Is autism really caused by vaccines?

Question

Jenni McCarthy says her son's autism was caused by vaccines.

Is there any scientific evidence to support this?

How did she come to this conclusion?

Answer 1

NO! There is no evidence to support a link between vaccines and autism. There is actually new evidence that early signs of autism can be detected prior to children even getting the MMR vaccine--the one largely blamed for autism.

The 1998 study which supposedly showed a link involved only 12 children--way too small a number to draw a conclusion. Since 1998 10 of the 13 authors of that study have retracted their claim of a link between autism and vaccines.

I applaud Jenny McCarthy's devotion to her son, but she is doing a tremendous disservice to parents by campaigning against vaccines. She is wrong, and she is not a scientist.

EDIT: "Fight the corruption"'s article is about work on monkeys presented at a conference. It is not a peer reviewed article. It claims to detect autism in monkeys. It's by no means "PROOVED(sic)."

Answer 2

Yes, actually the debate is over.  People don't want you to believe it is.  They are afraid people won't vaccinate.  They would rather 1 out of every 90 boys become autistic than admit the facts.  Parents have detoxed their autistic child and gotten the mercury, aluminum, etc. out of their bodies.   They treat their autistic children for "vaccine injury" and they get better.....Jenny McCartney is spreading the FACTS.  Don't let anyone tell you different.

Here is a new, UNBIASED study that has PROOVED it:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles...

Answer 3

Explain, then, why autism incidence is going UP after thimerosol was removed from vaccines?

Go ahead.  I'm waiting.

Answer 4

Well some people believe this and it could be that certain batches of vaccine could be contaminated or have more mercury than others.  My son has had all his vaccines and he doesn't have autism.  I have a lot of friends with kids and all of them has been vaccinated and none of their children have autism.  It is something that has not been evaluated.

Answer 5

Jenni McCarthy says there are so many mothers who say there kids developed Autism after vaccine shots.



The Centers for Disease Control says "There is no convincing scientific evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site."

The American Academy of Pediatrics says"No scientific data link thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines with any pediatric neurologic disorder, including autism."

Autism is caused by a combination of genetic vulnerability and environmental factors.This is very emotional debate and we need more research at this question,not only to fight a court case but this will help in understanding possible  treatment options.

Only casual findings can not prove anything,and high mercury levels affect only those kids who have genetic susceptibilty .

Food and Drug Administration ordered Thiomersal to be removed from vaccines but found no evidence of potential harm of it.

Autism society of  America  has provided court proceedings and newer developments in this regard ie "role of Vaccines in Autism" http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageS...

Answer 6

I have heard her and actor Gary Cole, has a daughter that changed after vaccines. They think it might be the mercury. I believe that clinical tests, and research needs to be done to see if it may be true or not. They seem to be too slow though, doing that.

Answer 7

I concur with Fergus.........some things "just happen"..that's the hand we're dealt...but it is normal to assume there HAS to be a reason for it.  The science,at this point, just isn't there!...I myself had Hodgkins lymphoma,and then within a year had to have triple bypass..now, we can trace causes of the bypass problems...but the cancer?.....some things just happen..our lives at home have been better served as having gone thru the cancer, and now look back on how it's actually been a blessing in our lives..i.e. how other people saw our attitude thru it all and were challenged in their attitudes toward such things...etc...our faith made the difference is thinking "disaster", or "opportunity"....by the way, the doctors will tell you, with cancer especially, attitude is everthing!  When I was stricken with cancer we werent at all concerned with causes..just effects.

Answer 8

The science linking vaccines to autism is scant.  When a mother has an autistic child, she will invariably be eager to find the culprit.... When my dad got cancer I desperately wanted to blame something or someone... But the science just isn't there to show a causal relationship between vaccination and autism.

Jenny McCarthy and other such celebs get a lot of media attention and raise awareness, but what gets lost in all of this is just how many lives have and will continue to be save by vaccination.  Vaccination is one of the greatest revolutions of the past century and to critique it without sound rigorous science is a terrible affront to the scientists who have prevented or cured infectious disease in countless people.