David, are you sure Hannah has an autism diagnosis? My reading of the purloined court document is that some of her symptoms mimic autism. But a real autism diagnosis requires more than that.
You're "litigious straws" comment raises an interesting point. McCain has been a strong voice for tort reform over the years, yet seems oblivious to how much of the anti-vaccine activism is driven by trial lawyers. Read Kathleen Seidel's investigation of shady vaccine court "experts", and the rogue's gallery of plaintiff attorneys who have been cashing government checks for the last 20 years. My hunch is that once Sen. Straight Talk finds out he's getting in bed with the same ambulance chasers he's been excoriating for the past two decades, he'll say he was misquoted, and meant to say he's a supporter of artistic children.
BTW. I've always voted Democrat, and look forward to President Obama's inauguration next January.
Senator McCain: "Strong Evidence" of Autism-Vaccine Link
Dear Senator McCain,
It was with some amazement that I read about your comments, made tonight while campaigning in Texas, about a possible link between mercury in vaccines and autism.
According to Jake Tapper at ABC News, a Texas mother of a child with autism asked you about the Federal Court document, first reported on Huffington Post last Monday, in which Justice Department officials conceded that vaccines had aggravated one child's underlying medical condition, resulting in a diagnosis of autism.
Your courage -- some would (and will) call it lunacy, or at best political suicide -- to step into this quagmire, while running for President, no less, is an inspiration and comfort to those of us who continue to ask such discomfiting questions in the public realm.
It's not the nicest place to be, but welcome to our world anyway. Given your war record, you are much better prepared than anyone I can think of for the incoming missiles of vitriol that are about to come your way.
"Why are you trying to scare parents away from vaccinating their kids?" some will demand. "Don't you know that children will get sick and die, because of your reckless questioning?" others will say. "Are you really so stupid that you believe this issue hasn't been put to rest by the best science money can buy? Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?"
Oh that's right: War Hero. U.S. Senator. De Facto Presidential Nominee.
Well, Senator, if you are unafraid to ask the tough, unpopular, and, yes (gasp!) controversial questions about what you aptly call the "indisputable" increase in autism cases - and to be so bold as to suggest that "there's strong evidence that indicates that it's got to do with a preservative in vaccines" -- then no one in America, least of all journalists, should fear asking the same questions.
In the meantime, get ready for a whole new sub-species of infantile sloganeering that will be heaped upon you with tedious repetition.
You, Senator, like it or not, are now a card-carrying member of the "Mercury Militia." You are a tin-foil hatter, a "denialist dead-ender," and an "anti-science" nut job grasping at emotional, litigious straws.
You, Senator, in the raw vernacular of your newfound enemies, are one of those awful, ragtag "anti-vaxers" who just want to see kids get sick from preventable diseases and die.
Yet, when you raise questions in the US Senate about aviation safety, no one angrily labels you "anti-airplane," do they?
Inquire about reducing highway accident rates? Nobody runs around calling you "anti-car."
But raise a question about the Federal Government conceding a vaccine-autism case; or ask why more and more studies from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, the University of California and elsewhere continue to show a potential link between mercury (from the environment and, yes, from vaccines) and autism, or even call attention to the fact that autism is epidemic (and thus not purely genetic), and suddenly it's battle stations: Prepare to fend off the overheated wrath of indignant health officials and their blogger allies, who, to be honest, aren't always that adept at turning an original phrase against their foes.
Sir, I only hope that your Democratic opponent will be equally unafraid to address these admittedly thorny issues up front and honestly. (My sources tell me that one indeed will. The other one, not so much).
Whoever wins the White House, let's pray that he or she gets to the bottom of this national emergency while funding vital new treatment research on a Manhattan Project scale. And let's hope their Administration is remembered for presiding over the waning days of the Great American Autism Epidemic.
-------------
PS: Senator McCain's statements did not happen in a vacuum. Many parents, especially members of A-CHAMP (Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning), met with McCain last year, prompting this letter sent by McCain and Joe Lieberman to Ted Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committe, asking for hearings on the cause and treatment of autism spectrum disorder.
"We have heard the concerns of many Americans," they wrote, "that a number of environmental exposures, such as thimerosal, pesticides, metals, organic pollutants and other ambient factors may be linked to autism."
I am not aware of any response from Senator Kennedy's office, but will try to get one and post it ASAP in this space. - DK
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If the vaccines were causing autism, how come the rate of autism kept going up after the mercury compound was removed?
Really, this is pathetic. Quit taking medical advice from Jenny McCarthy. There is absolutely no evidence of the vaccine - autism link. Period.
Wait until the Autism hits your town, street, home and family. Then you will realize how the toxic ingredients (not just Mercury, but also Aluminum, preservatives, the Vaccine Virus itself) ruined your child's life.
Just explain me one thing. The Autism rate was 1:10, 000 in 1990 (number of childhood shots were about 10). Now in 2008, it is 1:125. Why is that? What changed?
We aren't taking medical advice from Ms. McCarthy. She just happens to have the resources available to make our views known. The medical establishment has infinite resources to debunc the autism-vaccination connection, and all we have is Jenny McCarthy, Holly Robinson-Peet and Tony Braxton. They speak for thousands of parents who have children with autism, but somehow have come under the mass delusion that their children got a vaccination that caused autism.
Is it a coincidence that all of these parents can pinpoint when it happened? So I guess thousands of parents share the same insanity. If so, then perhaps we need to investigate this, because you will see more and more of us in the next few years if something is not done to stop this.
Or maybe its a new plague, and all of us parents need to be vaccinated against it. Then we'll need drugs to counteract the side effects. Then we'll need more drugs to counteract the side effects of that, etc. etc.
The medical establishment does not have infinite resources, but it does have empirical evidence, and specialized education and experience, and peer review journals. And all you have is Jenny McCarthy and some over D-list celebrities. So I guess I have to concede your point.
Is it just coincidence that the sun comes up after the rooster crows? Think about. Or better yet, ask Jenny.
It seems that the only think you can contribute to the discussion posts is an attitude. Please learn some manners and then we'll talk. Until then, have a nice day.
It may not just be the mercury, but there are a multitude of poisons that are being injected into our babies' immature immune system.
Perhaps you should read this post here:
http://www.washingtonindependent.com/view/independence-of-cdc
One particular quote that I found very interesting states, "Some departing scientists and outside experts have charged that senior CDC officials are failing to give the office the independence it requires to investigate possible harm from vaccines. "
Can you say "Uh Oh?"
All vaccines have some risk. It is a good idea to have strong oversight and research. That doesn't mean there is any link between autism and the measles vaccine (or any other vaccine). There is just no evidence. Obviously, that doesn't bother you since you continue with the "multiude of poisons" wag. The fact that some CDC personnel want more oversight doesn't mean anything except they want more oversight.
Can you say, "Get a clue!".
Try this link: http://skepdic.com/refuge/harm8.html
Actually Chombo, there is evidence. It's just not very convincing. Anti-vaccine activists get hung up on the word "evidence" all the time. There's evidence that Santa Clause delivers presents to all the good girls and boys. It's just not very convincing.
The reason why the CDC wants more oversight for vaccines is because, why? Because they feel they aren't safe enough. If our government's organization that controls our nations disease and vaccinations suddenly says that it doesn't think that our vaccines are safe, guess what, I get a clue and listen.
Autistics Clinically Proven Mercury Poisoned
Press Release Contact:
For Immediate Release CoMeD Director [Rev. Sykes (Richmond, VA) 804-364-8426]
April 8, 2007 CoMeD Sci. Advisor [Dr. King (Lake Hiawatha, NJ) 973-997-1321]
WASHINGTON , DC " Recent peer-reviewed scientific/medical studies by Nataf et al. (2006) and by Geier and Geier (2006) leave little doubt that many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are indeed mercury poisoned. These studies utilized urinary porphyrin profile analysis (UPPA) to assess body-burden and physiological effects of mercury in autistics. Today, any parent, physician, or healthcare provider can easily confirm whether a non-chelated autistic is mercury poisoned by having UPPA testing run at Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) (CLIA-certified, Test#120980) or Laboratoire Philippe Auguste (ISO-certified, Urine Porphyrin Profile).
UPPA is a highly accurate, inexpensive, non-invasive, and routinely available method for estimating body-burden and toxicity of mercury. Numerous peer-reviewed scientific/medical papers published over the past 40 years, many of them supported by the US NIH, have proven the validity of using UPPA to identify mercury poisoning.
UPPA profiling, unlike attempts to directly measure mercury in the blood, urine or feces, or in tissues (e.g., hair and nail), is a proven method for assessing mercury toxicity.
Using UPPA, Nataf et al. (2006) studied the urinary porphyrin patterns in French children using the results reported by Laboratoire Philippe Auguste. Similarly, Geier and Geier (2006) studied the urinary porphyrin patterns in US children using the results reported by LabCorp.
Both published studies:
· Clearly demonstrated that non-chelated autistics had porphyrin patterns indicative of clinical mercury toxicity, while normal children and their normal sibling controls did not.
· Found that the more severely affected the ASD children were the higher their evidence of mercury toxicity.
· Established that treating autistics with chelating agents resulted in lower mercury-specific urinary porphyrins, which corresponded to apparent reductions in the mercury body-burden of these children.
Many other physicians who take care of ASD patients have ordered UPPA testing and confirmed the observations made by Nataf et al. (2006) and Geier and Geier (2006).
Thus, urinary porphyrin profile testing is being successfully used to:
· Demonstrate the role of mercury in populations of autistics,
· Identify those children and adults who are mercury poisoned, and
· Track mercury excretion from affected children undergoing treatment.
For the past several years there has been a raging controversy as to whether or not mercury in medicines, especially in vaccines, has caused the dramatic rise in the rate of children diagnosed with an ASD. Many experts have insisted ASDs are caused by some yet-to-be-identifie d genetic cause. A paper recently published in Nature Genetics described the results of multi-million- dollar genetics study (which studied a thousand-plus families with at least two autistics using in-depth genetic screening). Tellingly, the authors reported, "None of our linkage results can be interpreted as `statistically significant'¦ " (The Autism Genome Project Consortium, 2007). This makes it unlikely that purely genetic aberrations are t he root cause of most ASD cases.
With the current porphyrin study results, public health officials should now publicly admit what they have been saying in their private transcripts and memos all along: Mercury from Thimerosal-containi ng vaccines and other medicines has been a major cause of ASD cases, which, according to recent CDC (2007) estimates, may occur one in every 150 children.
CoMeD's web site, http://www.Mercury- freeDrugs. org contains:
· Further information on how to order these tests,
· Full copies of the Nataf et al. (2006) and Geier and Geier (2006) papers, and
· Some of the many published papers validating the UPPA test.
Study "Disproving" Mercury-Autism Link Published in Journal with Financial Ties to Vaccine Manufacturers
"While the mainstream press is widely reporting a new study "disproving" any link between autism and mercury-containing thimerosal in vaccines, no one has bothered to point out that the study was published in a medical journal stacked full of ads from the very same drug companies that manufacture and market vaccines. "
Here's the link to the article. Don't like the website? click on the links to get the info from other websites.
http://www.truthnews.us/?p=1607
@Momof3au
You or anyone else have a link or more info about the rally at the CDC in June, organized by Jenny McCarthy?
@darker
That's crazytalk. McCain coming out in support of investigating the vaccine-autism link shows that Republicans "don't mind killing your baby..." Um, I'm just not following your logic on that one.
autismfathers.com
Here is the link
http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/video/cdc-rally-video.htm
I will admit that his response surprised me; pleasantly, but a surprise nonetheless. I am a card carrying member of the Disgusted Party (our symbol isn't isn't a donkey or an elephant, but a raised finger...I'm sure you can guess which one). The government, both republican and democrat, has a long-standing tradition of sweeping the Autism-Mercury debate under the rug and forgetting about it. Honestly, I've only been keeping a moderate interest in the primaries, so when I heard McCain's response, it got my attention.
Our latest administration, and the monkey who runs it, has come under a lot of fire in the recent years from parents of autistic children because of both their ignorance and because they ignore it. Having a republican nominee echo such a contriversial subject, in favor of the parents, gives me cause to admire Mr. McCain because it may well be political suicide when his opponents get ahold of his response. However, I sadly must take his response with a grain of salt and wonder if he had an underlying agenda in what he said.
The fact of the matter is, very few members of our government understand what it is like for an autistic family. Like you, I am currently exhausted and stressed after my 6 year old son went into one of his screaming fits...3 hours of extremely loud, ear-piercing, high pitched shrieks while trying to beat his head against the wall. Myself, my wife, and my 2 other children (my 8 year old daughter, btw, has mild Aspergers. My youngest, she's 4, is the only one who didn't get vaccinated and the only one not exhibiting signs of ASD) have had the police called on us numerous time by our neighbors (I live in a duplex). Fortunately, my local police are very understanding and just check to make sure we are ok. Stagmom, I'm right there with you and I know what you are going through.
I'm not surprised. Both parties are also pretty darn dismissive of Big Foot, and Area 51, and Alien Elvis. How dare they!
I won't even respond to the immaturity of this statement. Have a nice day.
Don't be fooled by McCain's efforts to win your votes! McCain, Huckabee, Obama, & Clinton are all members of the Council on Foreign Relations, which wants a one world govt - a vote for any of these candidates is a vote for Bush! RON PAUL IS THE ONLY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO IS NOT CFR. RON PAUL is an OBGYN, who is HOLISTIC, who's been in CONGRESS for 10 TERMS representing Texans, who LOVE him! PAUL OPPOSES MANDATORY VAX legislation. Become a delegate to the National Republican Convention to cast your vote for the Love of America, for Freedom - Vote PRINCIPLE over party - VOTE FOR RON PAUL! Restore America to its founding Constitutional Principles!
http://www.cfr.org/
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/health-freedom/
http://www.rpv.org/?q=faq
http://www.gopconvention2008.com/Default.aspx
http://www.constitutioncenter.org/
I COMPLETELY agree with LoveFreedom. I am a mother of 2 little girls with autism. One of many reasons why I support Dr. Ron Paul is because he voted AGAINST the Patriot Act. And what was included in that Patriot Act? The MANDATORY VACCINATION ACT.
McCain voted for the PATRIOT ACT...check it: http://www.knowbeforeyouvote.com/
Now to get the votes (by any means necessary) he'll talk about the vaccinations and autism. As a mother who deals with 2 young girls with autism, I'm disgusted.
Dr. Paul was an original co-sponser for the bill to study vaccinated populations versus unvaxed for the link in autism. You know he is an OBGYN, and has taken his oaths (in every right) very seriously. He believes that the combinations and/or preservatives have caused autism.
This guy is for real. I do wish the autism community would embrace him.
READ: http://www.infowars.net/articles/january2008/230108Vaccines.htm
Here's a Ron Paul quote from the above link.
"I don't think anything should be forced on us by the government, [and] immunization is one thing that we're pressured and forced into," he said.
"A responsible parent is going to say, 'Yeah, I want my child to have that,' [but] when the government makes a mistake, they make it for everybody. You know, that's what worries me. They don't always come up with the perfect answer sometimes... and people have had some very, very serious reactions from these immunizations."
Thank you, Mr. Kirby, for all you've done and continue to do with your apposite journalistic integrity. Thank you for joining our plight and continuing to fight with and for us. We"d not be where we are today without the David Kirby"s of the world. And where we are today, is a bit closer to the truth and to freedom from vaccine-induced autism.
My highest respect, regards, and gratitude also goes out to the many, many parents who dared to trod before us; those who blazed and paved the trail. They dare go where no man had gone before; unlocking doors, opening ears, minds and hearts along the way! Words cannot properly convey my appreciation to each and every one.
For those who continue the fight, no matter the manner, you are all as equally imperative and held in the highest of esteem. Those who help others through their words, experience, kindness, compassion; to you I am also obliged. And for those of you who are only able to muster the strength each day to get out of bed and search for answers and assistance for your loved ones, we are here for you, too. There is hope and we fight as equally diligently for your child, grandchild and loved one. Don"t give up; reach out when need be. We are here for you, too.
Now, as for the political allegiances; which party is better than the other, I say POOH!! That"s right, just POOH! Given that Senator McCain has shown to us that he is willing to stand with us; then I say, THANK YOU, SENATOR JOHN McCAIN!!! I PROUDLY STAND WITH YOU, SIR, WITH HONOR, RESPECT AND ADMIRATION!!
Sam's very, very proud MAMA
Sorry David I misread the article ... I guess you and I are saying the same thing!
My apologies.
Wow. Do the straw men cry out when you beat them?
And for those of you proclaiming your newly found intent to vote for Senator McCain: you'd have ended up there anyway. The Republican Party and its candidates exert a natural gravitational pull on those who favor anecdotes and heart-twanging over science.
There is something wrong with the vaccines being given to kids, it's literally frying their brains and if its not the mercury/preservative than what the hell is it?
Ultimately, that is all parents are saying: there is something wrong, help us find out what it is. The medical community, as per usual, stone walls, belittles, attacks and name calls rather than listen and do research to find out what is wrong with vaccinations.
Stop calling people names David and dedicate your time and energy to trying to find answers rather than telling people they're 'crazy' or that they hate science.
Literally frying their brains? Really Boobaloo? Because I never notice smoke coming out of my son's ears.
I appreciate you trying to speak for all parents, but you really aren't. Some, like me, are skeptical of the way anti-vaccine extremists try to demonize children with autism, like these kids with fried brains were no different than your average tweakers. Some parents are sure it's the thimerosal, others the aluminum. Different anecdotes for different folks.
Where do you get the idea that we are demonizing our autistic children? I don't understand what you're saying with that statement. My son is the center of my world, so much so that my 2 daughters sometime have to do without so that we can help him. If what you mean is that we are demonizing our children by wanting to find the answer to what happened to them so suddenly, then you may want to look up the definition. Here is is for your convenience.
Demonize:
1. To turn into or as if into a demon.
2. To possess by or as if by a demon.
3. To represent as evil or diabolic
David,
Thank you so much for keeping this topic alive. We need to keep urging another look at the vaccine link to autism and determine EXACTLY what it is in the vaccines that is causing the problem. Keep fighting the good fight. You ARE winning.
Is it really tough to know what to believe? Here let me help!
Children are vaccinated to EXTREME. According to the CDC
Mandatory Vaccine Schedule n 2008 - 36 Injections = 121 Vaccines by 6 years Old
Influenza (Prenatal), Hep B (Birth), Hep B, DTaP, Hib, IPV*, PCV, Rotavirus, Hep B, DTaP, Hib, IPV*. PCV, Rotavirus, Hep B, DTaP, Hib, IPV*, PCV, Influenza, Rotavirus, Hib, MMR*, Varicella, PCV, Hep A*, DTaP, Hep A*, Influenza, Influenza, Influenza, MMR*, DTaP, IPV*, Influenza, Influenza
* Vaccines made with Aborted Fetal Cell - will childs DNA ever be the same?
Bottom line it is about freedom of choice, empowerment, and investigating before you vaccinate. Did you know that SIDS is listed in the pHarmaceutical documents as an adverse reaction.
Thanks, David, as always.
We should not forget the incredibly courageous stance Sen. McCain took when vaccine liability protection was snuck into the Homeland Security Bill at the last minute. Here is one of the articles that dealt with it:
http://www.vaccinationnews.com/DailyNews/November2002/McCainWithDemos18.htm
All the best,
Sandy
What a historical event this is. Thank you David Kirby for continuing your mission of reporting on the good, the bad, and the ugly in the autism epidemic!
I hope Sen McCain can take the heat and is prepared for the ugliness to come. Since my ballot usually goes across the aisle, I am wondering what the other side is planning to do. This may be a significant turn of events for many voters who have loved ones with the infamous autism diagnosis. Using the "vaccine" word in the same sentence as "autism" takes great courage and integrity. It's about damn time. Thank you John McCain. Let's see if Obama and Hillary ignore, attack, retreat, or investigate. Our children are waiting.
Teresa Conrick
Hillary and Barack are lawyers, and understand that important public policy matters need to turn on evidence, not emotion.
I think my vote's just been decided. I'd like to offer the Senator a ride to Jenny McCarthy's rally at the CDC in June.
I have great respect for John McCain the military hero. I gave up my Independent status in 2000 to register as a Republican so I could vote for him over Bush. I'm still an independent voter, although I now have a D after my name. I don't think Hillary Clinton has give our kids a glance, and she's definitely a proponent of vaccination. Perhaps she just needs some education. I've no idea Obama's stance. I hope he takes on the topic too.
Perhaps John McCain has met enough children with full blown autism (I hope that that calms the folks with Asperger's and HFA who are comfortable in their own skin) that he sees the parallel between the prison of the tiger box and the prison of autism, for some folks on the spectrum.
If you could see what one of my sweet daughters (with autism) has gone through for the past hour - a monster tantrum where she was is full fight or flight mode over the sensory agony of a female situation, you'd know why I fight alongside David every day. It breaks my heart to see her in such obvious distress.
Kim Stagliano
HuffPo blogger
Managing Editor Ageofautism.com
There is something that stays with you forever when you take the oath to enter the United States Naval Academy. Regardless of your politics, and I have many policy disagreements with Capt. McCain, he is duty bound on subjects that require: "I will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate anyone among us who does."
Honor, courage, committment. You have it as well Mr. Kirby.
I love this article and your last paragraph gives me goosebumps! thank you again!
xo,
Heidi
Posted March 1, 2008 | 01:10 AM (EST)