigger epidemic of HHV-6.
Posted by: Lawrence | June 30, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Lisa,
I read your exchange with Gardiner. Thanks for writing on behalf of all of our injured kids. Now, I think Gardiner, having the big ego that he has, may read this blog, especially if some of his buddies (ND crowd) alert him that his arrogant and biased writings are the topic of the day.
Just in case that is true, I hope that he gets this message which is, "you are glaringly biased, sir." I would go as far to say that you should remove yourself from writing anymore regarding the autism epidemic as you cannot discuss the science behind vaccine injuries for you are negligent on being objective...ie "first, there are no great numbers of unvaccinated children in this country (thank God)."
You will defend the vaccine program and blast all the parents who question the numbers, the toxins, the live viruses,their children regressing, and faith in their government. You do know that your writing is unbalanced and historically shows a lack of truth and investigative integrity? It has a flavor like the days of Joe McCarthy, with the paranoia and spewing of untruths.
Science and true investigations,and not drama queen writers will unravel the autism puzzle and (thank god) we know which one you are.
Posted by: Teresa Conrick | June 30, 2008 at 05:31 PM
I posted previously the snippy email Gardiner Harris sent me in response to my suggestion for a NY Times investigative report of health and developmental outcomes in vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children. Here is my own response to his email, which I sent to him via his link on the news page.
Dear Mr. Harris,
Please take the time to educate yourself (and perhaps even read your own newspaper) before writing about such important topics. Thanks to the failure of the CDC to adequately calm the fears of concerned parents, there are now thousands of children living in the U.S. who have received no vaccinations. They are as spread out and as dissimilar genetically as children in the U.S. can be. For years the CDC dismissed the request for such a study by saying that there were just too few unvaccinated children to make such a study worthwhile. They can no longer use such an excuse. Your own newspaper has reported that the CDC is in fact deeply concerned about the large and growing number of unvaccinated children living in the U.S. (hence, the recent measles outbreaks). We know why the CDC refuses to undertake a study of this population to see how they are faring relative to their vaccinated peers. Why the NY Times won't even bother to broach the subject is a little less obvious, although it becomes more clear when one takes a look at the list of CEOs on the board of the NY Times. As for the science, the whole point of vaccinations, as you may or may not be aware, is to stimulate the immune system. Many, many scientists have suggested it is indeed very possible that the current vaccine schedule, while protecting against certain specific diseases, is actually weakening the overall immune system. Even Dr. Bernadine Healy, former director of the NIH, now says it is scientifically plausible that vaccines are stimulating an immune response in the brain that either directly causes or contributes to autism. I guess you would have to call her extremely stupid or extremely cynical by your definition.
- Lisa
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 7:01 am
Subject: Re: NULL
there is no credible way to compare vaccinated and unvaccinated children for
such health outcomes. first, there are no great numbers of unvaccinated children
in this country (thank God). and many of the under-vaccinated children, such as
the amish, are genetically very similar. for diseases that have strong genetic
causes, then, comparing a limited genetic pool to a larger one makes no sense,
and people calling for such studies either know very little about science or
they are deeply cynical.
thanks,
gardiner
Thank you for covering this story. I hope you will continue to investigate this
issue. I am still waiting, however, for the NY Times to undertake the most
straightforward and necessary study -- comparing children who have received no
vaccinations with those who have been vaccinated according to the
CDC-recommended schedule. How do health outcomes compare in both groups? Are the
vaccinated children faring better or worse in terms of overall health and
development? What is the incidence in both groups of: autism, ADD, ADHD,
learning disabilities, Type 1 diabetes, asthma, and cancer, as well as the
diseases that the vaccines are intended to prevent. We know, for example, that
there have been recent outbreaks of measles in unvaccinated children, but have
their been any deaths or long-term disabilities associated with measles among
that group, or was the illness generally mild and easily cured? What a fantastic
investigative report this would be for the NY Times to undertake! If I were you,
I would love to have my byline on such a report, whatever the results. We know
the CDC does not want to see such a study done, for obvious reasons. But why
would the Times not want to undertake such a project (except, of course, to the
extent that it might reduce the stock value of some big pharma, which sponsor
the Times)?
Posted by: lisa | June 30, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Lawrence,
Thanks for the info...this makes perfect sense. And would also explain why kids with mito disorders would find multiple vaccinations so distressing...if a common cold might be a problem - how could 6-8 vaccine components (plus other ingredients)in one day not be?
Posted by: Sorsha | June 30, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I don't know if you can post this in this form, but I wrote Mr. Harris regarding his article and thought you might be interested in his response:
"thanks for your note. there is no credible way to compare autism rates in vaccinated
and unvaccinated children. and dr. gerberding made no such statements. david kirby got his story entirely wrong.
thanks,
gardiner"
Posted by: Sorsha | June 30, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Thanks garbo!
Posted by: kat23 | June 29, 2008 at 10:47 PM
the website is http://www.jenjensfamily.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Garbo | June 29, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Is there a way of seeing the family website to "Jenny" in hopes of giving a word or two of support?
Posted by: kat23 | June 29, 2008 at 11:03 AM
"Per the website, her family has been waiting 24 days for a response from Dr. Iskander's CISA committee, hoping to find some information that could save Jenny's life."
Garbo, here's the thing - there is no information to give. What can they say, sorry we can't do anything? Sorry the vaccine has irreversibly harmed your daughter? Sorry there is nothing we can do about the adverse effects of vaccines? Finally, gee how can you be sure it was the vaccine anyway?
The family will wait in vain, there will be no answers. The deed has been done. What you get from the medical community is silence and a TIME article that says the anti-vaccine activists are to blame for the loss of sales from Gardasil. Merck has nobody to blame but itself for the Gardasil injuries and deaths. If the vaccine was indeed safe, there would not have been a problem.
Posted by: AJ | June 29, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Meanwhile, Jenny, the Northern California girl who developed a neurodegenerative condition after her Gardasil shot, is now hospitalized. Per the website, her family has been waiting 24 days for a response from Dr. Iskander's CISA committee, hoping to find some information that could save Jenny's life. HEY, GARDINER HARRIS! MAYBE YOU COULD ASK SOMEONE ABOUT JENNY'S CASE BEFORE SHE DIES INSTEAD OF JUST MOURNFULLY MUMBLING ABOUT IT AFTER IT'S TOO LATE!!
Posted by: Garbo | June 29, 2008 at 12:44 AM
Could it be?-- The Inconstant Gardiner has been writing about children dying from psychiatric drugs and about psychopharmaceutical maker corruption for some time. This quite legitimately got him a reputation as being a fearless champion of the truth. Until it comes to vaccines and vaccine dangers, that is-- then he turns into a quivering mass of jello, brown-nosing industry. Talking about one more dead child isn't going to mend his inconsistency.
That seems to be his concession to drug makers or else he's got a split personality. Dr. Jekyl writes about deaths from Zyprexa and drugmaker and research fraud and Mr. Hyde writes about the wonders of vaccines and those crazy, overwrought Omnibus parents while totally ignoring the parallel fraud in the vaccine industry.
Which is why I came up with the cutesy nickname for him. He's nuts one way or another. Even if this schism is by design, anyone would eventually go nuts talking out of both sides of their mouth like that.
Posted by: Gatogorra | June 28, 2008 at 08:58 PM
I'm so done having hope that any of these people are ever going to come clean, Gardiner Harris included. He's been a shill for how many years now? Whatever he's pushing, it's something they want him to push. They are going to pretend to have a meeting about mito and autism, so that if they lose the omnibus they now have a fallback position. "Oh! it seems we think maybe kids with mito dysfunction might be affected by vaccines and get autism, but unfortunately it's a ridiculous pipe dream to test kids BEFORE getting them vaccinated, because although we can put a man on the moon and a rover on Mars, we cannot develop a diagnostic test for mito dysfunction. We're not going to talk about whether vaccines themselves cause it, or mention that it has come to light that the dysfunction genes come from the paternal side and are quite common. And we're not going to fill in any of the mito scientists on those pesky deaths and side effects that we secretly know so much about but keep safe from public scrutiny, because it's not relevant to the proceeding and we only have so many minutes in the day before our tee times." I hate these people with a purple passion.
Posted by: Garbo | June 28, 2008 at 06:50 PM
It is becoming more obvious that G. Harris is biased (and why...hmmm) and becoming almost diabolical in his attempts to hypnotize all the readers into believing him. Is that a pod under your bed, Gardiner? The FluMist death is horrible and the secrecy of it more so, but his mentioning of it, I think, is not to bring mitochondria and vaccine injuries together but to actually minimize Hannah's case.
I hope tomorrow brings some much needed science, unbiased and balanced, for our kids. Since it is on a Sunday, let's take that as a sign that honesty and truth will shine.
Teresa--the optimist, (today)
Posted by: Teresa Conrick | June 28, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Me'thinks there is a small chink in Gardiner's armour.
While most of the article is the same old spewed out junk, Mr. Gardiner seems to have a soft spot for the 6 year old girl who died. Her case is referred to as "disturbing and more relevant to the meeting." While he says there is no proof of a link, at least he did bring attention to the very significant death of a young girl. Perhaps if more girls came forward (the Gardasil damaged, or flu shot damaged), we would see the chink widen. Perhaps not, but I need to believe that at some point death and disability will matter to someone in the media.
Posted by: Could it be? | June 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM
Sorsha,
Many adults with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome report that their illness began as a kind of cold or flu. And one of the many things wrong with CFS patients is that they have mitochondrial dysfunction.
Some children with autism may actually be children with undiagnosed CFS (or HHV-6, the virus associated with CFS) whose underlying mitochondrial dysfunction made them vulnerable to autism-by-vaccine. It's certainly a hypothesis that should be explored.
What's the impact of vaccines on children with CFS associated mitochondrial dysfunction? We probably don't know that because the same CDC that won't come clean on autism has been playing every kind of game possible to conceal the truth about CFS for almost three decades.
There should be a separate conference on the epidemic of mitochondrial dysfunction in CFS and the general population.
At the conference tomorrow, someone should ask the wise experts if they are even aware that there is a pandemic of mitochondrial dysfunction going on all around them.
Posted by: Lawrence | June 28, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Thomas Insel's barroom analogy is unprofessional and inappropriate -- hardly reassuring to consumers who depend on his medical expertise. His tactless word choice would be done by someone overly familiar with their interviewer.
Gardiner Harris continues to write bias as if auditioning for PsyOps as a Tokyo Rose scholar.
Posted by: nhokkanen | June 28, 2008 at 11:37 AM
“Most of these kids get a common cold, and either during the cold or soon after, the parents notice a drastic deterioration,” said Dr. Bruce H. Cohen, a neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
How can anyone say this with a straight face?? If mitochondrial disorders deteriorate after a common cold - where are all the adults with obviously damaged mitochondria? These people are supposed to be scientists...are they completely lacking in common sense???
Posted by: Sorsha | June 28, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Where can we look up information on the young girl who reacted to her flu/mist vaccine?
Heartbreaking,and sounds like the reaction that cats have when they receive that over the counter flea control. It's by Hartz. Start fumbling around, loss of neurological control, and gone. Terrible. The cats are not protected, but hte company will reimburse all monies lost if doctor gives you a form to mail in.
Sick.
Posted by: Kat23 | June 28, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Boy, Mr. Harris certainly makes it clear he thinks its all hogwash. He states unequivocally that 'science' has proven beyond a doubt that the MMR and thimerosal are not related to autism.
Guess he hasn't heard Julier Gerberding or Dr. Healy speak in a while...
Posted by: Sorsha | June 28, 2008 at 10:38 AM
"Federal health officials on Sunday will call together some of the world’s leading experts on an obscure disease to discuss the controversial case of a 9-year-old girl from Athens, Ga., who became autistic after receiving numerous vaccinations."
The glaring fact that Jon Poling is not one of the experts called, combined with the fact that I don't recognize one other name on the list makes me nervous.
After all, this is supposed to be a discussion about mito *AND* autism so where's our side of the equation?
At least we'll have an "expert" from our side in the audience to monitor the proceedings but it still would have been better to be at the table.
Posted by: Kelli Ann Davis | June 28, 2008 at 10:35 AM
"After caring for hundreds of children with mitochondrial disease, I can’t recall a single one that had a complication from vaccination,” said Dr. Darryl De Vivo, a professor of neurology and pediatrics at Columbia University"
Does this mean vaccines might cause mitochondrial disease, and not the other way around? Why do we see a prevalence of mitochondrial dysfunction in children with autism, yet Dr. De Vivo says he can't recall ONE case of a mito patient having a complication from a vaccine?
It's like the shell game these days... I'm having a hard time keeping up.
Posted by: Jeanne | June 28, 2008 at 09:50 AM
“We’re talking about two things we don’t understand very well, mitochondrial disorder and autism, and putting them together,” Dr. Insel said. “It’s like two drunks holding each other up.”
Its more like the CDC and the AAP are the 2 drunks trying to hold up mitochondrial disease and autism. In other words, not at all.
BTW the sight of the damaged mitochiondrion made me want to throw up. Are the blue and red hues heavy metals, viruses and bacteria?
Posted by: What's that again? | June 28, 2008 at 08:50 AM