---from those of the "if it ain't so, it should be!!!" school of science.
"Autism and Vaccines"
Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com) (02/09/04) P. A26
An editorial in the Wall Street Journal was written after a surprising
response the paper received from a previous editorial about vaccines, in
which the editorialist had noted that although there is concern that the
preservative thimerosal, once used in vaccines, may be the cause of the rise
in autism cases in children over the past 30 years. There is no scientific
data to reflect that presumption.
Letters and e-mail messages subsequently written to the paper accused the
editorialist of "fraud," a "terrorist act," and presenting an "industry
profit promoting agenda," language that is also being used in other arenas
by a relatively small minority of the population that uses its voice to
stifle others that have an opposing view.
The editorialist noted that such vociferous reaction to one statement of
fact reflects a dangerous movement toward the suppression of scientific
information for the advancement of a personal viewpoint in attacks on
respected organizations. For example, the National Alliance for Autism
Research, which is steadfastly independent, found through a rigorous Danish
study it co-funded that there is probably no association between the
measles-mumps-rubella combination vaccine and autism, yet naysayers
immediately attacked the group and slandered its activities despite its
record of thoughtful research.
The editorial notes that "researchers have spent years studying the
vaccine-autism link, and we hope they continue. But if the research
disproves a connection--as it has up to now--the autism community needs to
listen and move on," as research funding only stretches so far and "parents
of autistic children deserve to see the money spent where it will do the
most good."
Some common sense there.
Peter Moran