Why IACC's Dr. Tom Insel Must Go
Managing Editor's Note: Dan wrote this post in 2009. In light of today's OGR hearing on the Federal Response to Autism Spectrum Disorders, we thought our readers would like to see the long term inaction of Dr. Insel on behalf of the autism community.
Rep. Darrell Issa, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform announced a hearing of the Government Operations Subcommittee scheduled for today on the subject of the Examining the Federal Response to Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The hearing will be held in at 9 am EDT today in 2247 Rayburn House Office Building, Tuesday, May 20, 2014. Watch via live streaming at http://oversight.house.gov/hearings/
By Dan Olmsted
Thomas Insel, the feckless factotum who heads the committee that will decide the future of the autism epidemic, needs to follow Dr. Story Landis (HERE) out the door TODAY and resign as chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Tomorrow is too long.
Landis inadvertently revealed the bankruptcy of Insel's leadership of the group when she both bashed parents and suggested investigating the most severe cases of vaccine injury -- which is all the parents want -- in notes dropped on the floor (see the notes here) at the IACC, recovered by friendly forces and reported on our blog by the relentless Katie Wright.
At an IOM environmental working group meeting in 2007, I walked up to Insel and handed him a copy of the piece I'd written for the Baltimore City Paper, implicating mercury in the first cases of autism. (See "Mercury Rising" HERE.) Insel told me he thought that the mercury hypothesis had been disproven (not true, but certainly his right to say so). But then he went on to say, in these words or just about, that of course, it still could be the vaccines.
So two years ago, he told me vaccines could be causing the autism epidemic -- and to others, he acknowledged that he believes the autism epidemic is real. Since then, he has dillied and dallied, shillied and shallied, and otherwise failed in his duty to the American people to get to the bottom of the autism epidemic with all deliberate speed.
In fact, he shouldn't just resign from the IACC, he should quit as head of the National Institute of Mental Health and go help his brother invent more vaccines to give babies. (See When Vaccine Development is Family Business: Thomas Insel's Conflicted Role on Vaccines and Autism ) I don't think they get enough, do you?
Of course, he won't do that. But until he does, let's realize that the IACC is a sham, run by people like Story Landis (gone) and Tom Insel (go!) who have one thing in common: They're bureaucrats who make the trains to Autismland run on time.
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Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism.
This was a proceeding run by criminals. With the exception of Posey who is sincerely trying to do what's right, they all knew exactly what they were going to say in order to maintain the sorry status quo, which includes Insell and the IAAC. It was fraud, plain and simple. They were presented with evidence of wrongdoing and instead of acknowledging and then taking steps toward change, which is what they were elected and are paid to do, they chose instead to be accomplices to Insel's crimes while shooting the messenger.
We've seen him hem and haw in IAAC meetings, pleading with the members to give him some evidence of progress that he can report, and they in return hem and haw back at him. Then he goes before Congress and lies through his teeth claiming amazing accomplishments - of course with no concrete answers and nothing clinically useful. He even made the ridiculous claim that autism research is so far ahead of other disease research. Posey's face was the only one that was disturbed by this circus. All the other reps were singing the praises of science Insell style. I didn't catch every word because of my connection, but I saw enough to get the gist and to know that it was nauseating.
Posted by: Linda | May 21, 2014 at 04:41 PM
Insel just looks so smarmy, like he had it in the bag and couldn't care less about what's at stake- the health of our children. He was obviously protected this time by one of the Congressmen but next time there needs to be more actual members present and more notice for others to attend. This was lacking that sense of transparency or decorum and shameful in that regard.
Posted by: Justan observation | May 21, 2014 at 01:45 PM
maurine meleck
I am ashamed to say he is from Kentucky the 4th district -- that is Northern Kentucky - the area around Cinncinnati, Ohio.
He wanted to get it set up were we could all grow hemp, Mary Jane - he is a nut and it is election day -- Maybe his district has had it with him and he is losing the election today big time?
Posted by: Benedetta | May 20, 2014 at 04:27 PM
Please take note that Rep. Massie(on the AAN list of no show this morning) office slammed the receiver on me when he saw where I was calling from. they only take calls from their own state voters(whatever state he is from)Now I will see where he is from.
Posted by: maurine meleck | May 20, 2014 at 12:26 PM
My transmission was very poor. Just watched the last of it. What exactly did that accomplish?
Posted by: Linda | May 20, 2014 at 11:06 AM
Well, I don't think I'm the only person praying for a miracle at the hearing today. May God guide Rep. Issa and lend him the strength to do what is right to protect our most precious resource-- our children.
Posted by: Not an MD | May 20, 2014 at 07:31 AM
Dr. Insel needs to provide the committee a "ballpark figure" on how much money he made from the hib vaccine created by his brother.
He needs to "provide a guess" on when the first tests and gene treatments will be available for the "Autism gene theory" he now supports.
Explain how the "Autism gene" also made it's way to Somaila to over-vaccinate refugee children relocated to Minnesota. Autism rate 1 in 29 and near 100% ADHD...
Posted by: cmo | May 20, 2014 at 06:52 AM
Anticipating viewing the OGR hearing today .. and .. hoping the hearing begins with a lenghty review of all the unanswered questions that remain from LAST hearing .. you know .. the CDC's promise "I'll get back to you on that" .. and .. "I'll forward the Committee that information as soon as possible".
It should be interesting listening to Dr. Insell provide evidence to the OGR of all the progress he has made "identifying what causes autism" .. or .. how he is working very hard to educate the medical bureaucracies the autism epidemic is REAL .. and .. is not due to "better diagnosing or broader definition".
Maybe we will learn how much money he has devoted to investigating the "gut-brain" connection that he has ignored for the last decade or so?
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | May 20, 2014 at 06:13 AM