No evidence of harm

There is a new book by David Kirby, called Evidence of Harm, apparently supportive of the idea that mercury in vaccines causes autism in children. Of course, there is no evidence for this, but that hasn’t stopped the anti-vaxers. Refreshingly, Michael Fitzpatrick, a doctor, parent of an autistic child and author of MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know, has written a critical review of Kirby’s book, entitled Mercury and autism: a damaging delusion. A couple of relevant quotes:

It is true that mercury is potentially toxic to the developing infant brain and that, as babies were given more vaccines, the total dose of mercury received increased (though it remained at trace level, and it has now fallen as immunisation authorities have, in deference to popular anxieties, shifted to non-mercury vaccines). Yet, exhaustive studies, carried out in the USA, the UK and elsewhere, and surveyed by the US Institute of Medicine in an authoritative report last year, have failed to reveal any link between exposure to thimerosal and autism (3). The so-called 'epidemic of autism', which some parents blame on vaccines, is better explained by the increased recognition of the condition among both parents and professionals and by the expansion of diagnostic categories. Though campaigners claim that the symptoms of mercury toxicity are similar to those of autism, on closer inspection, they are quite distinct. Mercury poisoning typically causes an unsteady gait and slurred speech, visual disturbances and numbness in fingers and toes. None of these features is characteristic of autism.

(Snip)

Though the increasingly unpopular drug companies provide a convenient focus for parental anger, there is little evidence to support the wild allegations made by campaigners and no reason why companies should pay damages in relation to unsubstantiated claims. Indeed, the real problem facing the government is supply shortages resulting from the reluctance of pharmaceutical companies to continue producing vaccines. For some time an area of low investment and low profitability, vaccine production is increasingly threatened by the climate of risk aversion and litigiousness - as the anti-mercury campaign aptly illustrates.

(My bold.)

As well as frightening parents into not vaccinating their kids, the anti-vaxers are frightening corporations, who fear costly and time-consuming lawsuits, from making the stuff anyway. And all because of an ingredient that doesn’t produce symptoms anything like those of the thing they're using to do the frightening.

Comments

[paul]

Thought you might be interested in this post over at the "Huffington Post" Blog.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/david-kirby/memo-to-cdc-were-not-ge_1421.html

Love to see some sort of blog-style exchange with Kirby's post, but the site does not offer a comments section (!) Not sure that it qualifies as a blog because of this. Oh well.

Guy seems like he's got an agenda, and is probably not fond of questions, esp from informed critics.

Two questions, if anyone is up to answering.

1) Is there anything to this claim that the CDC is withholding data?

2) What are the physiological issues related to trace mercury in infants? I am suspicious of the autism claims, but are there any effects at all?

[Todd Page]

Take another look at your Huffington link, as it does appear to allow comments.

[paul]

I noticed that now. I think they were getting tons of flak for calling themselves a blog without allowing comments. Props to them I suppose.

I do think that it is interesting that there is so much Cali/Hollywood type (which the HP really represents) support for the vax/mercury connection debate. Same groups that are enthralled by the "What the -bleep- do we know?" nonsense.

Anyone care to take a crack at my 2 questions though? They seem somewhat central to the issue, and hopefully helps dispute the cranks.

Thanks.

[autism diva]

http://www.neurodiversity.com/evidence_of_venom.html

What do you think about this open letter to David Kirby? It ought to appeal to skeptics.

[Jenn]

There is evidence if you look in to Robert Kennedy. He is a lawyer. He knows about a secret meeting discussing the dangers of thimerosol between the FDA, CDC and all the other big wigs from the vaccine companies.

[Jenn]

Look at the Deadly Immunity papers online for the info. on the secret meeting.

[Skeptico]

Jenn:

You're a little late. Search this site for Kennedy and thimerosal - I think you'll find it has ben covered.

Here is a quote from the article you're reviewing:

"It is true that mercury is potentially toxic to the developing infant brain and that, as babies were given more vaccines, the total dose of mercury received increased (though it remained at trace level,..."

Skeptico, how can you possibly agree with the author that the total dose of mercury received remained at trace levels? Have you researched this at all?