Help With Autism

Seth Mnookin, a writer for Vanity Fair, recently published a book titled “The Panic Virus: A True story of Medicine, Science, and Fear.” The book examines the vaccine-autism controversy that has been prevalent since the 1980s. The book was inspired by a 2008 dinner party Mnookin attended in which a new father said he was delaying his child’s MMR because of a gut feeling he had that the vaccine wasn’t faith.

Mnookin takes his time exploring the validity of vaccine damage. He looks at all perspectives: parents’ of autistic children, journalists, scientists, and more. His reporting is thorough and is written in a way that is factual, but sensitive to the families who deal with the difficulties of autism every day. Whatever your stance on vaccination, “The Panic Virus” is an interesting, informative read.

Generally, we look to medical associations and scientists when it comes to gauging the effectiveness of medicines and creating links in the health field, but the federal appeals court has recently weighed in on the vaccination debate. A special vaccine court ruled last year that there is little, if any, evidence to support the claim that vaccines—the MMR vaccine in particular—causes autism. When Dr. Wakefield reported the supposed link years ago, more than 5,500 families sought compensation under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. But as we’ve reported before, Dr. Wakefield’s findings have been discredited by virtually everyone in the medical community.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision, saying that there was only weak and contradictory evidence to support the claim. The vaccine court also found that thimerosal, an additive in vaccines, was not responsible for causing autism, which many had claimed.

Vaccination has come under fire for everything from being the cause of autism to acting as a vehicle for the government to control the masses. It’s easy to get caught up in the polarized, sensational debate about vaccines because emotions run so deep on the issue, but it’s important to look at all of the factors. Some people debate the effectiveness of vaccination, but there’s no denying that the rate of cases of polio, smallpox, measles and similar diseases has dwindled since vaccines were introduced.

We’ve often discussed the recent fall from grace of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the first to make the link between autism and vaccines, which has put the autism-vaccination link in question. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find a rational and unbiased person who thinks that the government has hatched a nefarious plot to control us through vaccines. Admittedly, there certain vaccines out there with spotty results, and foregoing a flu vaccine isn’t the end of the world. But when it comes to things like MMR, diseases which have seen a resurgence since Dr. Wakefield advised against them, it’s seems in the greater good to protect yourself and therefore those around you.

The vaccine debate is rancorous and polarizing, which means that much of the information we receive is distorted or just plain wrong. No reputable source on either side of the issue will say there is no risk of vaccine damage, as whenever you inject something into your body there is some amount of risk. The question becomes whether those risks outweigh the benefits, which can be particularly tricky when the risks aren’t well known.

Vaccines have been accused of everything from causing the outbreak of autism to being the culprit in some SIDS cases. Opponents of vaccines obviously say these reports are conclusive, while those on the other side of the aisle vehemently deny them. And some people even debate whether or not vaccines are effective at preventing diseases. Advocates of vaccination argue that they have largely eradicated many contagious diseases, which have only resurfaced recently as vaccine usage has waned, while challengers say those who have taken the vaccines are responsible for outbreaks. Both sides are unwilling to concede, but without concrete scientific evidence to support many of the claims, it’s unclear where the line in the sand really is.

Scientifically, thimerosal is an organomercury compound commonly utilized as an antifungal agent and antiseptic. Many people now know the compound by its trade name Merthioltae, which Eli Lilly and Company gave it in order to market it as a preservative in vaccines, skin test antigens and other medical products. Several interest groups, countries and international organizations have called the use of thimerosal into question.

The concern stems from the fact that thimerosal is mercury-based. This has led many to believe that thimerosal’s presence in vaccines are responsible for the increase in autism cases and instances of other brain development, although there is no scientific evidence. Mercury and other types of heavy metal exposure are associated with several neurological disorders, but a link between thimerosal in vaccines is yet to be found.

Several weeks ago we reported on the retracted study of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, which cited vaccination as one of the main causes of the steep increase in the number of autism cases. It appears that the saga of Dr. Wakefield isn’t over yet. The General Medical Council of Britain revoked Dr. Wakefield’s license to practice medicine today due to the falsified study. In addition to the autism study, the board found Wakefield guilty of more than 30 other professional infractions.

In the wake of the study, which was originally published in 1998, numerous parents refrained from giving their child the MMR vaccine. This trend led to a resurgence of measles and, subsequently, several deaths. Despite the retraction of the study by the journal it was originally published in, Dr. Wakefield stands by his findings.

While some people consider vaccination a normal part of a child’s health maintenance schedule, for other’s it is a divisive topic. Opponents cite the instances of vaccine damage and claim that heavy metals in certain vaccines are the main culprit in new cases of autism and other diseases. Those in favor of vaccines are quick to point out how many diseases have been virtually eradicated thanks to their widespread use.

In recent years, the debate over vaccines has become more heated as reports have been published—and then retracted—which claim to prove the adverse consequences of vaccines. As an increasing number of parents have opted not to administer vaccines to their children, several diseases once believed to be stamped out have resurfaced. No one disputes that there are cases where vaccines cause damage; the debate is whether or not the inherent risks of vaccines outweigh their greater good.

According to a recent study, one in four parents in the United States believes that vaccination causes autism. The irony in this is that some of the parents who have fears about the vaccine still say that they will get their children vaccinated. This contradiction in beliefs and actions underscores the ambiguity of the debate.

Research has failed to prove any causation, and even worried parents tend to follow the advice of their doctor and get the vaccines. While 25 percent believe that vaccines cause autism, 90 percent say that vaccination is a good way to prevent disease. In the wake of Dr. Wakefield’s dubious study, outbreaks of measles and other diseases have occurred due to lack of vaccination.

The saga of Dr. Wakefield, the physician whose study on vaccine damage led to many parents foregoing MMR vaccines, continued this past week. Wakefield resigned from an autism center in Texas this week, an institution that he founded. Even after the Lancet redacted the study, Wakefield says that he stands by its results.

Since the institution of MMR vaccines in the 1970s, the number of autism cases has risen. Many people say that this correlation is proof that the vaccines are damaging, but correlation does not always equal causation. A contributing factor to this trend is that fact that more doctors are using autism as a diagnosis that they had previously.

Despite research showing the amazing benefits of vaccination, many parents are reluctant to get their children vaccinated. Surprisingly, the groups of people that are most hesitant to provide vaccinations to their children are those that are college educated. Many are concerned about contracting the disease through vaccination or other medical complications.

Dozens of studies have been conducted that debunk these rumors circling around vaccination. Some people say that since epidemics like the mumps or measles are not wide spread, there is no need for vaccines. What they fail to realize, however, is that the reason that these diseases are no longer a wide spread problem is that vaccines have, in large part, eliminated them.