What is this new study all about that MMR does not cause autism for sure?

[Guest guest]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?

pid=20601085 & sid=aFqrZJ.lkXzQ & refer=europe

Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The childhood vaccination that combines

measles, mumps and rubella doesn't raise the risk of developing

autism, according to the largest study to examine a possible link

between the inoculations and the brain disorder.

Researchers found no significant differences in immune response

between a group of autistic children, a group of non- autistic

children with special educational needs, and children who were

developing normally. The study was published in the Archives of

Disease in Childhood today.

Some parents began avoiding the vaccine after a 1998 study of 12

youngsters published in the Lancet medical journal linked the

combined Measles-Mumps-Rubella shot to autism. While 10 of 12 authors

have since retracted that study's findings, the share of U.K.

children being vaccinated fell to 80 percent in 2004 from 92 percent

in 1996.

``We've really gone for every possible control group and we found no

difference,'' Gillian Baird, a professor and children's neurologist

at Guy's Hospital in London and author of the report, said in a phone

interview. ``I hope that this will give parents confidence that they

can have their children vaccinated with MMR.''

Baird and her team examined 250 children born in 1990 and 1991 in

southeast England who had been given the MMR vaccine.

Autism is an umbrella term covering several developmental and

communication disorders that affect as many as 12 of every 1,000

children, the study said. The ``significant'' rise in reported cases

of autism over the past 10 years can likely be attributed to broader

diagnostic criteria and improved detection methods, Baird said.

``This doesn't rule out environmental contributions to the

manifestation of autism, but there is nothing very obvious that

people are pointing to,'' Baird said.

MMR vaccines include MMR II by U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co., Priorix by

London-based GlaxoKline Plc, and Trimovax by Sanofi-Aventis SA's

Sanofi-Pasteur unit. Glaxo spokesman Joss Mathieson declined to

comment, while spokespeople at Sanofi- Pasteur and Merck did not

immediately return calls seeking comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Trista Kelley in London at

tkelley2@...

Last Updated: February 5, 2008 08:40 EST

[Guest guest]

They failed to mentioned other studies where investigators have

found, for example, live measles virus in the cerebral spinal fluid

in children who become autistic after MMR vaccination. Antibodies to

measles virus are elevated in children with autism but not in normal

kids, suggesting that virus-induced autoimmunity may play a causal

role.

>

>

> http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?

> pid=20601085 & sid=aFqrZJ.lkXzQ & refer=europe

>

> Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The childhood vaccination that combines

> measles, mumps and rubella doesn't raise the risk of developing

> autism, according to the largest study to examine a possible link

> between the inoculations and the brain disorder.

>

> Researchers found no significant differences in immune response

> between a group of autistic children, a group of non- autistic

> children with special educational needs, and children who were

> developing normally. The study was published in the Archives of

> Disease in Childhood today.

>

> Some parents began avoiding the vaccine after a 1998 study of 12

> youngsters published in the Lancet medical journal linked the

> combined Measles-Mumps-Rubella shot to autism. While 10 of 12

authors

> have since retracted that study's findings, the share of U.K.

> children being vaccinated fell to 80 percent in 2004 from 92

percent

> in 1996.

>

> ``We've really gone for every possible control group and we found

no

> difference,'' Gillian Baird, a professor and children's neurologist

> at Guy's Hospital in London and author of the report, said in a

phone

> interview. ``I hope that this will give parents confidence that

they

> can have their children vaccinated with MMR.''

>

> Baird and her team examined 250 children born in 1990 and 1991 in

> southeast England who had been given the MMR vaccine.

>

> Autism is an umbrella term covering several developmental and

> communication disorders that affect as many as 12 of every 1,000

> children, the study said. The ``significant'' rise in reported

cases

> of autism over the past 10 years can likely be attributed to

broader

> diagnostic criteria and improved detection methods, Baird said.

>

> ``This doesn't rule out environmental contributions to the

> manifestation of autism, but there is nothing very obvious that

> people are pointing to,'' Baird said.

>

> MMR vaccines include MMR II by U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co., Priorix

by

> London-based GlaxoKline Plc, and Trimovax by Sanofi-Aventis

SA's

> Sanofi-Pasteur unit. Glaxo spokesman Joss Mathieson declined to

> comment, while spokespeople at Sanofi- Pasteur and Merck did not

> immediately return calls seeking comment.

>

> To contact the reporter on this story: Trista Kelley in London at

> tkelley2@...

>

> Last Updated: February 5, 2008 08:40 EST

>