National Autism Association Says Government Concludes Vaccines Caused Autism

Main Category: Autism
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 29 Feb 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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It was announced that the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ruled in favor of a child who regressed into autism as a result of vaccinations, several of which contained the mercury-based preservative thimerosal.

Case documents state that the vaccines administered to the claimant significantly aggravated an underlying condition that ultimately led to regressive encephalopathy and symptoms of autism.

According to official court documents, the child was developing normally until given the vaccines, and shortly after the shots, regressed into full autism. The child was diagnosed by nationally recognized autism medical specialists.

For more than a decade, thousands of parents have come forward with reports of sharp regression in their children following immunizations. The cases of autism have dramatically spiked in the past 15 years to as many as 1 in 150 children, making it the leading childhood developmental disorder today.

The National Autism Association (NAA) sees the ruling as confirmation of what so many parents have been saying for years. "This case echoes the stories of thousands of children across the country. With almost 5,000 similar cases pending in vaccine court, we are confident that this is just the first of many that will confirm what we have believed for so long, vaccines can and do cause children to regress into autism," says Wendy Fournier, parent and president of NAA. "We call on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to acknowledge that the current vaccine schedule is not safe for every child and as with the administration of any medicine, individual risks and susceptibilities must be considered for each patient."

While thimerosal has been phased out of many pediatric vaccines, it is still used in flu shots recommended for pregnant women and children. At a meeting of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices held yesterday at the CDC, the committee voted to recommend annual flu shots for all children up to the age of 18, and to date has refused to state a preference for mercury-free vaccines.

To learn more about autism, please visit http://www.nationalautism.org

National Autism Association
http://www.nationalautism.org