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By Dr. Joel A. Harrison
March 1, 2009 (San Diego) — On February 12, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. rendered its decision finding no link between autism and vaccines. While researchers, doctors, and public health officials feel vindicated, hoping that vaccination rates will increase, many parents of autistic children are distraught. Autism devastates families both emotionally and financially. People seek answers as to why, both to lay blame and to prevent future cases, and to obtain necessary resources. There are three interconnected issues surrounding the autism-vaccine controversy: 1) the science, 2) vaccination rates, and 3) helping families.
The Science: At first a link was claimed between a mercury-based preservative, Thimerosol, and autism. However, rates of autism continued to increase in cohorts of children receiving thimerosal-free vaccines. Proponents of the thimerosol link claimed the fetus is still being exposed to trace amounts of thimerosol from vaccines given to their mothers. It makes no sense that rates would continue to increase as levels of exposure decrease to trace levels.
The second alleged link was exacerbation of an underlying mitochondrial disorder. Mitochondria are the energy factories of our cells. For proponents of this link, the vaccines, by triggering an immune response overtax an already defective system. Our immune systems respond to literally thousands of potential threats every day, microbes and foreign substances in the air we breathe, the food and drink we consume, and especially in children the ever-present scrapes and cuts.
Vaccines are composed of killed microbes or extremely weakened ones. How can a few killed and weakened intruders over several months possibly cause harm when the child's immune system over the same period of time has responded to tens of thousands of intruders, many much more dangerous? Children with undiagnosed mitochondrial disorders are subject to the same quantity and array of intruders.
I am a member of the baby-boomer generation. Most of my generation experienced not one, but all of the childhood diseases: measles; rubella; mumps, chicken pox; and influenza, plus the ubiquitous common colds, scrapes and cuts. Any one of the childhood diseases involved a major assault on our bodies demanding maximum output from our mitochondria, not for a few hours; but for days and even weeks.
Many years ago I taught undergraduate courses aboard U.S Naval ships in the Pacific. Prior to my first deployment, I "walked" the gauntlet, receiving vaccinations for smallpox, yellow fever, plague, typhoid/paratyphoid, cholera, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. That evening both deltoid muscles were sore and I briefly ran a low grade fever, nothing remotely compared with any of the experienced childhood diseases.
At no time are today's children receiving remotely as many vaccinations in such a short time period. Additionally, while the number of vaccines has increased, the total number of antigenic determinants (the foreign proteins that our immune system responds to) is less. The smallpox vaccine alone, which is no longer given, contained a significant number of antigenic determinants.
Mitochondrial disorders do not manifest themselves immediately; but most cases do become symptomatic within the first 5 - 10 years of life. It is possible that vaccinations may shift symptomatology by a few weeks; but eventually a common cold or a minor infection will elicit the disorder. In addition, imagine the devastation to these children if, instead of the vaccines, they suffered any of the full-blown childhood diseases.
Some parents feel that rejection of the link between vaccines and autism by the scientific community means abandonment. In fact, research on causes and treatments for autism is increasing. Squandering resources in continuing to disprove the connection with vaccines just slows viable lines of research.
Vaccine Rates: Unfortunately, the need for simple answers, in this case blaming autism on vaccines, has lead to ever diminishing rates of vaccinations. The diseases we vaccinate for are real and still exist in the world. They cause millions of deaths and disabilities around the world. With international flights and our porous borders they can infect American children at any time. For those skeptics, five unvaccinated Amish children came down with polio in 2005 and there have been several recent outbreaks of measles (for those who believe measles harmless, besides permanent disabilities, measles kills approximately three per 1000). If only a few parents refuse childhood vaccinations, the risks are small; but as the numbers grow, we all become at risk, both our children and adults who have been vaccinated. Vaccines have been thought to confer lifetime immunity; but, in fact, immunity subsides over time. While the risk of exposure remains small, the residual immunity still can protect us; but if an epidemic should break out, then repeated exposures could overwhelm residual immunity and childhood diseases caught as adults are usually far more severe and deadly.
Helping Families with Autistic Children: Families with autistic children, when left to their own resources, are simply overwhelmed. Lawsuits by desperate families are a gamble at best. Blaming vaccines for conditions based on unsubstantiated conjecture, misunderstood science, and compassion for the families of disabled children has resulted in families refusing to vaccinate their children and in vaccine shortages as fewer pharmaceutical companies are willing to manufacture them. If this trend keeps up, it could be catastrophic.
Suggestions:
- To ensure that all children diagnosed with autism-spectral disorder receive the best medical care we have to offer, they should be covered by Medicare just as we cover end-stage renal disease. However, coverage for these children should include no deductibles, no co-pays and no need for supplementary insurance.
- Additional funding for special education programs, and
- Special funding for counseling and other support resources, including respite care.
Besides being the right and compassionate thing to do, this is a prime example of "there but for the Grace of God go I." Autism is a devastating disorder that could happen to any family. Research efforts around the world are working to discover its cause(s) and develop treatments. The continued efforts to link autism to vaccines is leading to shortages of vaccines and parents refusing to vaccinate their children placing not only their children; but all of us at risk. We as a compassionate society need to develop programs that support these tragic families.
Recommended Reading: For those wanting to study the history and scientific issues, I highly recommend a new book by Dr. Paul A. Offit, Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. In addition, the CDC has an excellent website on Autism including information on autism and vaccines and links to other websites which can be found at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.htm. Finally, for those interested in the history of vaccines, I encourage them to read a fascinating book by Arthur Allen, Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine's Greatest Lifesaver.
Joel A. Harrison, PhD, MPH, a native San Diegan, is a semi-retired epidemiologist. He has worked in the areas of preventive medicine, infectious diseases, medical outcomes research, and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. He is currently active in supporting the adoption of a single-payer health care system in the U.S. For more information on single-payer go to Physicians for a National Health Program's website at www.pnhp.org
Comments
Vaccines and Autism
I am the elder sister of a 54 year old autistic woman, whose severe symptoms have been present since birth. I cannot blame vaccines for my sister's autism, and I agree with Mr. Harrison, about how the anti-vaccine community is deflecting research from promising avenues to autism's cause. In addition, the rage that some of these true believers express towards any in the medical/scientific community who disagree with them is discouraging research as well. Regressive autism seems to me to be a form that appears at about the same time that many children are vaccinated, just as schizophrenia appears in adolescence and Alzheimer's disease appears in old age. All are developmental disabilities, and when the brain reaches a particular stage in its development, the symptoms manifest themselves.
To those who would say that regressive autism is a recent phenomenon I would suggest you look at the legends from many cultures of changelings, children whose sudden change in behavior and personality is attributed to the child being kidnapped by fairies and replaced with a lookalike.
Read medical books by doctors who treat children with autism
To learn cutting-edge biomedical treatments to help sick children, read "Changing the Course of Autism" by Dr. Bryan Jepson.
Also read "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics -- Autism, ADHD, Asthma and Allergies" by Dr. Kenneth Bock, and is "Children with Starving Brains" by Dr. Jacquelyn McCandless.
Many "autistic" children have nutritional deficiencies, neuroinflammation, antibodies to myelin basic protein, gastrointestinal lesions, chronic GI disorders, and much more. And they ARE vaccine-induced, despite what the medical industry and government say.
These children need nutritional supplements, antivirals, anti-inflammatories, and many other biomedical treatments. These children need lab tests and biopsies, but too many hurried doctors instead mask or worsen the ailments by simply prescribing psychotropic drugs.
And too many newspapers fail to investigate the obfuscatory and defensive CDC press releases parroted by public health administrators. The vaccine injuries reported to VAERS and the small percentage compensated by DHHS / NVICP are not being investigated by the CDC. Look at the way other monolithic government agencies have been mismanaged; the CDC is not immune from malfeasance, despite the media's unwillingness to look.
Almost all other consumer products get better post-sales follow-up than vaccines. There is no warranty, no safety net, no accountability. How do any of us know that our next shot will be safe?
_____
UPDATE:
For a list of all the government agencies working toward investigating vaccinated vs. vaccinated populations, see today's article by investigative journalist David Kirby.
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/03/david-kirby-us-health-officials-back-...
- or -
http://tinyurl.com/ce2sfr
Included are the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, prestigious medical institutions, and -- surprisingly -- some branches of the CDC.
Response to "Read medical books by doctors"
DISCLAIMER: I do not own stocks in any pharmaceutical company (perhaps my 401k mutual fund owns some), nor have I ever worked for a pharmaceutical company or been affiliated with any projects developing vaccines.
APPEAL TO EXPERTS AND THEIR BOOKS: The author cites three medical doctors who treat autistic children and their respective books, Dr. Bryan Jepson, Dr. Kenneth Bock, and Dr. Jacqueline McCandless. In 1968, Dr. Robert A. Wilson published a book entitled "Feminine Forever." In it he extolled the value of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Following publication of his book, hundreds of articles written by doctors promised reduced risks for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Millions of women were put on long term HRTs, only to find out 30 years later when two large clinical trials were completed that HRT in fact increased their risks. In the 1990s more than 41,000 patients underwent high-dose chemotherapy plus autologous bone marrow transplant for breast cancer. Articles were written by expert doctors and press reports gave kudos to this “life-saving†procedure. Only later did five clinical trials show that not only did it not extend life; but in many cases shortened it. Conservative estimate place more than 30% of all medical treatments as either useless or doing more harm than good (e.g. Shannon Brownlee’s recent book, "Overtreated"). Most of these treatments have never been subject to randomized clinical trials. It would take too long to discuss all the reasons that good caring doctors continue to subject patients to untested treatments. One example need suffice. How many people remember the Terri Schiavo case, the incessant broadcasting of the video of her gazing out at us? For those who wished to believe cognitive capacity remained, what more telling example. Yet her autopsy showed she was completely blind and about half of her neo-cortex had atrophied.
Two of the three doctors mentioned, Dr. Kenneth Bock and Dr. Jacquelyn McCandless mention on their websites chelation therapy in their treatments. Once a brain cell has been damaged by a heavy metal like mercury, it is permanently damaged. According to a review by the Institute of Medicine, “[chelation therapy] is unlikely to remove mercury from the brain, it is useful only immediately after exposure, before damage has occurred. Moreover, chelation therapy is not without risks; some chelation therapies might cause the release of mercury from [other parts of the body], thus leading to increased exposure of the [brain] to mercury.†Deaths of children as a result of chelation therapy have also occurred. In a search of PubMed, the National Library of Medicine’s online database of published medical articles, I found NO studies by any of the three of their treatments.
PUBLIC PRESSURE AND SCIENCE: Nhokkanen writes “For a list of all the government agencies working toward investigating vaccinated vs. vaccinated populations, see today's article by investigative journalist David Kirby.†This doesn’t necessarily reflect the will of the scientific community as much as giving in to public pressure as clearly stated in the “Draft Consensus Recommendation: Public and stakeholder engagement activities have identified a strong desire to study the health impact of the immunization schedule, potentially through a ‘vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study’.†Numerous studies around the world have already been conducted as well as reviews by the Institute of Medicine and other prestigious bodies, all finding no significant link between vaccines and autism. And, as I mentioned in my editorial, thimerosol has been removed from all childhood vaccines, except one, influenza, though it is also available in thimerosol-free vials. Yet, rates of autism continue to increase. Normally, in science one expects a dose-response relationship, the higher the dosage the more cases, not the reverse.
VACCINE TESTING AND SAFETY: All childhood vaccines are indemnified by the federal government if proven to have caused an adverse reaction. Vaccines are among the most researched of drugs. In fact, the criteria for approving vaccines are higher than regular drugs for exactly the reason they are given to healthy children and adults. The VAERS (vaccine adverse events reporting system) is alive and well, leading to appropriate follow-up. Is it possible that vaccines can cause harm? Yes. There have been cases where poor manufacturing processes have resulted in contamination with other microbes (e.g. causing the shortage of flu vaccine several years ago) or failed to completely kill a vaccine; but such cases are extremely rare today and caught early. For more on this, I highly recommend Arthur Allen’s, "Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine’s Greatest Lifesaver." Rare reactions such as Guillaine Barre can occur; but such syndromes also occur without vaccinations and are more than likely a reaction to a foreign substance entering the body, not the specific vaccine.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES: In Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Richard Hofstadter essay, “the Paranoid Style in American Politics,†he discussed the American propensity to assume vast conspiracies as exemplified by, “And too many newspapers fail to investigate the obfuscatory and defensive CDC press releases parroted by public health administrators. The vaccine injuries reported to VAERS and the small percentage compensated by DHHS / NVICP are not being investigated by the CDC. Look at the way other monolithic government agencies have been mismanaged; the CDC is not immune from malfeasance, despite the media's unwillingness to look. Almost all other consumer products get better post-sales follow-up than vaccines. There is no warranty, no safety net, no accountability. How do any of us know that our next shot will be safe?â€
To begin with one would have to assume that not only the CDC, NIH, Institute of Medicine, members of the media, as well as medical and public health officials around the world are either duplicitous and/or incompetent; but ignore the fact that they have allowed their children to be vaccinated. It may be one thing for officials in Washington to ignore the risks to the levees in New Orleans and/or to bungle rescue efforts after Katrina, it is another thing to believe they would actively risk harm to their own children.
ABSOLUTE TRUTHS: As for “And they ARE vaccine-induced, despite what the medical industry and government say,†no self-respecting medical researcher would ever make such an absolute claim. I certainly make no such claim. However, having spent a lifetime studying and using research methodology, studying the vaccination literature, speaking with colleagues, and finally applying plain old common sense, if I were a betting man and had children under five, I would not hesitate to get them vaccinated. Besides citing a few doctors and a journalist, the comment totally ignores the key point of my editorial, a point not requiring scientific expertise, but plain old common sense.
MICROBIAL ASSAULTS AND MITOCHONDRIAL DISORDERS: Children are exposed to literally thousands of microbes, many exponentially more virulent than a few dead and/or significantly weakened ones found in vaccines. If vaccinations tax an already defective mitochondrial system, then it would be just a matter of time before another microbe or microbes, exponentially worse, would do the same and more. At worst, vaccinations only shift the timeframe of any problems posed by a mitochondrial disorder by a few weeks to months. The only other possibility would be to posit a mechanism whereby vaccines affect mitochondrial disorders differently from other assaults on our bodies, something which no one has claimed.
Screening tests for mitochondrial disorders are expensive. Not all children who test positive will develop problems whether they are vaccinated or not. If a child tested positive, avoiding vaccines would simply expose them to much worse, unless one chose to keep them completely isolated as David the Bubble Boy from many years ago.
MONOVALENT VACCINES: Some would suggest that at least we could give monovalent vaccines spacing them apart by an appropriate amount of time. Even with families who believe and trust in vaccines, we have problems with getting children vaccinated. Requiring them to return several times will just lower the vaccine rates in our children. As the rates decline, the risk of epidemics increases. And once again, if a trivalent vaccine is enough to exacerbate an underlying mitochondrial disorder, then any of the traditional childhood diseases, influenza, a bad cold, or stomach flu will certainly do it, so at best, again, one is simply delaying by a short time the inevitable.
Research is continuing at an accelerate rate around the world to find the causes of autism and develop treatments. Given the current level of knowledge, which is extensive, together with common sense, I believe the probability of finding a significant link with vaccines is miniscule. Unfortunately, due to the success of vaccines we in the U.S. have become complacent to the real risks of diseases prevented by vaccines, something if one were to look at Third World experiences would give the benefit of the doubt to vaccines. Any of these diseases can easily enter the U.S.
For those wishing to delve further into the science and controversy, I highly recommend Dr. Paul A. Offit, "Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure." In it he goes through the science, the reasons people believe in cures, lab results by unaccredited labs that could not be replicated, and much more.