Blame Game: Health Officials Blame Their Vaccine Program Failures on Autism Concerned Parents

The past 2 years have seen an onslaught of attacks on anyone who raises any questions about vaccine safety and in particular against anyone who suggests that vaccines might be implicated in causing or triggering autism disorders in some children.  Dr. Paul Offit has been the New York Times go to guy in promoting vaccine programs for almost a decade. His crusade to prevent discussion of possible autism vaccine connections was kick started with his New York Times Op-Ed "contribution" in March 2008 criticizing the results of the Hannah Poling case. 

With that opinion Dr. Offit expanded his unquestioned status as a vaccine expert to include his self appointed/self anointed status as an autism expert AND as a legal expert. The Offit Offensive began in full force in January 2009 with the New York Times' ceaseless coverage of  Offit's False Prophets and his drive to shut down discussion of vaccine safety issues.  The criticism of those who raise autism and safety issues has intensified with the ceaseless attacks on Dr. Andrew Wakefield and the unproven fraud allegation of the  BMJ (after the fact admitter of conflicts) and its adoptee  Brian Deer.

The result of the Offit Offensive? After years of attacking vaccine questioners public health authorities continue to see declines in vaccination rates and continue to blame those who question vaccine safety particularly those who are concerned about possible vaccine autism connections.  In just the most recent example in the news Minnesota doctors and health authorities are again tying declining measles vaccination rates and increased measles outbreaks to "erroneous" allegations of vaccine autism connections. 

As the parent of fully vaccinated sons I have never blamed vaccines for my younger son's autistic disorder and profound developmental delays.  I myself receive vaccines when I think them necessary or when advised by my family doctor. I believe vaccines to be important public health tools but like all of man's inventions I do not believe that they are  flawless.  Vaccines have caused injury in the past.  That is fact and it is reasonable for people to ask questions about the safety of vaccines.  The anecdotal evidence of vaccine autism connections, even acknowledging the weakness of anecdotal evidence, can not be ignored unless and until strong studies are done to convince parents that what they believe they have seen is not what really caused their children to lapse into a serious neurological disordered condition.  Failure to persuade the public is the failure of the health authorities and the persuasion strategies they have adopted to promote vaccine safety.  Decline in public confidence in vaccines is the failure of the health authorities not the public they are trying to convince.

While portrayed as being a front line crusader for the safety of children by vaccination Dr. Paul Offit is not in fact on the front lines.  It is parents who are on the front  lines fighting for their children's well being and health day in an day out. Calling them ignorant or irrational won't win their hearts and minds.  Blaming them for the decline in vaccination rates in some areas will not win the day for vaccine programs. Solid, credible studies free of pharmaceutical company influence by credible, trusted research authorities will. 

Old Standby "Confusing Cause and Coincidence" Excuse Trotted Out in Advance of Adverse Events Following Swine Flu Vaccinations

"Confusing cause and coincidence" has been used by scientists for decades to explain away the onset of autism disorders in otherwise healthy children following vaccinations. The same people do not, however, bother to conduct credible studies to actually rule out a causal relationship in such cases.

Most notably, despite support for an observational study comparing autism rates amongst existing vaccinated and unvaccinated populations from credible sources such as Dr. Bernadine Healy, Dr. Julie Gerberding and Dr. Jon Poling, the IACC, under Dr. Thomas Insel, has engaged in procedural shenanigans and given questionable testimony to Senator Harkin's committee to prevent such a study from being done.

Now, the "confusing cause and coincidence" excuse is being trotted out to explain possible adverse events following H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccinations BEFORE THEY EVEN OCCUR.

The Telegraph (UK) article People will die after swine flu vaccine - but it's just coincidence, Six people in Britain can be expected to die suddenly after having the swine flu vaccine but it will just be coincidence, researchers have said references a recently published article in the Lancet and contains prophetic gems of wisdom offered by super intelligent researchers to us, the lowly unwashed, who have such difficulty distinguishing between cause and coincidence.

Prof David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk, University of Cambridge and Co-Director of Straight Statistics, said: "What a fine paper. If millions of people are vaccinated then just by chance we can expect bad things to happen to some of them, whether it's a diagnosis of autism or a miscarriage.

"By being ready with the expected numbers of chance cases, perhaps we can avoid overreaction to sad, but coincidental, events. And why don't we ever see a headline 'Man wins lottery after flu jab'?"

Professor Robert Dingwall, University of Nottingham, said: "The difference between cause and coincidence is difficult enough for specialists to grasp, let alone the wider public.

"However, this paper is very important in spelling out the fact that just because two events happen at the same time, they are not necessarily related. There is a background rate of death, disease and accidents that happen all the time regardless of what medical interventions are going on."

Perhaps Professor Spiegelhalter can explain why we never see headlines like Vaccine Researchers Make Fortunes Successfully Predict Winning Lottery Numbers. And perhaps Professor Dingwall can someday come to believe that we, the great unwashed, drooling, ignorant public do in fact understand the difference between cause and coincidence and that we have heard that argument before in connection with vaccines and autism.

If the learned professor can get his head around that one perhaps he can convince the other members of his club that research confirming or refuting their prophecies would be appreciated by those of us in the Ignorance R Us Club.

Based on prior history of the IACC refusal to conduct credible studies of possible vaccine autism connections I have my own prediction to make: no credible follow up studies to determine actual causes of deaths and other adverse events following Swine Flu vaccinations, including autism onset, will be done by the members of the We Are Smarter Than The Dumb Public Club.

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Autism and Vaccine Safety in the Swine Flu Era: Does Calling Something A Myth Make It So?

According to many mainstream media sources here in Canada the H1N1 Swine Flu is perfectly safe and effective and .... oh yes ... any possible connection between vaccines and autism has been disproved. These sources usually provide little or nothing to back up their sweeping claims other than to rely on, and refer their readers to, the web sites of public health authorities. "Journalists" in the mainstream media routinely dismiss anything published by a blogger as lacking credibility. These alleged journalists also routinely describe any position on vaccines and autism, or any statement that questions the safety of efficacy of the H1N1 vaccine, as a myth. In most cases the alleged journalists provide no reference to any study to back up their characterization of serious issues as myths held by cranks and hysterical parents. Obviously calling something a myth does not make it so but, in the current Swine Flu Era, name calling is routinely substituted for serious commentary. All in the interest of promoting public safety of course.

One childish example of the simplistic, vaccine cheer leading that passes for public health journalism in the Swine Flu Era is the opinion piece Separating myth from fact in debate about flu vaccine by Craig McInnes. You will not find any information casting doubt on vacine safety or efficacy in Mr. McInnes opinion piece. There is no mention of the four people in Sweden who died after receiving the H1N1 vaccine. Promoting intelligent thought and discussion about vaccines is not the objective of the McInnes opinion piece. No, the sole objective is to convince people that they must get the H1N1 vaccine. To help achieve that end any questions or concerns surrounding the safety or efficacy of vaccines generally MUST, be described, as arising from myths generated by ... ugh ... bloggers.

Mr. McInnes begins his opining with a bit of mockery:

So did you hear? You can protect yourself from swine flu by putting bowls of cut-up onions in every room of your house.

No really, it's true, I read it on the Internet, on the same website that had the skinny on the giant albino alligators that live in New York city sewers, a scandal that the government has tried to suppress for years.

And there it is. With that McInnes opens by relegating anyone whose views do not conform to those of public health authorities to the whackjob heap. (Except, presumably, those German authorities concerned about adjuvants in the H1N1 vaccine who are not mentioned in the McInnes opinion). Since this is an autism blog here is what Mr. McInnes has to say about vaccines and autism:

Myth: Thimerosal, which is used as a preservative in flu vaccines, contains mercury, a dangerous poison, and causes autism.•

Fact: The amount of mercury in a dose of H1N1 vaccine is less than you would get from a can of tuna and the version with the adjuvant requires only one-tenth that much.

The relationship between thimerosal and autism has been widely studied and no causal link has been found.

Mr. McInnes is not the first to use the tuna fish argument without mentioning that in fact cautions have been expressed by health authorities about tuna fish consumption for that very reason. Nor does he seem aware that digesting a tuna fish does not involve the same bodily processes as injecting a mercury preservative directly into the body of a pregnant woman or young child, thus bypassing some of the defensive processes involved with food consumption.

Mr. McInnes also appears to be unaware that a non blogger named Dr. Bernadine Healy, a former NIH head, has several times stated the need for more research on vaccine autism issues using as one reason the fact that the mercury based preservative thimerosal crosses the placenta. It has been indicated that Thimerosal will be contained in vaccines given to pregnant women in some Canadian jurisdictions, including here in New Brunswick.

Mr. McInnes, to his credit, does not go so far as to say that a thimerosal link has been disproved. He simply declares that no causal link has been found. With that though he ignores the anecdotal evidence of thousands of parents who saw their children regress after receipt of vaccines. He also fails to mention that the few, not many, studies that did not find a causal link have been criticized for their methodological weaknesses. One, the Madsen, Danish study of 2003 did not purport to offer itself as anything other than a call for MORE research. That study found that autism rates continued to rise after removal of thimerosal. The authors of the study pointed out, however, that the period studied overlapped a significant event - diagnostic definition changes in the DSM and ICD which added substantially to the numbers of persons receiving autism diagnoses.

In opining that no causal link has been found between thimerosal and autism Mr. McInnes also appears to be unaware that serious attempts to investigate such a connection have been expressly thwarted by the IOM review of 2004 and by the IACC which used procedural shenanigans to quash its own proposal to conduct an observational study comparing autism rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. Such as study has been called for by Dr. Healy and by Dr. Julie Gerberding until recently a head of the CDC. Dr. Jon Poling has also called for more vaccine autism research. Mr. McInnes may be unaware that Dr. Poling is not a blogger. He is a neurologist whose daughter was the plaintiff in a vaccine case settled in her favor by the US government which acknowledged that her "autism like symptoms" may have been caused when her existing mitochondrial disorder was aggravated by vaccination.

Craig McInnes alleges that what he calls myths being spread contribute to increased illness and deaths from Swine Flu by persuading people not to get vaccinated. He does not refer to any studies which show that Swine Flu vaccine has been shown to protect against the Swine Flu. A few months ago we were warned by public health authorities that Swine Flu mutates rapidly. Now we are asked to believe that vaccine has been developed which has been demonstrated to be effective in preventing the flu even though it may have mutated into a different form? In fact he provides no reference to any studies which indicate that seasonal flu vaccines are effective in preventing other flus which, apparently, are in a process of continual mutation.

Apart from the lack of proven efficacy for H1N1 vaccines Mr. McInnes provided no proof that Canadians choosing not to get vaccinated do so because of internet bloggers. The fact is that mainstream media outlets have published survey results indicating that many front line health care workers including nurses and some doctors did not intend to get vaccinated for H1N1. And there is no proof at all that Canadians generally are not going to get vaccinated. News reports in recent days have shown line-ups with thousands of people waiting for hours for vaccines often without getting them.

Hopefully the learned Mr. McInnes will not also blame the internet or bloggers for the failure to ensure adequate vaccine supplies for those who want them or for the failure to provide sufficient organization to deliver them.

We do not need any more myths, including those generated by mainstream journalists like Craig McInnes.

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Digital Journalist Offers Balanced Treatment of H1N1 Vaccine Safety

In H1N1 vaccine safety becomes an issue in Canada Stephanie Dearing, a digital journalist writing on the Digital Journal web site has, unlike most mainstream media vaccine cheerleaders, produced some balanced coverage of H1N1 vaccine safety issues in Canada. In particular, Ms Dearing points out that Canada, unlike many jurisdictions, including the US, is going bold with adjuvant boosted vaccines.

Amongst the interesting pieces of information found in the article is the State of California labelling requirement for thimerosal which will be contained in the Canadian purchased vaccines:

"The State of California has required products containing harmful metals, or chemicals be labelled with a warning

"This product contains the following ingredients for which the State of California has found to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, which would require a warning under the statute: Thimerosal.""

The mainstream media has long ago abandoned any realistic pretence of objectivity on vaccine issues. It is no wonder that the aggressive public health campaign against those with questions about vaccine safety or efficacy has branded internet sources as inherently untrustworthy (unless they support vaccine programs). Ms Dearing's effort adds some much needed balance to a discussion that vaccine promoters are trying desperately to extinguish.

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Swine Flu Vaccines with Adjuvants for Young Children? German Doctors Say Nein Danke

Here in New Brunswick we will be provided swine flu vaccines with thimerosal and adjuvants. Nothing to worry about according to our New Brunswick health officials but, as reported in the Irish Times, a German government vaccine advisory panel and German medical associations, including an association of pediatricians, disagrees:

Germany’s 16 federal states have spent a reported €600 million buying 50 million doses of the Pandemrix vaccine, produced by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

This new vaccine, one of two to be offered by Irish doctors, is the subject of controversy in Germany because it contains a “booster” substance known as an “adjuvant”. This allows less virus material to be used per dose and, according to GSK, boosts the immune system’s response to the jab.

Pandemrix was approved for use by the European Medicines Agency last month and has the approval of Germany’s Paul Ehrlich Institute, which advises the government on vaccination matters. However, another government body, the Federal Vaccination Agency, has contradicted the institute and has advised against the use of vaccines containing adjuvants.

Concerns about Pandemrix’s safety and efficacy have been raised by several German medical organisations, with warnings against using it to vaccinate high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children.

Dr Wolfram Hartmann, president of the German association of paediatricians, accused the federal government of “false testimony” for recommending Pandemrix for use on young children – six weeks after it issued advice to the contrary.

“The vaccine has not yet been tested on children under three, so the risk is simply too big to use on them without misgivings,” he said.

Apparently German health professionals believe public health and safety involves more than jabbing untested substances into the arms of young children.

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Are Vaccines A Medical Community Cult? Read the Atlantic

The Atlantic has an excellent article on vaccines, including the medical establishment's cult-like (my description) belief in vaccine efficacy despite flimsy supporting evidence and the harsh treatment of medical community members who dissent or question the vaccine faith. The article is not focused on autism and is not diverted by the usual arguments about autism but it is definitely relevant and very thought provoking. Whatever your views on vaccine issues I recommend it for your consideration.

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NY Times: Swine Flu Virus Will Not Be Abnormally Lethal

Our own take is this: A swine flu epidemic this fall and winter is likely to infect more people than a normal flu, but the virus will not be abnormally lethal.

New York Times Editorial, August 31, 2009

Not to downplay the tragedy of any death, and the impact on families and friends, but it is difficult to see why world governments have reacted with such panic to the Swine Flu (H1N1) version of the flu, the ordinary versions of which kill people every year. Massive investments of public funds have gone into development of vaccines which are being rushed into production. The NYT editorial points out that only 54 residents of the large population NYC area died in last springs Swine Flu outbreak. And the virus has not become more virulent as it proceeds around the world.

Some of these vaccines are going first to young children and pregnant women. Vaccine's Don't Cause Autism spokesman Paul Offit should watch the outcome of that "experiment". "Adjuvants" of unknown effect will be included in some vaccines AND in the US vaccine manufacturers have been granted liability immunity.

Again, every single death is a real tragedy, and hopefully deaths will be reduced even further by the massive immunization program that the health authorities are pushing. Hopefully too though public health authorities will keep reasonably accurate records of possible side effects of these rushed into production vaccines including the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and GBS deaths, as occurred in 1976, and .... any autism diagnosis increases amongst the populations of young children and children born of women who received the Swine Flu vaccines.

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Facing Autism in New Brunswick (and Conor) 3 Years Later

Conor, October 2007

Conor, August 2009 (2 days ago)

In a few days it will be three full years since I began this autism blog. Things have changed in 3 years and things have remained the same. I have changed ... some. And Conor has changed ... a lot. The autism world for the most part has not changed at all with the same arguments being recycled over and over. The good news ... or bad ... if you are a faithful member of the Autism Hub ... is that I enjoy blogging and plan to continue.

I have written previously of my motivation for starting this blog and will not do so again other than to say that I wanted to express my views about autism a subject of utmost importance to me because my buddy, my son Conor, has Autism Disorder. Today and each day I pledge to continue to fight for a better life for him no matter what obstacles are placed in my path and no matter who places those obstacles there.

I do not accept the descriptions of autism offered up on major media publications like CBC and CNN which tend to ignore the harsher life challenges faced by the more severely affected. The CBC, in particular, caters to the views of Michelle Dawson and some other High Functioning Autistic Persons and persons with Aspergers Disorder who do not want to be cured of their autism and therefore feel that no person with autism disorder could really want to be cured. I reject wholeheartedly such attempts to impose their personal feelings on my son.

Three years ago my immediate interest was the impending election in New Brunswick. For parents of children with autism the Liberal Party of then opposition leader Shawn Graham offered a real choice. In the election campaign Mr. Graham made very specific promises:

1. Integrate services for young children and their families by enhancing and expanding the Early Childhood Initiatives Program to ensure a smooth transition into public school for children identified as at risk or those with special needs, such as autism.

2. Provide UNB-CEL autism training for 100 additional teaching assistants and Methods and Resource teachers each year for four years.

There was some fierce resistance from the education bureaucracy because the commitments arose out of consultations with stakeholders and civil servants could not claim career ownership of the commitments. The CUPE local union representing Teacher Asistants has also opposed the commitment because not all of their members could pass the entrance and graduation requirements for the UNB-CEL Autism Intervention Training program. But, Premier Graham has been honoring those commitments, together with former Education Minister Kelly Lamrock, in the three years since that promise was made.

Federally not much has happened to help autistic children in Canada over the past 3 years. Our Fredericton MP together with Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer was able to get a motion passed which essentially recognized the need for a National Autism Strategy for Canada but it did not do much more than that. The much more concrete private members bill from PEI MP Shawn Murphy was defeated by a coalition of the Harper Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois. It is clear that as long as Stephen Harper, who has never been a big fan of Canada's public health care system, remains Prime Minister there will be no REAL National Autism Strategy which addresses the funding requirements of the provinces struggling to provide autism services across Canada. Only the parties responsible for our national medicare system, the Liberals and NDP, will consider a REAL National Autism Strategy and parents of autistic children would be well advised to elect either one or both to govern if they hope to see a REAL National Autism Strategy put in place to ensure interventions, education and residential care for all of Canada's autisic children and adults in need.

Canada has some very prominent autism researchers but they tend to be old guard researchers like Eric Fombonne and Laurent Mottron; interested in pursuing their pet theories about the nature of autism but doing little to actually advance our knowledge of causes and cures for autism. (In fact Mottron has stated that the notion of curing autism is nonsense). The United States, which has led the way in providing credible, evidence based assessments of autism interventions, also leads in seeking to find causes and cures for autism (Once again, this Canadian autism Dad says God Bless America).

The "it's gotta be genetic" paradigm that Teresa Binstock described in 1999 as the basis for funding decisions for autism research still dominates the studies that are being done and the discussion of autism issues but it is beginning to change with an emerging consensus that autism disorders result from an interaction of genetic, environmental and biological factors. As the authors of the recent California study pointed out though autism research funding still grossly favors genetic over environmental autism research. But at least it is starting to dawn on some at the IACC that they have to start looking at environmental factors.

On the controversial issues of vaccines and autism I have changed my mind. While I once accepted without questioning the public health authorities position that there is no vaccine autism connection I am no longer so sure. I have read the comments of people like Dr. Bernadine Healy and Dr. Jon Poling and I am no longer convinced that the science is closed on these issues. As the public health authorities commence a campaign to provide as yet untested Swine Flu vaccines to pregnant women and young children, vaccines containing both thimerosal AND adjuvants that enhance the effects of the thimerosal, I am very mindful of Dr. Healy's caution that the mercury based thimerosal crosses the placenta. I can't help but wonder whether the 2009 Swine Flu panic will give rise to an Autism Baby Boom, yet another dramatic increase in autism diagnoses, in the year 2011 and subsequent.

I have enjoyed, for the most part, the people that I have met over the internet by blogging. I am not the easiest person in the world to agree with on a good day and with autism there is always room for intense disagreement on most issues. But I have come to "know" many people that I believe I like even though I disagree with them on many issues. Of course there are others who do not fall into that category but I will say nothing about them.

For me personally the biggest change in the last 3 years has been with my buddy Conor. He has grown like a weed, now standing 5' 11" and counting, at the age of 13. Every day living with Conor brings challenges. His severe Autistic Disorder is no picnic in the park. But every day without exception has also been a tremendous joy.

Where I part company from those autism parent bloggers who espouse the joy of autism philosophy is that while I love my son dearly, and enjoy my time with him each day, I refuse to sweep the negative realities of his Autistic Disorder under the carpet. I refuse to praise what is at bottom a neurological disorder that restricts his life opportunities. I refuse to do my son that disservice. I love him far too much to do that.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this blog from time to time even those who disagree with me. I intend to keep on blogging and I hope you visit again.

Conor's Dad

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Autism Research Leadership: Katie Wright Rips the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and Dr. Tom Insel

Katie Wright has written a hard hitting piece,"Can You Hear Me Now?", on the role of the IACC and Dr. Tom Insel in preventing funding of meaningful vaccine autism studies including the comparative study of vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. The article was written for SafeMinds and reprinted with permission at Age of Autism. Ms Wright calls for Secretary Sebelius "to investigate Dr. Insel’s actions and reinstatement of vaccine objectives that were removed under false premises in January from the IACC’s Strategic Plan. "

It will be interesting to see whether President Obama and Secretary Sebelius respond to the SafeMinds/Katie Wright request. Given Secretary Sebelius statements about the safety of the as yet untested Swine Flu vaccine and thimerosal it does not seem likely that the Obama administration will conduct a critical examination of the IACC and Dr. Insel's leadership on vaccine and autism issues.

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More Autism on the Way? Swine Flu Vaccine Adjuvants, Thimerosal and Autism

Pregnant women will be at the front of the line for the Swine Flu vaccine in many countries. Mercury in thimerosal crosses the placental barrier. So thimerosal will not be used in the Swine Flu vaccine right? WRONG!. Thimerosal will be used and its negative effects, including possibly autism in some of the women's children, could be enhanced by the aluminum adjuvants used in the vaccines.

Australian scientist Vera Scheibner Ph.D., has described the effects of aluminum adjuvants including the enhancement of mercury toxicity and possible autism implications amongst a host of other health issues in The Terrifying World Of Vaccine Adjuvants:

Adjuvants are formulated compounds, which when combined with vaccine antigens intensify
the body’s immune response. They are used to elicit an early, high and long-lasting immune
response. “The chemical nature of adjuvants, their mode of action and their reactions (side
effect) are highly variable in terms of how they affect the immune system and how serious their adverse effects are due to the resultant hyperactivation of the immune system. While
adjuvants enable the use of less *antigen to achieve the desired immune response and reduce vaccine production costs, with few exceptions, adjuvants are foreign to the body and cause adverse reactions”, writes Australian scientist Viera Scheibner Ph.D, (1) The most common adjuvant for human use is an aluminum salt called alum derived from aluminum hydroxide, or aluminum phosphate. A quick read of the scientific literature reveals that the neurotoxic effects of aluminum were recognized 100 years ago. Aluminum is a neurotoxicant and has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.

The article cites Boyd Haley for the proposition that vaccines which contain both aluminum adjuvants and mercury based preservative, greatly magnify the neurotoxic effects. The article comments on squalenes used in vaccines and a process called molecular mimicry and ties molecular mimicry to the autism epidemic:

Tying molecular mimicry to the autism epidemic, many children have regressed into autism spectrum disorders after injection with the triple live virus MMR (measles,mumps,rubella) vaccine. Dr.Vijendra Singh’s research at Utah State University suggests that auto-antibodies are attacking myelin in these children. He has shown that many autistic children have auto-antibodies to brain myelin basic protein (MBP) as well as elevated levels of measles virus antibodies. “Immunoblotting analysis showed the presence of an unusual MMR antibody in 60% (75 of 125) of autistic children, but none of the 92 normal children had this antibody. In addition, there was a positive correlation (greater than 90%) between MMR antibody and MBP auto-antibody, suggesting a causal association between MMR and brain autoimmunity
in autism. This is one of the most important findings in autism to date, which prompted us to link measles virus in the etiology of the disorder”, writes Dr. Singh. (8,9,10)

These excepts are a small selection of the information contained in this article which I recommend for reading by anyone who is interested in reading beyond the standard public health authority assurances about the possible consequences of the still not tested Swine Flu Vaccines. Although I have extracted sections directly referencing autism the article covers many other issues associated with vaccine adjuvants.

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Swine Flu (H1N1) Vaccine Safety Questioned by Drug Policy Researcher and Professional Ethics Director

Some parents of autistic children have, for many years, questioned the safety of vaccines, vaccine ingredients and vaccine schedules in connection with the dramatic rise in autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. The standard response is that vaccines are safe and parents are typically branded as hysterical or ignorant or both. These responses ignore the fact that flu vaccines containing thimerosal are still given to pregnant women and that mercury based thimerosal crosses the placenta. The official "don't worry, be happy" responses also ignore the cumulative amounts of mercury from the multitude of vaccinations young children receive. With the Swine Flu (H1N1) panic upon us some parents question the safety of the Swine Flu vaccine being rushed into production without safety testing. They are not alone.

In What do we know about the vaccines' safety? Not enough , published in the Globe and Mail, Alan Cassels a drug policy researcher at the University of Victoria and Arthur Schafer, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, point out the fact hat public health authorities simply do not know whether the Swine Flu vaccine will be effective or whether it will be safe:

Public-health officials around the world seem to be suggesting there is a possibility this flu pandemic could get much worse, that is, become more lethal. If that were to happen, it seems “obvious” that wise people should seek to have a preventive flu shot or access to a pill. Many people will say to themselves: Why not get the shot, just to be sure?

Part of the answer to that question is that until a million people roll up their sleeves to get the vaccine, no one can be sure how safe it will be. This is also a decisive answer to those who favour making vaccination mandatory.

Some public-health officials have described flu vaccines as “highly effective,” but the internationally recognized Cochrane Collaboration (which accepts no money from the pharmaceutical industry) did a systematic review of all high-quality randomized trials (25 in all) studying influenza vaccination. They concluded that “the evidence does not support universal immunization of healthy adults.” Period.

Cassels and Schafer point out that this is not the first time public health authorities have recommended action for treating flu without evidence to support the safety or effectiveness of that course of action. The quote above references a review of influenza vaccination generally which did not support universal immunization of health adults. The authors also discuss Tamiflu and Relenza, anti-viral drugs which are supposed to reduce the severity and length of flu but which have been shown by scientific testing to be little or no better than a placebo. Worse, a recent international study reveals that about 50 per cent of children who have taken Tamiflu experienced side effects from gut problems, diarrhea, to serious, neuropsychiatric problems. Cassles and Schafer take authorities to task for glossing over the problems with these anti-viral drugs.

I have in the past criticized the Globe and Mail for repeating the "vaccines can do no wrong" mantra of public health authorities and marginalizing parents who express concerns about vaccine safety. I commend the Globe and Mail for offering this thought provoking article using credible sources to provide a different perspective on the current Swine Flu Pandemic/Panic and the rush to flood the world with an untested vaccine.

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