A year ago I spent a lot of time blogging about Barack Obama. As the U.S. election neared, I liked what I heard from him–concrete statements, not just pseudo-promises with no teeth like Mr. McCain was giving us here in the U.S..
After the inauguration, I blogged Change and Hope, taking two of the catch-words from the campaign.
Stimulus money was applied to autism research. Tom Insel (head of NIMH and chair of the IACC) gave credit to the fact that they had a Strategic Plan in place. It is easier to justify spending money when you can tell someone (the president in this case) exactly what you intend to do. Dr. Insel noted that in a recent meeting, Mr. Obama restated his commitment to allocate $1B towards autism research.
What we haven’t seen yet is the appointment of an “Autism Czar”, or an increase in IDEA funding to full levels. Also, the IDEA funding from the stimulus money is not a long term commitment.
This has been a very tough year for Mr. Obama. He came in to office with a major economic crisis and (or compounded by!) two wars ongoing. Those are huge distractions for anyone, but I would like to see focus applied especially on long-term, full funding of IDEA.
I am curious as to what other people think of promises made during the election and where we stand now.
It is an unfortunate fact that we see a lot of lost kid stories in the autism community. Elopement–running away–is real and serious.
I’m always caught in what to do when these stories come up in the media. The stories affect me greatly as this is one of the big fears of an autism parent. It affects me even more when I think of the fear for the lost autistic. I remember being lost. I remember the terror. Most of the stories area about kids, and I know I was a much more capable kid than many of the autistics mentioned in those news stories. I can only imagine how terrifying it must be for the lost autistic. I feel like anything I write could trivialize their experiences.
I think I have to get over that. When I talk to the search and rescue people, they tell me it is valuable to raise awareness.
Of course, I’m prompted to write this after the recent, tragic story about James Delorey, an autistic child who was lost in the cold of Cape Breton, Canada for two nights. He was found, but still died of hypothermia.
I wanted to write about search and rescue, from the perspective of a parent of an autistic. But, this isn’t something I am really well read about. So, thankfully Alex Bain over at the RunMan blog have an excellent post on this as a part of their condolences to the family on Master Delorey’s passing. I am borrowing their YouTube content, but do take the time to read the post (and bookmark the blog–it is excellent!)
Here is audio from the radio interview with Alex’s mother, Janet Norman Bain:
One piece of advice that Alex has given on his blog in the past, and in this post, is the use of an ID tag or bracelet. Here is an image of his bracelet:
I have one of these, as does everyone in my family. You can put these on shoes, cliping them to laces/straps. That’s where we put them since (a) I am forgetful and will leave it off much of the time and (b) my kid doesn’t like bracelets.
As I said, and you have likely noticed, I don’t tend to write about these stories. Keeping stories like this in the news is important. It lets the rescue workers–and the people paying them–know they are valued.
Letting people know they are valued is important in general, in my opinion. I tend to contact (email or phone) people who do cool things–like researchers and, well, rescue workers. I’m not saying we need big phone-in campaigns for rescue workers, but if the inspiration strikes, don’t feel shy about dropping an email or commenting on a news story thanking them.
If I had a lost typical kid, I’d probably defer to the search and rescue team’s expertise. By that I mean that I would let them ask the questions about my child and trust that their experience and expertise would guide them to the correct questions (again, for the most part! I’d still have things to offer in addition to their questions)
However, with a disabled child, I keep thinking ahead as to what I would want to tell the Search and Rescue team. Really, I think that I’d need to educate the Search and Rescue team about how my kid is likely very different from any they’ve helped before.
First bit of advice–call the police sooner rather than later. The police won’t mind a second phone call with a message of “you don’t have to send a car, we found the kid”.
The sorts of things to tell the search and rescue team that I’ve thought of and heard from other parents (and let me know if you have others or find these wrong for any reason)
1) What is the person’s “cognitive” age. If they are looking for a 10 year old, they have certain expectations. If you tell them, “this kid cognitively is more like a 4 year old” that resets a lot of expectations.
You may have to tell this this repeatedly.
2) Can the person talk? They are expecting someone verbal.
3) if the person can talk, will he she respond to someone calling out their name? That can change the search methods dramatically.
4) What is the person wearing? One search and rescue person I talked to gave the example of a case where the team didn’t ask the parents this. They assumed that since the kid was about 10, he had dressed himself and that the parents probably didn’t recall what the kid was wearing. If you are dressing your kid still at that age, you may have a better idea what the kid is wearing.
5) Does the person have a restricted diet. If they find a lost kid and offer gatorade or some other rehydration drink, the person may reject it. Strongly. The person may reject other foods and/or drinks. They should be prepared for this.
6) Does the person have dietary restrictions. Whatever you think of diets like GFCF, if a person is on a restricted diet, the rescue workers should know not to offer certain foods.
7) Does the person have a fear of medical workers? A person in a white lab coat may seem nice and comforting to some people, but could be terrorizing to another. If so, the teams should know.
8) Does the person still wear a diaper? They (a) should be prepared with new ones and (b) may want to be on the lookout for a discarded diaper in their search. Some kids can take the diapers off, but can’t put pants/shoes back on. This would mean (a) look out for the clothes and (b) be prepared for the kid to show even more signs of exposure.
9) Is the person on any medications? What is the person like without the medication or on withdrawal from the medication?
10) Does the person have very special interests? This may be a good thing to coax a person out of hiding, and to calm the person after being found. Also, the rescue workers should know that they may have to discuss a single subject over and over until you show up.
11) Just because a person doesn’t talk doesn’t mean that he/she isn’t aware of what is going on.
12) What is calming to the person? Music may calm one person and irritate another. Some people might be sensory seekers, other sensory avoiders. The rescue workers should know for when they find the person.
These are just some of the suggestions I’ve heard from parents. Every person will be different and I know that search and rescue teams are aware of this. But, some people are very different from most of their experiences. Disabled kids, for example. Autistics. Be prepared to educate the search and rescue team about specific details about your loved one.
This is not my area of expertise by far. If you see anything that you think should be changed, don’t be shy. Let me know. I have tried to make this age-neutral, but as a parent I am biased towards talking about children and that probably shows.
Rescue workers are heroes. I think we all hurt a little when someone goes missing and we all cheer a little when someone is found, even if that person is thousands of miles away.
Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases has produced a series of public service announcements on vaccination for various diseases. These are well done and worth sharing with people who are questioning the value of vaccination.
For any who wish to comment that this has nothing to do with autism, I agree. Unfortunately, the autism community is one of the biggest sources of misinformation about vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases. If I can help PKIDs a bit with this post, I see that as a good thing.
Below is a press release from the Justice for All Action Network and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. While the topic of seclusion and restraint is painful to write about, it is a pleasure to highlight disability advocacy like this.
Seclusion and restraint legislation one of 12 items on Coalition Agenda
(Washington D.C.) — The Justice for All Action Network (JFAAN), a coalition of disability-led organizations and allies, applauds proposed legislation that protects students with disabilities from the misuse of seclusions and restraints in schools. Introduced today in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill will equip students with disabilities with federal protection from abuse in the schools.
“There is a long history of students with disabilities being subjected to inappropriate and abusive seclusions and restraints,” said Ari Ne-eman of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a member of the JFAAN Steering Committee. “The legislation introduced today is the first of its kind, going far beyond previous efforts to protect students with disabilities. We look forward to working with House and Senate leaders to pass legislation that addresses each of our concerns and provides students with disabilities with urgently needed protections from abusive seclusions and restraints.”
While the JFAAN Coalition hopes to continue work with House and Senate leaders to ensure that the final legislation is the strongest possible, the bill introduced today is the most comprehensive legislation to date protecting students with disabilities from abuse in the schools.
“We commend Chairman Miller, Representative McMorris Rodgers and Senator Dodd for taking a stand against the barbaric treatment of disabled children and youth that has been allowed to take place in too many schools for too many years. Schools need to educate children without putting students in solitary confinement or using inappropriate and unsafe restraint. When schools become mini-prisons, families have no reason to send their children to school,” said Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, a member of the JFAAN Steering Committee.
Unlike previous attempts to protect students with disabilities, this legislation applies to all students and bans the worst practices, including mechanical restraint, chemical restraint and physical restraint. “The fact that our children are still subject to abuse is a disgrace,” said Dana Commandatore, the parent of an Autistic child and a supporter of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. “The legislation introduced today is an important step toward ensuring that students with disabilities are protected from abusive restraints and seclusions.”
Legislation that protects people with disabilities from unwarranted seclusions and restraints is a key component of a campaign agenda developed by JFAAN. The 12-point JFAAN Joint Campaign Agenda addresses major policy issues of people with intellectual, physical, psychiatric, developmental and sensory disabilities.
Created in an effort to build a strong and unified cross-disability movement, the Justice for All Action Network is organized into a steering committee of 13 national consumer-led disability organizations and more than 20 organizational and individual members. The group was formed in the wake of the 2008 Presidential Election.
About the Justice for All Action Network
Mission: The Justice for All Action Network is a national cross-disability coalition, led by disability groups run by persons with disabilities with support from allies, committed to building a strong and unified cross-disability movement so that individuals with disabilities have the power to shape national policies, politics, media, and culture.
Working as a coalition, JFAAN is committed to accomplishing each item on the coalition’s agenda by July 2010, the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Steering Committee Members: ADAPT, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Council of the Blind, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Hearing Loss Association of America, Little People of America, National Association of the Deaf, National Coalition of Mental Health Consumer Survivor Organizations, National Council on Independent Living, National Federation of the Blind, Not Dead Yet, Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, United Spinal Association.
For more information, contact Ari Ne-eman, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, (202) 596-1056;
Andy Imparato, American Association of People with Disabilities, (202) 521-4301
To many of us who have been following the online ‘careers’ of the various people and factions behind Age of ‘Autism’ for many years (at least 7 in my case) this will be no surprise but it still needs pointing out once more:
The Age of ‘Autism’ blog is a repository of and a flag waver for anti-vaccine quackery.
Easy to say and growing easier and easier to demonstrate every day. As of the time of publishing of this post, the latest *six* posts from Age of ‘Autism’ have absolutely nothing to do with autism. These posts are (in reverse order):
1) Counting Offit’s Millions: More on How Merck’s Rotateq Vaccine Made Paul Offit Wealthy
2) Is One Man to Blame for the WorldWide H1N1 Panic?
3) $300K to Banyan Communications from Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines?
4) Harvard and CNN Report on Lower than Expected H1N1 Vaccine Uptake
5) Oops. Flu Pandemic May Be The Mildest since Modern Medicine Began Tracking.
6) Kickin’ the Tires of the Green Vaccine Initiative
*All* the above have no relationship to autism. *All* the above have a direct relationship to anti-vaccine beliefs.
One or two stories every now and then that don’t touch on your blog’s core subject is routine and only to be expected – but six in a row? Thats only routine if your core subject is drifting. Or if your *real* core subject is slowly being revealed.
The latest Generation Rescue newsletter leads me to believe that Airborne may be considering funding Generation Rescue. Here is the latest Generation Rescue newsletter:
Generation Rescue is in the final stages of receiving grant funding for a vaccine research study on the long term effects of the current U.S. recommended schedule. The last thing we need are declarations of support from our community who purchased Airborne Health.
1.) Did you purchase Airborne during May 1, 2001 – November 29, 2007?
2.) Do you support a vaccine research study on the long term effects of the current U.S. schedule?
3.) Do you support a study on vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children?
If you answer yes to all three of these questions, then you are a supporter and can help Generation Rescue provide ground breaking research.
The first 40 respondents will receive a free bag of revitaPOPS for completing a declaration of support.
Airborne is a supplement company that produces a product that claimed to be able to help people fight the common cold. They were involved in a class action lawsuit, resulting in an agreed payment of $23 million to consumers who purchased the product and who could prove they purchased it.
My speculation: there is a big pot of the $23M left over, and Generation Rescue is trying to get Airborne to donate it to fund a vaccinated/unvaccinated study.
Of all the groups to manage such a study, Generation Rescue is way (WAY) down on the bottom of the list.
The deadline to submit claims was December 5, 2009 (4 days ago). It strikes this observer as likely that only a small percentage of Airborne’s customers saved their receipts and were able to be compensated, leaving a large amount of money unclaimed.
I really wonder if Airborne knows what sort of group they are working with in Generation Rescue. Soon Airborne will receive testimonials from people who claim to have purchased their products, who want a Vaccinated/Unvaccinated study done by Generation Rescue.
The very fact that Generation Rescue is paying people to submit testimonials should raise red flags at Airborne.
In my opinion, if, for whatever reason, Airborne wants such a study done, they should find a group other than Generation Rescue to manage it. Funding Generation Rescue in this effort is just throwing money away. Airborne would do much better to fund something that could make a real impact in the lives of autistics.
Edit to add
1) Note that Airborne made no admission of fault in this settlement.
2) Here is a section from the settlement document, noting that money left over could be donated to a non-profit group
If the aggregate value of Valid Claims by Settlement Class Members is less than the amount of the Net Settlement Fund, the balance of the Net Settlement Fund, after payment of all Valid Claims of Settlement Class Members, shall be distributed cy pres to non-profit organizations. Class Counsel shall nominate the non-profit organization(s) that will be recipients of any cy pres funds, which shall then be subject to the consent of Defendants (which Defendants shall not unreasonably withhold) and approval by the Court. For purposes of this paragraph, Defendants agree
that in order to validly withhold consent, Defendants must demonstrate that including a non-profit organization as a recipient would substantially
undermine Defendants’ legitimate business interest or is otherwise improper, and that Defendants’ refusal to consent is not philosophically or
politically motivated. Plaintiff agrees that the Center for Science in the Public Interest will not be a recipient of cy pres funds.
It appears to this reader that the class action lawyers (Center for Science in the Public Interest ) get to nominate the possible non-proffits, and that Airborne has the right to reject. In order to reject a non-profit, Airborne would have to claim that the donation “would substantially undermine Defendants’ legitimate business interest or is otherwise improper, and that Defendants’ refusal to consent is not philosophically or politically motivated”
I wonder if class counsel has to prove that the nominations are not philosophically or politically motivated?
The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) will be holding a Full Committee Meeting on Friday, December 11, 2009 from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET. The meeting will be conducted via telephone conference call and webinar only.
The purpose of the IACC meeting is to continue discussing recommendations for the annual update of the IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders Research.
The meeting will be conducted and available to the public via a telephone conference call phone number and a webinar conducted using a web presentation tool on the Internet. Registration is not required. Members of the public who participate using the conference call phone number will be able to listen to the meeting, but will not be heard.
Individuals who participate using this service and who need special assistance, such as captioning of the conference call or other reasonable accommodations, should submit a request to the contact person listed above at least seven days prior to the meeting. If you experience any technical problems with the web presentation tool or conference call, please-mail IACCTechSupport@acclaroresearch.com.
In a series exploring autism and its treatments, the Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports that “after reviewing thousands of pages of court documents and scientific studies and interviewing top researchers in the field, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune found that many of these treatments amount to uncontrolled experiments on vulnerable children.” According to results of the investigation, “the therapies often go beyond harmless New Age folly,” with many being “unproven and risky, based on flawed, preliminary or misconstrued scientific research.” Moreover, “lab tests used to justify therapies are often misleading and misinterpreted,” and “the few clinical trials conducted to evaluate the treatments objectively” have yielded “disappointing results.”
The Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports that “up to three-quarters of families with children who have autism try at least some alternative therapies.” While some physicians and people in the autism “recovery movement…say their treatment protocols rest on a foundation of solid science,” the Tribune discovered “otherwise after speaking with dozens of scientists and physicians and reviewing thousands of pages of research and court testimony.”
Chelation seen as emblematic of alternative therapies for autism. The Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports, “No treatment is more emblematic of the world of alternative therapies for autism than chelation.” But, according to “pediatric toxicology experts…all chelation” medications “carry risks — even when used to treat severely lead-poisoned children.” Barbara Strupp, PhD, of Cornell University, said that when “rats with no lead exposure were treated with succimer, a common chelator given to children with autism, the animals showed lasting impairments of cognitive function and emotional regulation.” In fact, after Strupp “learned that the National Institutes of Health planned to conduct a clinical trial of chelation in children with autism, she alerted the researchers to her findings,” and the “study was later canceled.”
Alternative therapies seen as getting undeserved credit. The Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports that stories of “children who could suddenly speak” are, “for many parents…more persuasive than what experts say.” Nevertheless, “in evaluating a therapy, the challenge is determining how much, if any, of the progress can be credited to the treatment,” because, “over time, children with autism do develop, said” pediatric neurologist and autism expert Max Wiznitzer, MD.” In fact, “between 10% and 20% of children with autism who were diagnosed early may make so much progress that they are indistinguishable from peers,” and whether or not they are “undergoing alternative therapies,” said Susan Levy, MD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, progress which parents may attribute to alternative therapies.
The recent series of stories on alternative medical approaches to treating autism caused quite a stir in the online autism community. Somehow, the groups that responded negatively appear to have failed in preventing other outlets from picking these stories up.
Chelation based on faulty premise The risky treatment for autism that removes metals from patients’ bodies is often prompted by results from an uncertain test.
This article discusses chelation and how it is often justified using “challenge” testing. Challenge testing is not accepted by actual toxicologists. The story quotes an expert in environmental toxicology on
“That is exactly the wrong way to do it,” said Dr. Carl R. Baum, director of the Center for Children’s Environmental Toxicology at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital.
Also, they note that the American Collenge of Medical Toxicology has issued a statement that challenge testing is not valid:
Alarmed by the rise in the use of this test to justify chelation, the American College of Medical Toxicology this summer criticized its use as “fraught with many misunderstandings, pitfalls and risks.”
The story also notes that there is ecidence, both animal research and anecdotal, indicating that chelation therapy is not always safe. They refer to one of the Autism Omnibus Proceeding test cases, that of young Colten Snyder:
Colten Snyder, another child whose case was evaluated in vaccine court, underwent chelation after tests on his blood and hair over six years came back normal for mercury, court records state.
Given that the boy was immunized with vaccines containing thimerosal, “his hair mercury was exceptionally low,” said his physician, Dr. J. Jeff Bradstreet of Florida. “That’s pathological.”
Colten went “berserk” after being given a chelator, according to a nurse whose notes were cited in court records. He also had incontinence, night sweats, headaches and back pain. Bradstreet testified that the boy did not do well with chelation but later said it is “impossible to know” what caused the problems.
In her decision, special master Denise Vowell criticized Bradstreet: “The more disturbing question is why chelation was performed at all, in view of the normal levels of mercury found in the hair, blood and urine, its apparent lack of efficacy in treating Colten’s symptoms and the adverse side effects it apparently caused.”
They note the recent study indicating where rats without real heavy metal poisoning were given a chelator. The chelation therapy resulted in a reduction in intelligence to the rats. The implication is clear: challenge testing may be used to justify chelating non-poisoned children. There is a serious question of whether this is resulting in harm.
When rats with no lead exposure were treated with succimer, a common chelator given to children with autism, the animals showed lasting impairments of cognitive function and emotional regulation, said the study’s lead researcher, Barbara Strupp at Cornell University.
She said that finding raises concerns about administering chelators to children with autism unless they clearly have elevated levels of heavy metals. “I was just astounded and concerned for these kids,” she said.
After she learned that the National Institutes of Health planned to conduct a clinical trial of chelation in children with autism, she alerted the researchers to her findings. The study was later canceled.
“Really,” Baum said, “[parents] are putting their children at serious risk.”
On shaky ground with alternative treatments to autism Doctors and others who support experimental therapies such as hyperbaric chambers cite validity of the science. But the misuse of studies, lack of clinical trials and safety issues tell another story.
In a bit of irony, Google ads keeps linking chelationists, HBOT clinics and other alt-med groups to these stories.
The recent discussions on the series in the Chicago Tribune have been therapeutic for me.
My 16 year-old child is severely effected by autism. Xe is self-injurious, destructive and aggressive. Xyr language has never developed past that of a 2 year-old. Outside of the behaviors that come from OCDs, xe is a happy child and a loved child.
Jeff Bradstreet was xyr doctor when we lived in Florida. When I first met Jeff he was on disability and selling vitamins from a small back office in his wife’s dental clinic. He was not yet one of the DAN! leading acts. Secretin was yet to come to the forefront and make the DAN! docs rich.
Jeff Bradstreet was a very nice man and generous with his time. He and I disagreed often with his approach to my child’s treatment. I still trusted the neurologists and the immunologists more than the DAN! docs. When all went the direction of chelation, I took my child away from DAN!, and I never looked back.
I believed my child was injured by xyr vaccinations when xe was 12 months old. I never thought there was a “measles infection in xyr gut” condition nor a mercury toxicity situation. I just thought xe had an autoimmine reaction. I reported xyr vaccines to the FDA in 1996, and I filed a lawsuit as an individual in 199#. Jeff Bradstreet asked me why he was not asked to submit any evidence in xyr lawsuit. I did not want his name on my child’s case.
I appreciate the time and energy you take to expose what should be obvious.
I worked very hard for what I thought would benefit my child. I travelled all over the US with xyr to see doctors and have medical tests done. I brought in experts to evaluate xyr. I hired attorneys for xyr IEPs. I quit my job and focused on xyr and xyr health and education. Part of that was research that led me to walk away from DAN! and all that it offers. I chose not to chelate xyr. I chose no IVIG treatments.
My child is still severely autistic.
So I am offended at comments about parents leading their children down a path to institutionalization. I am offended that parents believe they rescued their children from a life of head-banging and middle of the night laughter. Because as parents and grandparents of autistic children, they should be more sensitive to children who are autistic and display these behaviors. Do not all autistic children deserve to be valued? Are they telling me that my child is less because xe was not “saved”?
“Real children’s lives are consumed” was the battle cry this weekend from Mark Blaxill. What hypocracy. DAN! doctors are experimenting on autistic children everyday.
I don’t post to your website because I don’t write well. But, here is a final comment.
In 1995 my child at age 2 started at a pre-school for autistic children. After a few months, xe was transferred to another classroom because xe was not making the progress of the other children. Those boys were succeeding at picture exchange, following one-step commands, showing skill in expressive language.
The DAN! protocol wasn’t around in 1995. How did those boys make that progress?
Here in the US there is a British writer for The Atlantic – Andrew Sullivan – who has made it his quest to expose Sarah Palin for the absurd fraud that she is. Right now, that is how I feel about Kim Stagliano.
Many years ago I was on the front lines of the anti-vaxers. I would go to DAN! conferences and hang out with Mark Blaxill, Jane El-Dahr, Holly Bortfeld et-al. I called the vaccination program “government mandated child abuse”. Okay, I was excited at the time. But Kevin, I do think the assembly line approach to immunizing children has gotten out of hand. When I lived in Florida, the pediatrician and I agreed after serious consideration that my now 13 year-old child could go without immunizations. He signed all waivers. That was a medical decision between me and a physician. Why does it have to be so regulated and administered by school districts and health departments? (Note this was also 2 years before the hysteria of Wakefield’s paper).
I did believe then, and at times I still believe that my child had a reaction to xyr vaccinations when xe was 12 months old. I have a report dated 1998 from Michael Chez MD stating he is impressed with xyr reaction to the MMR because it could have cause an autoimmune reaction and breakdown of the blood brain barrier. I have always been interested in more research into the autoimmune reaction of vaccination – like that being done by Dr Bonnie Dunbar in Houston. But her work was overshadowed by the discovery of thimerosal in vaccines.
I never believed my child had measles in xyr gut. I never thought xe had mercury in xyr brain.
I met a lot up parents up to 1999 that said their child regressed post MMR. In 1999, I saw a lot of their stories change to meet symptoms of mercury toxicity from Hep B. I saw a lot of parents that did not believe there was a vaccine injury become convinced that there was a vaccine injury.
I heard a lot of parents swear that it was child abuse to give your kids gluten. I read the science that showed the opioid excess theory is total and complete BS.
I’ve had enough of all things DAN!
The Chicago Tribune writes a responsible piece saying that there is no scientific evidence that IVIG works on neuroinflammation. Instead of providing scientific evidence that IVIG works on neuroinflammation the DAN! zealots attack in every direction they can.
Yes, this is a different topic than typical for this blog. But, let’s consider a simple and obvious lie by our president: the As is typical for this president, this project involves multiple lies. Here are but two. First, the White House would not be changed itself. Just added to. As noted in a recent […]
How does one recapture trust in the public health system? I can tell you one way to make it worse. Put Mark Baxill to work at the CDC. Mr. Blaxill is a long time anti-vaccine activist who has done a lot of harm promoting the “vaccines cause autism” lie. We on this blog have been […]
The same people who might value your efforts with Operation Warp Speed will also be able to do the simple math in their heads that says Mr. Kennedy’s approach is going to kill people. Mr. Trump, there is a lot of chatter about you wanting the Nobel Peace Prize. OK, I know you’ve publicly stated […]
We pay for the CDC. It isn’t there to support Mr. Kennedy’s agenda. It’s there to generate good information that Mr. Kennedy can use or, sadly, not use. He can’t ask them to sign off on dangerous vaccine policy and then cry “restore trust” to excuse firing the trusted experts who are, in his own […]
I will state this straight out–I believe the anti vaccine movement has put good people at risk for decades with their rhetoric. And I also believe Mr. Kennedy has contributed a great deal to this climate of hate. How much or how directly he may have influenced the gunman who opened fire at the CDC […]
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