A Political Trial in London
By John Stone
By now everyone has forgotten what it is all about: all they need to know is that Andrew Wakefield (shown in the photo) has been "discredited", that there is no link between MMR and autism, and he is appearing before the General Medical Council with his colleagues Professors John Walker-Smith and Simon Murch in a protracted hearing, which may lead to them being barred from medical practice in the United Kingdom. And it is true that you find that even with people close to the events that their memories are by now somewhat hazy about what happened, and in what order. Moreover, if the charges themselves are obscure, no part of the defence has ever been reported in the mainstream UK media, let alone beyond Britain's shores. The trial, on the other hand, has been going on intermittently since July 2007 and will not conclude before summer 2009...
In early 2004 the media campaign against Andrew Wakefield was gathering pace. In particular, the London Times and Guardian newspapers were increasingly peppered with sarcastic comments about Wakefield and the MMR-autism theory, mostly coming from people with no direct knowledge of the science – but who nevertheless felt the spontaneous need to offer an opinion. It was against this background that on Wednesday 18 February the Lancet editor, Dr Richard Horton, received a visit from freelance journalist Brian Deer and Liberal-Democrat MP, Dr Evan Harris, on behalf of the Sunday Times newspaper – also invited were Wakefield, Walker-Smith and Murch. According to Horton, giving evidence at the GMC, Deer and Harris had been dispatched by the newspaper in order to salvage a story which the newspaper had not considered strong enough to publish the previous week. Again, according to Horton in his book MMR Science and Fiction: Exploring the Vaccine Crisis Deer spoke at great length making allegations of unethical procedures used by the doctors, and of research fraud connected with the controversial Lancet study of 1998, in which Wakefield and colleagues and colleagues had defined a new condition 'ileal-lymphoid-nodular-hyperplasia' and posited, but did not confirm, links with a history of MMR vaccination and autism.
Most of the ethical issues were rapidly dismissed by the doctors, nor were they supported by the Lancet and the Royal Free Hospital where the doctors had worked and the investigations took place – though they were later revived by Evan Harris under privilege in Parliament and by the GMC. Agreement at the meeting, nevertheless, broke down over Deer's allegations about Wakefield's involvement in MMR litigation in which he had been commissioned to assess evidence by the Legal Aid Board (later the Legal Services Commission). In short, Horton denied he had known about this matter, and claimed that this alone undermined the study. This was what gave legs to Deer's apparently floundering investigation.
However, pre-empting Deer's Sunday newspaper scoop, Horton decided to go public on the issue, holding a news conference on Friday 20 February to denounce Wakefield. The following day he told BBC news: "If I knew then what we know now we would not have published that part of the paper which related to MMR, although I do believe there was and remains validity to the connection between bowel disease and autism'. To many Horton's claim not to have known was a flabbergasting statement, but it was not immediately challenged – it may simply have been that definitive evidence that he was mistaken was lacking.
The immediate effect of all this was astonishing: for nearly four days Wakefield's alleged misdemeanours were principal item in the national media, led by BBC News. By Monday Wakefield was being condemned in news broadcasts by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson. At first sight the request of the Secretary of State for Health, John Reid, that the GMC investigate the matter looked more moderate, despite its long term repercussions. Effectively though, Wakefield's public reputation lay in tatters – blown apart by Horton, the media, Evan Harris and government politicians – over what was at the very worst a minor failure of disclosure by contemporaneous standards. It was only a week later (Friday 27 February 2004) that the Independent newspaper carried a report pointing out that Wakefield had acknowledged his involvement in the litigation in a letter to the Lancet published just a few weeks after the controversial paper in May 1998, thus apparently giving the lie to Horton's claim. However, no one was listening and the BBC refused to broadcast a correction. That very evening news came through that a High Court judge had upheld the Legal Service Commission's decision to withdraw funding for group litigation in the MMR case. Within the space of 8 days a double hammer blow had been delivered to those trying to establish the facts about MMR, bowel disorder and autism.
The GMC investigation, instigated by a government politician based on the complaint of a journalist, and supported by no parent took more than three years to prepare. By 2006, the medical and political establishment, were apparently getting cold feet. Editorials appeared in the Independent, New Scientist and British Medical Journal calling for the long delayed hearing to be abandoned. Nevertheless, it was clear by the end of that year that the GMC were determined to steam ahead, and the hearing was being scheduled for July 2007. However, in May 2007 after journalistic enquiries the GMC were at least forced to withdraw the panel chairman Prof Denis McDevitt, who by a strange coincidence had sat on the government committee that had originally passed MMR as safe for use in 1988 (not only that, the Urabe 9 version which had to be withdrawn across the globe because it gave rise to cases of mumps meningitis).
Then, on the eve of the hearing Brian Deer revealed a final item on the charge sheet. Following some facetious remarks by Wakefield at a seminar in 1999 he stood accused of taking blood samples from young children unethically at a birthparty for use in a study.
When the hearing sits it takes place in a large rectangular room in a modern office block, with a window down one side. Most of the space is taken by about 20 or so desks arranged in a quadrangle. At the near end as you go in there are about 20 seats for visitors (journalists, members of the public). The Fitness to Practice Panel, Chairman Dr Surendra Kumar, sit on the window side on the left, with their professional advisor, the legal assessor. The defence teams are on the left, the prosecution inhabit the far end, and the witness desk is centrally placed at the near end – witnesses give evidence facing away from the public.
As the hearing has wound on journalists have come and mainly gone. Supporters of the doctors come when they can, but even the 20 seats are generally sparsely inhabited – only two men (who are scarcely on speaking terms) attend regularly: Brian Deer and Martin J Walker. Over the first 16 months of the hearing, Walker has managed to report copiously – overwhelmingly the evidence and the incidents are such that they support the defence case – and very little has been heard from Deer, nothing in fact at all while the prosecution presented its case between July and October last year. No one knows who pays him, if anyone. This year occasional reports of peripheral incidents have appeared on his website: if there was anything more substantial there is no doubt he would tell the world.
There are many factual confusions in the prosecution case, but the most fundamental point that they have never grasped, or have tried to deny for their own purposes, is that the 12 children being examined in the Lancet study were ill, and had been referred to the paediatric gastro-enterology department of the Royal Free Hospital in London, which was the only service of its kind, because they were ill. Even the UK National Autistic Society, which has been no friend to Wakefield, warned prior to the hearing that there was a problem here:
The National Autistic Society (NAS) is keenly aware of the concerns of parents surrounding suggested links between autism and the MMR vaccine. The charity is concerned that the GMC hearing, and surrounding media coverage, will create further confusion and make it even more difficult for parents to access appropriate medical advice for their children.
It is particularly important that this case is not allowed to increase the lack of sympathy that some parents of children with autism have encountered from health professionals, particularly on suspected gut and bowel problems. Parents have reported to the NAS that in some cases their concerns have been dismissed as hysteria following previous publicity around the MMR vaccine. It is crucial that health professionals listen to parents' concerns and respect their views as the experts on their individual children.
There is an urgent need for further, authoritative research into the causes of autism, to improve our understanding of the condition, to respond to parents' concerns and to enable us to ensure that there are appropriate services and support in place to meet people's needs.
So far, the GMC have come up with no plausible reason why two experienced specialists like John Walker-Smith and Simon Murch would have ordered or carried out invasive tests into children who were in good health (Wakefield being a researcher who took no part in clinical decisions). Deliberately or otherwise, the GMC have confused the protocol for a study which was never conducted: 'A new paediatric syndrome: enteritis and disintegrative disorder following measles/rubella vaccination' with the small case series study 'Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children' (the Lancet study). Meanwhile, they have sought to maintain either that no ethical permission was obtained for the investigative procedures, or that the clinical ground on which ethical permission were granted for the investigative procedures on the children in the study were fabricated (though Walker-Smith, Murch and several people brought forward by the prosecution who were also involved in clinical decisions had no possible motive for this, even if ostensibly Wakefield did). By fancifully denying the very existence of the symptoms of the children the GMC are demonstrating how vulnerable the political and medical establishment is over MMR if they were ever properly confronted.
Unfortunately, the only real conclusion to be drawn from these events is that if you have a lazy, intimidated media, bullied and fed by the British government and pharmaceutical lobbyists, it does not really matter if the case does not hang together – the GMC can do anything it likes. Who, after all, is watching?
John Stone has an autistic son, and lives in London. Martin J Walker's continuing account of the GMC hearing can be read at: http://www.cryshame.org/
An old post but still the issue is very relevant. I wonder what was the outcome of the trial. Is the case closed or still pending in court?
Posted by: Jay | August 15, 2011 at 07:16 PM
I’ve been through the provided article link. Great to know, I never come across this topic earlier, quite interesting, Thanks john.
Posted by: briandecklin | April 13, 2009 at 08:26 AM
An important blog (updated). Please read:
http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/secret-british-mmr-vaccine-files-forced-open-by-legal-action/
John
Posted by: John Stone | January 17, 2009 at 11:12 AM
How many parents have told the same story, a healthy baby was vaccinated and immediately reacted adversely to the injection and died within hours or was never the same again only to have "authorities" tell parents that there was no connection to the event and the vaccine? How long can this propaganda be believed by the public? No longer do we have the liberty to to debate the draconian mandates of our oppressive governments controlled by multinational corporations. How long do we stand by dumbly and watch the murder of our children for the good of corporate greed? This is an evil beyond belief. Isn't strange that third world mothers hide their children from vaccine doctors and in the more "educated" (propagandized) societies we lead our babies by the hand to the slaughterhouse? How long will it take us to stop the holocaust against our children? Dr. Wakefield, Dr. David Healy should be national heros.
Posted by: Elaine McKillop, Esq. | November 23, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Please keep up the good work Mr Stone. When I see negative misinformation about Dr Wakefield on a blog or wherever I defend him and refer to him as "The Hero Wakefield". It just drives the kooks that hate him nuts!
Imagine being hated and railroaded for helping sick children. Imagine being ruthlessly attacked for requesting a safer vaccine product. I believe our enemies are truly evil, they worship money and power.
Posted by: A@T | November 22, 2008 at 06:05 PM
Excellent as always John! Thank you
Posted by: Theresa Cedillo | November 21, 2008 at 07:48 PM
I just want to appreciate John Stone and Martin Walker over here in the UK for the excellent way that they are keeping an eye on this story, and not letting it 'go away', which would seem to be the desire of the GMC and other authorities. They may try to quietly let it expire, and hope it doesn't get any traction in the media. (After all, the Jayne Donegan story - which was, really, a major one - was nicely buried.) But the children and their parents - and those to come - deserve some justice in this matter, so - with the help of such as Age of Autism - this story will NOT go away. The battle is deserving of all the attention it gets.
(Kudos as well to Clifford J. Miller. Thanks for weighing in so well on this issue, Clifford. The legal case has been greatly enhanced by your interest, and perseverance.)
Keep the faith, folks. We're getting there. The truth will, ultimately, win out in the end. That truth may be far more complex than 'it was the vaccine that done it'. But 'it' has certainly had its role to play. And the chips need to fall where they may. Nothing in science should be a sacred cow. That's not how progress is made. That's how vested interests are protected.
Posted by: Stan | November 21, 2008 at 05:57 PM
Lisa
How can people help the doctors? The most important thing, I believe, is to carry the truth. I hope the present article helps because it has been so difficult, beneath all the innuendo, to get at any coherent story underneath - but the point about the truth, even if it is not always simple, is that it is consistent. I have done my best to present a consistent overview of events in an easily digestible format.
I hope people will forward the article to anyone who is interested - particularly in the media and in politics - or to anyone who writes or speaks disparagingly of Andy or the other doctors.
John
Posted by: John Stone | November 21, 2008 at 08:21 AM
Well done John Stone for stating the facts of this travesty of a hearing so clearly. I have sat in the public gallery at the GMC on the few occasions I can get respite. I too, am astonished at the constant attempt by the prosecution to stab these doctors with the awful accusation that these poor autistic children were not ill, not in pain, even though they had blood in their stools, they were merely the victims of over anxious parents and doctors looking for children to do colonoscopies on for research purposes. It beggars belief! No matter how many times or how they say it their replies are ignored, their eminent witnesses doubted, not matter how many years of experience they have.
The result, children in NHS hospitals are being failed. Doctors too reluctant to be drawn into the autism/bowel disorder debacle in case their careers are destroyed in the same fashion as Wakefield's. As a parent the screams of pain from children unable to speak have a hollow loud echo, are we the only ones who will ever hear it? Things MUST change.
Posted by: Allison Edwards, Cryshame, UK | November 21, 2008 at 04:40 AM
My first information on this subject was in early 2000 when pregnant with my first son. Consequently, I delayed the MMR until he was five and rather thought I was clear (did not yet know he was already injured from other shots). Now I have 2 sons and one daughter. Both sons are on the spectrum - I'm mojm to two of the injured majority, auto-immune reaction kids. From my perspective, our beloved "Andy Wakefield" got this ball rolling and opened many people's eyes on the general vaccine issue, MMR or otherwise. I am so grateful to him and will always be watching these proceedings - I pray that he is cleared in his home country for his own sake, honor and reputation. Meantime, I am proud to have him here in the U.S. at Thoughtful House in Texas. UK's loss, our gain - but at what cost to him and his family? I would prefer that it would be on his own terms, I have nothing but thanks and respect for Dr. Wakefield. Is there anything we regular moms and dads can do to help him?
Posted by: Lisa Sigismondi | November 21, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Thank you John
we found ourselves standing outside the GMC at the beginning of the trial, our child born 4 years after Wakefields study with the same symtoms.
this is why we fight.
Posted by: mark | November 20, 2008 at 06:25 PM
"it's just not entirely clear which blow was the (cognitively) lethal one and who dealt it"
Kinda makes you wonder - who will point the finger at whom - when the door finally gets kicked in - and everyone inside is scurrying to pull their pants up....?
I took my son with me to grab a coffee at the "very entertaining" Starbucks counter at the AutismOne. Dr Wakefield happened to be standing by talking with someone. I introduced my son and shook Wakefield's hand - just wanted to say thanks for being a stand-up guy. He almost seemed humbled by that - you know, this man just reeks of integrity.
Gardiner Harris reports in the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/policy/19fda.html?_r=2&ei=5070&emc=eta1
that prescription rates for antidepressant drugs "have increased more than fivefold for children in the past decade and a half, and doctors now use the drugs to settle outbursts and aggression in children with a wide variety of diagnoses, even though children are especially susceptible to their side effects."
"The growing use of the medicines has been driven partly by the sudden popularity of the diagnosis of pediatric bipolar disorder. The leading advocate for the bipolar diagnosis is Dr. Joseph Biederman, a child psychiatrist at Harvard University whose work is under a cloud after a Congressional investigation revealed that he had failed to report to his university at least $1.4 million in outside income from the makers of antipsychotic medicines."
Advocating for a diagnosis which results in the unnecessary poisoning of kids, while (quietly) getting paid a sh$tload of money by the drug's manufacturer(s)? Wakefield is a saint in comparison.
Posted by: Randy | November 20, 2008 at 04:24 PM
How many of us would tell a truth this long, and have our liveliehoods threatened?...it reminds me of a giant truth in the universe...sometimes the truth is hard to hear, and sometimes, must be defended at all cost, and sometimes the defense of the truth and the opposition that comes from that, and the persecution, tells us how truthful something is...even if it will hurt the civility of our medical system. This stir of grandiose lies they have proclaimed for millenia, aka that vaccines are safe, and or work must stop. The bottom line, vaccines are dangerous, manmade poisons, and are meant to kill and maim and sicken people... period. There is no safe, green vaccine, or safe vaccine schedule in our children, cut the crap people, if given the opportunity again, would I vaccinate? HELL NO, and I haven't in my grandchildren, and they have no TRACES OF AUTISM.
I welcome the day of building our immune system to defend against INNOCUOUS non perilous diseases (noting they have changed from rite of passage to DEADLY), which in the first place NEVER by nature occur as MEASLES, MUMPS and RUBELLA at the same time. What are we thinking? If Measles causes autism in utero, I don't buy that it won't through a needle, no matter how "dead" it is...The RNA particles, are still prevelant in my children and they continue to pay the price for my TRUST and INNOCENSE as a new mother. Their guts are a mess, and every diet, and every pill I give them, is an effort to change what has been done to them. Frankly, I feel a part of that, forever...
God bless any physician who takes to heart a parents concern, with real intent to find out what is the matter with our children? God bless Dr Wakefield, for defending a truth that must be defended, even at the cost of his reputation, stress and persecution. Who deserves any more than our children, and the hell they have gone through, and continue to go through?
And lastly, even if this is not THE MAIN/only cause to autism, I am convinced it has caused autism in many children, initated, or worsened it or triggered a genetic predisposition to injury. I believe a multitutde of infections, immune derangements, poisins and toxins, iatragenic birth injuries, have contributed to the current epidemic of children with autism. The immune and metabolic system can only put up with so much...
Let's green the medical industry, and call it like it is...they are great for putting back an arm or taking out an injured organ...but they are not great at preventing diseases, or keeping us healthy...and I mean the kind of vibrant health that means individual responsibility coupled with OUR CHOICE what is best for us based on scientific facts. Let's make doctors a non necessity, and learn the basics of health, and how to have a kid in a world full of toxins, aimed at destroying their health, from formulas, to MSG, to vaccines, to pollution, to plastics, etc etc. I won't go there with medicalized birth settings, but sufficient to say, kids born with midwives without drugs and no immediate cord clamping, NEVER HAVE AUTISM. Let's learn to be mothers and fathers again, and take part in the decision to be healthy, even before we have babies. Let's find out if we are harboring infections, are toxic ourselves, before we bring another child into this dangerous, dingy, stinky, murderous world. Let's be at the captains helm, rather behind the 8 ball...
Posted by: Kathy Blanco | November 20, 2008 at 02:41 PM
This was an excellent update. Thank you, Mr. Stone. Things may be changing in the U.S. politically and maybe more people will be watching. And thanks to others here for giving more insight on the MMR/hg discussion.
About that issue-- our twins are being treated at Dr. Wakefield's clinic in Austin and we've been really happy about the care provided there. One of the treatment focuses has been chelation because of the ragingly high levels of mercury found during challenge tests. I tend to think this means that Dr. Wakefield and his colleagues don't view the MMR theory as mutually exclusive to the thimerosal theory, etc. Of course the kids are also being treated for chronic GI issues.
I sort of see autism causation as a gangland mystery: which members of the violent criminal gang first bashed the victim on the head, which dragged them kicking and screaming to the alley, which held the victim down and which plunged in the knife?
My guess is that our alternative scientists and the community are increasingly clear on who's in the gang-- it's just not entirely clear which blow was the (cognitively) lethal one and who dealt it. It might vary slightly from crime to crime. The discussion continues.
Posted by: Gatogorra | November 20, 2008 at 01:39 PM
That is a good point, Tanner's Dad, that people say Dr. Wakefield caused parents to believe in a vaccine-autism link, instead of realizing that he responded to parental reports, and that parents' opinions are based on what they had witnessed in the lives of their children. Similarly, people ask why are parents' listening to Jenny McCarthy when she does not have scientific credentials? The reason is, she is voicing the experiences of so many parents.
It is just sickening how Dr. Wakefield's story continues to be distorted by the media (or completely ignored). Thank you, John Stone, for keeping us informed.
I really wonder what will be the outcome. It is very encouraging that Dr. Jayne Donegan's case was decided in her favor. Her story is very compelling. (See www.jayne-donegan.co.uk/MyExperiencewiththeGeneralMedicalCouncil/tabid/985/Default.aspx) .
Dr. Donegan's initial defense team advised her to settle instead of fighting charges against her involving her testimony/reports in court cases regarding vaccines.
Fortunately, she decided not to cave, and she found Mr Clifford Miller, who, she says, "is not a medical claims or medical defence lawyer, he is a patents lawyer with a sharp, incisive mind, an attention to detail second to none and an encyclopaedic knowledge of vaccination, health and disease trends and the statistics regarding these world wide. He is a scientist by training, having a BSc in Physics from Imperial College and an in depth knowledge of the scientific method, what constitutes scientific 'proof' and how this differs from what is accepted as 'proof' in a court of law... He transformed my case... He saw the facts of the case as they were, realised, unlike my previous lawyer that there is another side of the story regarding health, disease and vaccination and that there is plenty of material in refereed medical journals and official health statistics to show this. He asked me to write a detailed rebuttal of Dr Elliman’s report..."
In a world where so few people are listening (other than those with affected children), and where the medical establishment's brainwashing is generally so effective, Mr. Clifford's actions are truly inspiring as well as heroic.
Since the GMC listened and ruled fairly on Dr. Jayne Donegan's case, let's hope that means that they have the capacity for listening and ruling fairly on Dr. Wakefield's case, although they may be getting more political pressure in his case.
Dr. Donegan says at her web site, "I support Andrew Wakefield. I have known him for almost 30 years. He is an honest and caring doctor whose only concern is for the health and safety of children in the UK and worldwide." That is what should be reported in the press about Dr. Wakefield. None of the parents of his patients complained about him. They were just happy to find a doctor who listened and tried to investigate their children's severe gastrointestinal conditions.
Posted by: Twyla | November 20, 2008 at 11:36 AM
“There are many factual confusions in the prosecution case, but the most fundamental point that they have never grasped, or have tried to deny for their own purposes, is that the 12 children being examined in the Lancet study were ill, and had been referred to the paediatric gastro-enterology department of the Royal Free Hospital in London, which was the only service of its kind, because they were ill.”
It is quite evident that in the eyes of the prosecution, the children matter very little. How very odd that the parents are not called upon as witnesses.
As always John, I enjoy reading your posts. I've been a fan since the days when I could read the BMJ (when it was free).
Posted by: samaxtics | November 20, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Thank you again. So it is kind of ironic that the Doctors blame the situation on Dr. Wakefield's theories taken in by parents and yet they themselves can not get the facts straight. I guess it comes back to you cannot know what you do not know. Also you will never know what you do not know unless you look. Never can the unknown be brought to bear as a standard of which there is an absolute (Kind of deep but Mainstream Medical cannot claim that Vaccines do not cause Autism when the cause is unknown).
http://www.causecast.org/member/tanners-dad
Posted by: Tanners Dad | November 20, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Dear Tanner's Dad,
I agree, an excellent piece by John Stone.
MMR as a 'live' virus containing vaccine has never contained thimerosal.
In the simplest terms, the thimerosal connnections to autism was first identified in the USA and the MMR connection came from the UK [albeit some professionals in the UK suspected a connection with mercury in vaccines].
However, recent research indicates that medically and scientifically, there appear to be connections
between:-
1) autism and MMR
2) autism and thimerosal containing vaccines and
3) MMR, thimerosal containing vaccines and other vaccines [whether 'live' virus or not]
In short, recent research suggests a majority [but not all] cases of vaccine induced autism are
related to glutathione depletion. Some children have low levels of Glutathione.
AUTISM, IMMUNE DEFICIENCIES & CELLULAR DAMAGE FROM GLUTATHIONE DEPLETION & OXIDATIVE STRESS
Glutathione [and its precursors from which the body makes its own] is a naturally occurring
substance in many foods [eg. fresh fruit and vegetables] and is the body's most important
antioxidant for maintaining intracellular health, including the cells of the immune system, and for
preventing cell damage and has potentially widespread health benefits because it can be found in all
types of cells whose job is to fight disease.
Recent research indicates that in autistic children Glutathione depletion results in greatly reduced
protection from cellular damage in the rapidly developing infant nervous system AND cellular damage
to immune system cells. In particular, the mitochondria appear to suffer damage. These are like
the little batteries in cells which convert food to energy to that the cell can work.
Cancer patients in hospitals are known to be low in glutathione. I understand green vegetables are
a recommended part of a diet for cancer patients and have been shown to be part of an effective
treatment protocol.
There appears to be more than one mechanism involved in the vaccine/autism connection and the
separate mechanisms might act cumulatively in one individual [damage from the vaccine virus and
separately damage from mercury in the vaccine, aluminium salts in the vaccine, and this can be in
combination with exposure to other toxins in the environment, leading to a harmful level in a
child's body]. [There also appears to be a common factor linking other conditions like asthma,
allergies, cancer and allegedly HIV caused conditions].
For more information you can look here:- Explaining Vaccines Autism & Mitochondrial Disorder
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clifford.g.miller/Mitochondrial.html
Vaccines-to-Autism - US Court Cases & The Taming of the British Media
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clifford.g.miller/mediataming.htm
I am the British Attorney who represented Dr Jayne Donegan before the British General Medical
Council August 2007. Dr Donegan was accused of giving "junk science evidence" in the English High
Court about vaccination. The end result however is that Dr Donegan is the only medical doctor in
the UK and probably the world whose advice on vaccination has been proven in intensive detailed
legal proceedings to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt to be validly based on sound medical
and scientific literature.
Posted by: Clifford G. Miller | November 20, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Dear Tanner's Dad,
MMR as a 'live' virus containing vaccine has never contained thimerosal.
The thimerosal connnections to autism came from the USA and the MMR connection came from the UK.
However, recent research indicates that medically and scientifically, there appear to be connections between:-
1) autism and MMR
2) autism and thimerosal containing vaccines and
3) MMR, thimerosal containing vaccines and other vaccines [whether 'live' virus or not]
In short, recent research suggests a majority [but not all] cases of vaccine induced autism are related to glutathione depletion. Some children have low levels of Glutathione.
AUTISM, IMMUNE DEFICIENCIES & CELLULAR DAMAGE FROM GLUTATHIONE DEPLETION & OXIDATIVE STRESS
Glutathione [and its precursors from which the body makes its own] is a naturally occurring substance in many foods [eg. fresh fruit and vegetables] and is the body's most important antioxidant for maintaining intracellular health, including the cells of the immune system, and for preventing cell damage and has potentially widespread health benefits because it can be found in all types of cells whose job is to fight disease.
Recent research indicates that in autistic children Glutathione depletion results in greatly reduced protection from cellular damage in the rapidly developing infant nervous system AND cellular damage to immune system cells. In particular, the mitochondria appear to suffer damage. These are like the little batteries in cells which convert food to energy to that the cell can work.
Cancer patients in hospitals are known to be low in glutathione. I understand green vegetables are a recommended part of a diet for cancer patients and have been shown to be part of an effective treatment protocol.
There appears to be more than one mechanism involved in the vaccine/autism connection and the separate mechanisms might act cumulatively in one individual [damage from the vaccine virus and separately damage from mercury in the vaccine, aluminium salts in the vaccine, and this can be in combination with exposure to other toxins in the environment, leading to a harmful level in a child's body]. [There also appears to be a common factor linking other conditions like asthma, allergies, cancer and allegedly HIV caused conditions].
For more information you can look here:- Explaining Vaccines Autism & Mitochondrial Disorder
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clifford.g.miller/Mitochondrial.html
Vaccines-to-Autism - US Court Cases & The Taming of the British Media
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clifford.g.miller/mediataming.htm
I am the British Attorney who represented Dr Jayne Donegan before the British General Medical Council August 2007. Dr Donegan was accused of giving "junk science evidence" in the English High Court about vaccination. The end result however is that Dr Donegan is the only medical doctor in the UK and probably the world whose advice on vaccination has been proven in intensive detailed legal proceedings to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt to be validly based on sound medical and scientific literature.
Posted by: Clifford G. Miller | November 20, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Tanners Dad
This is, of course, a complex story. The MMR/autism issue was the first to arise - reported in the UK newspapers first in 1997 as a result of cases seen at the Royal Free hospital, and exploding into national headlines in February 1998. MMR, of course, does not contain thimerosal. The thimerosal/autism issue blew up in the US, first in 1999 - they may well of course be complimentary theories for the autism epidemic. These are complex issues, as was for instance argued out by Bernardine Healy. You have to look at the cumulative impact of shedule and the reckless culture of expansion. Indeed, the treatment of Andrew Wakefield and colleagues serves a cynical warning to anyone delving into such issues.
Wakefield, argued - it is important to note - not against vaccination, but for splitting the components up on a temporal basis.
The Wakefield theory, which probably only accounts for a subset of autistic patients was specically to do with a new gastro-intestinal condition, with the persistence of measles virus. But this is a particularly ill and afflicted sub-group. Beneath the spin the hypothesis was given further plausibility by the recent Hornig study, rather than otherwise.
Posted by: John Stone | November 20, 2008 at 09:50 AM
Thank you Thank you for this detailed reporting. It is amazing to me how the media and the world at large give such a life to this event. They take away the creditability of parents experience by saying we all come to the conclusion that vaccines are the culprit due to Dr. Wakefield's Paper. I had never heard of Dr. Wakefield when I experienced Tanner's Regression first hand.
My question is two times in the last week, I have been told that Dr. Wakefield's studies had something to do with Thimerosal.
Is there any correlation?
One was a senior nurse. When I told her MMR has never had Thimerosal in it . She rebuffed me by saying she was witness to a speech by Dr. Wakefield and it did have originally in Britain. Again, I thought the preservative would damage the live virus, But I gave up the fight.
The other was a local psychiatrist who was giving a speech and again correlated the Thimerosal with MMR. I really have been disturbed that I could not know the answer with confidence. Please somebody detail when the Preservative issue came to light. Also if there is a MMR, Dr. Wakefield, and Thimerosal connection? Thank you all.
Thank you John for a great and timely post.
Posted by: Tanners Dad | November 20, 2008 at 08:07 AM