No Linkage Between Vaccine and Autism
Earlier I published a research on the no linkage between MMR and Autism, recently there is another research supporting this.
The extensive review, published in the February 15, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, summarizes the many studies refuting the claim of a link between vaccines and autism. The review looks at the three main hypotheses and shows how epidemiological and biological studies refute these claims.
Increase Cases of Haemophilus influenzae and Measles
Fears about vaccines are pushing down immunization rates and having a real impact on public health. Vaccine refusal is contributing to the current increase in Haemophilus influenzae cases in Minnesota . It includes the death of one child and was a factor in last year’s measles outbreak in California.
Merely Coincident?
The controversy began with a 1998 study in The Lancet that suggested a link between the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. This time, the researchers reviewed more than a dozen large studies, conducted in five different countries, that used different methods to address the issue, and concluded that no data supported the association between the MMR vaccine and autism.
The Researchers conclude that the correlation between MMR vaccine and the appearance of autism symptoms is merely coincidental because the MMR vaccine is given at the age when autism symptoms usually appear.
Also hypothesized as a cause has been the ethylmercury-containing preservative thimerosal, which was used in vaccines for over 50 years. However, the Researchers review seven studies from five countries that show that the presence or absence of thimerosal in vaccines did not affect autism rates.
Multiple Vaccines Weakens Immunization
The third suggestion has been that the simultaneous administration of multiple vaccines overwhelms or weakens the immune system. The authors explain that children’s immune systems routinely handle much more than the relatively small amount of material contained in vaccines. Furthermore, today’s vaccines contain many fewer immune-triggering components than those from decades past. Regardless, autism is not triggered by an immune response, the authors say.
MMR or Not MMR?
With outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases on the rise due to some worried parents choosing not to vaccinate their children, Dr. Offit said, “Parents should realize that a choice not to get a vaccine is not a risk-free choice. It’s just a choice to take a different, and far more serious, risk.”
What Do You Think? Will you give your child MMR or Not?
Thimerosal Does Not Affect Autism Rates
