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Is Generation Rescue trying to get Airborne to fund junk science?

8 Dec

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.

Steve Novella at Science Based Medicine discussed this.

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.

Generation Rescue has a history of misrepresenting and misusing science to forward their agenda. A few cases: their “phone survey” and their pseudo study on vaccination, childhood mortality and autism around the world.

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?

Study shows lower autism rate in vaccinated kids

3 Dec

A study just released claims that kids who are vaccinated against measles have a much lower autism rate.

The sudy was published in The Pediatric infectious disease journal.

Lack of Association Between Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination and Autism in Children: A Case-Control Study

the team is out of Poland:

Mrozek-Budzyn D, Kietyka A, Majewska R.

From the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland.

Here is the abstract:

OBJECTIVE:: The first objective of the study was to determine whether there is a relationship between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and autism in children. The second objective was to examine whether the risk of autism differs between use of MMR and the single measles vaccine. DESIGN:: Case-control study. STUDY POPULATION:: The 96 cases with childhood or atypical autism, aged 2 to 15, were included into the study group. Controls consisted of 192 children individually matched to cases by year of birth, sex, and general practitioners. METHODS:: Data on autism diagnosis and vaccination history were from physicians. Data on the other probable autism risk factors were collected from mothers. Logistic conditional regression was used to assess the risk of autism resulting from vaccination. Assessment was made for children vaccinated (1) Before diagnosis of autism, and (2) Before first symptoms of autism onset. Odds ratios were adjusted to mother’s age, medication during pregnancy, gestation time, perinatal injury and Apgar score. RESULTS:: For children vaccinated before diagnosis, autism risk was lower in children vaccinated with MMR than in the nonvaccinated (OR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.06-0.52) as well as to vaccinated with single measles vaccine (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22-0.91). The risk for vaccinated versus nonvaccinated (independent of vaccine type) was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.10-0.76). The risk connected with being vaccinated before onset of first symptoms was significantly lower only for MMR versus single vaccine (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22-0.99). CONCLUSIONS:: The study provides evidence against the association of autism with either MMR or a single measles vaccine.

If we take these results at face value, the MMR vaccine may prevent autism. Also the single measles vaccine, recommended by Dr. Wakefield, is less “safe” than the MMR.

To be honest, I don’t think these results are consistent with previous, large population studies of MMR and autism. An odds ratio of 0.17 (meaning you are six times more likely to be autistic if you didn’t get the MMR) should have been picked up.

I look forward to reading the full study. Somehow I doubt it will be posted to the Generation Rescue or SafeMinds websites!

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.

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.

Bob Wright snubs autistic adults, the same group who live in poverty

23 Nov

The New York Post reported on Autism Speaks founder Bob Wright having a grumpy slap at adult autistic people who were protesting the fact that Autism Speaks still has no autistic representation on its Board.

Bob Wright had harsh words for protesters who tried to muck up the A-list benefit concert he put on at Carnegie Hall on behalf of autistic kids.

“The protesters are lucky,” said Wright. “They’re well off enough, healthy enough, to do it. I wish my grandson were able to join them.”

Wright runs Autism Speaks, which has raised over $200 million for research into a disorder that afflicts mainly children.

That didn’t stop a clutch of sign-carrying adult protesters from descending on Carnegie Hall Tuesday night, trying to disrupt a concert attended by Donald Trump, Howard Stern and Martha Stewart. Protesters complain that there’s not one autistic person on the board of the org, which produced an “offensive” ad suggesting that autism was a fate worse than death.

Wright, whose grandson cannot talk because of autism, said the disorder is exploding among young kids who can’t speak for themselves.

“This is serious business,” he said.

Note how the reporter states that the benefit was for autistic kids and further states that autism affects mainly children. This should give some insight into the silly one dimensional world that the Wrights, and by extension, Autism Speaks inhabit. Of course autism doesn’t affect mainly children. In fact, it would seem that the reverse is true.

I would like to suggest to Bobo that what is serious business is blindly misrepresenting autism either purposefully or (more likely) out of ignorance. I would also like to suggest that its about time Autism Speaks walked the walk and got aome autistic Board level members. I would further suggest that Bobo wakes up and smells the coffee. Young autistic kids definitely find it difficult to talk for themselves. Most kids of his grandsons age might find it difficult to form coherent opinions on high level concepts like the right to be who you are. In the meantime, having an autistic Board level member would be a step in the right direction. I’d happily accept Jake Crosby or Jon Mitchell. Two men who I vehemntly disagree with yet who’s opinion on autism I respect due to their diagnosis.

Maybe Bobo might take a look across the pond if his cheeks aren’t still smarting from the slapdown he got last time he came over here. Maybe the reality of life for autistic adults over here might cause him to get a bit of a reality check as to where his research priorities should lie. As he continues to steer Autism Speaks down the increasingly stupid looking anti-vaxx hypotheses,

A THIRD of Wales’ autism sufferers are unemployed and living in ‘poverty’ without benefits, a charity has said.

9,000 autistic adults are surviving (sort of) on handouts from friends and family. Not only are they subject to ignorance in job centres, they are not made aware of _how_ to make a claim:

She [Shirley Parsley] said: “It is scandalous, therefore, that thousands of people with this serious, lifelong and disabling condition are being consigned to poverty by a complex and counter-productive benefits system.”

This is the reality of life for autistic adults. Abandoned by a state system and also abandoned by Autism Speaks, an organisation focussed solely it seems on people of Bob Wright’s grandchilds age. Whilst Bobo complains about how autism is ‘exploding amongst kids who can’t talk for themselves’ (a factoid for which there’s no valid science), the adults he and his organisation turn their backs on are literally starving.

Boyd Haley brings the weirdness

19 Nov

On 12th Novemeber, Vueweekly featured the second part of an interview with Boyd Haley during which Professor Haley contradicted so many of the basic tenets of the autism/vaccine hypothesis – and also of good ol’ common sense (remember her?) that I was left wondering if he was in fact an Evil Neurodiversity spy sent to make himself look like an asshat.

“What about the argument that autism rates haven’t declined since thimersoal has been removed from vaccines?” I pose. “It’s a total deception,” he says. “We don’t actually know the autism rate for the last officially thimerosal-vaccinated cohort. And according to parents who asked to look at vaccine inserts, thimerosal was still present in childhood vaccines as late as 2004 in many places. Then in 2004, the flu vaccine, which contains thimerosal, was recommended for six-month-old infants. I don’t know if we even have a thimerosal-free time frame.”

Uh….what? Whilst Haley is literally right he kind of misses points so large they’d fit perfectly on the head of a stag. He claims we don’t know the autism rate for the last officially thimerosal-vaccinated cohort, whereas it might be more accurate to state we don’t really *know* the rate for any autism cohort, ever. No one’s looked. The latest estimates in both the UK and US come in at around 1 in 100. And really, he has the question bass-ackwards. What we need to know is how much thiomersoal was in official use during the last few years as the autism estimates have been rising. The answer to that is, aside from the voluntary flu vaccine and a trace amount used in the manufacture of one brand of vaccine, none. Doesn’t need a professor to work this out…lets go through it Boyd, no thiomersal, rising autism estimates…hmmmm….

We don’t _need_ a thiomersal free time frame. We simply need to compare the autism estimates for when there was a lot of thiomersal in use to now, when there’s pretty much none.

Cherry picking another bemusing quote, we get:

Autistic infants are totally incapable of excreting mercury. They’d be fine if they weren’t exposed to thimerosal.

Hmmm, a Professor of chemistry who’s not aware that even Jill James doesn;t claim that autistic infants are *totally incapable* of excreting mercury. And a professor of chemistry who’s not aware that mercury occurs naturally in humans in greater amounts than vaccines.

Haley then brings on a strawman:

Whatever is causing autism must affect boys more than girls, as autism rates are higher among boys than girls. It is well-known and documented that testosterone accentuates the effects of mercury…

Firstly, it is now suspected (I’ll try hunt down the link) that autism affects females in a much greater number than previously suspected. It should also be noted that whilst testosterone does accentuate the effects of mercury, no valid research has ever been done to show that testosterone is working with thiomersal to heighten the effect of the mercury. Haley is just making a specious correlation.

More weirdness:

“We know autism isn’t genetic,” he says. “You can have a genetic susceptibility, which together with an environmental toxin is what I believe is causing it, but autism went epidemic in all 50 states at one time. This isn’t the behaviour of a genetically caused disease.

Actually, a goodly proportion of autism *is* assocated with genetic abnormalities. Rett syndrome – a form of autism – is _entirely_ genetic.

Haley is also in error when claims autism ‘went epidemic’. Nobody knows wether the rates of autism have ‘gone epidemic’ because we have no base measurement. Nobody can say how many autistic people there were five years ago, let alone 20. And Boyd, really, doesn;t the fact that – as you state – something happened ‘at one time’ lead you to look for explanations closer to reality? Something like…oh, say, a change in the DSM criteria which massively expanded the definition of autism? Something that _did_ happen 20 yeas ago?

The rest of Haley’s piece is a pointed reference to himself as a hero whos truth is being hidden from us all by the nasty pharma companies.

Weird. Just weird. Haley needds to catch up with the rest of the anti-vax loons who have cottoned on to the truth that the thiomersal boat is full of massive holes and pretty much lies waterlogged somewhere off the coast of Stupidville.

Thoughtful House acknowledges that chelation can be dangerous and not effective

14 Nov

IV Chelation could cause death, and Thoughtful House acknowledges it:

From a recent story in the Austin Statesman:

Thoughtful House’s IV chelation consent form, which Juli Martinez provided to the American-Statesman, includes a long list of possible side effects that include intestinal disorders, joint pain and, in rare cases, “allergy, anaphylaxis, arrhythmia and even death.” It adds that the treatment offers no guarantee of success.

Wow, Thoughtful House admits that IV chelation, even as performed by them, could cause death.

I have read so many apologists for the doctor who killed Tariq Nadama with chelation. They typically read, “the doctor made a mistake” or “the doctor used the wrong drug” followed by statements that chelation is perfectly safe. And, yet, Thoughtful House seems to be saying that even the correct drug could result in death.

And there is no guarantee of success.

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