UK: Sunday Sun - Court links MMR to autism

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Sunday Sun

Court links MMR to autism

Mar 9 2008

by Phil Doherty, Sunday Sun

FAMILIES who blamed the MMR jab for their children’s autism may be

vindicated by a landmark court case.

The Government has denied a link between the immunisation and autism, but a

US court ruled that a girl did dev- elop the condition after a series of jabs.

The vaccines reacted with a DNA defect in her body . . . a defect found in

38 per cent of those with autism.

The ruling was made last November but “sealed” — or not made public — until

a compensation figure was agreed.

However, details of it have been leaked to the Sunday Sun, and we

understand there are a further 4900 similar cases to be heard in the US.

thought the disorder in the girl was triggered by the existence of mercury,

used to make the vaccines more efficient.

Mercury has now been removed from child vaccines in the UK but many parents

whose child developed autism when it was in use will feel the case backs up

their suspicions.

The developments are being watched closely by experts in the UK.

They include Shattock, head of Sunderland University’s Autism Research

Unit. He said: “No one has ever claimed vaccines caused all autism, which

can have many different routes, but around seven per cent of parents say

their child was developing normally until they were immunised.

“There is now a link to vindicate their view and this has been proven in

court.”

It was in 1998 that Dr Wakefield, then working at London’s Royal

Free Hospital, first suggested a link between the triple jab for measles,

mumps and rubella and an increased risk of autism and bowel disorders.

He is currently before the General Medical Council facing allegations of

misconduct.

The British Government has always denied such a link, pointing to a series

of studies backing its claims, the latest published last month by a team

led by London’s Guy’s and St ’s Hospital.

The US Court ruling concerned Hannah Poling, nine, from Georgia. She

received five vaccinations, including MMR, diphtheria, whooping cough and

polio, two of which contained thiomerosal, a mercury-based preservative.

Thiomerosal was phased out from all UK vaccines from 2004 but was used in

vaccines before this date.

After the ruling, the US Government said it wasn’t the vaccines which

caused her autism, but a DNA defect in those who were inoculated which was

triggered by the jab.

According to research, just 0.2 per cent of the general population have the

defect, compared to at least 38pc of autism patients.

Jackie Fletcher, founder of Jabs, a support group for vaccine-damaged

children, said: “This is significant precedent and it’s vital the

Department of Health put in a screening programme for this defect before

children are given jabs.

“We know a number of autistic children in the UK had more than one vaccine

on the same day . . . exactly the same as the America girl.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: “The evidence is clear. There is

no link between vaccines and autism.

“MMR is the safest and most effective way of protecting children from

measles, mumps and rubella.

“This issue relates to one child with an extremely rare metabolic genetic

condition. In the US, rates of autism have continued to rise since mercury

was removed from its vaccines.

“This case has no relevance therefore for vaccination in the UK.”

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Sunday Sun

9/3/08

Dad's relief at verdict

, wife Doreen, daughter Jane and son

DAD Wescott — who said his daughter Jane, now 16, developed autism

after she was given the MMR jab — said the US decision has vindicated his

stance.

, of North Tyneside, said: “I feel justified by this ruling as this is

what we have been saying all along.

“But it’s like banging your head up against a brick wall getting the UK

Government to admit the same thing.

“Our daughter changed within two weeks of having the MMR jab.

“Before that, she was a normal little girl who had all the normal

developments expected of her age. After the jabs she stopped walking and

talking.

“What happened to her had a devastating effect on all our family.

“Although she talks more now than she did in the past, it’s still like

having an infant in the house rather than a teenager.

“It’s a life sentence not only for us but, more importantly, for Jane.

“I’m angry that the UK Government will not admit something has gone wrong.

It is more interested in saving money than helping families like ours find

out the truth.

“The only people who have benefited out of this mess are the lawyers and

big drug companies.”

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

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine Dangers &

Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in March