Archive by Author

Can a school keep a child out for not vaccinating? In the U.S. the answer is yes.

3 Dec

Only two states do not have religious exemptions to vaccination. One is West Virginia. In a recent court case, Jennifer Workman v. Mingo County Schools, the district court found in favor of a school district defending their right to exclude a child for refusing immunization.

The mother argued on constitutional grounds, citing the first, fifth and fourteenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

First Amendment argument

The first amendment includes freedom of religion:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

However, previous cases have decided

… that smallpox vaccination requirement does not violate free exercise of religion, because individuals’ “freedom to act according to their religious beliefs is subject to a reasonable regulation for the benefit of society as a whole

and,

‘the constitutional guaranty of religious freedom was not intended to prohibit legislation with respect to the general public welfare’

Equal Protection: Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment Argument

The fifth amendment amendment:

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Fourteenth Amendment

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

The court found that equal protection was not violated:

But she presents no evidence of unequal treatment resulting from intentional or purposeful discrimination to support her claim; instead, all of the evidence is to the contrary.

The state health officer argued that equal protection was not violated:

I have never granted a medical exemption from the state immunization laws based on the reason being that the subject child or a relative has autism, or based on a posited connection between autism and vaccines, because neither reason is a recognized medical contraindication to these vaccines.

I am not aware of any instance in which the [West Virginia Board of Public Health] or any of its prior State Health Officers have ever granted a medical exemption to the immunization requirements appli-cable to school students based on a child or relative having autism, or based on a posited connection between autism and vaccines

The Court rejected all of Ms. Workman’s arguments.

The Court made it very clear that religious and philosophical exemptions are a a privilege, not a right. Most states do allow such exemptions, but, as the District Court noted in this decision:

Although most states have chosen to provide a religious exemption from compulsory immunization, a state need not do so.

Ari Ne’eman of ASAN testifies to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

3 Dec

Ari Ne’eman, of ASAN (the Autistic Self Advocacy Network), recently testified on ADAAA Proposed Regulations before the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The transcript is below.

Testimony given to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Town Hall Listening Session on the ADAAA Proposed Regulations, Philadelphia, PA, 10/30/09; Stuart Ishimaru, Acting Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, presiding.

MR. ISHIMARU: Next we have Ari Ne’eman. We look forward to your statement and welcome.

ARI NE’EMAN: Thank you very much and thank you for the chance.

I represent the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a group of Autistic people speaking for ourselves.

For too long, prior to the passage of the ADA Amendments Act, the approach of addressing discrimination and of viewing the difficulties that those on the autism spectrum face through the context of discrimination rather than merely through the context of impairment or charity was one that was all too often not taken in the autism world. With the passage of the ADA Amendments Act, and the promulgation of regulations implemented with a unique view to building a culture of civil rights that coincides with the growing rights on the autism spectrum, those who desire to speak for themselves and take an active role in how we are viewed in society are trying to address the ways in which the society still poses obstacles.

We’re very pleased by the regulations proposed in order to implement the ADA Amendments Act. And we have three broad suggestions in terms of how to improve them for adults and youth on the autism spectrum seeking to find and maintain, and avoid discrimination in the context of, employment.

First, we note that autism was included amongst the list of examples of impairments that will consistently meet the definition of disabilities. We would like to suggest that this be somewhat clarified to broaden the term to autism spectrum disability, rather than just simply autism, seeing as the term autism is commonly understood to refer to five diagnoses in the DSM-IV: Autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and others on the autism spectrum. Now, these different diagnoses have somewhat different characteristics, but they all substantially limit communicating, interacting with others and learning. As a matter of fact, in the DSM-V, the next edition, it has been proposed that these diagnoses be combined into a single autism spectrum disorder or autism spectrum disability diagnosis reflecting the fact that for more individuals, the particular autism spectrum disability diagnosis they receive is largely dependent upon what professional they visited or what region of the country they should happen to live in. We believe that clarifying the language to reflect autism spectrum disability will ensure that all autism diagnoses are covered.

Second, we also believe that in respect to the “regarded as” from the symptoms of impairment leading to adverse actions by employers, when this is brought up, that some consideration for the needs of people with invisible disabilities must be addressed in respect to the facts for people with invisible disabilities. One of the greatest difficulties is that our symptoms of impairment are extent to a lesser extent in the general population. We propose that a phrase be added in the section under actions taken based on symptoms of an impairment or based on use of mitigating measures, clarifying that an action taken on the basis of behavioral symptoms also present in the general population also constitutes an action covered under the “regarded as” prong. For example, an individual who is dismissed from a data entry job because he or she does not make eye contact with their supervisor, even if the employer is unaware of the autism spectrum disorder or disability, should still be covered under the “regarded as” prong of this definition.

Third, we also encourage that in respect to section 1630.10, discussing qualification testing and qualification tests, that particular focus be given in the example of a specific example of the ways in which personality tests are administered by many employers. As a matter of fact, a 2003 survey by Management Recruiters International found that 30% of American companies use personality tests, which often act to serve as an obstacle to the full access and the equal consideration in employment and hiring decisions for people with social communication disabilities. As such, we propose the inclusion of an example, to make this section more actionable for those of us with invisible disabilities and for those of us with communication disabilities and focusing on whether or not employees are asked questions as a condition of hiring or relating to social relationships or anxiety in social or other contexts. We feel that this will have an effect on employment discrimination in hiring and promotion for people with invisible disabilities.

Overall, we were extremely pleased by the quality of these regulations. And our community is looking forward to working with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and working with the broader civil rights community to help build a culture of civil rights and a culture of ADA enforcement in the autism spectrum disability community and beyond.

Thank you very much for your time and I would be glad to answer any questions.

MR. ISHIMARU: Thank you very much. Very, very helpful. Are there any questions? No? I think you were pretty clear.

MR. ISHIMARU: I actually have one. On the personality tests, do you have a feel of how often they’re used and for people with autism spectrum disability issues, are they … will they always root out people who have the disability or does it happen more often than not?

ARI NE’EMAN: Well, this is something that’s a growing concern in the human resources context. And one of the issues is that the use of personality testing is growing significantly, with 30% of American companies utilizing them in one form or another. There’s a tremendous amount of diversity in terms of what personality tests are being utilized, the level of science that might back them and there’s actually been in the disability context and we know in the context of social communication disabilities, in large part, because of the very issues that led to the passage of the ADA … very little consideration as to the extent to which these personality tests are focusing on job-related tasks that would be covered by a matter of business necessity. We believe the anecdotal experience of many of our members and those of us on the autism spectrum show that these tests do tend to screen out adults on the autism spectrum. Particularly, because they’re being applied in contexts that do not necessarily have those particular skill sets within the essential functions of that job. It’s one thing if these tests are being applied in the context of sales force determination. It’s another thing to be applied in an engineering context or in a data entry job or in another type of job. So we know that these are relatively widespread and we do know that they tend to, because they are generally focused on the nature of the employee’s social interaction, the nature of the employee’s private life, the nature of the prospective employee, to screen out many individuals on the autism spectrum and with other social communication disabilities or with other invisible disabilities.

MR. ISHIMARU: Very good. Thank you very much. Very helpful.

Autreat 2010 Call for Proposals

2 Dec

Autreat is a retreat-style conference run by Autism Network International (www.ani.ac), for autistic people and our families,friends, supporters, and interested professionals. We are accepting presentation proposals for Autreat 2010, to be held Monday-Friday, June 28-July 2, 2010, in Bradford, Pennsylvania (approximately 80 miles from the nearest major airport at Buffalo, New York).

FOR HELP PREPARING A PROPOSAL:

If you want to submit a proposal but you have trouble reading these instructions and putting your proposal in the requested format, contactcfp-help (at) autreat.com for help. Please send only plain text messages, with no attachments.

WHAT KINDS OF WORKSHOPS ARE WANTED AT AUTREAT?

Autreat is very different from typical autism conferences:

WHEN PREPARING A PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION, BE AWARE THAT THE *PRIMARY* AUDIENCE AT AUTREAT IS AUTISTIC PEOPLE.

Parents and professionals do attend, and most who attend find the presentations to be of interest, but Autreat is basically autistic space.

Be sure your information is being presented in a manner that is both helpful to and respectful of autistic people.

We expect that you will be speaking *to* us, not speaking to non-autistic people *about* us.

We are interested in presentations, by either autistic or non-autistic people, about POSITIVE WAYS OF LIVING WITH AUTISM, about functioning as autistic people in a neurotypical world, and about the disability movement and its significance for autistic people.

We are interested in educational and informative presentations, not in sales pitches for a presenter?s products or services. If you are representing a commercial enterprise and would like a forum to sell products or services at Autreat, please contact exhibitors (at) autreat.com for information about attending Autreat as a vendor.

We are *not* interested in presentations about how to cure, prevent, or overcome autism.

We do *not* appreciate having non-autistic people come into our space to talk to each other about how difficult we are to deal with, or how heroic they are for putting up with us.

If your presentation is geared toward the interests of parents or professionals, it should focus on positive ways of appreciating and supporting autistic people, not on reinforcing negative attitudes about autism and autistic people.

AUTREAT AIMS TO BE WELCOMING AND RELEVANT TO THE BROADEST POSSIBLE CROSS-SECTION OF THE AUTISTIC POPULATION.

Autreat is attended by autistic people who speak and by autistic people who do not speak;

by autistic people who communicate fluently and by autistic people who have limited communication;

by autistic people who live independently and by autistic people who need intensive support with daily living;

by autistic people who have jobs and by autistic people who live on disability benefits;

by autistic people who are able to present as “socially acceptable” and by autistic people who require support to help them manage their behavior;

by autistic people who have been labeled “high-functioning” and by autistic people who have been labeled “low-functioning”?including some autistic people who have had *both* labels, at different times or under different circumstances.

While it is not expected that any one presentation will be of interest to each and every autistic person, we do look for presentations that will appeal to the widest possible audience.

We are *not* interested in presentations that reinforce what we consider to be artificial distinctions between members of our community who are labeled “low-” vs.”high-functioning.”

A NOTE ABOUT “PERSONAL EXPERIENCE” PRESENTATIONS:

Be aware that everyone at Autreat either knows what it’s like to be autistic, or knows what it’s like to care about someone who is autistic.

All of us have our own personal stories. Presentations about the presenters’ personal stories are not going to generate much interest, unless you’re able to use your story in a way that will help other people to share and understand their own experiences in a new way.

Your proposal should describe what participants can expect to get out of your presentation, not just what personal experiences you’re going to talk about.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PRESENTATION TOPICS OF INTEREST

Please review the ANI web site (www.ani.ac) and the past Autreat brochures (http://www.ani.ac/past-workshops.htm), to get an idea of ANI’s philosophy and what Autreat is about. This will help you create the kind of presentation most likely to interest Autreat participants.

If you have never attended Autreat before, you may wish to consider attending first, before submitting a proposal to give a presentation. In our experience, presentations usually get more positive feedback when presenters have some familiarity with Autreat and its participants, before they give presentations there. Active participation in ANI?s online community, and attendance at other self-advocacy events run by and for autistic people, are other good ways to get a feel for how Autreat is different from typical autism conferences. If you wish to submit a proposal and you?ve never been to Autreat before, please give us as much information as possible about your past experience with other autistic-run activities and events.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PRESENTERS?

If you submit a proposal, we expect you to be available to attend Autreat if we accept your proposal, and to give your presentation on the day and time scheduled. We make every effort to accommodate presenters’ preferences in setting the Autreat schedule, but it is not always possible to give every presenter his or her preferred time slot.

Presenters are expected to send advance copies of any handouts or slides they plan to use, so that we can prepare alternate format copies for print-impaired attendees.

Presenters are expected to consent for their presentations to be recorded, and for the recordings to be sold by Autism Network International.

Presenters are invited to attend all of Autreat. If presenters opt not to attend the entire event, they are expected to arrive on-site by 8:30 a.m. for afternoon presentations, and to arrive the night before for morning presentations.

Please be prepared to meet these expectations if you decide to submit a proposal.

Presenters are also encouraged to submit an article on their topic for inclusion in the program book. Like handouts and visual aids, articles need to be submitted in a timely manner, so we can prepare copies in alternate formats.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE PRESENTERS?

Individual Autreat presenters receive free registration for Autreat,including on-site meals and lodging in a shared (2-person) room. (A private room may be available at the presenter?s own expense.) This free registration is for the presenter *only*, not for a presenter?s family members or support staff.

In the case of panel presentations consisting of three or more presenters, we offer one complete four-day Autreat registration, plus a single-day registration (including three meals and one overnight, if desired) for each additional panelist. Therefore, a panel of X presenters is entitled to a total of 4+(X-1) free days/overnights. Panelists may divide these free days amongst their members as they wish. Panel presenters are of course welcome to register and stay for additional days if they wish.

ANI is a volunteer-run, member-supported grassroots organization with minimal funding. We cannot reimburse for off-site expenses, nor can we pay travel expenses or honoraria. If your proposal is accepted, we will send you a formal letter of invitation if this would help you in raising your own travel funds.

Presenters are entitled to receive one free copy of the recording of their presentations.

PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE:

* Your name and title (if any) exactly as you want them listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Contact information (address, phone, fax and/or email if you have them)

* Title of your proposed presentation

* Detailed description for consideration by the Planning Committee

* Brief (5 sentences or less) abstract exactly as you want it listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Indicate ONE theme that BEST relates to your proposed presentation:

[ ] Advocacy skills
[ ] Life skills/adaptive strategies
[ ] Helpful support services
[ ] Communication
[ ] Social/interpersonal issues
[ ] Personal/self-awareness/self-development issues
[ ] Autistic community and culture
[ ] Education
[ ] Employment
[ ] Family issues
[ ] Residential issues
[ ] Disability rights and politics
[ ] Autism research and theory
[ ] Other (describe):

* Indicate which group(s) you believe would find your proposed presentation of interest. Check as many as apply. Briefly describe what your presentation would offer to each group:

[ ] Autistic adults
[ ] Autistic teenagers
[ ] Family members of autistic people
[ ] Educators
[ ] Clinicians
[ ] Service providers
[ ] Other (specify):

* Brief (5 sentences or less) presenter bio exactly as you want it listed in program materials should your proposal be accepted

* Any audiovisual equipment you would need for your presentation

* If you have never presented at Autreat before, please also include an introduction for the Planning Committee summarizing your relevant experience, including any presentations or other education/advocacy activities elsewhere, and the nature of your interest in autism and/or in general disability issues.

PROPOSAL DEADLINE:

January 20, 2010

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

Proposals can be submitted via email to proposals (at) autreat.com, or submitted online at http://www.ani.ac/aut10cfp.php , or sent via postal mail to

Autism Network International
P.O. Box 35448
Syracuse NY 13235
USA

When your proposal is received, you will be sent a brief acknowledgment confirming that we have received your proposal. If you have not received this confirmation within 48 hours of submitting your proposal, then we may not have received your proposal! If you haven?t received confirmation within 48 hours, please contact proposals (at) autreat.com and let us know. Please save a copy of your proposal, so you can resend it if necessary.

WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO PRESENT, BUT I HAVE AN IDEA FOR A PRESENTATION I’D LIKE TO SEE?

If you want to make suggestions for Autreat presentations, or make comments about previous presentations or presenters, please fill out the questionnaire available at http://www.ani.ac/autplan2.php.

WHAT IF I WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AUTREAT?

You can find a lot of general information, including a link to join the Autreat Information mailing list, at http://www.autreat.com. If you have specific questions and can’t find the answers on the web page, you may send email to info (at) autreat.com.

Kim Stagliano: when you don’t have facts, go for personal attacks

1 Dec

When I wrote a response to the Age of Autism blog piece, Pass the Maalox: An AoA Thanksgiving Nightmare, I specifically left out mention of a particularly disgusting comment by Kim Stagliano, “managing editor” of AoA. If you wonder what I’m talking about, Orac, Skepchick and Countering Age of Autism have all discussed it.

I figured, well, Ms. Stagliano has coughed up a big enough hairball for now, she should be quiet for a bit.

Not so. In a recent blog post on the Huffington Post, Ms. Stagliano responds to the Amy Wallace piece in Wired with personal attacks. Does she take on Ms. Wallace? No. That would make too much sense. Besides, her fellow AoA blogger already embarrassed them with his efforts.

No, Ms. Stagliano attacks Dr. Paul Offit.

Does she use facts? Does she use science? Does she have anything of real substance to bring to the table?

No.

Here’s her opening paragraph:

I grew up in Boston, and am old enough to recall when the Catholic Church adamantly denied the sex scandal. Priests harming children? Sex abuse? No one wanted it to be true, and so it was easier to swallow the denials than to believe the children and adults whose lives were altered forever and who had the courage to speak out. That is, until the injured parties brought forth so much proof that the Church had to do its own digging and Catholics had to open their eyes and say, “My good God, the children and parents were right.” The Church has survived and programs are in place to avoid going back to those dark times.

(emphasis added by me)

Does this have anything to do with autism, vaccines or Dr. Offit?

No.

But, hey, a good smear job doesn’t need logic.

I’ll say it again: Dr. Offit isn’t your enemy. Your lack of science is your enemy. Kim Stagliano, grow up. The autism communities deserve better.

(note: minor edits were made shortly after this was published)

Is DMSA safe and effective?

1 Dec

This is the question posed by Prometheus over at A Photon in the Darkness blog. He blogged this in response to two papers recently published:

Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Part A – Medical Results

Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Part B – Behavioral Results

The short answer is, yes, DMSA is safe and effective. That is, if you have lead poisoning. It is likely safe and effective for other heavy metal exposures as well.

As far as a treatment for autism, well, that is another story entirely. The study authors claim that oral DMSA is “…possibly helpful in reducing some of the symptoms of autism in those children”.

Take a look at Prometheus’ analysis of the study. It is very clear that the study authors used, well, curious methodology. Beyond that, their conclusions are not really supported by their own data.

A quicker guide to the ‘Green Vaccines’ Initiative

30 Nov

Some music to accompany this entry.

Over at AoA, Kent Heckenlively must be making the rest of the crew nervoous. Maybe you haven’t read his brand new idea for making the ‘green our vaccines’ initiative a political…um…’force’. To whit:

We’re not going to get anywhere with our current legal system because everything gets funneled into Vaccine Court. We’re not going to get far with the current media because they’re so heavily funded by pharmaceutical drug ads. We’re not going to get far with the medical community because they’re part of the machinery.

And don’t even get me started on the politicians. On one hand you have pharma handing out millions of dollars to politicians, and on the other you have parents of children with autism who are slowly bankrupted by this disease. Who do you think is going to have more money to ‘support’ the politician of their choice?

So Kent wants to tackle the legal system, the media, the medical community and politicians. And how?

In the months leading up to this announcement I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the necessary ingredients for a successful rebellion. Reading books on our own American Revolution has given me some guidance…

Cool. Nifty idea Kent. Tackle the legal system, the medical system, the political system and the media by reading a few books on the American Revolution. I think this is definitely a winner.

I’ve carefully scanned the article a few times (whilst wiping the tears of laughter away) but yep – that seems to be about it. And really, if we (god save us) look at this seriously for a moment what is it? Its a tacit admission that Kent doesn;t like the fact that these systems he wants to change don’t agree with him and his loon friends that vaccines cause autism. In fact, take a look at the comments and you’ll see its moved beyond autism to outright anti-vaxx. Is Kent proposing the very first anti-vaxx based political party? Some choice comments:

…thank you for the opportunity your statement gave us to refine the expression of our opposition to any form of vaccination.

I will never vaccinate again…

I no longer think any vaccine is safe…

There are no green vaccines. I am convinced.

I am in the camp that you can’t make vaccine safe ever

Finished listening to Pink Floyd yet? Good isn’t it?

Pass the Maalox: An AoA Thanksgiving Nightmare

30 Nov

It is no secret that I don’t appreciate the humor or the pseudoscience at the Age of Autism blog. Frankly, the pseudoscience is worse than the humor as it is so damaging to the autism communities. But, both are an embarrassment.

So, you can imagine my reaction to their recent post “Pass the Maalox: An AoA Thanksgiving Nightmare“. If you haven’t seen it, someone spent her Thanksgiving holiday with photoshop making a picture of the favorite people to hate look like they are eating a baby.

You know the reaction they wanted: outrage. You know the one they actually get: a heavy sigh. As in, “Oh, well, here we go again with AoA’s embarrassing approach to autism blogging”

Why blog it? Because it is a good introduction to what I’ve wanted to write since the recent articles at the Chicago Tribune. (if you haven’t read them, do. email them to all those well meaning people who keep sending you links to miracle cure websites. They are here and here ).

What is the message I wanted to write? Simple. To all the Age of Autism readership: people like the Tribune writers, Tom Insel, Paul Offit and others are not your enemy. These people are not standing in your way.

Your lack of good science is what is standing in your way.

Unfortunately, that isn’t likely going to change. You flat out stated that Autism is just a misdiagnosis for mercury poisoning. You were wrong, but you can’t admit it. You bet everything on the idea that mercury and/or the MMR vaccine caused an epidemic of autism. You were wrong, but you can’t admit it.

The “nightmare” you are living is of your own doing. You created a false model of autism. It isn’t the fault of the many (MANY) observers who tell you you are wrong.

Your lawyers and “scientists” put together the best story they could in the vaccine court–the Autism Omnibus Proceeding. They claimed that MMR or thimerosal caused autism, and set out to prove it. They failed.

You really should read the expert reports submitted for the Autism Omnibus Proceeding. The people who wrote these reports aren’t your enemy. The facts they report are the enemy of the house of cards you built.

Reports from the Cedillo trial

Report of Jeffrey Brent, toxicologist.

Report of Edwin Cook, psychiatrist and geneticist.

Report of Eric Fombonne, psychiatrist and epidemiologist.

Report of Robert Fujinami, immunologist.

Report of Michael Gershon, neurogastroenterologist.

Report of Diane Griffin, immunologist and virologist.

Report of Stephen Hanauer, gastroenterologist.

Report of Christine McCusker, pediatric immunologist.

Report of Brian Ward, neurovirologist

Report of Max Wiznitzer, pediatric neurologist.

Report of Andrew Zimmerman, pediatric neurologist.

Declaration of Nicolas Chadwick, Ph.D.

Critique of Dr. Hepner’s letter, by Stephen Bustin, world expert on PCR.

Affadavit by Stephen Bustin, world expert on PCR.

Affadavit of Bertus Rima, molecular biologist, measles virus expert.

Reports from the Dwyer trial
Report of Bennett Leventhal, child psychiatrist

Reports form the Hazelhurst Trial
Report of Thomas MacDonald, immunologist.

Report of Christine McCusker, pediatric immunologist.

Report of Robert Rust, Pediatric Neurologist.

King Hearings

Report of Jeffrey Brent, toxicologist.

Report of Manuel Cassanova, psychiatrist.

Report of Steven Goodman, epidemiologist.

Report of Jeffrey Johnson, toxicologist, expert on oxidative stress.

Report of Dean Jones, professor of medicine.

Report of Thomas Kemper, neurologist.

Report of Catherine Lord, psychologist, world expert on autism.

Report of Richard Mailman, professor of psychiatry, pharmacology and neurology.

Report of L. Jackson Roberts, professor of pharmacology and medicine.

Report of Patricia Rodier, expert in autism and mercury toxicology.

Report of Sir Michael Rutter, professor of developmental psychopatholgoy, world expert on autism.

Letter from Carlos Pardo-Villimazar to Thomas Kemper


Another expert report by Eric Fombonne


Expert report of Robert Rust


Another report of Robert Rust

Supplemental report of Jeffrey Brent


Expert report of Michael McCabe

Expert report of Bertus Rima

Supplemental report of Brian Ward

Supplemental report of Max Wiznitzer

Letter from Michael Oldstone to Brian Ward

Another supplemental report by Max Wiznitzer

News Reports demonstrating misuse and misunderstanding of autism science

Autism treatment: Science hijacked to support alternative therapies
By Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan, Chicago Tribune

Researchers warn against misusing report

Autism treatments: Risky alternative therapies have little basis in science
By Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan ,Tribune reporters

Experimental treatments

Autism treatment: Success stories more persuasive to some than hard data
By Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan ,Tribune reporters


Questionable treatments for children with autism


Autism doctor: Troubling record trails doctor treating autism
Second of two parts By Patricia Callahan and Trine Tsouderos ,Tribune reporters

Miracle drug’ called junk science
By Trine Tsouderos ,Tribune reporter

An Epidemic of Fear: How Panicked Parents Skipping Shots Endangers Us All
Amy Wallace, Wired Magazine

You folks at the Age of Autism would like to pretend that there are a few people standing in the way of the “obvious” conclusions that mercury and the MMR vaccine caused an autism “epidemic” and that alternative medicine offers a cure.

You are wrong on every count. It isn’t a few people. It is almost everyone who looks at the “data” you have to offer. It isn’t just epidemiology, either. The mechanisms you present are just not supported by any real science. Your problem isn’t that there are people in your way. The problem is that your “data” is junk. Sorry, there is no nicer way to put it. There is no hard evidence for an epidemic. If there is a real increase in real autism incidence, you guys are actually standing in the way of finding the real causes. As to the “cure” offered by alternative medicine, that’s my thanksgiving nightmare: the idea that some “alternative” doctor from the Age of Autism stable is treating my child with poorly conceived “therapies” based on the same junk science you folks promote.

That sends shivers up this autism parent’s spine.

John’s Hopkins FAQs: The meaning of neuroinflammatory findings in autism

30 Nov

In their recent series on autism the Chicago Tribune exposed how a Johns Hopkins team’s findings of neuroinflammation have been misused to justify unproven autism treatments.

The Tribune included very short piece, Researchers warn against misusing report. The piece includes a link with some very valuable information, but it is unfortunately somewhat obscure. The web address they list (chicagotribune.com/autismstudy) is unlinked, and actually links through to the Hopkins team’s FAQ.

That FAQ is definitely worth reading and referring to when you read or hear “neuroinflammation”.

The FAQ is rather thorough, and I am in danger of just copying the entire thing here. Since I haven’t asked for permission, I’ll quote a small fraction of the FAQ. Yes, I am aware of the irony there–cherry picking information from this team is exactly what has led to the problems the Tribune reported upon. So I’ll say it again: go and read the FAQ for yourself.

Here is part of question 2:

Is neuroinflammation always present in the brain of autistic patients?

NOT necessarily. Since autism is a disorder that is highly variable in the ways it presents, and may be associated with multiple causes, it is possible that our sample of cases does not represent the entire autistic spectrum.

Here’s part of question

Are microglial and astroglial reactions always bad for the brain?

NO. The microglia and astroglia in the CNS may have a two-sided role in the inflammatory responses of the brain: they can act both as direct effectors of injury and on the other hand as protectors of the brain.

I’ll include all of question 12:

If there is neuroinflammation in the brain of some autistic patients, is treatment with anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory medications indicated?

At present, THERE IS NO indication for using anti-inflammatory medications in patients with autism. Immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids (e.g. prednisone or methylprednisolone), immunosupressants (e.g. Azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide) or modulators of immune reactions (e.g. intravenous immunoglobulins, IVIG) WOULD NOT HAVE a significant effect on neuroglial activation because these drugs work mostly on adaptive immunity by reducing the production of immunoglobulins, decreasing the production of T cells and limiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells into areas of tissue injury. Our study demonstrated NO EVIDENCE at all for these types of immune reactions. There are ongoing experimental studies to examine the effect of drugs that limit the activation of microglia and astrocytes, but their use in humans must await further evidence of their efficacy and safety

Capitals are in the original.

The Hopkins team is the source when it comes to neuroinflammation in autism. If they chose to write this FAQ and emphasize some points in all capitals, it’s well worth taking them seriously.

Age of Autism to Autism Families: Make your children suffer

24 Nov

Your pretty red house is engulfed in a roaring fire. You keep feeding the fire. Maybe petrol will help. Pour it on. Maybe some oil. Pour that on too. You don’t know. Nobody knows. Some guy you met on the internet tells you he’s a fireman and that the best way to stop a fire is to try and smother it with bone dry hay.

Your burns are bad. Your kids burns are worse. Do you throw them out of a window where a few other ‘firemen’ are holding on to a sheet made of melting plastic? Or do you push them down the stairs, where the rest of the injured and dead families are?

Thats my response to the utterly asinine response Kim Stagliano posted on the Age of Autism blog today to the Chicago Tribune’s series of articles on the quacks and hacks infesting the autism community. She wheels out the same old strawmen…

That’s my response to the Chicago Tribune accusing us of performing “uncontrolled studies” on our kids. (Our medical doctors are thorough and safe, by the way.)

I know of at least two doctors associated with the biomed movement who are on sex offenders registers. I know of one DAN! doc who is associated with the death of a child. I know of one other who hospitlaised a child. I know another who performed exorcism on autistic kids. I know another who is under investigation for more than one complaint.

And why does it bother journalists like Trine Tsouderos and Pat Callahan that some of us are improving our children’s lives?

I can’t speak for these journalists but I’ll speak as the parent (and step-parent) of two autistic kids. You’re not improving your childs autism. Thats the claim that these journalists are challenging. I challenge Kim Stagliano or Mark Blaxill to show the autism community where a biomed treatment discussed by the Tribune led to a measurable and scientifically documented improvement in their child’s autism. In fact, I can’t think of a child belonging to the founders of Autism FAIR Media, Generation Rescue, Age of Autism, SAFE MINDS or the NAA that has either been cured of their autism or made any sort of progress towards that end result as a sole consequence of biomed treatments. Why? Because in terms of curing/recovering/treating autism *they do nothing* . As a direct consequence of that obvious fact, parents continuing with detox, urine injections, exorcism et al are – as the Tribune indicate – experimenting on their children.

Blog housekeeping

24 Nov

Just a little update on LB/RB news.

First and foremost, the Crowdscience popup asking for opinions is gone. I’ve got enough data now to take over the world ensure any future realignment of the design meets users needs better and better. Apologies for the length of time it stayed and the oddness of some of the questions. I really don’t care how much you earn for example 😉

Secondly, this is sadly the first year I’ve had to put advertising in place. I’ve tried to keep it as unobtrusive as possible and I’m a good way to covering site costs now which means LB/RB will shortly not be hitting me personally in the pocket. If I ever get into the position of having meaningful excess (hahahaha) I’ll donate it to charity or buy a curry 😉

Future plans include the possibility of an LB/RB Social Network (like a Facebook/Twitter type thing), more authors and maybe a mini-wiki type affair where ‘newbies’ to the world of autism science can come and get the basics under their belt before joining in the heated debate in the comments sections. Any other ideas more than welcome, naturally.

If I don;t speak to you before, have a super Xmas and 2010.

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