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Teresa Binstock
Researcher in Developmental & Behavioral Neuroanatomy
June 12, 2009
PLos Biology recently published a Liza Gross essay entitled, "A
broken trust: lessons from the vaccine--autism wars" (1). Her essay
- in a supposedly scientific journal - is a rant against
individuals who dare suggest vaccinations may induce autism in some
individuals. Her essay contains pejorative rhetoric and stands as
diatribe, not science, because scientific reviews cite both sides
of an issue yet undecided. Instead, Liza's presentation is
judgmental, omits evidence contrary to her worldview, and relies on
epidemiological studies whose design overlooks important subgroups
(eg, fourteen studies critiqued in 2).
Overall, the Liza Gross essay is a monument to an Ideology of
Vaccinationism. Within that ideology, a central tenet - declared
true via a priori reasoning - is the safety of vaccinations. A
mandated corollary is a priori acceptance that vaccinations can not
and do not cause autism.
However, and these contrasts are important, former NIH director
Bernadine Healy, M.D. and current NICHD director Duane Alexander,
M.D., have called for better designs in vaccination-autism research
(3-5), while Mayo Clinic's Gregory Poland, M.D., has called for
safer vaccines (6). Furthermore, VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event
Reporting System) and VICP (National Vaccine Injury Compensation
Program) exist because vaccination-associated adverse events occur
(7-8).
The fact that upper-level staff at PLos Biology and at PLoS allowed
the Gross non-scientific essay to be published further establishes
an enduring principle: Suggesting that some cases of autism or
autism-spectrum disorders (ASDs) may be etiologically linked with
vaccinations via the MMR (9, 15), via thimerosal and its
ethylmercury (10-11), or via interaction with mitochondria
dysfunction (12-14) is an act of heresy which must be counteracted
by pronouncements from modern day High Priests of Vaccinology (eg,
16) and their loyalists (eg, 1). Parents who believe their child to
have been damaged by vaccinations (eg, 17-19) are to be scorned (1)
if they make their observations known.
Parents, researchers, and others who want to follow the
vaccination-autism controversy closely are encouraged to peruse
important documents such as:
a) the autism-mercury-thimerosal hypothesis, wherein numerous
peer-reviewed citations document that traits described in mercury
studies can induce traits which define or are associated with
autism and other ASDs (10; see also 24-29); and
b) the study reporting "Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia,
non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in
children" (9), wherein Wakefield et al stated, "We did not prove an
association between measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine" and the
syndrome mentioned in the study's title... We have identified a
chronic enterocolitis in children that may be related to
neuropsychiatric dysfunction. In most cases, onset of symptoms was
after measles, mumps, and rubella immunisation. Further
investigations are needed to examine this syndrome [ILNH] and its
possible relation" to the MMR." (9; see also 23).
Indeed, Dr. Wakefield et al dared suggest there may be a causal
relation between the MMR vaccination and developmental disorders in
some children. The cautious and constrained mentioning of that idea
- approved by Lancet editors as the 1998 article was prepared for
publication - has caused an establishmentarian reaction akin to
that experienced by Galileo and Giordano Bruno in response to their
heliocentric heresy (eg, 31).
Instead of being swayed by the Lisa Gross diatribe mistakenly
presented in a usually scientific journal (1), readers are
recommended to read the whole-text articles of the studies (9-10)
causing Ms. Gross such grief. Get one of Jenny McCarthy's books
wherein biomedical treatments and her sources for her
vaccine-concerns and for those treatments are presented (eg, 20).
Visit the Safeminds website and examine for yourself the science
presented there (21; see also 30). Listen to prominent
individuals such as Bernadine Healy and Duane Alexander, who have
dared admit that the epidemiological studies Liza Gross feels
affirm her faith have lacked the power to detect subgroups of
children with increased susceptibility (3-5).
PLoS Biology was not a proper vehicle for publishing the Liza Gross
diatribe. Its editor Theodora Bloom (22) ought initiate a
retraction.
1. A broken trust: lessons from the vaccine--autism wars.
Liza Gross
PLoS Biol. 2009 May 26;7(5):e1000114. Epub 2009 May 26.
http://tinyurl.com/odu5gc
2. http://www.fourteenstudies.org/
3. Fighting the Autism-Vaccine War
By Bernadine Healy, M.D. [former director of NIH]
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/brain-and-behavior/2008/04/10/fighting-the-autism-vaccine-war.html
4. The Vaccines-Autism War: Détente Needed - Heart to
Heart
By Bernadine Healy, M.D. [former director of NIH]
Apr 14, 2009
http://health.usnews.com/blogs/heart-to-heart/2009/04/14/the-vaccines-autism-war-dtente-needed.html
5. Duane Alexander. M.D., NICHD director.
Quoted in: NIH Agency Head: Vaccine-Autism Research is
"Legitimate" - by David Kirby
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/nih-agency-head-vaccine-a_b_170034.html
6. Adversomics: the emerging field of vaccine adverse event
immunogenetics.
Gregory A. Poland, M.D., et al.
Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009 May;28(5):431-2.
7. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)
http://vaers.hhs.gov
8. National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)
http://www.hrsa.gov/Vaccinecompensation/
9. Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and
pervasive developmental disorder in children.
Andrew J. Wakefield & colleagues: Murch SH, Anthony A, Linnell
J, Casson DM, Malik M, Berelowitz
M, Dhillon AP, Thomson MA, Harvey P, Valentine A, Davies SE,
Walker-Smith JA.
Lancet. 1998 Feb 28;351(9103):637-41.
10. Autism: a novel form of mercury poisoning.
Bernard S, Enayati A, Redwood L, Roger H, Binstock T.
Med Hypotheses. 2001 Apr;56(4):462-71.
11. The role of mercury in the pathogenesis of autism.
Bernard S, Enayati A, Roger H, Binstock T, Redwood L.
Mol Psychiatry. 2002;7 Suppl 2:S42-3.
http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v7/n2s/abs/4001177a.html
12. HHS concession document presented in David Kirby essay
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/the-vaccineautism-court-_b_88558.html
13. {free online} Developmental regression and mitochondrial
dysfunction in a child with autism.
Poling JS, Frye RE, Shoffner J, Zimmerman AW. J Child Neurol. 2006
21(2):170-2.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2536523&blobtype=pdf
Autistic spectrum disorders can be associated with mitochondrial
dysfunction. We present a singleton case of developmental
regression and oxidative phosphorylation disorder in a 19-month-old
girl. Subtle abnormalities in the serum creatine kinase level,
aspartate aminotransferase, and serum bicarbonate led us to perform
a muscle biopsy, which showed type I myofiber atrophy, increased
lipid content, and reduced cytochrome c oxidase activity. There
were marked reductions in enzymatic activities for complex I and
III. Complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) activity was near the 5%
confidence level. To determine the frequency of routine laboratory
abnormalities in similar patients, we performed a retrospective
study including 159 patients with autism (Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV and Childhood Autism
Rating Scale) not previously diagnosed with metabolic disorders and
94 age-matched controls with other neurologic disorders. Aspartate
aminotransferase was elevated in 38% of patients with autism
compared with 15% of controls (P <.0001). The serum creatine
kinase level also was abnormally elevated in 22 (47%) of 47
patients with autism. These data suggest that further metabolic
evaluation is indicated in autistic patients and that defects of
oxidative phosphorylation might be prevalent.
14. {free online} Evidence of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism
and Implications for Treatment
Daniel A. Rossignol, J. Jeffrey Bradstreet
American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology 4 (2): 208-217,
2008
http://www.scipub.org/fulltext/ajbb/ajbb42208-217.pdf
15. ADEM --> PDD/ASD: Another ruling in the US vaccine court
Melanie Phillips, The Spectator
http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/3395891/another-ruling-in-the-us-vaccine-court.thtml
16. New book about vaccine safety.
Paul A. Offit
Pediatrics. 2008 Oct;122(4):871-2.
17. Sallie Bernard, co-author of cites 10-11, co-founder of
Safeminds
http://www.safeminds.org
18. Lyn Redwood, co-author of cites 10-11, co-founder of
Safeminds
http://www.safeminds.org
19. Jenny McCarthy, parent-activist
http://www.ageofautism.com/jenny_mccarthy/
20. Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide. by Jenny
McCarthy
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Preventing-Autism-Complete-Guide/dp/0525951032
21. Safeminds
http://www.safeminds.org
22. PLoS Biology editors and contact information
http://www.plosbiology.org/static/contact.action
23. Response to Dr. Ari Brown and the Immunization Action
Coalition
Wakefield et al February 2009
http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/pr/dr-ari-brown-response.pdf
24. Homozygous gene deletions of the glutathione S-transferases M1
and T1 are associated with thimerosal sensitization. Int Arch
Westphal GA et al. Occup Environ Health. 2000 Aug;73(6):384-8
25. Inhibition of the human erythrocytic glutathione-S-transferase
T1 (GST T1) by thimerosal.
Muller M et al. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2001
Jul;203(5-6):479-81.
26. Activation of methionine synthase by insulin-like growth
factor-1 and dopamine: a target for neurodevelopmental toxins and
thimerosal.
Waly M et al. Mol Psychiatry. 2004 Apr;9(4):358-70.
26. Thimerosal neurotoxicity is associated with glutathione
depletion: protection with glutathione precursors.
James SJ et al. Neurotoxicology. 2005 Jan;26(1):1-8.
27. Comparison of blood and brain mercury levels in infant monkeys
exposed to
methylmercury or vaccines containing thimerosal.
Burbacher TM et al. Environ Health Perspect. 2005
Aug;113(8):1015-21.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2005/7712/7712.html
28. Thimerosal induces neuronal cell apoptosis by causing
cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor release from
mitochondria.
Yel L et al. Int J Mol Med. 2005 Dec;16(6):971-7.
29. Cellular and mitochondrial glutathione redox imbalance in
lymphoblastoid cells derived from children with autism.
James SJ et al. FASEB J. 2009 Mar 23. [Epub ahead of print]
"Since the glutathione-dependent
system was repeatedly shown to be involved in the metabolism of
thimerosal decomposition products, the observed association may be
of functional relevance."
30. CDC Simpsonwood
http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/chapter2.html
31. Giordano Bruno
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno
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