“More evidence that vaccines don't cause autism arises from study - USA Today” plus 1 more |
| More evidence that vaccines don't cause autism arises from study - USA Today Posted: 19 Sep 2010 09:02 AM PDT
By Jenifer Goodwin, HealthDay Infants exposed to the highest levels of thimerosal, a mercury-laden preservative that used to be found in many vaccines, were no more likely to develop autism than infants exposed to only a little thimerosal, new research finds. The study offers more reassurance to parents who worry that vaccination raises their children's risk for autism, the researchers said. "Prenatal and early life exposure to ethylmercury from thimerosal in vaccines or immunoglobulin products does not increase a child's risk of developing autism," concluded senior study author Dr. Frank DeStefano, director of the immunization safety office at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study was released online in advance of publication in the October print issue of Pediatrics. Thimerosal has been used as a preservative in vaccines since the 1930s, according to background information in the article. Concerns about the chemical began to crop up in 1999, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that because of the increased number of thimerosal-containing vaccines added to the infant vaccination schedule, infants may be exposed to too much mercury. Thimerosal used to be found in hepatitis B, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) and DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) vaccines, among others. During the ensuing years, the FDA worked with manufacturers to eliminate thimerosal from vaccines, according to the agency's website. Today, thimerosal has been removed or reduced to trace amounts in all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger, with the exception of inactivated seasonal flu vaccine, according to the FDA. Parents who are concerned about thimerosal can ask for a preservative-free version, DeStefano said. And thimerosal wasn't the only proposed autism-vaccine link. A 1998 paper in The Lancet suggested the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine might trigger autism. The journal later retracted the paper, and numerous studies have refuted any link between the MMR vaccine and autism. In February of 2009, a U.S. federal court ruled that there was no scientific evidence linking vaccines to autism. In the new study, researchers examined medical records and conducted interviews with the mothers of 256 children with an autism spectrum disorder and 752 children matched by birth year who did not have autism. The children were all members of three health care management organizations in California and Massachusetts. Researchers also gathered information about the manufacture and lot number of the vaccines that the children received, to determine how much thimerosal they were likely exposed to. Children in the highest 10% of thimerosal exposure, either prenatally or between infancy and 20 months, were no more likely to have autism, an autism spectrum disorder or autism spectrum disorder with regression than children in the lowest 10% of exposure. "This study adds to a large body of evidence indicating that early thimerosal exposure through vaccination does not cause autism," said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer for a leading advocacy group, Autism Speaks. Dawson was not involved with the research. She urged parents to have their children vaccinated. "We encourage parents to have their children vaccinated and to establish a trusting relationship with their child's pediatrician so they can discuss any concerns they have," Dawson said. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now | |||||||||||||
| Whooping Cough Infections on the Rise - Should kids get vacinatted and risk autism? - Gather.com Posted: 18 Sep 2010 11:15 PM PDT In California on Thursday, state health officials announced that the state is on track to break a 55-year-old record for whooping cough infections. At least 4,017 cases have been reported in California and according to data from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, there are 11,466 cases nationwide. However, actual cases of the disease can be more as Federal statistics often lag behind local data. Regardless, the whooping cough disease is being considered an epidemic in 2010. State on Track to Break Record According to Y Should You Vaccinate? The vaccines against whooping cough are free of the additive thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury that has been the subject of a long-running public debate about whether it can cause autism. A federal ruling in March said there was no connection between autism and thimerosal. However, many parents forgo vaccines for their children because of concerns about autism, typically fueled by misinformation and a general mistrust of the medical industry. Much like the advertised former health benefits of smoking (remember the commercials that once said, "9 out of 10 doctors recommend Lucky Brand cigarettes), questions still remain about injecting newborn children with foreign preservatives so early in their lives. What to do? Should parents plan on vaccinating their children? What about flu shots? Should parents recommend those as well? Manuel Rodriguez www.twitter.com/manueldrod Please provide details below to help Gather review this content. If it is found to be inappropriate and in violation of the Gather Terms of Service, action will be taken.
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