Also, my autism reporting for the Huffington Post is at http://www.hufffingtonpost.com/david-kirby

In my talk, I mention the fact that, during 2008, the following groups and individuals expressed the possibility of a link between vaccines or mercury and autism, and/or advocated more research into the matter:

Director of the CDC

Chair of the U.S. House Science Subcommittee on Investigations

HHS Vaccine Safety Working Group

CDC Vaccine Safety Research Agenda Authors

Medical personnel at HHS Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

Strategic Planning Workgroup of the IAC Committee

Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Network – CISA

Autism researchers at Johns Hopkins University Medical School

The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation

America’s health insurance companies

Autism Speaks

The former head of the NIH and American Red Cross

Both Presidential Candidates

Thank you very much for at least considering a look at some of the opposing arguments and evidence in this matter.

I truly hope that intelligent people will open the door to some serious debate on the causes of autism.

David Kirby
http://www.evidenceofharm.com

Canadian Skeptic wrote:

Yes, RFK Jr. has demonstrated gross anti-scientific thinking when it comes to vaccinations, but just because of that does not automatically mean that he’s anti-scientific in other arenas

Actually it does.

There will never be an identifiable cause for autism. There are though 11 published papers which identify the underlying medical condition of autism as neuroinflammatory disease. My favorite is ‘ Neuroglial activation and Neuroinflammation in the Brain of Patients with Autism’. This was published by John Hopkins University. Now, do you want to debate whether mercury, a known neurotoxin, added to childhood vaccines at levels 250 times higher than what the EPA identifies as hazardous waste, causes neuroinflammatory disease? Do you want to debate whether brain damaged kids behave in a way so that some psychiatrist can label them as somewhere on the ’spectrum’?

I agree: fighting against Nazis or the Taliban or Stalinists is not partisan; it is simply the humane thing to do, dare I say the right thing to do.

But to disagree with McCain, or Palin, or someone who questions some of the assertions of global warming alarmists is NOT the same thing; it IS partisan and political, no matter how much you protest your innocence. It is disturbing to think that you equate your political stances to be on the same moral level as battling against genocidal murderers.

But hey–it’s your blog, and if you want to say that you are not partisan, go right ahead.

I’m not anti-Republican; I’m not even anti-convervative (I like the fiscal personal responsibilty message they used to espouse, though I could certainly do without their outdated social customs views which seem to be mostly how they define themselves now).

But one thing I am staunchly against: anti-reality! How many centuries must this self- and mentor- imposed ignorance, and the actions taken as a result, continue to taint our society?

It seems reality is making slow progress, and I am hopeful we’ll blossom into a true reality-based society within a couple of generations — and I hope I am alive to experience the day when nearly all people have critical thinking skills and the will to use them.