Key realities about autism, vaccines, vaccine-injury compensation, Thimerosal, and autism-related research

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http://www.whale.to/vaccine/king.htmlKey realities about autism, vaccines, vaccine-injury compensation, Thimerosal, and autism-related researchby P.G. King and G.S. Goldman/MedicalVeritas 5 (2008) 1610ñ1644© Copyright 2008, Medical Veritas International, Inc. All rights reserved.[pdf version] Key realities about autism, vaccines, vaccine-injury compensation, Thimerosal, and autism-related research----Gary S. Goldman, Ph.D. & P.G. King PhD.    www.MedicalVeritas.com/vaccinemyth.pdfExtractsAbstract 1. Fundamental Autism Realities Autism myth #1: Autism is a disorder whose cause is unknown. Autism myth #2: Those having a diagnosis of autism or a diagnosis of mercury poisoning do not have the same symptoms. Autism myth #3: Evidence is accumulating that autism is largely a genetic disorder (Szatmari 2008). Autism myth #4: The families that have children who regressed into autism have always been anti-vaccine. Autism myth #5: The autism ìepidemicî does not represent a true increase in the disorder, but rather is an artifact of expanding the diagnosis (now referred to as autism spectrum disorder, ASD) and increased surveillance (Taylor 2006). Autism myth #6: The science involving vaccines and autism is complex, making it difficult for the average person to sift through all the misdirection and misinformation. Autism myth #7: Currently, the evidence leads to the firm conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism. II. Key Vaccine Realities Vaccine myth #1: Vaccines are one of the most successful programs in modern health care, reducing, and in some cases even eliminating, serious infectious diseases. Vaccine myth #2: Public support for the vaccination program remains strong, especially in the United States where vaccination rates are currently at an all-time high of greater than 95% (CDC 2004). Vaccine myth #3: Despite a long history of safety and effectiveness, vaccines have always had their critics: some parents and a tiny fringe of doctors question whether vaccinating children is worth what they perceive as the risks. Vaccine myth #4: Vaccines, like most medical interventions, are not without risk; however, the benefits far outweigh those risks. Vaccine myth #5: There are multiple independent lines of evidence that indicate vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccine myth #6: The findings in the epidemiological studies relied upon by the 2004 IOM have been proven to be scientifically sound. Vaccine myth #7: Robert Kennedy Jr. and others point to dubious evidence, such as the myth that the Amish do not vaccinate and do not get autism. Both of these claims are not true, and the data RFK Jr. refers to is nothing more than a very unscientific phone survey (Leitch 2007). Vaccine myth #8: A victory for the anti-vaccination activists would undermine public confidence in what is arguably the single most effective public health measure devised by modern science. Vaccine myth #9: There is an anti-vaccination movement that threatens the effectiveness of public health programs. Vaccine myth #10: The decrease in public confidence in the current U.S. national vaccination programs from the disclosure of the factual risks and harms inherent in each vaccine will lead, as it has before, to declining vaccination compliance and an increase in infectious disease. Vaccine myth #11: The anti-vaccination movement is largely based on poor science; and fear mongering has become more vocal and even hostile (Hughes 2007) III. Key realities concerning the NVICP (National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program) and recent Poling Case NVICP myth #1:  NVICP myth #2:  NVICP myth #3  Poling/NVICP myth #4:  NVICP myth #5:  NVICP myth #6:  NVICP myth #7:  NVICP myth #8: IV. Key Thimerosal Facts Thimerosal myth #1: myth #2:  myth #3:  myth #4:  myth #5:  myth #6: myth #7:  myth #8: myth #9: myth #10 myth #11: myth #12: myth #13: myth #14: myth #15:  myth #16:  myth #17: V. Key realities concerning Wakefield/Geierís Research Wakefield/Geierís research myth #1: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #2: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #4: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #5: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #6: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #7: Chelation Therapy Hormonal Therapy Wakefield/Geierís research myth #8: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #9: Wakefield/Geierís research myth #10: ConclusionAbstract The propaganda dispensed by Public health care and vaccine apologists is, at best, a weak attempt to rationalize the healthcare establishmentís positions using all the tools of doublespeak or, as George Orwellís called it in his book 1984, ìnewspeakî, to: (a) mislead, (b) distort reality, © pretend to communicate, (d) make the bad seem good, (e) avoid and/or shift responsibility, (f) make the negative appear positive, (g) create a false verbal map of the world, and (h) create dissonance between reality and what their narrative said or did not say.Such propaganda often relies on half-truths and/or superficially logical, but foundationally flawed, phrasing. However, this propaganda is fundamentally flawed and based on pseudo-science or non-reviewable statistical studies of medical records, where, contrary to ethical science, the study design, data selection/rejection criteria, exact approach used to evaluate the data, and/or the original data itself are kept confidential making independent evaluation/verification of the published findings impossible. A review of the statements from an article in the November 1, 2007 issue of the Skeptical Inquirer that is entitled ìVaccines and Autism: Myths and Misconceptionsî by Steven Novella, MD (which was found online at http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-170731919.html ) triggered this presentation of the factual realities that rebut the myths/misconceptions presented in that article and/or in similar articles published and/or underwritten by the purveyors of vaccines and vaccination recommendations. Each myth/misconception is summarized in a short statement and then addressed by presenting the factual reality and when appropriate, providing peer reviewed references that support this reality.1. Fundamental Autism RealitiesAutism myth #1: Autism is a disorder whose cause is unknown.Reality: Autism is a disorder that is diagnosed by a defined set of symptoms/behaviors (according to the DSM-IV or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 4th edition) that are known to have multiple causes, some of which are known (e.g., Thalidomide, alcohol consumption, and synthetic retinoids [synthetic Vitamin A derivatives] taken during pregnancy, and poisoning by heavy metals such as lead and mercury [most recently, via Thimerosal]).1 In general, there are two recognized types of autism: congenital and regressive (or delayed-onset) autism. However, with the recommendations: a) to inoculate pregnant women with a potential Rh-factor blood incompatibility with a Thimerosal-preserved serum (a Rho(D) serum) at 28 weeks, during any amniocentesis or spotting episode in the late 1980s to early 2000s)2 and b), starting in 2002, to vaccinate pregnant woman with influenza vaccines that are Thimerosal-preserved,3 it has obviously become increasingly difficult to differentiate between these two types of autism.[cont'd on site] =====In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.