"Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear -- genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities. We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes -- vaccines -- are all in the research agenda."
"We need to keep (environmental) studies going...We're looking at the possible effects of metals, pesticides and infectious agents on neurodevelopment. If we're going to stop the rise in autism in California, we need to keep these studies going and expand them to the extent possible."
- Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Ph.D., professor of environmental and occupational health and epidemiology, UC Davis
"It irritates me to no end that we still argue over whether there is an increase in incidence [of autism]. I think there is lots of evidence for increased incidence. Overwhelmingly it supports that there are things in the environment that are contributing to the rate of incidence. But people still argue."
- Michael Merzenich, Ph.D., neuroscientist, UCSF
It is confusing for parents to read many of the comments in the mainstream media about autism and other neurological disorders ("NDs"). Typically, these NDs are described as having "no known cause and no known cure" and any link between vaccines and NDs is typically said to have been "disproven."
In fact, the evidence supporting the position that NDs like autism and ADHD are environmental illnesses with vaccines as a primary trigger is well documented, published in peer-reviewed journals, and growing every day.
Please note that we feel very strongly that more work needs to be done, but the studies below are helping to support a foundation of understanding about autism and its relationship to the environment in general and vaccines in particular. They also tell us something most parents already know full well: children with autism are also suffering from a wide range of medical problems.
What this recent science appears to be telling us:
The prevalence of neurological disorders amongst children is growing, which means the environment must be the trigger (because genetic conditions can only grow at the rate of population growth.)
We cite five published studies that support this position:
In discussing her findings, Dr. Hertz-Picciotto said, "It’s time to start looking for the environmental culprits responsible for the remarkable increase in the rate of autism in California."
Using data from California, the state perceived to maintain the best data on autism, this report demonstrates clearly that the rise in autism is not due to improved diagnosis and expanded diagnostic criteria, but is rather a REAL rise for which some external factor must be playing a role.
This study shows that the rise in the incidence of autism is real and that the greatest increase took place between 1987 and 1992, which matches the timing of the near-tripling of vaccines given to our children and the tripling of mercury within those vaccines.
This detailed analysis of reported rates of autism in the United States and United Kingdom serves to further refute the assertion made by some that the "epidemic" of autism is nothing more than better diagnosis.
Children who receive the entire 3-shot series of Hepatitis B Vaccine have a 9x higher rate of developmental disabilities than unvaccinated children.
This is the first of a multi-phase study vaccinating primates and comparing the primates to unvaccinated peers. It mirrors the vaccination schedule in the U.S. The first phase found a significant difference between monkeys vaccinated with the Hepatitis B vaccine and unvaccinated monkeys. This study has become controversial, read a statement from Jenny McCarthy.
Vaccinated children have higher rates of autism and ADHD than unvaccinated children.
Note: This study doesn't consider autism. We are providing it here because it supports the idea that a safer vaccine schedule may reduce immune system disregulation, a common problem for children with autism.
When environmental toxicity in children with neurological disorders like autism is measured, it is meaningfully higher than neurotypical (normal) children.
We cite five published studies that support this position:
This study from France utilizes a new and sophisticated measurement for environmental toxicity by assessing porphyrin levels in autistic children. It provides clear and unequivocal evidence that children with autism spectrum disorders are more toxic than their neurotypical peers.
This study shows, through active chelation with DMSA, that autistic children excrete significantly higher levels of mercury than their neurotypical peers, leading to the conclusion that autistic children bear a much higher load of mercury in their bodies and that chelation may be an effective treatment for removing the mercury.
This study reviewed the case histories and medical profiles of nine autistic children and concluded that eight of the nine children were mercury toxic and this toxicity manifested itself in a manner consistent with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
This study demonstrates that the levels of mercury in the birth hair of autistic children were significantly lower than their control peers. While this may at first appear contradictory, it highlights one of the critical insights to understanding mercury poisoning and autistic children: many autistic children are non-excretors of mercury. This means their capacity to excrete mercury is significantly lower than their neurotypical peers and contributes to their condition.
The brains of children with neurological disorders are experiencing severe oxidative stress and inflammation, suggesting an environmental cause.
We cite four published studies that support this position:
This study helps refute the notion that the brains of autistic children are simply wired differently and notes, "neuroinflammation appears to be present in autistic brain tissue from childhood through adulthood." Dr. Herbert suggests that chronic disease or an external environmental source (like heavy metals) may be causing the inflammation.
This study, performed independently and using a different methodology than Dr. Herbert (see above) reached the same conclusion: the brains of autistic children are suffering from inflammation.
This article discusses the evidence for the case that some children with autism may become autistic from neuronal cell death or brain damage sometime after birth as result of insult; and addresses the hypotheses that toxicity and oxidative stress may be a cause of neuronal insult in autism..the article discusses what may be happening over the course of development and the multiple factors that may interplay and make these children more vulnerable to toxicity, oxidative stress, and neuronal insult.
This study provides a helpful overview of the growing evidence supporting the link between oxidative stress and autism.
Children with neurological disorders are often suffering from severe gastrointestinal distress and inflammation. A trigger of this inflammation and the resultant behaviors is the MMR vaccine.
We cite four published studies that support this position:
This study has recently become controversial because it was withdrawn by The Lancet. It is worth noting that Dr. Wakefield’s finding of bowel disease in children with autism has been replicated several times. Please read a statement from Jenny McCarthy regarding this important work.
This study demonstrates that, to a much higher degree, children with an autism spectrum disorder suffer from Ileo-Colonic Lymphoid Nodular Hyperplasia (LNH) a serious disorder of the intestinal tract.
This study measured mercury levels in infants before and after the administration of a Hepatitis B vaccine containing Thimerosal and found that a "comparison of pre and post-vaccination mercury levels showed a significant increase in both preterm and term infants after vaccination."
This study demonstrates clearly and unequivocally that ethyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in vaccines, not only ends up in the brain, but leaves double the amount of inorganic mercury as methyl mercury, the kind of mercury found in fish. This work is groundbreaking because little is known about ethyl mercury, and many health authorities have asserted that the mercury found in vaccines is the "safe kind." This study also delivers a strong rebuke of the Institute of Medicine's recommendation in 2004 to no longer pursue the mercury-autism connection.
Higher levels of environmental mercury has been shown to produce higher rates of autism.
We cite one published study that supports this position:
The preservatives in vaccines, most notably Thimerosal (mercury) and aluminum, are highly toxic and damaging to the nervous system and immune system of a developing child, and reactions to these toxins may vary greatly by child.
We cite nine published studies that support this position:
This recent study demonstrates that Thimerosal lowers or inhibits the body's ability to produce Glutathione, an antioxidant and the body's primary cellular-level defense against mercury.
This study demonstrates how Thimerosal inhibits methylation, a central driver of cellular communication and development. Excerpt: "The potent inhibition of this pathway [methylation] by ethanol, lead, mercury, aluminum, and thimerosal suggests it may be an important target of neurodevelopmental toxins."
This recent work by Columbia University Doctors explores whether genes are important in determining if mercury exposures akin to those in childhood immunizations can disrupt brain development and function. It is the first known scientific study done specifically on ethlymercury administered in a way similar to the vaccine schedule. Dr. Hornig discussed the study before Congress in September 2004.
This simple but groundbreaking work spelled it out for the layperson by demonstrating that the symptoms of autism and the symptoms of mercury poisoning are identical.
The Government Reform Committee of the U.S. Congress has published reports on the relationship between mercury and autism and on the conflicts in policy-making for the national immunization schedule.
We cite two studies by the Committee on Government Reform of the U.S. Congress:
This extensive report was prepared by the staff of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness and was the result of a three-year investigation. The Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Congressman Dan Burton, initiated the investigation and compiled the testimony of hundreds of researchers and physicians, as well as representatives from the FDA and CDC, who presented to the committee.
Here's Bernadine Healy, M.D., Former Director of the National Institutes of Health, talking to CBS Evening News about the research into the causes of autism:
"We have to take another look at that hypothesis [that vaccines are triggering autism in certain children], not deny it. I think we have the tools today that we didn't have 10 years ago, 20 yrs ago, to try and tease that out and find out if there is a susceptible group...
A susceptible group does not mean that vaccines are not good. What a susceptible group will tell us is that maybe there is a group of individual who shouldn't have a particular vaccine or shouldn't have vaccines on the same schedule...
I don't believe that if we identify the susceptibility group, if we identify a particular risk factor for vaccines or if we found out that maybe they should be spread out a little longer, I do not believe that the public would lose faith in vaccines...
I think that the government or certain public officials in the government have been too quick to dismiss the concerns of these families without studying the population that got sick...
I haven't seen major studies that focus on 300 kids who got autistic symptoms within a period of a few weeks of a vaccine...
I think public health officials have been too quick to dismiss the hypothesis as irrational without sufficient studies of causation...
I think they have been too quick to dismiss studies in the animal laboratory either in mice, in primates, that do show some concerns with regard to certain vaccines and also to the mercury preservative in vaccines...
The reason why they didn't want to look for those susceptibility groups was because they were afraid that if they found them, however big or small they were, that that would scare the public...
I don't think you should ever turn your back on any scientific hypothesis because you're afraid of what it might show..?
Populations do not test causality, they test associations. You have to go into the laboratory and you have to do designed research studies in animals...
The fact that there is concern that you don't want to know that susceptible group is a real disappointment to me. You can save those children...
The more you delve into it, if you look at the basic science, if you look at the research that's been done on animals. If you also look at some of these individual cases and if you look at the evidence that there is no link what I come away with is the question has not been answered."
