Cedillo Hearing: How Reliable were Eric Fombonne and Stephen Bustin?
How reliable were Eric Fombonne and Stephen Bustin? Ed Yazbak reviews the evidence in the Cedillo hearing.
By John Stone
Eric Fombonne and Stephen Bustin were the star witnesses for the defence in the Michelle Cedillo case, the first case to be heard in the Omnibus autism proceedings in the US vaccine court. There is no doubt that the case hinged on the success of the evidence the two men gave. In a series of three articles just published on Vaccination News, paediatrician and veteran court expert F Edward Yazbak subjects their testimony to scrutiny and raises important questions. How well qualified was Fombonne to give evidence in reality? Yazbak shows that while the court deferred to Fombonne’s apparent seniority over an appellant witness this was not justified by his CV and aspects of his evidence regarding his expertise and qualifications were vague and misleading.
Serious questions also arise over the evidence of Stephen Bustin. How, and why was he allowed give it, at the last moment and without giving the appellant’s lawyers time to prepare? Did he not actually endorse the validity of key results from the O’Leary laboratory while trying to discredit them?
Double Standards by F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP (Part 1 of 3) Read full article HERE.
Double Standards
The long awaited decision in the Cedillo MMR/Thimerosal/Autism case [Theresa Cedillo and Michael Cedillo, as parents and natural guardians of Michelle Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services - No. 98-916V] was filed by Special Master George L. Hastings Jr. on February 12, 2009.
It immediately became the ultimate proof that the MMR vaccine and Thimerosal do not cause autism.
I chose not to publicly comment on the case until the plaintiffs’ appeal was decided. Needless to say, I was like many others, most saddened and disappointed to learn recently that the original decision was affirmed. This was even more painful for me because it coincided with the good news from the U.K. about the Fletchers’ case...
Busting Rules by F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP (Part 2 of 3) Read full article HERE
Busting Rules: How a questionable testimony affected so many cases
The Cedillo case was one of three test cases involving the vaccine-autism connection.
The verdict in Cedillo v Secretary of HHS was interpreted as absolute proof that vaccines never triggered autistic regression in children.
The fact that the petitioners did not prevail does not mean that Michelle Cedillo was not vaccine-injured. It only means that the Special Masters did not think that the evidence presented by them was as convincing as that presented by the DOJ.
The Special Masters’ conclusion, that the DOJ evidence was more convincing, stands however on shaky ground. It should become clear that the testimony by Stephen Bustin PhD, which seriously affected the decision, should have never been considered because it included extremely complicated yet unsupported scientific evidence that had not been made available to the petitioners as expected...
Translation in the Court by F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP (Part 3 of 3) Read full article HERE.
Translation in the Court
As discussed earlier, Eric Fombonne MD and Stephen A. Bustin PhD were effective expert witnesses for the respondent in the Cedillo case [Theresa Cedillo and Michael Cedillo, as parents and natural guardians of Michelle Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services - No. 98-916V].
While Dr. Bustin criticized the laboratory testing and results, Dr. Fombonne directly influenced the plaintiff’s case by discussing the vaccine-injured girl herself.
He may have been the respondent’s MVP.
Dr. Fombonne first testified in Washington DC on June 18, 2007 (Day 6).
These three articles leave a profound sense that justice has not been done.
John Stone is UK Editor for Age of Autism.
Fombonne fals DX destroye child psychotropes risperdal http://histoiredegregoire.over-blog.com/article-the-story-of-medhi-124403863.html
Posted by: Aline | January 17, 2017 at 12:01 AM
Carol
O'Leary and Sheils re-stated the validity of the results - after Bustin's accusations - in the Hornig paper to which they were signatory and in which it was stated:
"Our results differ with reports noting MV RNA in ileal biopsies of 75% of ASD vs. 6% of control children...Discrepancies are unlikely to represent differences in experimental technique because similar primer and probe sequences, cycling conditions and instruments were employed in this and earlier reports; furthermore, one of the three laboratories participating in this study performed the assays described in earlier reports. Other factors to consider include differences in patient age, sex, origin (Europe vs. North America), GI disease, recency of MMR vaccine administration at time of biopsy, and methods for confirming neuropsychiatric status in cases and controls."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526159/
Certainly, there was no way in which it was possible to corroborate Bustin's testimony:
http://childhealthsafety.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/us-mmr-litigation-%E2%80%93-the-truth-%E2%80%93-and-was-dr-stephen-bustin-a%C2%A0reliable%C2%A0witness/
The most likely thing is that they were privately fuming - while not wanting to be further involved in the MMR row - but chose to say nothing directly.
John
Posted by: John Stone | October 01, 2012 at 11:17 AM
I'm curious if O'Leary, Uhlmann or Sheils have responded to Bustin's criticisms. After putting on his deerstalker cap (and collecting half a million dollars from drug companies), Bustin deduced a DNA contamination from a nearby room in O'Leary's lab, the kind of contamination which "persists for decades." But that appears not to have been the case.
Posted by: Carol | October 01, 2012 at 10:34 AM
I found this article by Bustin. His contention is that O'Leary's lab is contaminated by rogue DNA (from an adjoining room per another article).
http://www.badscience.net/wp-content/uploads/erp_mmr.pdf
Posted by: Carol | September 30, 2012 at 08:43 PM
Just to say that I haven't noticed anyone coming to the defence of these two gentlemen this week.
Posted by: John Stone | November 13, 2010 at 10:08 AM
For anyone interested in the Hertz-Picciotto California autism clusters, here they are:
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/newsroom/Maps/autism_cluster.html
Posted by: Carol | November 11, 2010 at 08:58 AM
It does appear that 20% of a particular tetanus vaccine distributed in the Philippines in the 90s contained an anti-fertility component. I don't know how this 20% was distributed (and tracked) other than that it went to females of reproductive age.
This Philippine experiment/trial makes me wonder if the Hertz-Picciotto California autism clusters could be related to a domestic vaccine experiment.
Here's an article about the situation in the Philippines:
http://www.pop.org/content/bad-blood-in-the-philippines-1200#endnote_ref-1
Posted by: Carol | November 10, 2010 at 06:57 PM
Thank you for bringing the articles to our attention, John. I had a lot of gaps in understanding how gross injustice worked in this case. When I heard the earlier courtroom reports, it sounded as if these respondent witnesses virtually defiled Michelle Cedillo in court.
Posted by: Adriana | November 10, 2010 at 09:40 AM
"One of the most useful skills a person should develop is how to look someone straight in the eye and lie convincingly."
It doesn't sound like he even needed to do that.
Posted by: Corruption Rules | November 10, 2010 at 07:07 AM
Fombonne personality profile:
http://www.whale.to/b/authoritarian_personality_traits.html http://www.whale.to/b/madscale.html
"One of the most useful skills a person should develop is how to look someone straight in the eye and lie convincingly."
Posted by: john | November 10, 2010 at 06:03 AM
The question should be asked not why Fombomme was treated with such reverence but why the opposing views and the people are treated to disrespect.
Posted by: John Fryer chemist | November 10, 2010 at 05:15 AM
Patrons99: yes, the vampires are great. The theme song for True Blood may be appropriate in this case, "I want to do bad things with you." haha.
Posted by: Jen | November 09, 2010 at 10:01 AM
This case sounds like a real sham. But then the entire vaccine court is a farce and in no way even resembles what it was set up to be.
Posted by: Evelyn Pringle | November 08, 2010 at 08:22 PM
carol, Thanks for the link but I somehow fumbled onto it and watched the 91 minute talk he gave in 2006 (Mercury, vaccines and the global agenda). Wow. lots of food for thought. I really hope Fombonne is under investigation for ethics violations. He does, at least sound incompetent and I think in light of that there should be a re-trial as Angus mentioned.
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 04:33 PM
I provided a link earlier to a 10-part talk by David Ayoub. In one of the later parts, he refers to a BBC documentary called "The Human Laboratory" which is, in part, about a tetanus vaccine containing an anti-fertility agent given to Philippine women. I haven't found the documentary, but I found a transcript. Here's part of the transcript with its url following:
"SISTER MARY PILAR VERZOSA: I first got suspicious of the vaccination programme by the way it was being carried out. The government would announce one or two days a year which they called national immunisation days. They made announcements that only women of reproductive age, that is from 14 to 45-year-old, should come to the health centres for their tetanus immunisation shots.
NARRATOR: Records show two-thirds of tetanus deaths in the Philippines are amongst men, so why would they target the women? She was even more suspicious when she discovered the jabs were to be given five times in three years, when usually a tetanus is given much less frequently.
....
NARRATOR: There are several research programmes around the world testing the contraceptive vaccine linked to tetanus which creates an immune response. The vaccine contains Beta HCG, part of a hormone necessary for pregnancy. This Beta HCG stimulates antibodies so that if a woman's egg becomes fertilised her own natural HCG will be destroyed and pregnancy will not occur.
MARY PILAR VERZOSA: I began to suspect that here in the Philippines that's exactly what's happening. They have laced the tetanus toxoid vials with the Beta HCG. The only way I could make sure that they hadn't done that was to examine the vials, and how to get a hold of those vials was going to be a problem. Who was I to collect them from the health centres?
NARRATOR: Sister Mary was helped through the Catholic network. A friend who worked in a health clinic removed the vials unnoticed. The nuns packed them with ice and sent them to an independent laboratory.
MARY PILAR VERZOSA: Oh boy that was really something when this came out of my fax machine. Report on HCG concentration in vaccine vials. Three out of those four vials registered positive for HCG, so my suspicions are affirmed that here in our country they are not only giving plain tetanus toxoid vaccination to our women, they are also giving anti-fertility."
http://www.oldthinkernews.com/Articles/oldthinker%20news/The%20Human%20Laboratory.htm
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 03:58 PM
Shouldn't some of the blame also go to the special master? Incompetence seems to be running rampant. I checked on the six special masters, and the ones chosen for the vaccine cases seemed to be the least qualified.
Posted by: Birgit Calhoun | November 08, 2010 at 03:53 PM
Dear Dr. Fombonne, if you are brave enough to actually come here to face your criticism. Please take a moment to visualize yourself standing at the pearly gates with God judging you for your work. He may ask,,, have you ever let money or your ego or your friends or politics influence your science thus letting a generation of children suffer for your actions? Will you be able to tell him that you didn't let money or power influence your decisions at all? AT ALL?? Not one idota???? I can't judge you, but God can and will.... along with history. What will be the adjective that comes after your name in the history books? Please ponder this for a wee while.... if not for the children, but for yourself.
Posted by: polliwog | November 08, 2010 at 02:45 PM
Jen - Maybe McGill U. is really just a front for a coven of pharmawhores and trolls? Do they have any financial disclosures to be made? Hmmmmm. Maybe there's a sequel here for the Twilight vampire classic? Nope! That would be too harsh on vampires. According to a certain female, who will remain unnamed, there's nothing more romantic than a good vampire film. Their rep should remain unsullied. :>)
Posted by: patrons99 | November 08, 2010 at 02:18 PM
Speaking of charlatans in the medical research community, whatever happened to Dr. Poul Thorsen of Aarhus University ? Has he ever been found? And the money? His phony research?
Posted by: CT teacher | November 08, 2010 at 02:09 PM
Jen,
Ayoub's name was new to me, or at least I don't remember hearing of him before. I looked for him on youtube and found a 10-part video of a talk he gave in 2005.
Here's part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7_xfUV4kSo
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 01:38 PM
Katie, is there anywhere I can see more about this investigation of Fombonne for ethics violation?
McGill seems to be a hotbed of shit. Dr. Joe Schwartz and Fombonne are both very involved in pro-vaccine activities. recently, McGill held their 6th Lorne Trottier Symposium on "Confronting Pseudoscience." In their little intro to the symposium they say that the difference between science and pseudoscience is "critical thinking and peer reviewed research." What a fucking joke. ( in light of Fombonne's data sleight of hand and the ped journals unwillingness to re-consider the results). this a shame on this Canadian university. Oh yeah, and guess who was one of the guest speakers at the symposium- science blogger Orac.
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 11:27 AM
Can I just say to those who post up information that I love you??
I don't have alot of time to look up things like I used to, with kicking off my Pre-Employment Series and work for my two AS groups and all.
I deeply appreciate it!! And the links!!
Posted by: Theodora Trudorn | November 08, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Someone who has an account with wiki should add some facts to his wiki profile, namely the fact that he is a paid witness in these trials which is easily documented. thanks Carol for the link on Dr. Ayoub,s work.
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 11:00 AM
http://www.drugs.com/clinical_trials/newly-released-canadian-data-links-vaccines-pervasive-developmental-disorder-299.html
New findings presented yesterday [March 6, 2007] at a National Autism Association meeting bolster claims that vaccines may play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorders. David Ayoub, MD presented data suggesting a correlation between mercury-containing vaccines and rates of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a form of autism, in Montreal. The peak rate of one in 87 children diagnosed with PDD occurred following the period of greatest exposure to the mercury- based vaccine preservative thimerosal. A flattening of the rates studied is now emerging as mercury-containing vaccines have been gradually eliminated from the routine schedule.
This new data points out flaws in a 2006 study published in the journal Pediatrics by Eric Fombonne, MD, et al, which found PDD rates continued to increase even when rates of MMR vaccination and use of mercury-containing vaccines decreased. The study population consisted of a single Montreal school board that was an Autism Center of Excellence, suggesting an over- ascertainment of regional diagnoses. Dr. Ayoub and co-authors Monica Ruscitti, BA, and F. Edward Yazbak, MD broadened the data to include all five Montreal school boards.
The earlier study also reported PDD rates in children from Montreal, but MMR coverage data was taken from Quebec City located 265km from Montreal. The researchers confirmed MMR coverage rates actually increased in Montreal along with PDD, noting a sharper rise in rates after the number of required MMR shots doubled.
The Pediatrics paper claimed there was no exposure to mercury from vaccines post-1996 although several mercury-containing vaccines were administered well beyond 1996. "It's irresponsible that such flawed data was published in a medical journal. This new information confirms a relationship between vaccines and autism that can't be explained by better diagnosing or changing diagnostic criteria," said Karen McDonough, NAA -- Chicago president.
Drs. Ayoub and Yazbak detailed the Fombonne study flaws in letters to Pediatrics which the journal declined to publish. Editor Jerold F. Lucey, MD stated in a reply, "I believe the evidence of no link between MMR and Autism is sufficient. It's not worth publishing more on this subject."
"This dismissal of legitimate concerns regarding data affecting those suffering with autism is a disgrace," commented Ms. McDonough.
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 10:28 AM
Carol
"I have to ask: We do know that Fombonne actually graduated from medical school, don't we?"
Yes, we do actually know that.
Posted by: John Stone | November 08, 2010 at 10:26 AM
I once saw Dr. David Ayoub give a devastating tear down of one of Fombonne-head's studies. He can be taken down in debate...
Posted by: Erik Nanstiel | November 08, 2010 at 09:57 AM
I concur with you Angus! It sounds like a circus complete with the moneky dressed up as a doctor...
Am I mean for saying so? Or is it the morning grouchiness?
It just seems like everyone was being played. I would definately file for re-trial on those grounds.
Posted by: Theodora Trudorn | November 08, 2010 at 09:34 AM
I have to ask: We do know that Fombonne actually graduated from medical school, don't we?
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 09:34 AM
Eric Fombonne is shameless. Between intervals sitting on vaccine makers' boards of directors he conducts vaccine exoneration research paid for by vaccine makers.
And as a side business Fombonne regularly testifies against children in vaccine court.
Fombonne is also under investigation at MacGill University for ethics violations- big surprise.
It seems like vaccine court unquestioningly accepts the testimony of "scientist" with a heartbeat as long as they are not working for families.
Posted by: Katie Wright | November 08, 2010 at 08:07 AM
Based on the above a re trial should be saught..
Angus
Posted by: Angus Files | November 08, 2010 at 04:05 AM