Study Links Vaccine Ingredient to Autism in Mice

[CShine]

A study of specially bred mice suggests that a mercury preservative in vaccines could potentially cause some of the brain changes in autism, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. The publication of the study gives fuel to an alliance of environmentalists, parents of children with autism, anti-vaccine advocates and politicians who say they will continue to fight to prove that vaccines can cause autism in susceptible children. But experts who issued a report last month saying there was no link between vaccines and autism said they had already seen the study and rejected it.

Dr. Mady Hornig of Columbia University in New York said her study shows the possibility that a genetic predisposition could leave certain children vulnerable to a range of toxins in vaccines, including a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal. Writing in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, Hornig said specially bred mice that have deficient immune systems did show changes in behavior after getting the equivalent of the childhood vaccinations given to U.S. babies and toddlers.

"I think that these findings suggest that it is very plausible that there could be a genetic factor that creates risk for some individuals with autism," Hornig said in a telephone interview.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=571&ncid=751&e=1&u=/nm/20040609/hl_nm/health_vaccines_dc

[abelenkpe]

1. I thought

they stopped using thimerosal in vaccines for children? Is this not the case? Is it possible to get vaccines that don't contain thimerosal?

[Domitan]

2. In Canada yes

but you should clarify with your doctor if you're in the USA.

[HuckleB]

3. The details of current FDA policy...

http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm

[abelenkpe]

4. excellent

thanks for the information!

[NickB79]

5. The odd thing is that thimerosal has been used since the 1930's

As a vaccine preservative, but we've only seen a drastic increase in autism cases in the past 20-25 yrs. There was no gradual climb in the number of autism cases before then, though. It may be that the number of vaccines given has increased over the years, and it took time to reach a "critical mass", so to speak, before widespread side-effects took place.

[burrowowl]

7. A measles vaccine

didn't exist until around 1957 or so, so only my younger siblings got it. Polio didn't exist until around 55, I got polio in 52. For my generation about the only thing was diptheria, tetnus and whooping cough in one shot, then booster and small pox at about a year old or so.

[tlcandie]

11. Is it possible that all the chemicals and toxins in our world nowdays

has reduced our immune systems drastically so that something like this is an issue?

[HuckleB]

13. However...

the spectrum of symptoms now diagnosed as "autism" has also grown in that period. It's very difficult to know if "classic" or "full-blown" autism, if you will, has actually increased.

[UpInArms]

6. because Dick Armey snuck in some nasty piece

into the Homeland Security Bill, Eli Lily cannot be sued for thimerosal in their vaccines

http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:n8U_WIOHhaMJ:www.thimerosal-autism-symptoms.com/html/security_bill.html+lily+thimerosal+lawsuit+dick+armey&hl=en

Homeland Security Bill

Homeland Security Bill Provision, November 2002

Growing to be possibly the largest litigation issue in history, the thimerosal suits suddenly might be restricted due to the provision slipped mysteriously into the Homeland Security Bill signed on November 25, 2002. The provision protects Eli Lilly & Co., in addition to other drug makers, from lawsuits regarding thimerosal, the mercury laden preservative used widely in the 1990s in vaccines.

Thimerosal is believed by many to cause autism and other adverse health effects, resulting in around 4,000 lawsuits being filed predominantly against Eli Lilly in under two years. The provision has left parents even more confused and angry that drug companies are being protected from being found responsible for the cases of autism that may be caused because of the thimerosal.

Now parents wishing to take legal action for the possible thimerosal causing health effects seen in their children must do so under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Act, which has many limitations and restrictions.

Although there has been a lack of responsibility taken for the slipped in provision protecting Eli Lilly and other drug companies in Washington, many people are wondering if Eli Lilly's close ties to the administration and extremely large monetary contribution given to the Republican campaign, far surpassing the amount given by any other pharmaceutical company has anything to do with the subsequent legal protection.

December 2002

Mitch Daniels, White House budget director and former Eli Lilly & Co. executive, denies any involvement in the Eli Lilly vaccine liability protection that was slipped into the homeland security bill in November 2002 mysteriously. Thimerosal has been the subject of controversy because it is a mercury based preservative found in vaccines that has a possibly link to children developing autism after vaccination. House Majority Leader Dick Armey, whom is also retiring, later claimed sole responsibility for the provision, however the investigation is still being conducted to find out how the Eli Lilly thimerosal protection was added.

[JCMach1]

14. ARG! Not this crap again

The no vaccine people piss me off...!

My first cousin is one of them. I just cross my fingers that her kids never get something devastating...!

[AlecBGreen]

8. DOH!

I coulda used this info a few days ago...I just got 4 vaccinations Tuesday. Aieee...

[HuckleB]

9. If you can write a post on DU, your brain is past the period of worry.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. The latest research

is focusing more on genetics and which kids are at risk for autism after being vaccinated. Parent groups want the researchers to look for a problem with the vaccine rather than blaming genetics.

[HuckleB]

12. Well...

its not like the vaccinations can be blamed for all cases, anyway. In fact, it's quite unlikely that they can truly be blamed for most cases, uh, if any.