Concern over controversial autism drug

August 11, 2010

August 2010

Health

Jim Giles, contributor

One of the most controversial and potentially dangerous treatments for autism

has gained another small foothold in the United States.

Lupron, a drug that lowers testosterone in men and oestrogen in women, is

licensed for the treatment of prostate cancer - but Mark and Geier, a

father-and-son team of self-proclaimed autism specialists, claim that the drug

can also be used to tackle autism.

The Geier's were reported last year to have won converts among doctors in

several states. Now it appears that the drug is being offered to children in

Florida as a treatment for autism.

The spread of Lupron says more about the lack of treatments for autism than it

does about the drug's efficacy. The Geiers say the drug helps flush heavy metals

such as mercury - which they consider a cause of the condition - from the body.

Yet repeated studies have failed to find a link between heavy metals and autism.

In a consensus statement issued last year, a group of pediatricians said there

was no evidence to support the use of Lupron.

Neurologist BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism

group, confirms this opinion in an interview with the Los Angeles Times:

Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments,

there are several major concerns for the children's health

The concerns surround the potential side effects of the drug.The US Federal Drug

Administration is currently investigating a potential link between Lupron and

diabetes and heart disease. If used in large doses the drug can also delay

puberty.

Despite the reports of more doctors offering Lupron therapy, parents of children

with autism appear to be cautious about the treatment.

The Interactive Autism Network, based at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in

Baltimore, land, has data on around 7000 US families that include children

with autism. The data shows that many untested treatments, particularly special

diets, are widely used, but none of the families in the database has reported

using Lupron.

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