ABC News Features TACA's Rebecca Estepp on Thimerosal Autism Cases
Millions of parents who for years had feared a vaccine was to blame for their child's autism learned today that is not the case. At least according to a special federal court, which -- while expressing sympathy for families -- found no direct link between autism and the vaccine additive Thimerosal. The ruling by the so-called vaccine court means that those families are ineligible to receive federal victim compensation. So tonight, we ask: Is this ruling enough to convince you there is no connection between vaccination and autism?http://blogs.abcnews.com/nightlinedailyline/2010/03/thimerosal-in-vaccine-out-as-autism-cause-.html
The folks in question are merely trying to cover their butts, and they're doing a lousy job of that, to boot!
Posted by: Helkie | March 14, 2010 at 11:48 PM
OJ/Offit: We need to find the real killer/cause!
By the way, thanks for the Offit warning. I waited several hours after eating before watching the video, and had the Pepto handy just in case.
Posted by: Kristina | March 14, 2010 at 09:00 PM
The people I have heard of that is getting coverage for chelation have tested at labcorp or metametrix. They would not look at doctor's data tests. Although those tests are accurate
Posted by: maggie | March 14, 2010 at 08:21 PM
Jennifer thank you for posting some of the ingredients in the vaccine. one people see what is actually in it they will stop taking them. think about it why are there 2 antibiotics in the rabies vaccine????
Posted by: katbird_27, CPhT | March 14, 2010 at 06:58 PM
Ask your child's doctor to order a UPPA test. We get ours from Lab Corp. Most insurances cover it, even medicaid. It is a little over $100. Requires 5 ml of urine, could be any time of day urine but 1st or 2nd of the day is best. Ask the doctor to contact Dr. Mark Geier @ http://www.autismtreatmentclinics.com/Services.html He just might make a believer out of your child's doctor. That is what happened with ours! There is no disputing the science! Dr. Paul G. King is Dr. Geier's biochemist and yes, whoever said that he is underquoted is right. He is the autism encyclopedia. I would love to see Dr.s Geier and King go head to head with any of the deniers. But anyway, yes, then you will have proof of metal toxicity or not and, as you can see by the testing Dr. Geier does, you will have proof of genetic problems and other stuff too. Or not. Then that it the diagnosis that will be put on future therapies/meds to treat it. Dr. Geier also has the study online you can use to get a good idea of the results of the UPPA. Be sure NOT to ask for the 24 hour UPPA. Just the random one: http://mercury-freedrugs.org/docs/PorphyrinsinAutisticDisorders1.pdf And I don't know about this business of getting a provoked test. Our daughter's first UPPA (before any chelation) showed that she was 10 times more mercury toxic than the median mercury poisoned autistic in Dr. Geier's practice. The second UPPA (following chelation) - provoked - showed her levels had decreased. Good luck to all parents who read about this for the first time!
Posted by: A Mom to Jenny & All | March 14, 2010 at 12:21 PM
Sarah,
I agree with you. I don't believe that mercury is the only problem. All those other ingredients scare me to death, especially in combination.
My grandson regressed into autism after receiving the Rabavert (rabies) vaccine when he was almost four years old. After the third dose, he had a high fever and, a couple weeks later, began his descent into the world of autism. According to the package insert, Rabavert did not contain mercury. It did, however, contain the following:
Amphotericin B
Beta-Propiolactone
Bovine Albumin or Serum
Chicken Protein
Chlortetracycline
Egg Albumin (Ovalbumin)
Ethylenediamine-Tetraacetic Acid Sodium
Neomycin
Potassium Glutamate
Definitely scary.
What I find really interesting is that many of my friends look at me like I'm crazy when I express concerns over childhood vaccines and tell them that my daughters have stopped vaccinating their children. Some of them constantly send me links to articles that "prove" there's no connection between vaccines and autism. It's as though they think I'll finally see the light--maybe have an "ah ha" moment--and stop my "obsession." Sometimes I'll ask one of them, "What would you do if you went to the doctor and were told that you were behind in your vaccines and you needed eight or nine doses to get you "caught up"? (This is usually the point where they start looking at me like I'm crazy--again--but I continue.) "And after you get those, you have to go back every couple months for another round or two for a year or so until you've received a total of several dozen doses?"
I get the same answer every single time: "I'd run like hell."
What's wrong with this picture? I just don't get it. The same adults who would refuse these vaccines for themselves think it's perfectly okay to give them to our babies and children?
No chance I'll stop my "obsession" any time soon ...
Posted by: Jennifer Hutchinson | March 14, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Thank you Richard Besser former CDC interim director. Appointed after Jules was awaiting her reward for a job well done- (not lifting a finger to find the "real" causes of autism) I mean job heading up Merck's vaccine division.
How reassuring that a "former/current/future" government public health puppet Dr. Richard BS'er now posing as a TV medical doctor corresponden tells us mercury in vaccines- not a problem. Such strong words like landmark case, and it's offcial thimerosal doesn't cause autism. Haven't we heard that before? Urghh..
I guess they need to try and convince all the mom's who got the H1N1 vaccine while pregnant or gave it to their infants that when autism comes a knocking- it wasn't the mercury in those shots that screwed up your baby.
Thank you Becky Estepp for pointing out just how wrong the "system" is. Our kids will never get justice for the harm that came to them- the deck is stacked against them. And what's worse is the travesty continues.
Posted by: Andrea | March 14, 2010 at 10:25 AM
JoLynn,
what if mercury is just part of the set up? what if its the constant prodding of the immune system? after all - most parents notice the change after the MMR, which does not and has never contained mercury. there is NO doubt that the mercury toxicity has affected some children on the spectrum...and most vaccines still contain trace amounts of mercury as well as nearly all flu vaccines having the full blast. And you can't count on pediatric flu vaccines being mercury free since any epidemic suspends the mercury free pediatric vaccines rule(and the CDC calls the flu an epidemic every year). Just - well, until they look at the vaccine schedule as a whole with a full vaccinated vs. never-vaccinated study, vaccines are still the question mark.
Posted by: Sarah | March 14, 2010 at 09:44 AM
When the vaccine court ruled in favor of the Hannah Poling case, acknowledging that she had an underlying mitrochondrial disorder that was aggravated by vaccines, did the media say, "Millions of parents who for years had feared a vaccine was to blame for their child's autism learned today that IS the case"? No. They said, "Well, that's a court. Not a scientific decision."
As Jim Carrey would say, "How stupid do they think we are?"
Posted by: Jennifer Hutchinson | March 14, 2010 at 09:43 AM
Not sure if this message will reach anyone as I put my fist thru my screen when Offits face appeared.
Oh and does everyone know where Julie Gerberdine is working now, might not be news to anyone else, but....NICE. Offits wife I can smell them burning.
Posted by: Bre | March 13, 2010 at 11:04 PM
I went to the ABC site and read the comments - most were on our side but the usual comments showed up, so I posted this :
(Sarcasm at its best)
"I don't believe vaccines can cause any injuries at all because my doctor told me so and I am too damn ignorant to look into it for on my own and decide for myself.
I believe seat belts are a waste of time and money, cigarettes are healthy and lead in gasoline, paint and baby toys is just fine.
Thalidomide is a wonderful drug, especially for pregnant women. People who drive Toyota's are leadfooted idiots who just want easy money by trying to extort money (the ones who lived of course) from the poor company who designed a perfect gas pedal.
We have so many people trying to blame those who make a profit bringing us all the wonderful lifesaving chemicals and drugsinto our homes and bodies, America will be in ruins if the crazy parents of sick children have their way!
Thank the God for wise government judges and God Bless America!"
I can not believe how so many people want to make it simple and just believe what they are told.
But, then again, I guess I can.
Posted by: Tim Kasemodel | March 13, 2010 at 10:32 PM
It would be nice if "Dr. OJ Offit" would then say:
That after 20 years of study, his bullshit modern medicine still has no clue as to the cause of something 30 times more common than polio.
Where would the networks be without their daily drug money....
Posted by: cmo | March 13, 2010 at 10:01 PM
Re:Post by nhokkanen
"If white men with executive-style hair say it's true, then it's GOT to be true."
White man speak with forked tongue.
Here's the elephant in the living room 10 million dollar question: Where did all of this mercury in all these kids with autism come from???!!!
And now it's aluminum since they finally took the mercury out of most of the vaccines, but aluminum is in levels that is also severely neurotoxic. My grandson at age 2 1/2 tested at 1,260 when the highest level range is only 100. Now where did all of this aluminum come from??!!!
The next 10 million dollar question is: Why do so many children with autism improve after removing mercury and or aluminum? How is it possible that these heavy metals did not produce autism then???!!!
So according to the propaganda, all parents can now rest easy and have no further concerns about mercury causing autism. It is not in most of the vaccines now anyway, right? And autism rates are still climbing, right? I often wonder if they increased the aluminum just to be certain that autism rates would continue to climb in order to exonerate the mercury.
"There are more than a million reference articles recognizing aluminum toxicity in various data bases. The FDA considers the maximum safe dosage of aluminum for an infant at 25 mcg per day, however many vaccines have ten times that amount and even more, with combination vaccines as high as 855mpg, which is 34 times the upper limit recognized as safe.
Here are the current levels of aluminum per shot of the following vaccines, as listed on each vaccine's packaging:
[Multiply this by 49 vaccine doses given by age 6]
•DTaP (for Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis): 170-625 mcg, depending on manufacturer
•Hepatitis A: 250 mcg
•Hepatitis B: 250 mcg
•HIB (for meningitis; PedVaxHib brand only): 225 mcg
•HPV: 225 mcg
•Pediarix (DTaP-Hepatitis B-Polio combination): 850 mcg
•Pentacel (DTaP-HIB-Polio combination): 330 mcg
•Pneumococcus: 125 mcg"
SICKENING, isn't it?
Posted by: Autism Grandma | March 13, 2010 at 09:56 PM
Rebecca,
Can you not hold the station accountable for their misinterpretations of the truth? Ask that the man telling the lies be made to show proof of his claims, and then demand a retraction. Retractions should be demanded every time one of these idiots pull a fast one. It doesn't even have to be mean sounding... "Wow, so and so... I didn't know that, could you please show me exactly where you got that information so I can learn from you, oh wise one."
Posted by: maggie | March 13, 2010 at 09:45 PM
Hmm. Well. I have two sons on the spectrum. My younger son did not have vaccines with Thimerosol, so I am a hard sell that the court isn't right. I do believe, however, that my husband and my genetics play a large part. That's where I prefer to see money being focused.
Posted by: JoLynn | March 13, 2010 at 09:42 PM
Becky-You were great, but the rest must be very hard for you to watch--all the mis-quotes and lies. I know I had a hard time with it.
Maurine
Posted by: Maurine Meleck | March 13, 2010 at 07:52 PM
If white men with executive-style hair say it's true, then it's GOT to be true.
I always wondered why O.J. Simpson's prosecutors didn't bring in a pair of leather gloves identical to his pair that had shrunk after being soaked in blood. Just because evidence hasn't been presented doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Posted by: nhokkanen | March 13, 2010 at 07:27 PM
Jenny,
Provoked urine test to your ped and some persistance. Go for it!
Posted by: maggie | March 13, 2010 at 07:10 PM
Jim, then someone should tell him and make him show us where he got that information. These people need to be held accountable for their stupid statements. Either he was told to say that and must be made to feel stupid for making such a rediculous statement, or he is an evil human who tells lies. Either way........ Someone needs to make him show where he got that info.
Posted by: maggie | March 13, 2010 at 06:28 PM
That tape read like "bull****, bull****, bull****...ah, Becky Estepp! Ah truth!" then back to "bull***, bull****...".
Besser-- well named. B'esser.
Posted by: Gatogorra | March 13, 2010 at 06:25 PM
I'm not sure that the vaccine court isn't the worst thing that could have ever happened for parents of thimerosol damaged children. These cases might have been better off in the regular court system. At least fair trial would be more likely.
Maggie - it sounds like you have valuable advise to share. I sure wish you could provide a few more details. Like, what kind of doctor did you use to get the mercury test done. What did the test entail. What insurance company do you have. What covered treatments evolved from that. What percentage of coverage. How much out of pocket have you ended up paying, compared to what uncovered people are paying. If people know that is worth a try, you could really help a lot of people!
Posted by: Jenny | March 13, 2010 at 06:07 PM
Dr. Richard Besser, who recently finished 13 years with the CDC and is now ABC’s senior medical editor and correspondent, see http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/07/cdcs_besser_joining_abc_news.html , said “Autism is not caused by thimerosal.”
But NOWHERE where in any of the three 2010 rulings was this statement made. See http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/5026 .
And Dr. Besser fails to let the ABC viewers know that the word “safe” regarding mercury exposure is not used in any of these rulings.
Posted by: Jim Thompson | March 13, 2010 at 06:05 PM
Rebecca Estepp, you go, girl!!
Dr. Offit, ...[censored]...
Posted by: Twyla | March 13, 2010 at 05:53 PM
Rebecca said it all in just a few sentences - that the government that perpetuated the epidemic has just cleared themselves of any wrong-doing or liability.
There is absolutely NOTHING comforting about that.
Posted by: Sylvia | March 13, 2010 at 05:33 PM
This ruling does NOTHING but drive home the message that if your child is vaccine injured you are ON YOUR OWN. By the way, wish you had given a heads up about Offitt's appearance. This video should be rated "O" for Offensive Offitt containing material. :)
Posted by: 4Bobby | March 13, 2010 at 05:05 PM
Again...... I do not understand why parents are not going after insurance companies for coverage of their children's mercury poisoning. I know lots of kids who have tested positive for mercury. Parents need to fight for coverage. Period. It isn't that difficult to prove your kid has mercury poisoning. The word Autism is a scam used by the powers that be to deny everything on the basis that it is a neurological disorder rather than a physical illness. No one should allow their child to receive that label! Rather, parents should prove their child is ill. It's not hard. It takes a little out of pocket money and some holding of feet to the fire. Do it! We have to change the cycle of malipulation that continues to damage kids who are anywhere on the supposed spectrum or are in danger of falling upon it.
Posted by: maggie | March 13, 2010 at 04:47 PM