We’ve written at length about autism at DISCOVER, including the scientific debunking of the myth that vaccines are behind the disorder. But thanks to growing celebrity support, the vaccine-autism movement has been spreading misinformation and gaining converts in Hollywood and beyond at an alarming rate.
Media attention on the issue skyrocketed last month, when Playboy model-cum-actress-cum-autism activist Jenny McCarthy led a Washington D.C. march demanding changes to the CDC’s child vaccination guidelines. McCarthy, hailed by supporters as “the biggest thing to happen since the word autism was coined,” is throwing her weight behind chelation, an unproven and possibly dangerous treatment that removes heavy metals from the body—and increasing numbers of parents are backing her. The government has begun feeling the heat over the rise (which may not be a rise at all) of the disorder (which may not be a disorder at all), and the National Institute of Mental Health is pushing to begin tests of chelation.
Still, some big names in Tinseltown are less than convinced by McCarthy’s efforts.
Marc Malkin at Eonline reports that actress Amanda Peet, who described herself as being “shocked by the amount of misinformation floating around, particularly in Hollywood,” also called parents who fail to vaccinate their children “parasites.” Feel the love!
Meanwhile, over in the world of actual science, researchers are making progress identifying genes that may underlie the disorder, while large-scale projects such as the National Children’s Study are examining the effects of environmental factors on the rates of autism, as well as a host of other mental and physical disorders. But in the meantime, look for plenty more autism coverage in the pages of Us Weekly—particularly once the Scientologists get involved.
Image: Flickr/Vlastula
July 11th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
They already are.
July 12th, 2008 at 10:46 am
When everyone knows someone with autism, and yet you believe there might not be a real rise, it’s easy to see they’ve pulled the wool over your eyes.
PS There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic.
July 12th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Yes, there is no “genetic epidemic,” pure genetic disorders are well understood and don’t spread quickly or rise in one generation.
And to the pigs who still think jabbing a child with 14 marginally to completely ineffective vaccinations I ask you simply this:
If your vaccine works so well, go get a given vaccine, and then directly inject into your blood a few weeks later directly into your blood whatever you were vaccinated against. You’ll still get sick.
Polio vaccines have caused polio (documented in VAERS), and polio is asymptomatic in 95% of those who get it, and polio is spread by the fecal-oral route. Meaning if people stopped eating contaminated foods and increased hygiene, most of the vaccines would be unneeded as disease would be even further reduced. Hygiene and quarantine plays the biggest role in disease management.
Anyways, as usual, the pigs of the world attack desparate parents who get nothing from doctors and are told everything is lost with ASD, and time and money are being spent on proving vaccines are great and very little is being done to cure or treat autism.
ONE in 150.You wont be laughing when its YOUR kid or YOUR grand kids get it. And you might wonder, what if the vaccines had a role in the IMMUNOLOGICAL DEFICIENCIES and LEAKY GUT ISSUES RELATED TO IMMUNE HEALTH THAT ARE ARE VERY COMMON IN ASD KIDS.
July 13th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
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July 14th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
As far as I can tell, everyone in my age group (I’m 25) has had to get a round of vaccinations from a few months old on through childhood to even be able to be admitted into school. I’ve had all of my vaccinations, and I do not feel I am of below average intelligence. I don’t feel that the vaccinations themselves have harmed me, although I know without extensive tests it may be difficult to pin point things like fertility, etc. I’ve met a lot of different people from my generation, and although the statistics are alarming, I personally do not know anyone with autism, unless you count the erratic behavior men exhibit on occasion.
As for contracting polio from the vaccine, I heard that was an issue with the orally administered version. I had to get re-vaccinated and I was scared to death that I may contract this disease. Oh well. I wanted to go to school more, so I got the shot. It didn’t even hurt. MMR hurt, but that’s a different story.
So what’s the fuss? Didn’t the celebrities get vaccinated? Hasn’t the greater part of America been vaccinated against all sorts of diseases without ill effect?
More than anything, I believe it’s environmental toxicity that causes autism. Why aren’t celebs worried about polluted air, soil, and water? I believe we come into contact, and our bodies have to constantly battle those elements, everyday. So why is it so easy to dismiss other possible causes?
July 15th, 2008 at 1:23 am
Let’s not forget the clearly evident genetic link. We have two children who are on the autism spectrum, and their father has signs of genius/social deficits that are on the spectrum as well.
My theory: Genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.
We do need to start re-thinking what foreign elements we are introducing into our bodies in the name of health and convenience.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
There is a lot of evidence that toxins in our world kill the natural balance of bacteria in our gut, and that this Intestinal Dysbiosis has a strong link to brain disorders. Despite any “evidence” or not, vaccines are clearly another toxin for the body to clear, and if that body is already overwhelmed with antibiotics, poor formula choices, etc, there is a great chance that the vaccine will have a negative impact on the rest of the body.
Go to youtube to check out some of the European physicians who discuss these issues. In Europe, drug companies do not have the same influence they do here in the States. Just count the number of full or double page ads for prescription and OTC drugs and realize the money that supports most publications.
I have a son with Aspergers, a milder form of Autism. I am sure that vaccines did not help, and I was not aware enough to consider options, 26 years ago. AND, he was clearly moving to a different drummer, from his difficult birth onward. The only consistent and immediate help I discovered, over the last 26 years and tens of thousands of dollars in therapies, is nutritionally based changes to support health.
July 21st, 2008 at 11:18 am
This is a very sticky subject: If vaccines cause autism, then perhaps it would be wise to forgo vaccination. On the other hand, if vaccines don’t cause autism, then failing to vaccinate will needlessly expose both your own children and the general population, itself , to disease risk. Myself, I tend to doubt the vaccine-autism connection. But the anti-vaccine activists will never be convinced. Therefore, they should keep their children from vaccination; it would greatly decrease our nation’s carbon footprint due to all the extra childhood deaths caused by the presence of other people’s unvaccinated children. It’s a win/win solution.
July 24th, 2008 at 11:12 am
The concern is that Big Pharma does not adequately test thier new vaccines for the most part. Most drugs are subjected to a paired cmparison double blind test vs. a placebo. Vaccines are commonly only tested against other vaccines with the conclusion that the new vaccine is “no worse” than an earlier similarly tested vaccines. This approach obscures the true detrimental effect of the new vaccine as it comes onto the market.
Also today 30 plus vaccines (which are majoritively known neurotoxins)are given to our young children vs. only a dozen 15 years ago. These are adminstered in combinations for which there has been precious little interaction research and can overload a small child’s immune system.
Unless parents can delay the testing protocol entirely they should insist on the shots being administered individually to mitigate the potential harm, particularly the MMR combo.
There is a degree of cover-up here and unfortunately it will be the class action lawyers that will benefit in the future when the facts come out.
August 1st, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Any effort to help this worthy cause is noble and I support McCarthy for her efforts.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
It amazes me the amount of debate over vaccinations… As well as the amount of people who don’t take the time to do research, and blindly follow what Big Pharma and Gov’t agencies tell them to do.
Something that everyone can agree on is… Vaccinations DO introduce a foreign substance into the human blood stream…
The debate is; are they safe or effective?
I have yet to have someone provide me or anyone I know with an Independent study that shows the safety and effectiveness of vaccines… A lot of Pro-Vaccine people will throw out CDC statistics… And yes, Europe (specifically the UK) is the 1st victim of “Vaccines for Profit” in the government.
August 7th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
[…] the celebrity smackdown between former Playboy bunny Jenny McCarthy and actress Amanda Peet has been working its way […]
August 11th, 2008 at 11:27 am
We run an autism group that is about interacting directly with children. We don’t run marches, walks, television ads, mass mailings we don’t even yet have a web site (although volunteers have promised before the end of the month). All we’ve got is a blog http://surfpal-autism.blogspot.com/ and a bunch of volunteers. We are a grass roots group that gives surf lessons to children/young adults on the autism spectrum. Some learn to surf, some simply enjoy time in the water. The big things they get are fun–people with autism don’t have enough fun–and a chance to show off. The primary thing kids with autism here is negative comment. On a surfboard, whether riding on their bellies, held in the arms of an instructor or riding on their own they hear the applause of spectators cheering their accomplishments. On Sept. 2, 2008 we will have more than 100 spectrum children surfing in Long Beach, NY (on Long Island, 5 miles east of JFK airport). We will also have a dozen therapy horses for them to ride. In addition we’ll have teams of NYC beauticians giving haircuts to autism moms who only have time for self snips and super cuts. We invite as many people as possible to come, watch and cheer. Jim Mulvaney lbsurfpal@gmail.com
August 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
There are many GOOD ways to inform people and bring attention to autism.
Midnight In Chicago does it with their Autism Spectrum Podcasts at www.mic.mypodcast.com where people can hear the “Autism and Vaccines: Parts I & II” podcasts.
The podcasts quote sources which may be much more accurate than Ms. McCarthy’s opinion.
MIC also has the “Countdown to Midnight” CD that sends proceeds to reputable autism charities.
Spread the word. It is important we get the FACTS out on autism.
August 18th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
[…] Lauren Cox points out, the site advocates “bio-medial” treatments, which include the highly unproven and potentially dangerous chelation. Another woman is seeking a big chunk of cash for her son’s hyperbaric oxygen chamber […]
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:29 pm
[…] but this year’s uptick indicates that the Herculean (albeit totally misguided) efforts of the celebrity set and their anti-vax followers may be working, and children are getting sick as a result. According to the CDC report, in 63 of […]
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
If everyone would just listen to the important information. In 1987 children were getting 10 vaccines and now they are getting 36 vaccines, all in the same time frame. Also think about this. Do you know anyone that is allergic to penicillin or nuts? Those people can’t take penicillin or eat nuts right? Then why is it so freakin hart to believe that every child can intake every flippin vaccine.
Have you looked at the ingredients? Really looked….
DTap has…Diphtheria, Tetanus Toxoids, & Acellular pertussis endotoxin, beef heart infusion/fetal bovine serum, aluminum, formaldehyde, thimerosal (mercury derivative), phenol/phenoxyethanol, polysorbate 80 (T ween 80), dry natural latex rubber (http://www.knowvaccines.com/dtap.htm)
October 6th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Things to consider…
- It is impossible to claim with any seriousness that the medical business is free from politics. Vaccine history is full of doctors and officials who broke away from the political machine, always to great professional peril, to speak out against vaccines and the claims of policy makers. The development of vaccines has consistently followed (and not preceded) the dramatic decline of infectious diseases. As you well know, multi-billion dollar sales are at stake every time a national recommendation is made (was the chickenpox vaccine really important?). More importantly, the health policy makers obviously win a political victory when the public is told that the government can now control another infectious disease.
- The efficacy of vaccines has always varied so wildly in studies that there’s almost no element of science left in the vaccine business. The same whole-cell DPT vaccine showed efficacy of 36%, 48% and greater than 80% in different CDC trials (many excuses followed). Since most of us made it into the 20th century without vaccines, it seems obvious that we have natural mechanisms that offer at least as much protection as the aforementioned products. The “efficacy” of different immune systems may be just as varied.
- Even extremely pro-vaccine doctors have admitted that vaccinated kids seem to have a greater incidence of annoying childhood illnesses (colds, ear infections, etc.) than unvaccinated kids. If vaccines were benign, one could possibly consider a risk/benefit analysis. However, these products generate nearly 11,000 adverse reaction reports (with over 100 deaths) annually with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Since this is a passive physician reporting system, you can easily understand why the FDA’s director once said that only 10% of the reactions are ever reported. The formaldehyde, mercury derivatives, phenol, aluminum salts, antibiotics and many other stabilizers and adjuvents obviously make vaccines potent and toxic drugs.
- Worst of all, however, is the new and mysterious area of zoonotic virus contamination. Monkey, chicken, cow, horse, pig and dog tissue has always been hard to implicate in chronic disease. The CDC in 1996 admitted contamination of the early polio vaccines with Simian Virus-40 (SV-40). Despite SV-40’s presence in humans with chronic illnesses, including its concentration in cancer tumors, the CDC denied a causal relationship. More disturbing, however, is the discovery by W. John Martin in California of a “Stealth Virus,” which shows identical DNA to the Simian Cytomegalovirus (SCMV) found in African green monkeys used for polio vaccines. Dr. Martin has isolated the viruses in extremely varied neurological illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and ADD. His pioneering research is also proving that virus fragments can still damage human brain cells. Virus fragments have been appearing in vaccines for decades but the CDC has always maintained that fragments were never a danger.
- While there’s no denying that better diagnoses are enabling us to discover a lot of new illnesses, there’s no explanation for the dramatic increase in chronic illnesses that do not require high-tech diagnostic equipment. Allergies, ear infections, autism, ADD, leukemia, epilepsy, and juvenile diabetes are just a few. The truth is, no government or private source is ready to conduct any studies that address the obvious and enormous pressure that zoonotic viruses may be putting on the immature immune systems of our children. The study of slow-acting toxins is neither profitable, nor important to the “instant results” American mindset.
I think that you will agree that as guardians of your children, you need to educate ourselves in a balanced manner. You will also agree that as parents, politics or profits don’t fit into your decisions only your genuine concern for the well-being of your children.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Points of correction: There is plenty of sound and growing evidence and research showing a link between the two, and there is research showing evidence to the contrary. I don’t agree with Scientology, but in this case they have no connection to this issue other than adding their two cents to the mix.
Current prevailing drug research says a small percentage of risk is acceptable (even if it may cause serious damage or death). As a parent, that is unacceptable. How dare some one ask me to run the risk, no matter how small, of unreversable damage or even death being done to my child, let alone having the govt. dictate to me this is mandatory.
This reminds me alot of when DDT was first introduced as safe, there were even films of kids in a swimming pool being sprayed with the mist to prove it was safe etc. Years later, it is now outlawed after creating some serious enviornmental problems.
Unless you have a child autism, you will not understand the concerns nor the valid research because autism has not had a strong lobby t make their case. Do you really think drug Mfg. are going to admit their product is unsafe?
January 3rd, 2009 at 12:28 am
I am the mother of 4 children ages 19, 16, 15 and 2. I was like many parents back 20 years ago who were under the impression that vaccines were mandatory and you had to give them to your children or else. I did wait and space them out over the first 5 years until they entered school. As for my 2 year old, he has never and will never get any vaccines!!! My first 3 children kept ear infections, colds, strep etc… we lived on antibiotics for years. I was a stay at home mom so they were not getting sick from daycare, babysitter etc.. My 2 year old has never been sick, has never had antibiotics, an ear infection, strep, nothing. I am lucky in having a pediatrician who supports my choice to not vaccinate. Parents need to realize that you DO NOT have to vaccinate your kids in order to go to school. There are forms that you send off for and fill out and file in your state to exempt your children from these poisons. The people who want to sit and say that vaccines are safe are the ones who are profiting from the money that is made everytime a child recieves a vaccine. Every parent signs a release form when there child gets a vaccine, has anyone ever really read what that paper says? Most do not. When you sign that paper you are releasing the Doctor and the drug company from any liability if your child gets anything from the vaccine. There is not a person out there ie…Dr. drug company, goverment etc.. that is going to admit that these vaccines are unsafe. Think about it, if they say yes we were wrong they are unsafe and cause autism or any other disorder can you imagine the lawsuits that would follow from every parent who has had the misfortune of having a child affected by vaccines? Not only that but they made you get them!!!
Parents check the laws in your state and see what you have to do to keep your kids safe from the vaccines that poisen our kids. I have been on both ends of this and if I had it to do all over NONE of my kids would have ever gotten a vaccine. I am in Texas and our law requires forms to be gotten from Austin, fill them out and send them back. Its that simple. Do your research and make an informed descision and not one based on what others tell you and the preasure from the Doctors who profit from the vaccines.