CDC to Study Vaccines and Autism

[Guest guest]

not holding my breath

Sheri

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360.html

Kirby

Author/Journalist

Posted: March 18, 2011 05:46 PM

CDC to Study Vaccines and Autism

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to study autism as a

possible clinical outcome of immunization, as part of its newly adopted

5-year research agenda for vaccine safety, the agency said on its

website.

The CDC will also study mitochondrial dysfunction and the potential risk

for post-vaccine " neurological deterioration, " and convene an

expert panel on the feasibility of studying health outcomes such as

autism among vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

The CDC move comes one month after the federal government's leading

autism body, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

announced a shift in research priorities toward environmental triggers

for autism, which the IACC said could include toxins, biological agents

and " adverse events following immunization. "

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Safety

Office Scientific Agenda indentified the need to research

" Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder

(ASD) " as a possible clinical outcome of vaccination.

The plan also seeks to deternine if the mercury-based preservative

thimerosal is associated with increased risk for " clinically

important tics or Tourette syndrome. " The CDC cited one study

(, NEJM, 2007), which " found that increasing exposure to

mercury from birth to age 7 months was associated with motor and phonic

tics in boys, " and added that " an association between exposure

to thimerosal and tics was found in two earlier studies (s,

Pediatrics, 2004; Verstraeten, Pediatrics, 2003). "

And, noting that the IACC federal autism panel " suggested several

studies including vaccinated versus unvaccinated children to determine if

there are differences in health outcomes, " the CDC said it will

convene an " external expert committee to offer guidance on the

feasibility of conducting such studies and additional studies related to

the immunization schedule, including studies that may indicate if

multiple vaccinations increase risk for immune system

disorders. "

Meanwhile, the IACC has

signaled a major shift in research priorities into the causes of

autism, moving away from purely genetic studies in favor of investigating

the interaction between genes and environmental factors, which it said

could include toxins, biological agents and vaccines.

The IACC, among other things, helps direct millions of federal dollars

into autism research. Until now, the IACC new strategic plan noted,

" the majority of this funding (was) directed toward the

identification of genetic risk factors (with) less funding and attention

toward environmental research. "

A number of environmental factors are now being researched, the IACC

noted, adding that, " Recent studies suggest that factors such as

parental age and exposure to infections, toxins, and other biological

agents may confer environmental risk. These findings require further

investigation. "

As for vaccines, the IACC noted that " Numerous epidemiological

studies have found no relationship between ASD and vaccines containing

the mercury based preservative thimerosal, " the document said.

" These data, as well as subsequent research, indicate that the link

between autism and vaccines is unsupported by the epidemiological

research literature. However, the Institute of Medicine report

acknowledged that the existing population-based studies were limited in

their ability to detect small susceptible subpopulations that could be

more genetically vulnerable to environmental exposures. "

There are several new research initiatives that the IACC has proposed,

including:

Support at least three studies of special populations and

environmental risk factors for ASD in pregnancy and the early postnatal

period, such as toxic exposures and " adverse events following

immunization (such as fever and seizures), and mitochondrial

impairment. " Support at least three studies that focus on the role of epigenetics

(the environmental impact on genes) in the etiology of ASD.

Initiate studies on at least 10 environmental factors identified in

the recommendations from the 2007 IOM report " Autism and the

Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research. "

And, the IACC once again took note that:

Although the National Vaccine Advisory Committee stressed that the

temporal occurrence of this regression and the immunization schedule is

not evidence of a causal relationship, regressive autism warrants further

research in rigorously defined subsets of ASD. In addition, the NVAC

recommended that studies assess whether adverse events following

immunization (e.g., fever and seizures) correlate with risk of

ASD.

The strategic plan also renews the IACC's support for the funding of

at least two studies " to determine if there are subpopulations that

are more susceptible to environmental exposures (e.g., immune challenges

related to infections, vaccinations, or underlying autoimmune

problems). "

Autism has become a " national health emergency, " the federal

panel added

For years, thousands of parents have been exhorting the government to

study adverse events following immunization such as fever and seizures,

in addition to mitochondrial impairment and " subpopulations that are

more susceptible to damage from infections, vaccines and autoimmune

disorders. "

Perhaps now they may finally get their wish.

comments

amdachel 24 minutes ago (9:15 PM)

160 Fans

This is the agency that runs the vaccine program. They're the people

who've told us for years that vaccines are safe; they do not cause

autism. This is the place where hundreds and hundreds of employees have

waivers because they're also receiving money from the pharmaceut­ical

industry. The last head of the CDC, Gerberding­, a long time denier

of any serious side effects from vaccines, is now the head of the vaccine

division at Merck Pharma. Does anyone truly believe that after decades of

saying the science has disproven a link between vaccines and autism, the

CDC would suddenly announce, " Oops, I guess we were wrong. It looks

like vaccines do cause autism " ?

We also need to ask what they mean by vaccinated v. unvaccinat­ed study.

What is needed is independen­t research comparing children who've never

been vaccinated with children who are fully vaccinated according to the

CDC schedule. The CDC can't be the ones doing this research.

Anne Dachel

Media editor: Age of Autism

amdachel: This is the agency that runs the vaccine program. They're

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/amdachel/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81231274.html

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amdachel 25 minutes ago (9:14 PM)

160 Fans

Several things are concerning here. Doing these environmen­tal studies as

part of a 5 year agenda means that health officials get another five

years to play with the numbers and as we know, they can make any

associatio­n disappear.

Your first sentence, " The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

wants to study autism as a possible clinical outcome of

immunizati­on... " should get everyone's attention. Why is the agency

in charge of the vaccine program studying the possible link between their

vaccines and the epidemic of autism? Does anyone expect that this would

really be any type of INDEPENDEN­T RESEARCH?

Anne Dachel

Media editor: Age of Autism

amdachel: Several things are concerning here. Doing these environmental

studies as

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/amdachel/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81231215.html

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Alleviate Autism 2 hours ago (8:05 PM)

11

Fans

Follow

I'm excited to see the " why " of autism is in the hands of the

researcher­s, not left to the parents. Parents need to be freed up to

focus on the " how to " when dealing with autism and their child.

I have consulted so many parents that get caught up in the

" why " they never move forward. Parents need to embrace their

child's diagnosis and move quickly and clearly. The sooner they get their

child services and interventi­on, the better the outcome. Don't wast

valuable time on the " why " , leave that to the researcher­s.

Visit me at alleviatea­utism.com. Transformi­ng parents one autistic

child at a time.

Alleviate_Autism: I'm excited to see the " why " of autism is

in

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Alleviate_Autism/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81224331.html

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dugmaze 56 minutes ago (8:44 PM)

225

Fans

Follow

I think I'll stick to blaming others while trying to prevent other

children from ever getting autism in the first place.

BTW, are your services free?

dugmaze: I think I'll stick to blaming others while trying to

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/dugmaze/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81228286.html

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BermudaTess 2 hours ago (7:56 PM)

0 Fans

I am glad the " why " of autism is in the hands of the

researcher­s where it belongs, not left in the hands of the parents.

Parents need to feel freed to move on and embrace their child's diagnosis

so they can move forward and respond quickly to the needs of their child.

So many parents I have helped spend endless hours finger pointing and

blaming themselves on the " why " when they are wasting precious

time that should be spent on the " how to. " How to provide your

child with the best possible outcome. Visit my blog and website at

alleviatea­utism.com. Transformi­ng parents one autistic child at a time.

BermudaTess: I am glad the " why " of autism is in the

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/BermudaTess/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81223290.html

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dugmaze 3 hours ago (6:55 PM)

225

Fans

Follow

I dunno. Hard to get exicted when I've lost so much faith in people. The

facts are already in the studies and in our everyday lives.

dugmaze: I dunno. Hard to get exicted when I've lost so

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/dugmaze/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81216832.html

Permalink |

Share it

usna73 3 hours ago (6:45 PM)

305 Fans

We have been advocating for comprehens­ive measure like this for over a

decade. Our case in USCFC remains pending. Justice has no expiration

date.

usna73: We have been advocating for comprehensive measure like this

for

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/usna73/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81215815.html

Permalink |

Share it

yaka11 3 hours ago (6:39 PM)

5 Fans

I sure hope this is a step in the right direction!

Maybe people who dont have a stake in this debate will FINALLY be able to

see exactly WHO should be listened to 'within this debate'...

-Maybe now people will start to listen to US PARENTS (both of kids who

were born with Autism, and those who regressed and lost previously

mastered skills like talking/wa­lking/etc)­, or start to LISTEN to our

MEDICAL doctors who are actually starting to TREAT the co-morbid

conditions previously left untreated because the previous consensus was

" bad bellies, allergies, food allergies, asthma, skin issues, poor

sleep, bad immune systems...­well, they just 'come along with

autism " ...

I think its DARN time that people start listening to those who DEAL

DIRECTLY WITH kids/adult­s with Autism...a­nd NOT someone who has no

relation TO Autism...(­ie. Dr Offit, has never treated/se­en/dx'd

ONE child with Autism. EVER., or so many of the other 'professio­nals'

who do not work directly with the Autism community) it only makes sense

to listen to those who DO, right?

Anyway, I think there are just unfortuena­tely way to many of our kids

with Autism now growing older, less money, less funding, but WAY MORE

need for the help! Its a shame its taken this long. I have been saying

since Katrina and wall street, that this is the next big US embarassme­nt

to " come out " ...its coming, I can FEEL IT!

yaka11: I sure hope this is a step in the right

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/yaka11/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81215224.html

Permalink |

Share it

sandygottstein 3 hours ago (6:35 PM)

47 Fans

I'm crossing my fingers. However, it should be noted that under normal

circumstan­ces, a large body of evidence in support of there possibly

being harm from a substance, such as exists for thimerosal­, would be

more than adequate to lend official credence to the notion. Instead we

hear that the notion has been completely

" discredit­ed " .

I recently put together a list of such medical references which are

linked to in this column: Has Thimerosal Been Absolved of Causing Vaccine

Harm?

http://www­.vaccinati­onnews.com­/20110316H­asThimeros­alBeenAbso­lvedGottst­einS

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian

Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Washington State, USA

Vaccines -

http://vaccinationdangers.wordpress.com/ Homeopathy

http://homeopathycures.wordpress.com

Vaccine Dangers, Childhood Disease Classes & Homeopathy

Online/email courses - next classes start March 4

[Guest guest]

not holding my breath

Sheri

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360.html

Kirby

Author/Journalist

Posted: March 18, 2011 05:46 PM

CDC to Study Vaccines and Autism

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants to study autism as a

possible clinical outcome of immunization, as part of its newly adopted

5-year research agenda for vaccine safety, the agency said on its

website.

The CDC will also study mitochondrial dysfunction and the potential risk

for post-vaccine " neurological deterioration, " and convene an

expert panel on the feasibility of studying health outcomes such as

autism among vaccinated and unvaccinated children.

The CDC move comes one month after the federal government's leading

autism body, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

announced a shift in research priorities toward environmental triggers

for autism, which the IACC said could include toxins, biological agents

and " adverse events following immunization. "

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Safety

Office Scientific Agenda indentified the need to research

" Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder

(ASD) " as a possible clinical outcome of vaccination.

The plan also seeks to deternine if the mercury-based preservative

thimerosal is associated with increased risk for " clinically

important tics or Tourette syndrome. " The CDC cited one study

(, NEJM, 2007), which " found that increasing exposure to

mercury from birth to age 7 months was associated with motor and phonic

tics in boys, " and added that " an association between exposure

to thimerosal and tics was found in two earlier studies (s,

Pediatrics, 2004; Verstraeten, Pediatrics, 2003). "

And, noting that the IACC federal autism panel " suggested several

studies including vaccinated versus unvaccinated children to determine if

there are differences in health outcomes, " the CDC said it will

convene an " external expert committee to offer guidance on the

feasibility of conducting such studies and additional studies related to

the immunization schedule, including studies that may indicate if

multiple vaccinations increase risk for immune system

disorders. "

Meanwhile, the IACC has

signaled a major shift in research priorities into the causes of

autism, moving away from purely genetic studies in favor of investigating

the interaction between genes and environmental factors, which it said

could include toxins, biological agents and vaccines.

The IACC, among other things, helps direct millions of federal dollars

into autism research. Until now, the IACC new strategic plan noted,

" the majority of this funding (was) directed toward the

identification of genetic risk factors (with) less funding and attention

toward environmental research. "

A number of environmental factors are now being researched, the IACC

noted, adding that, " Recent studies suggest that factors such as

parental age and exposure to infections, toxins, and other biological

agents may confer environmental risk. These findings require further

investigation. "

As for vaccines, the IACC noted that " Numerous epidemiological

studies have found no relationship between ASD and vaccines containing

the mercury based preservative thimerosal, " the document said.

" These data, as well as subsequent research, indicate that the link

between autism and vaccines is unsupported by the epidemiological

research literature. However, the Institute of Medicine report

acknowledged that the existing population-based studies were limited in

their ability to detect small susceptible subpopulations that could be

more genetically vulnerable to environmental exposures. "

There are several new research initiatives that the IACC has proposed,

including:

Support at least three studies of special populations and

environmental risk factors for ASD in pregnancy and the early postnatal

period, such as toxic exposures and " adverse events following

immunization (such as fever and seizures), and mitochondrial

impairment. " Support at least three studies that focus on the role of epigenetics

(the environmental impact on genes) in the etiology of ASD.

Initiate studies on at least 10 environmental factors identified in

the recommendations from the 2007 IOM report " Autism and the

Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research. "

And, the IACC once again took note that:

Although the National Vaccine Advisory Committee stressed that the

temporal occurrence of this regression and the immunization schedule is

not evidence of a causal relationship, regressive autism warrants further

research in rigorously defined subsets of ASD. In addition, the NVAC

recommended that studies assess whether adverse events following

immunization (e.g., fever and seizures) correlate with risk of

ASD.

The strategic plan also renews the IACC's support for the funding of

at least two studies " to determine if there are subpopulations that

are more susceptible to environmental exposures (e.g., immune challenges

related to infections, vaccinations, or underlying autoimmune

problems). "

Autism has become a " national health emergency, " the federal

panel added

For years, thousands of parents have been exhorting the government to

study adverse events following immunization such as fever and seizures,

in addition to mitochondrial impairment and " subpopulations that are

more susceptible to damage from infections, vaccines and autoimmune

disorders. "

Perhaps now they may finally get their wish.

comments

amdachel 24 minutes ago (9:15 PM)

160 Fans

This is the agency that runs the vaccine program. They're the people

who've told us for years that vaccines are safe; they do not cause

autism. This is the place where hundreds and hundreds of employees have

waivers because they're also receiving money from the pharmaceut­ical

industry. The last head of the CDC, Gerberding­, a long time denier

of any serious side effects from vaccines, is now the head of the vaccine

division at Merck Pharma. Does anyone truly believe that after decades of

saying the science has disproven a link between vaccines and autism, the

CDC would suddenly announce, " Oops, I guess we were wrong. It looks

like vaccines do cause autism " ?

We also need to ask what they mean by vaccinated v. unvaccinat­ed study.

What is needed is independen­t research comparing children who've never

been vaccinated with children who are fully vaccinated according to the

CDC schedule. The CDC can't be the ones doing this research.

Anne Dachel

Media editor: Age of Autism

amdachel: This is the agency that runs the vaccine program. They're

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/amdachel/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81231274.html

Permalink |

Share it

amdachel 25 minutes ago (9:14 PM)

160 Fans

Several things are concerning here. Doing these environmen­tal studies as

part of a 5 year agenda means that health officials get another five

years to play with the numbers and as we know, they can make any

associatio­n disappear.

Your first sentence, " The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

wants to study autism as a possible clinical outcome of

immunizati­on... " should get everyone's attention. Why is the agency

in charge of the vaccine program studying the possible link between their

vaccines and the epidemic of autism? Does anyone expect that this would

really be any type of INDEPENDEN­T RESEARCH?

Anne Dachel

Media editor: Age of Autism

amdachel: Several things are concerning here. Doing these environmental

studies as

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/amdachel/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81231215.html

Permalink |

Share it

Alleviate Autism 2 hours ago (8:05 PM)

11

Fans

Follow

I'm excited to see the " why " of autism is in the hands of the

researcher­s, not left to the parents. Parents need to be freed up to

focus on the " how to " when dealing with autism and their child.

I have consulted so many parents that get caught up in the

" why " they never move forward. Parents need to embrace their

child's diagnosis and move quickly and clearly. The sooner they get their

child services and interventi­on, the better the outcome. Don't wast

valuable time on the " why " , leave that to the researcher­s.

Visit me at alleviatea­utism.com. Transformi­ng parents one autistic

child at a time.

Alleviate_Autism: I'm excited to see the " why " of autism is

in

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Alleviate_Autism/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81224331.html

Permalink |

Share it

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

dugmaze 56 minutes ago (8:44 PM)

225

Fans

Follow

I think I'll stick to blaming others while trying to prevent other

children from ever getting autism in the first place.

BTW, are your services free?

dugmaze: I think I'll stick to blaming others while trying to

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/dugmaze/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81228286.html

Permalink |

Share it

BermudaTess 2 hours ago (7:56 PM)

0 Fans

I am glad the " why " of autism is in the hands of the

researcher­s where it belongs, not left in the hands of the parents.

Parents need to feel freed to move on and embrace their child's diagnosis

so they can move forward and respond quickly to the needs of their child.

So many parents I have helped spend endless hours finger pointing and

blaming themselves on the " why " when they are wasting precious

time that should be spent on the " how to. " How to provide your

child with the best possible outcome. Visit my blog and website at

alleviatea­utism.com. Transformi­ng parents one autistic child at a time.

BermudaTess: I am glad the " why " of autism is in the

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/BermudaTess/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81223290.html

Permalink |

Share it

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

dugmaze 3 hours ago (6:55 PM)

225

Fans

Follow

I dunno. Hard to get exicted when I've lost so much faith in people. The

facts are already in the studies and in our everyday lives.

dugmaze: I dunno. Hard to get exicted when I've lost so

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/dugmaze/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81216832.html

Permalink |

Share it

usna73 3 hours ago (6:45 PM)

305 Fans

We have been advocating for comprehens­ive measure like this for over a

decade. Our case in USCFC remains pending. Justice has no expiration

date.

usna73: We have been advocating for comprehensive measure like this

for

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/usna73/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81215815.html

Permalink |

Share it

yaka11 3 hours ago (6:39 PM)

5 Fans

I sure hope this is a step in the right direction!

Maybe people who dont have a stake in this debate will FINALLY be able to

see exactly WHO should be listened to 'within this debate'...

-Maybe now people will start to listen to US PARENTS (both of kids who

were born with Autism, and those who regressed and lost previously

mastered skills like talking/wa­lking/etc)­, or start to LISTEN to our

MEDICAL doctors who are actually starting to TREAT the co-morbid

conditions previously left untreated because the previous consensus was

" bad bellies, allergies, food allergies, asthma, skin issues, poor

sleep, bad immune systems...­well, they just 'come along with

autism " ...

I think its DARN time that people start listening to those who DEAL

DIRECTLY WITH kids/adult­s with Autism...a­nd NOT someone who has no

relation TO Autism...(­ie. Dr Offit, has never treated/se­en/dx'd

ONE child with Autism. EVER., or so many of the other 'professio­nals'

who do not work directly with the Autism community) it only makes sense

to listen to those who DO, right?

Anyway, I think there are just unfortuena­tely way to many of our kids

with Autism now growing older, less money, less funding, but WAY MORE

need for the help! Its a shame its taken this long. I have been saying

since Katrina and wall street, that this is the next big US embarassme­nt

to " come out " ...its coming, I can FEEL IT!

yaka11: I sure hope this is a step in the right

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/yaka11/cdc-to-study-vaccines-and_b_837360_81215224.html

Permalink |

Share it

sandygottstein 3 hours ago (6:35 PM)

47 Fans

I'm crossing my fingers. However, it should be noted that under normal

circumstan­ces, a large body of evidence in support of there possibly

being harm from a substance, such as exists for thimerosal­, would be

more than adequate to lend official credence to the notion. Instead we

hear that the notion has been completely

" discredit­ed " .

I recently put together a list of such medical references which are

linked to in this column: Has Thimerosal Been Absolved of Causing Vaccine

Harm?

http://www­.vaccinati­onnews.com­/20110316H­asThimeros­alBeenAbso­lvedGottst­einS

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian

Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Washington State, USA

Vaccines -

http://vaccinationdangers.wordpress.com/ Homeopathy

http://homeopathycures.wordpress.com

Vaccine Dangers, Childhood Disease Classes & Homeopathy

Online/email courses - next classes start March 4