FW: MMR & AUTISM: MORE RESEARCH SAYS UK NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY

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> " Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

> MMR & Autism: More Research Says UK National Autistic Society

>

> http://www.oneworld.org/autism_uk/news/mmr.html

>

> The National Autistic Society (NAS) is concerned that current data

> reveals a dramatic increase in the incidence of autistic spectrum

disorders

> in the years since 1988 in the UK. This worrying trend needs urgent

> investigation. Can it be explained by increased awareness of autism and

> Asperger syndrome alone? Or is there an environmental cause, as yet

unknown?

> Studies commissioned by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines

> sought to establish whether there was a connection between measles, mumps

> and rubella (MMR) vaccines and later autism. (1,2)

> The epidemiological study by et al (1) also reports that

> diagnoses of autistic spectrum disorders could not always be independently

> verified. The National Autistic Society is concerned that case notes were

> often inadequate and data incomplete and did not take account of the full

> autistic spectrum. Many children are not identified on registers as having

> autism but might be identified as having a social or communication

disorder

> or a pervasive developmental disorder. And recent research (3) by The

> National Autistic Society has demonstrated that 40% of parents wait more

> than three years for a diagnosis for their child and 10% waited ten years

or

> more. This suggests an urgent need for improved training among

professionals

> working in this area.

> It is difficult to assess temporal trends in the incidence of autism

> due to changes in referral pattern and diagnostic criteria. More

basically,

> however, the epidemiological data is simply not collected in the UK. The

> National Autistic Society would welcome the collection of epidemiological

> data on the incidence of autistic spectrum disorders. Rigorous

> epidemiological study of large populations of children would help to

resolve

> the many questions of prevalence and causation in autism.

> Parents are often confused by media reports on this subject. A

leaflet

> summarising the issues is available from the Health Education Authority.

> However, the NAS has been contacted by large numbers of parents concerned

> about the possibility of their child contracting an autistic spectrum

> condition following the MMR vaccination. If parents are still concerned

> about the possible risks (particularly if they already have a child with

> autism or the child to be vaccinated already shows some risk factors) they

> should consult their GP for further advice. The National Autistic Society

> shares parents' concerns that vaccines used should be as safe as is

> possible.

> The general medical consensus, supported by the Department of Health

> and the World Health Organisation, is that childhood immunisation has

> provided vast benefits to millions of people both in the UK and world-wide

> and should be continued. The general medical advice is to have children

> vaccinated.

>

> References:

> 1 , B. et al. (1999) Autism and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine:

> no epidemiological evidence for a causal association. The Lancet, 353, 12

> June, pp 2026-2029.

> 2 Committee on the Safety of Medicines. Working Party on MMR Vaccine.

(1999)

> The safety of MMR vaccine. Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance, 25,

June,

> pp 9-10. Stirling, A. and Prior, A. (1999) Opening the door. London:

> National Autistic Society.

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