Thimerosal NOT linked to autism

[tvguy]

I doubt we will know in our life times if there is a link.

 

[sturdypeasantstock]

Just another negative study, adding to the scores of others that to date, have found no link between vaccines, or any component of vaccines, to autism.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-0309v1

Published online September 13, 2010
PEDIATRICS (doi:10.1542/peds.2010-0309)

Prenatal and Infant Exposure to Thimerosal From Vaccines and Immunoglobulins and Risk of Autism

Cristofer S. Price, ScMa, William W. Thompson, PhDb, Barbara Goodson, PhDa, Eric S. Weintraub, MPHc, Lisa A. Croen, PhDd, Virginia L. Hinrichsen, MS, MPHe, Michael Marcy, MDf, Anne Robertson, PhDa, Eileen Eriksen, MPHf, Edwin Lewis, MPHd, Pilar Bernal, MDg, David Shay, MD, MPHh, Robert L. Davis, MD, MPHi, Frank DeStefano, MD, MPHc

aAbt Associates Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts;
bNational Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
cImmunization Safety Office, and
hInfluenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia;
dDivision of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, California;
gDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Kaiser Permanente ASD Center San Jose Northern California Region, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California;
eDepartment of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts;
fSouthern California Kaiser Permanente, and Center for Vaccine Research, University of California, Los Angeles, California; and
iCenter for Health Research Southeast, Kaiser Permanente, Atlanta, Georgia

Objective Exposure to thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative that is used in vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations, has been hypothesized to be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study was designed to examine relationships between prenatal and infant ethylmercury exposure from thimerosal-containing vaccines and/or immunoglobulin preparations and ASD and 2 ASD subcategories: autistic disorder (AD) and ASD with regression.

Methods A case-control study was conducted in 3 managed care organizations (MCOs) of 256 children with ASD and 752 controls matched by birth year, gender, and MCO. ASD diagnoses were validated through standardized in-person evaluations. Exposure to thimerosal in vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations was determined from electronic immunization registries, medical charts, and parent interviews. Information on potential confounding factors was obtained from the interviews and medical charts. We used conditional logistic regression to assess associations between ASD, AD, and ASD with regression and exposure to ethylmercury during prenatal, birth-to-1 month, birth-to-7-month, and birth-to-20-month periods.

Results There were no findings of increased risk for any of the 3 ASD outcomes. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for ASD associated with a 2-SD increase in ethylmercury exposure were 1.12 (0.83–1.51) for prenatal exposure, 0.88 (0.62–1.26) for exposure from birth to 1 month, 0.60 (0.36–0.99) for exposure from birth to 7 months, and 0.60 (0.32–0.97) for exposure from birth to 20 months.

Conclusions In our study of MCO members, prenatal and early-life exposure to ethylmercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines and immunoglobulin preparations was not related to increased risk of ASDs.



Key Words: thimerosal • mercury • vaccines • immunoglobulins • autism


Abbreviations: CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • MCO = managed care organization • ASD = autism spectrum disorder • TCI = thimerosal-containing injection • AD = autistic disorder • ADI-R = Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised • ADOS = Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule • SCQ = Social Communication Questionnaire • OR = odds ratio • Hib = Haemophilus influenzae type b

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"? It's easy for the almighty medical establishment to try to cover up their wrongdoings and for those whose families aren't affected by autism to say things. I really don't see the point of your posting this "study" in its entirety. Be thankful you don't have a dog in the fight.

 

[sturdypeasantstock]

Thank you Deb, always appreciate your insight!

no thank you from me

 

[sturdypeasantstock]

THANK YOU for posting this, Deb, I just today received an email from someone who is still promoting the claptrap that vaccines cause autism...this in response to a PTA initiative with a clinic offering free vaccines against pertussis (whooping cough). California has seen a HUGE outbreak of pertussis lately, and this clinic is doing a good thing.

You will never convince the rabid anti-vaxers, though. But thanks for trying.

Unconvinced rabid anti-vaxer here. Yes, we parents of "defective" children are all a bunch of defectives ourselves and overprotective nutjobs.

 

[Hannathy]

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"? It's easy for the almighty medical establishment to try to cover up their wrongdoings and for those whose families aren't affected by autism to say things. I really don't see the point of your posting this "study" in its entirety. Be thankful you don't have a dog in the fight.

unsubstantiated coincidence?

Sorry That is what is great about science! facts and reproducible facts, not opinions and hearsay and what people want to believe.

 

[cm8]

And there's no scientific evidence that that timeline matters in the least, either. It might make you "feel" better but otherwise there's no reason to space them out.

I believe that there is, give me some time to find it, when I was in my peds rotation, we cam across a lot of information that showed that spacing the vaccinations had a healthier effect on the infants and children with low immune systems than all together. The thing was that by passing the immune system and shocking the system caused more side effects. I'm not looking for a debate, but I will say that I believe that it is possible for any additive for instance sequelae can cause a reaction if it is placed in the right environment.....

 

[HeatherH]

Unconvinced rabid anti-vaxer here. Yes, we parents of "defective" children are all a bunch of defectives ourselves and overprotective nutjobs.

Guess what! I am a parent of a "defective" child too! My daughter has Asperger's...and ADHD...so don't throw in the arguement that just because I actually believe the SCIENCE that I am tossing the parents of children on the spectrum under the bus.

I AM ONE OF THOSE PARENTS. And I completely believe that there are both genetic and possibly environmental components of autism. I do NOT believe that vaccines CAUSE autism. And all the science continues to support that belief.

(I'm not going to get into the story of a friend who is a rabid anti-vaxer...and yes, I DO have friends that are...whose three-year-old son is autistic. NO vaccines at all. My heart breaks for her, as his impairment is fairly severe.)

 

[tlbwriter]

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"?

You have a classic post hoc logical fallacy here. The fact that something happens after something else, or around the same time, does not mean that one causes the other.

I know this is frustrating for you, but look at it this way - the more time and money that is spent beating this dead horse, the less time and money is available to look for the real cause of autism. The people who are working to disprove something that was never really proven in the first place could actually be doing more useful work in this field.

 

[Tinkermommy]

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"? It's easy for the almighty medical establishment to try to cover up their wrongdoings and for those whose families aren't affected by autism to say things. I really don't see the point of your posting this "study" in its entirety. Be thankful you don't have a dog in the fight.

It is my understanding that in some children signs of autism don't show up until about 18 months. Which is the same time the MMR and other vaccines are given.

But correlation does not equal causation. There have been multiple studies that show no correlation between vaccines and autism.

Personally, I think it is an answer that some people embrace because there is no known reason for autism. But the science just proves otherwise.

Edited:

I do think it's been proven and honestly I agree with a pp that they should stop this research and dedicate the resources to find ways of treating or preventing autism. The people who are convinced won't change their mind no matter how much data and research is done.

 

[Deb in IA]

I'm a bit paranoid because one of mine had high lead levels. We never did track diwn the cause.

Lead is surprisingly ubiquitous. It is present, in trace amounts, in the air, in the soil, all over our environment.

I do 'have a dog in this fight'...my 3 yr old DS is autistic.

With that being said, I never thought vaxes had anything to do with his autism. He had signs/symptoms months before he got his MMR. We did a delayed schedule with vaccines (he is up to date now)...but not b/c of the autism. He was gross motor delayed, and we didn't want lots of shots to cause pain and delay his walking/moving (he didn't walk until age 2).

I still think there is probably an environmental exposure component to autism...maybe prenatally, maybe post natal. But that is yet to be discovered.

thanks OP for posting this...I do enjoy reading anything that has to do with causes/non causes for autism.

You are welcome. I post these because I strongly feel that GOOD science needs to be shared and disseminated.

Heck, if tomorrow, there is good, solid evidence that vaccines, or blue cheese, or anything else was proven to "cause" autism, I'd be the first to share it here.

And I don't want parents to feel guilty about giving their children the best protection from deadly childhood disease by vaccinating them.

I am fully convinced that autism is not caused by vaccines. I don't believe in any pre- or postbirth environmental causes either. I, personally, believe it's a purely genetic condition. I also think many adults (including my husband and brother) would have been diagnosed as children if the diagnostic process back then had been as refined as it is now.

Again, this is completely my own personal opinion. I'm not claiming to know anything for sure. It's merely based on my own observations and experience. But, I thought I'd throw it out there since we're discussing possible causes of autism.

Current evidence points strongly to a genetic component, but other, yet unknown, non-vaccine environmental factors (toxins, pollutants, radiation, global warming?) may also play a role, perhaps not directly in causation, but possibly as a promoter in those with inherent genetic susceptibility.

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"? It's easy for the almighty medical establishment to try to cover up their wrongdoings and for those whose families aren't affected by autism to say things. I really don't see the point of your posting this "study" in its entirety. Be thankful you don't have a dog in the fight.

I didn't think folks like you would "see the point" of this study. We only see what we want to see, don't we?

As others have pointed out below, just because two things happen at the same time does not mean one CAUSE the other. (The sun came up today. I stubbed my toe when I got up out of bed. Therefore, the sun caused me to stub my toe.)

And while I don't personally have a "dog in this fight" - your words, I would NEVER call a child a dog, even metaphorically - I do spend my professional life evaluating, treating, and reasearching autism and other developmental disorders as a developmental pediatrician (yes, I'm one of THOSE).

You have a classic post hoc logical fallacy here. The fact that something happens after something else, or around the same time, does not mean that one causes the other.

I know this is frustrating for you, but look at it this way - the more time and money that is spent beating this dead horse, the less time and money is available to look for the real cause of autism. The people who are working to disprove something that was never really proven in the first place could actually be doing more useful work in this field.

It is my understanding that in some children signs of autism don't show up until about 18 months. Which is the same time the MMR and other vaccines are given.

But correlation does not equal causation. There have been multiple studies that show no correlation between vaccines and autism.

Personally, I think it is an answer that some people embrace because there is no known reason for autism. But the science just proves otherwise.

Edited:

I do think it's been proven and honestly I agree with a pp that they should stop this research and dedicate the resources to find ways of treating or preventing autism. The people who are convinced won't change their mind no matter how much data and research is done.

Amen.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

That's very interesting.. I've never felt the vaccines were the cause either, but have wondered what is - since I hear about so many children with autism nowadays..

Would you mind sharing what some "autistic-like characteristics" might be in an adult - who was never diagnosed?

Of course if you would rather not, that's fine too..

I'd be happy to share. As a child, my husband could memorize the entire TV Guide in one reading and recite it throughout the week. It's not a bad skill to have, but definitely not the a skill of a typically-developing child. Now, at 48, he still spins in circles when he's deep in thought on the phone (thank goodness for cordless phones). He still has food sensitivities. He can be awkward in social situations. When he knows people very well and is totally comfortable, he's very outgoing. Other times, he can seem a little standoffish. My brother makes very poor eye contact when he's talking to people. I don't have any pictures of him where he's actually looking at the camera. He always looks away. As a child, he used to rock back and forth in his bed until it actually started moving across the floor. He had behavioral problems in school and can still be socially awkward (he's 47). These are just my little observations based on my experience at work and with my own son.

 

[dennis99ss]

I don't have a "dog in the fight", but, in the late 90's and early 00's we did some work on potential thimerisol cases in a joint venture of sorts before we got out of it for a variety of reasons and gave the cases away, and worked with people who had companion cases to Pollard.

I did loads and loads of research, and, while i am not a scientist, I do honestly believe that there is something about vaccines and autism like symptoms.

But, first, I do not believe all autism is related to vaccines. I believe there are autism cases that are genetic. In fact, i believe all autism cases have a genetic component.

I was only concerned with building a link between those cases where the child is about 2-3 years old, running, talking playing, and then all of a sudden, the light changes color over night. The light changed in the cases I saw, immediately after vaccines. I believe that a buildup of thimerisol in the system of a child genetically predisposed to having difficulty voiding the system of metals, i.e. mercury, results in autism, or autism like symptoms. I believe that some children simply cannot get rid of the metals that we were injecting into them, and as a result, over time, the buildup of the mercury caused symptoms similar to mercury poisoning, which closely track symptoms of autism.

I know that heavy metals are prevalent in today's society, and I know that autism rates have not decreased since the ban (in the US) on thimerisol. But, just because such is the case does not mean that the effects of thimerisol did not happen. There are many ways to explain both sides of the argument, but, not that anybody cares, I believe that thimerisol, which was used as a preservative in multi dose packets, could result in mercury poisoning/autism symptoms.

I know this is a hot button issue, but thought i would throw my .02 in to stir the pot

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm not a doctor or a scientist, but I work with autistic kids and have one of my own (my DS15 has Asperger's). I strongly believe that autism has a genetic link. Many times, I've met and started working with an autistic child before ever meeting the parents. When I do meet the parents, a little light bulb often appears over my head as one of them (usually the dad since autism is more common in males) appears to also be on the autism spectrum. My own husband exhibits some spectrum-like traits and he openly admits it. Things his mother described him doing as a young child raise flags in my mind. Looking back, I also believe my own brother had some autistic-like characteristics and still does.

I am fully convinced that autism is not caused by vaccines. I don't believe in any pre- or postbirth environmental causes either. I, personally, believe it's a purely genetic condition. I also think many adults (including my husband and brother) would have been diagnosed as children if the diagnostic process back then had been as refined as it is now.

Again, this is completely my own personal opinion. I'm not claiming to know anything for sure. It's merely based on my own observations and experience. But, I thought I'd throw it out there since we're discussing possible causes of autism.

I agree with everything you said (well, except I don't know your husband or brother. ).

Also, there is a much higher incidence of autism in children whose parents are older, especially fathers and more so when the father is older and the mother is under 30.

And it's more prevelant in children whose parents are engineers, physicists, and mathematicians. Most people in these fields that I've met have shown traits. My uncle was a chemist and, while he never was diagnosed, I know he was on the spectrum.

 

[tlbwriter]

I know that heavy metals are prevalent in today's society, and I know that autism rates have not decreased since the ban (in the US) on thimerisol. But, just because such is the case does not mean that the effects of thimerisol did not happen.

It does strongly point in that direction. As you said, autism rates did NOT decrease after thimerosal was removed from vaccines in the US (and the same pattern was noticed in other countries as well). If thimerosal were causing or triggering autism, wouldn't you expect the rates to go down once it was removed from the equation? What other evidence would convince you?

 

[castleview]

How does that explain all the many cases of children whose symptoms appeared or worsened around the time of the MMR, including my own dearly loved "dog in the fight"? It's easy for the almighty medical establishment to try to cover up their wrongdoings and for those whose families aren't affected by autism to say things. I really don't see the point of your posting this "study" in its entirety. Be thankful you don't have a dog in the fight.

It's called a spurious correlation. And it's been investigated and no link has been found. My own opinion is that this cottage industry of anti-vaxers was created by lack of paying attention in science class. The scientific method is pretty rigid and the doctor responsible for the autism-vaccine link totally ignored it and falsified date.

 

[Geoff_M]

I was only concerned with building a link between those cases where the child is about 2-3 years old, running, talking playing, and then all of a sudden, the light changes color over night. The light changed in the cases I saw, immediately after vaccines. I believe that a buildup of thimerisol in the system of a child genetically predisposed to having difficulty voiding the system of metals, i.e. mercury, results in autism, or autism like symptoms. I believe that some children simply cannot get rid of the metals that we were injecting into them, and as a result, over time, the buildup of the mercury caused symptoms similar to mercury poisoning, which closely track symptoms of autism.

But the Price study looked at exactly that type of child as one of the study groups... ones that exhibited sudden regression. Again, no link was found. This is the group of kids that anti-vax folks hold up as the most likely to have vaccine triggered autism. Dr Jay Gordon, personal pediatrician to the face of the vaccine/autism movement, Jenny McCarthy, states openly that he's witnessed this injury happen. He has said that he has watched children literally become autistic before his very eyes moments after injecting them with a vaccine. BANG, just like that! They're fine one moment, and then their eyes glaze over, they get quite and they're never the same again as the vaccine races through their brains.

At the risk of taking this thread down that particular rabbit hole, while it's true that some symptoms are shared, it's incorrect to state that the general symptoms of mercury poisoning "closely track" autism or vice versa. The symptoms of headaches, vision problems, and nausea can be caused by both things like brain tumors and lack of sleep, but that doesn't mean they are related. The AAP summed the comparison up by saying "Mercury poisoning and autism both affect the central nervous system but the specific sites of involvement in brain and the brain cell types affected are different in the two disorders as evidenced clinically and by neuropathology. Mercury also injures the peripheral nervous system and other organs that are not affected in autism. Nonspecific symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and irrational fears may occur both in mercury poisoning and in children with autism, but overall the clinical picture of mercurism—from any known form, dose, duration, or age of exposure—does not mimic that of autism. No case history has been encountered in which the differential diagnosis of these 2 disorders was a problem."
In addition, children's and babies' bodies do excrete the type of mercury that was contained in childhood vaccines.

In this thread you read words like "feel" a lot. I don't expect the latest major study to find no link to change many minds. I learned long ago that all of the science in the world cannot overcome an ounce of emotion... particularly if it's invested emotion. For them it's entered the realm of "faith". They "just know" that vaccines are the culprit. I looked at an on-line forum from a infamously anti-vaccine parenting magazine to see the reaction to the latest study and one mother there summed it up best. She said that she didn't care if a mountain of scientific studies were produced that all showed that vaccines were "safe", she would NEVER vaccinate her children.

The reactions we're seeing in the anti-vax, er... excuse me.... "pro-safe vaccines" camp are in line with when articles of faith are challenged:
1) Impeach the source... the study is to be set aside because it's "the medical industrial complex" protecting itself.
2) Move the goal posts... "It's Thimerosal!... no wait, it's the antigens!... no wait, it's the adjuvants!... no, wait it's 'toxins'!... and (most recently) no wait, it's just too many vaccines!" It's OK to raise those questions, and explore their possibilities, but when is enough "enough" and it's time to move on?

 

[bettymae1121]

She said that she didn't care if a mountain of scientific studies were produced that all showed that vaccines were "safe", she would NEVER vaccinate her children.

And that sums up the anti-vaxers. Nothing anyone says will ever convince them otherwise. Hopefully this new study will ease the minds of parents that were on the fence about the issue, but those that have made up their minds will never change them.

What I don't get is...even if there was a link (and I don't believe there is), what's the alternative? Stop vaccinating? Autism is a serious condition and not for one nano-second do I discount the hardship that families of autistic children face, but at the end of the day autism isn't fatal, and many of the diseases we vax against ARE.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Well pro-vax or anti-vax aside I do think there is a connection with autistic children and how their bodies process heavy metals. I personally know a child that had heavy metal levels that were through the roof. I have seen the results from the doctors. I am astounded. While some think that you might excrete the toxins from a vaccine or even a can of tuna not everyone does. I will agree that there is a genetic link to autism however, I have seen with my own eyes that environment/vaccine ingredients included plays a big role in it as well. Doctors know very little about autism. No two cases are the same. There are however many children with autism with very high heavy metal levels. So there has to be something to that don't you think?

 

[C.Ann]

I'd be happy to share. As a child, my husband could memorize the entire TV Guide in one reading and recite it throughout the week. It's not a bad skill to have, but definitely not the a skill of a typically-developing child. Now, at 48, he still spins in circles when he's deep in thought on the phone (thank goodness for cordless phones). He still has food sensitivities. He can be awkward in social situations. When he knows people very well and is totally comfortable, he's very outgoing. Other times, he can seem a little standoffish. My brother makes very poor eye contact when he's talking to people. I don't have any pictures of him where he's actually looking at the camera. He always looks away. As a child, he used to rock back and forth in his bed until it actually started moving across the floor. He had behavioral problems in school and can still be socially awkward (he's 47). These are just my little observations based on my experience at work and with my own son.

Thank you for sharing that.. Very interesting..