Shattock UPDATE

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http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2008/04/27/north-doc-calls-for-p\

robe-into-jab-claims-79310-20825960/

North doc calls for probe into jab claims

Apr 27 2008

by Phil Doherty, Sunday Sun

THE Government has been slammed by a North expert for refusing to fund

research into possible links between autism and vaccines when it is

top of the agenda for US presidential candidates.

Democratic hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as well as

Republican nominee McCain last week pledged to provide cash

following the case of Hannah Poling, aged nine, from Georgia in the

US, if they won the race to the White House.

The Sunday Sun revealed a court ruled that Hannah developed autism

after receiving a cocktail of jabs.

Experts fear her condition might have been triggered by two of the

vaccinations which contained thiomerosal, a mercury-based

preservative, which reacted with a DNA defect in Hannah's body.

It comes at a time when Dr Wakefield is before the UK's General

Medical Council facing a charge of misconduct originating from his

claims of a possible link between autism and the MMR jab.

Shattock, head of Sunderland University's Autism Research Unit,

said: " It is time the British Government investigated this issue properly.

" We are not saying this is the cause — or the full cause — of the

problem but it should be researched correctly.

" But this means the Government will have talk to other experts and not

just their friends in the drug companies who have a vested interest.

" The problem is that when research is controlled by people who have a

vested interest in the subject the study could be seriously flawed. "

A US court ruled Hannah should receive compensation. Her five

inoculations included Measles Mumps and Rubella — MMR — whooping

cough, polio and diphtheria.

According to research, only 0.2 per cent of the general population

have the DNA defect compared to 38pc of autism sufferers.

Mercury has now been removed from child UK vaccines. However, it has

long been the suspicion of some that before its removal it contributed

to autism levels here.

It was in 1998 Dr Wakefield, then working at London's Royal Free

Hospital, first suggested a link between the MMR triple jab and an

increased risk of developing autism.

The British Government has always denied any link, pointing to a

series of studies backing its claims, the latest published recently by

a team of researchers from London's Guy's and St 's Hospital.

A Department of Health spokeswoman, said: " The evidence is clear,

there is no link between vaccines and autism.

" The childhood immunisation programme continues to be a cornerstone of

public health protection in this country. "

Defence in tatters

HEALTH bosses have been left red-faced after it emerged an autistic

boy they put forward as a " guinea pig " to see if vaccines cause the

condition has the same DNA damage as a previous case they dismissed as

" extremely rare " .

When the US Vaccine Court ruled Hannah Poling's autism had been caused

by vaccines aggravating an underlying DNA condition, health officials

tried to play it down saying she was a one off case.

She was withdrawn as one of three test cases from the huge class

action involving 4900 autistic children and replaced with the boy.

But now claims that Hannah is an " isolated, unusual case " have been

left in tatters after it emerged the boy has the same DNA markers as

she has, suggesting he too has DNA damaged by the inoculations.

According to research mitochondria DNA dysfunction in autistic

children who have the regressive form of the condition could be as

high as 38 per cent.

In the general population it is 0.2pc.

The crisis has forced the US Government to examine whether they are

vaccinating children too early.