http://www.autisms.org/vaccines.htm
Vaccines & Autism
Is There A Connection?
The following is a draft of a
commentary written by Partners In Autisms President & Founder Scott Koehler
written in April of 2000 and updated in August 2000. Most of the research
and testimony regarding this possible connection was presented at the
congressional investigative hearings. Transcripts and other information from
these hearings can be located through the link at the bottom of this page.
Members have permission to reprint or display this editorial in any format, but
only in it's entire and unedited form:
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Scott Koehler and I am the
President and Founder of Partners In Autisms - an international non-profit
Autism information and advocacy organization. I among many others feel the jury
is still out on the possible Vaccine-Autism link, but I do feel further
investigation is definitely warranted.
I have done a lot of
investigation including traveling, attending conferences, and personally
speaking to several researchers who have worked on trying to establish a causal
relationship between Autism and vaccines. Despite my initial skepticism, I must
say they have presented me with some very compelling information from their
research. As a result of my exploration of both sides of this issue, I have
formed a personal opinion that the CDC & other researchers and
"experts", appear to be prematurely dismissing or discrediting the
findings of these seemingly impartial, dedicated, and caring researchers who
are investigating the possible causal link. Many people in my organization and
indeed across the world are concerned about whether or not the CDC and other
health agencies are objectively looking at the evidence amassed by these
individuals without preconceived notions based on political or financial bias.
This may sound absurd or reactionary to
you, but one indisputable fact is that the multibillion dollar pharmaceutical
companies have a huge financial steak in vaccines, and many of those on the
boards that oversee and approve vaccines for the public are supported or funded
by these companies. Wouldn't you say that was a conflict of interest? If you
don't think it is, or you think a cover-up or haphazard dismissal of possible
causal evidence couldn't happen, just remember how the tobacco industry managed
to successfully discredit those "fanatics" that tried to prove
smoking had a causal link to Cancer for literally decades, even as they had
proven it to be so in their own secret studies only recently revealed in
litigation. I submit to you that if there is even a remote possibility that
vaccines have a causal relationship to Autism and indeed the explosion of
mental health disorders in general such as Attention Deficit Disorder,
Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Hyperactivity Disorders, and others in
recent years, that the CDC owes it to the public to exhaustively investigate it
instead of just dismissing it. I believe it is essential to do so especially
since there are more than 30 NEW vaccines currently pending approval for
introduction into the inoculation lineup, and more being developed every day.
In our Autism Update Newsletter and
also on our website, we have always tried to report both sides of any issue,
treatment option, or intervention in an unbiased fashion in order to give
people the chance to make an educated decision or form an informed opinion of
their own. It is disturbing that many professionals, websites, and much of the
news media, list only data or websites that discredit or dismiss those seeking
to establish a connection between Autism and vaccines. In our experience, the
majority of parents and scientists looking to reveal a possible Vaccine-Autism
link are not seeking to abolish vaccines, they just want those who approve
vaccines for use by the public to take an unbiased look at the data they have
gathered, and be less frivolous about adding new vaccines to the lineup without
better researching the possible immediate or long term side effects and casual
links to disorders such as Autism. (Note: It has been established that
researchers have found live measles virus living in some of these Autistic
kid's guts.) Since there are many scientists on the committees that investigate
the efficacy and safety of vaccines before approving them that are tied both politically
and financially to the drug companies that develop and introduce vaccines, it
seems impossible for there to be an unbiased investigation of any possible
causal links, and the only ethical recourse would be that that they be replaced
or their decisions be weighed against those of an independent panel of expert
researchers like Dan Burton proposed in his Congressional Hearings.
I recommend everyone view the
Vaccine-Autism hearings in their entirety or read the transcript (see link
below) It is disconcerting that at these hearings the representatives of
the CDC had no explanation for why they didn't investigate the possible
Autism-Vaccine connection for the people in Brick, NJ who had a huge Autism
cluster. The CDC investigated every other environmental factor in that town yet
never looked at vaccines even though parents specifically asked CDC
representatives to look into the possible causal relationship. The woman from
the CDC who testified at that hearing said that no one requested they look into
the possible Vaccine-Autism connection and that is why they never did. Yet
congressman Dan Burton's staff later produced the minutes of Brick's town
meeting which did indeed list that several parents asked the CDC to investigate
vaccines. Armed with this new information, the committee then again asked the
woman testifying for the CDC why it wasn't investigated. She was visibly
shaken, had no answer, and finally after she couldn't respond, one of her
associates stepped up and did the usual political sidestep.
It should further be noted that during
his committee on government reform's hearing Thursday June 15th, Dan Burton
identified several key advisory committee members who either held shares of
stock in vaccine manufacturers or had working relationships with them. One such
member identified as Dr. Paul Offit actually holds a patent on a rotavirus
vaccine and has received grant money from the pharmaceutical industry to help
develop it. Federal Law prohibits conflicts of interest such as these for
government employees. After having this information revealed by Rep. Burton the
fact that Rotavirus vaccine was pulled from the market last October 1999
because children developed serious bowel obstruction problems after being
inoculated really starts to raise a red flag. Rep. Burton alleges the
inoculation's serious side effects were known about during the time the vaccine
was being licensed. He insists that because conflicts of interest such as these
exist, the American public can not have faith in the safety of the only drugs
mandated by federal law.
I don't think anyone will dispute that
vaccinations save lives and are vital to the health of the public, but there
are a growing number of scientists who feel that there is a definite connection
between vaccines and Autism. Data from their studies is leading researchers to
the conclusion that certain subsets of the population may have a genetic
precursor which makes them susceptible to immune dysfunction resulting in ASD.
Those who feel this is a distinct possibility do want all the possible factors
rigorously investigated and results of their research given due consideration.
There are many things they've identified that should also be investigated such
as groupings of shots (some kids have received as many as nine inoculations in
one day), combination inoculations (such as measles, mumps rubella), mercury
overexposure from multiple inoculations in one day (notice they have recently
stopped using mercury without ever acknowledging any possible link or threat),
and frequency and time span between inoculations.
Regardless of the final findings,
lackadaisical or imprudent decisions by health care professionals to inoculate
premature, immune-suppressed, or sickly babies, should be curtailed as some
have consequently developed serious severe side effects or died, and may in
some instances have even developed ASD or other related disorders as a direct
result.
For more information and updates on the
Congressional hearings visit the following link:
Autism Congressional Hearings Testimony
- Text Format http://www.house.gov/reform/hearings/healthcare/00.06.04/
More Vaccine Information - State &
National Links http://www.autisms.org/Links.htm#Vaccine
Information
Sincerely,
Scott
Koehler
About The Author - http://home.talkcity.com/SupportSt/autisms/
ALL
INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR
GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE
KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED
AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO
VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU
ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.