Interesting story today - a family is suing vaccine manufacturers because they claim their child has autism caused by a measles vaccine. They want compensation from the fund set up by our government to care for their child, who will probably never be able to care for herself.

I had forgotten about the Vaccine Injuries Compensation Fund. The FDA, always so wonderful at taking money from Big Pharma protecting the public, has definitively declared there is "No Evidence of Harm". This was something I couldn't quite wrap my mind around - what did our government have to gain by denying an autism/vaccine link? Now I know, at least part of the story. Evidence of Harm, BTW, is David Kirby's take on the whole matter.

The case is the first of over 5,000 that have been filed - no evidence of harm, indeed. Even if these 5000 families are improperly blaming thimerosol, it behooves our government to find out why autism is increasing, despite advances in healthcare, better educational opportunities and early interventions, and improved nutrition. Okay, scratch the improved nutrition - and don't feed me the line "We're just better at diagnosing it". You really think doctors 40 years ago just didnt' notice children who developed normally, then suddenly couldn't communicate, dress themselves, or interact with others? Give me a break.

The story in the paper blames thimerosol, a mercury based preservative widely used in older vaccines but no longer used in modern children's vaccinations. It is still in use in flu shots, however.

Vaccines often also contain aluminum, not normally something people worry about, until you start injecting it into your body along with fluids designed to send your immune system into overdrive. Metals do affect your health, and some people are more sensitive than others. My son's behavioral disorder is helped by decreasing extra copper and heavily supplementing zinc, for example; there is a nutritional deficiency, called pyroluria, that involves zinc and B vitamins; very many mental patients have this deficiency, and studies have shown they are helped immensely just by normalizing their zinc levels.

It will be interesting to see how the trial pans out, and what it could mean for families harmed by vaccines.


NOTE: I am not against vaccinating children. Vaccines have been very useful in saving many lives. However, I don't think they are necessarily the right choice for everyone, based on personal circumstances, and I don't think the risks and adverse effects have been properly disclosed to parents.

Labels: In The News, vaccines