SafeMinds Reminds: IACC Budget Meeting Wed., Sept. 10
NIH Seeks Public Comment on Strategic Plan for Autism Research Public Comment on Strategic Plan Ends September 30th, next Budget Meeting September 10th
Public commentary on the Strategic Plan has begun and budgetary materials are available on request (download 8/8/08 meeting slides HERE and cost estimates HERE.) SafeMinds will issue an analysis of the continued disparity regarding the continued heavy funding of genetic/genomic studies and the lack of funding for environmental factor X gene interaction, vaccine specific research and the associated lack of expertise in the strategic planning process early next week. It is important that the public is aware of the opportunity to provide feedback to NIH and SafeMinds strongly encourages participation in this crucial stage of the process.
Responses will be accepted until September 30, 2008 via email to [email protected]. Responses should be limited to two pages (approximately 1,000 words) and marked with the RFI identifier NOT-MH-08-021 in the subject line. The collected information will be reviewed by the IACC, may appear in reports, and shared publicly on the IACC website HERE . Download the draft plan HERE.
Respondents are asked to organize their comments by sections of the draft Strategic Plan:
Introductory Material (including the Introduction, Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Core Values and Cross-Cutting Themes):
I. When Should I Be Concerned?
II. How Can I Understand What Is Happening?
III. What Caused This To Happen And Can This Be Prevented?
IV. Which Treatments And Interventions Will Help?
V. Where Can I Turn For Services?
VI. What Does The Future Hold?
Development Process for the IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research References
The next meeting of the Strategic Plan Implementation Workgroup addressing budgetary requirements will be held on September 10th. Register for 9/10 meeting HERE . There is also a meeting of the IACC Subcommittee on Services scheduled for September 15th. Register for the 9/15 meeting HERE.
OK
from the link given
that is Section III page 13 beginning of the second paragraph stating:
"The greatly increased concordance of strictly defined autism in monozygotic (identical) twins (70 - 90%) compared to dizygotic (fraternal) twins (0-10%) argues for the importance of genetic factors (Bailey, et al., 1995; Steffenburg, et al., 1989)."
That stat also argues for a role of environmental factors as well and should be duly noted.
PLEASE write in and ask for a change.
Posted by: Keith | September 09, 2008 at 12:49 PM
There is a change in the IACC proposal I would like others to write in and note.
I dont have the document handy but in one section it states that n indiecntical twins the concordence rate is 70-90% indicating a strong genetic compent.
I would like to see others write in requesting that the statement also include something like
"but since it also is not 100% it also suggest environmental issues may be at work on the genetics"
They do mention enviornmental factors elsewhere but this point should be noted in the same place it appears they are making a case for genetics.
Posted by: Keith | September 09, 2008 at 12:45 PM