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Thread: Vaccinegate

  1. #1

    Vaccinegate

    http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/-1939179.htm
    A top research scientist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) played a key role in helping Dr. Brian Hooker of the Focus Autism Foundation uncover data manipulation by the CDC that obscured a higher incidence of autism in African-American boys. The whistleblower came to the attention of Hooker, a PhD in biochemical engineering, after he had made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for original data on the DeStefano et al MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and autism study.

    Dr. Hooker's study, published August 8 in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Translational Neurodegeneration, shows that African-American boys receiving their first MMR vaccine before 36 months of age are 3.4 times more likely to develop autism vs. after 36 months.

    ...
    "Working for the government is no different than working for corporations. You either toe the line or find yourself looking for another way to make a living," Lewis says. "No one would be surprised if Merck published unreliable data supporting the safety of its products. Why would anyone be surprised that the CDC is publishing skewed data to conclude that the vaccines it recommends are safe? We need a better system, where scientists are free to be honest."
    Here's a blog that has been following the story: http://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/category/vaccinegate/

    The CDC whistleblower (http://scholar.google.com/citations?...jiMAAAAJ&hl=en) has since been revealed and was escorted off CDC grounds.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!



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  3. #2
    Even if you are pro vaccine, I think its highly prudent to wait until a child is 5 years old to begin. How anyone can think that poking babies full of inocculations is somehow a good idea is beyond me.

    'We endorse the idea of voluntarism; self-responsibility: Family, friends, and churches to solve problems, rather than saying that some monolithic government is going to make you take care of yourself and be a better person. It's a preposterous notion: It never worked, it never will. The government can't make you a better person; it can't make you follow good habits.' - Ron Paul 1988

    Awareness is the Root of Liberation Revolution is Action upon Revelation

    'Resistance and Disobedience in Economic Activity is the Most Moral Human Action Possible' - SEK3

    Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.

    ...the familiar ritual of institutional self-absolution...
    ...for protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment...


  4. #3
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  5. #4
    Florida Congressman Bill Posey has sent me a statement about his experience with the CDC.

    Posey has been trying to obtain specific data about a 2004 CDC study which claimed the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine has no role in causing autism.

    The CDC whistleblower (so far, anonymously) has been pointing to that 2004 study as a fraud, claiming vital data were omitted, data which would indict the vaccine.

    So how has the CDC responded to Posey’s inquiry and request for all the 2004 data?

    Here is what he wrote to me:

    “The CDC has refused for more than six months to hand over documents I requested concerning this issue. That is not the type of response we expect from our government.”

    What??

    A US Congressman wants research data from a federal agency and they flat-out refuse.

    Nothing much is a stake here—only the health of the entire US population. Vaccines causing autism? And the CDC has the right to keep as many secrets as it wants to?

    Did the CDC wake up one morning and decide it’s the CIA? On what grounds is it refusing to release the data? National Security?

    Here is what the CDC whistleblower (a research scientist still employed by the CDC) states: intentionally omitted data from the 2004 study shows that: African-American boys who receive their first MMR vaccine before the age of 36 months have a 300% increased risk of developing autism.

    Presumably, this is what Congressman Posey would learn if the CDC turned over the data to him.
    For those who will take the pro-CDC stance - please answer the bolded question.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  6. #5
    Good, may all the truth be exposed.
    Quote Originally Posted by dannno View Post
    It's a balance between appeasing his supporters, appeasing the deep state and reaching his own goals.
    ~Resident Badgiraffe




  7. #6
    Zippy, perhaps you'd like to comment on this one?
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  8. #7
    In b4 Zippy apologizes for the CDC.
    “The spirits of darkness are now among us. We have to be on guard so that we may realize what is happening when we encounter them and gain a real idea of where they are to be found. The most dangerous thing you can do in the immediate future will be to give yourself up unconsciously to the influences which are definitely present.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

  9. #8
    Apparently getting off the topic on the other thread is a way to distract from the subject at hand: the hot topic of this week. Isn't that convenient for the science cult....

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-AUGUST 27,2014

    STATEMENT OF WILLIAM W. THOMPSON, Ph.D., REGARDING THE 2004 ARTICLE EXAMINING THE POSSIBILITY OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MMR VACCINE AND AUTISM

    My name is William Thompson. I am a Senior Scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where I have worked since 1998.

    I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journal Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism. Decisions were made regarding which findings to report after the data were collected, and I believe that the final study protocol was not followed.

    I want to be absolutely clear that I believe vaccines have saved and continue to save countless lives. I would never suggest that any parent avoid vaccinating children of any race. Vaccines prevent serious diseases, and the risks associated with their administration are vastly outweighed by their individual and societal benefits.

    My concern has been the decision to omit relevant findings in a particular study for a particular sub* group for a particular vaccine. There have always been recognized risks for vaccination and I believe it is the responsibility of the CDC to properly convey the risks associated with receipt of those vaccines.

    I have had many discussions with Dr. Brian Hooker over the last 10 months regarding studies the CDC has carried out regarding vaccines and neurodevelopmental outcomes including autism spectrum disorders. I share his belief that CDC decision-making and analyses should be transparent. I was not, however, aware that he was recording any of our conversations, nor was I given any choice regarding whether my name would be made public or my voice would be put on the Internet.

    I am grateful for the many supportive e-mails that I have received over the last several days.

    I will not be answering further questions at this time. I am providing information to Congressman William Posey, and of course will continue to cooperate with Congress. I have also offered to assist with reanalysis of the study data or development of further studies. For the time being, however, I am focused on my job and my family.

    Reasonable scientists can and do differ in their interpretation of information. I will do everything I can to assist any unbiased and objective scientists inside or outside the CDC to analyze data collected by the CDC or other public organizations for the purpose of understanding whether vaccines are associated with an increased risk of autism. There are still more questions than answers, and I appreciate that so many families are looking for answers from the scientific community.

    My colleagues and supervisors at the CDC have been entirely professional since this matter became public. In fact, I received a performance-based award after this story came out. I have experienced no pressure or retaliation and certainly was not escorted from the building, as some have stated.

    Dr. Thompson is represented by Frederick M. Morgan, Jr., Morgan Verkamp, LLC, Cincinnati, Ohio, www.morganverkamp.com.
    Last edited by mosquitobite; 08-28-2014 at 02:56 PM.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!



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  11. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by mosquitobite View Post
    http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/-1939179.htm


    Here's a blog that has been following the story: http://jonrappoport.wordpress.com/category/vaccinegate/

    The CDC whistleblower (http://scholar.google.com/citations?...jiMAAAAJ&hl=en) has since been revealed and was escorted off CDC grounds.
    I attempted to find and read the original study by Dr Hooker which made the claim of 3.6 times greater incidence of autism in a certain group of black boys and find this:
    http://www.translationalneurodegener.../1/16/abstract

    Abstract (provisional)
    This article has been removed from the public domain because of serious concerns about the validity of its conclusions. The journal and publisher believe that its continued availability may not be in the public interest. Definitive editorial action will be pending further investigation.
    http://retractionwatch.com/2014/08/2...investigation/

    Journal takes down autism-vaccine paper pending investigation

    An article purporting to find that black children are at substantially increased risk for autism after early exposure to the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine has been shelved.

    Although we don’t know if the events are related, the move comes amid claims that a CDC whistleblower has accused health officials of suppressing information about the link.

    Not surprisingly, the prospect that the CDC has been sitting on evidence of an autism-vaccine connection for more than a decade has inflamed the community of activists wrongly convinced that such a link exists.
    I wanted to see "higher risk" than what- vaccinated vs unvaccinated? White boys vs black boys? Black males do have a higher incidence of being diagnosed for autism than whites http://online.wsj.com/articles/autis...ies-1403543838 . Is it vaccines or genetic? (blacks are actually less likely to be vaccinated because statistically they tend to come from poorer families with less access to healthcare than other groups)?
    Last edited by Zippyjuan; 08-28-2014 at 04:19 PM.

  12. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    I attempted to find and read the original study by Dr Hooker which made the claim of 3.6 times greater incidence of autism in a certain group of black boys and find this:
    http://www.translationalneurodegener.../1/16/abstract
    Yep, that's the distraction they're using to discount the whole story. Figured that's the direction you'd go with it!

    Perhaps you'd like to address the actual comment from the scientist that was a part of the original study from 2004 that was awarded for its findings in favor of the vaccine industry?

    I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journal Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism. Decisions were made regarding which findings to report after the data were collected, and I believe that the final study protocol was not followed.
    ~ August 27, 2014 Press Release, “Statement of William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Regarding the 2004 Article Examining the Possibility of a Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism”
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  13. #11
    Again- increased risk compared to what? Unvaccinated children? Younger or older children? White children? Who determined they had autism (there is not a test you can give somebody to say if they are definately autistic or not)? Did all the kids in the study get the same person or group determining their autism? There are many questions.

  14. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    Again- increased risk compared to what? Unvaccinated children? Younger or older children? White children? Who determined they had autism (there is not a test you can give somebody to say if they are definately autistic or not)? Did all the kids in the study get the same person or group determining their autism? There are many questions.
    Perhaps you should ask the scientists at the CDC?

    Again - his statement:
    The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  15. #13
    Yeah- I have read that. I would like to read the study and see what it actually says.

    And note that corellation is not necessarily causation.

  16. #14
    Remember the specific study in question was called:

    Age at First Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination in Children With Autism and School-Matched Control Subjects: A Population-Based Study in Metropolitan Atlanta

    http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...2/259.abstract
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  17. #15
    Thanks for a summary link to the original study the data in the Hooker review came from. Note that it indicates NO link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

    Results.

    The overall distribution of ages at MMR vaccination among children with autism was similar to that of matched control children; most case (70.5%) and control children (67.5%) were vaccinated between 12 and 17 months of age. Similar proportions of case and control children had been vaccinated before 18 or before 24 months. No significant associations for either of these age cutoffs were found for specific case subgroups, including those with evidence of developmental regression. More case (93.4%) than control children (90.6%) were vaccinated before 36 months (OR: 1.49; 95% confidence interval: 1.04–2.14 in the total sample; OR: 1.23; 95% confidence interval: 0.64–2.36 in the birth certificate sample). This association was strongest in the 3- to 5-year age group.
    The Hooker review of their data could only find one small subgroup with ANY statistical link with the MMR vaccine and Autism which basically NO increased autism risk for everybody else (assuming that even his subset data is accurate). Facinating given that Hooker is a strong anti-vaccine advocate that this was the best he could find.

    http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/...american-boys/

    So is Hooker’s result valid? Was there really a 3.4-fold increased risk for autism in African-American males who received MMR vaccination before the age of 36 months in this dataset? Who knows? Probably not, though. Hooker analyzed a dataset designed from its inception and collection to be analyzed by a case-control method using a cohort design. Then he did multiple subset analyses, which, of course, are prone to false positives. As we also say, if you slice and dice the evidence more and more finely, eventually you will find apparent correlations that might or might not be real.

  18. #16
    More from my link in previous post including info on the Destefano study you linked:

    In any case, what Destefano et al. did was to perform a case control study of children in metropolitan Atlanta looking at age at first MMR vaccination (0-11 months; 12-17 months; 18-23 months; 24-29 months; 30-35 months; and 36+ months). They found no statistically significant correlations. They also looked at a subgroup of the groups, children for whom a Georgia birth certificate could be located, in order to test correlations for other traits:

    We matched 355 (56%) case and 1020 (56%) control children to Georgia state birth certificate records, which allowed us to obtain additional information, such as each child’s birth weight and gestational age and the mother’s parity, age, race, and education.
    There was no significant correlation noted in various groups based on race, maternal age, maternal education, and birth weight. It’s all pretty straightforward, at least a straightforward as an epidemiological study can be. The only hint of a whiff of anything in it helpful to antivaccinationists was this:

    Vaccination before 36 months was more common among case children than control children, especially among children 3 to 5 years of age, likely reflecting immunization requirements for enrollment in early intervention programs.
    In other words, it’s a result that is likely not due to an actual effect.

    Fast forward to Brian Hooker’s study. The first thing I noticed reading it was that it contains a lot of the usual red flags of antivaccine papers. Hooker cites several Mark Geier papers as “evidence” of a correlation between vaccines and autism, to try to make it seem as though there is an actual scientific controversy. He even cites a Wakefield paper. Then there is the methods section. It’s really not very clear exactly what Hooker did with this dataset, other than muck around with it using SAS® software. He keeps referring to “cohorts,” which made me wonder right away whether he was not doing the same sort of analysis as Destefano. Instead of doing a case control study, it looks as though he did a cohort study:

    The Pearson’s chi -squared test contained in the SAS® software was utilized for current statistical analyses, and a two-sided p-value <  0.05 was considered statistically significant. This is in contrast to the original Destefano et al. [14] (CDC) study, where a case–control study design was used, where 3 control children were matched to each case child, and analyzed using conditional logistic regression dichotomized for the three age cut-offs at 18, 24 and 36 months…In the present study, frequencies of cases were determined for first MMR ages of less than versus greater than 18 months, 24 months and 36 months in each separate analysis.
    Yep, Hooker did a cohort study. He analyzed data collected for a case-control study as a cohort study. Basically, he looked at the risk of an autism diagnosis in the groups first exposed to MMR at different age ranges. Remember, case control = comparing risk factor frequency in people with a condition compared to controls; cohort = examining risk of condition in people with different exposures.



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  20. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    Thanks for a summary link to the original study the data in the Hooker review came from. Note that it indicates NO link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
    Thanks for that Captain Obvious.

    That's why this information is in the news. Duh!

    The original study results said NO LINK. Dr William Thompson was one of those authors on that study.

    Unfortunately for you, you still need to address HIS COMMENT. By HIS I mean Dr Thompson - quit the red herring of going back to Dr Hooker. Nice attempt to deflect from why this is NEWS.

    I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journal Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism. Decisions were made regarding which findings to report after the data were collected, and I believe that the final study protocol was not followed.
    ~ August 27, 2014 Press Release, “Statement of William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Regarding the 2004 Article Examining the Possibility of a Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism”
    Last edited by mosquitobite; 08-28-2014 at 05:16 PM.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  21. #18
    Can you make the type just a LITTLE bit bigger?

  22. #19
    I thought perhaps you were missing why the title of this thread is called vaccinegate.

    You see, it's not because some Dr Hooker or Dr Wakefield came forward and said "Hey we found something" in the data.

    No. It's in the news because one of the scientists on the original study has come forward and said "we hid data" and "protocol was not followed".

    These are the people that your religion of science like to say don't do stuff like that. They're scientists as if they are somehow more noble than the rest of humanity. Almost like priests - but only if they are a specific denomination that goes along with the church.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  23. #20
    Despite all the to-do, it still does not show that vaccines are the cause of autism. This is not a "smoking gun" or "silver bullet" proving it. Nor is it proof of some conspiracy by the CDC or CNN to hide information.

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/diseas...stleblower.asp
    Last edited by Zippyjuan; 08-28-2014 at 05:35 PM.

  24. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Zippyjuan View Post
    Despite all the to-do, it still does not show that vaccines are the cause of autism. This is not a "smoking gun" or "silver bullet" proving it.

    http://www.snopes.com/medical/diseas...stleblower.asp
    But 10 years ago they DID show a correlation. And yet, instead of investigating WHY African American boys might have higher odds of being diagnosed ASD if they get the MMR prior to 36 months - they said there was no link. They HID DATA and decided it wasn't worth doing a follow up study to see if there was a common reason in their genetics that made it so.

    And THAT's what your side likes to consider good, and settled science.

    You'll just have to forgive me if I lump them in with the rest of the government as not to be trusted.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  25. #22
    Ten years ago it DIDN'T. And studies still don't.

  26. #23
    Here comes the big print again...

    The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism.
    ~ August 27, 2014 Press Release, “Statement of William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Regarding the 2004 Article Examining the Possibility of a Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism”
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  27. #24
    Does it matter if they already were autistic?

    The study looked at different age groups: children vaccinated by 18 months, 24 months, and 36 months. The findings revealed that vaccination between 24 and 36 months was slightly more common among children with autism, and that association was strongest among children 3-5 years of age. The authors reported this finding was most likely a result of immunization requirements for preschool special education program attendance in children with autism.
    http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Con...ediatrics.html



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  29. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by mosquitobite View Post
    Here comes the big print again...


    ~ August 27, 2014 Press Release, “Statement of William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Regarding the 2004 Article Examining the Possibility of a Relationship Between MMR Vaccine and Autism”
    "Suggested" that one small group may be at higher risk of autism. When that same group has a higher risk of autism to begin with. It agreed that there was no risk with any other group. Diagnosis also tends to be made later in African American kids.

    http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/a...ican-children/

    Autism does not discriminate by race or socioeconomic status, but our health care system does. "We have made great strides in our ability to diagnose autism, but it takes time to get mental health experts up to speed. There are pockets of excellence around the country, but there is a bottleneck. There is a high demand for expert diagnosis and care and a low number of mental health experts," said Souders.

    If you have the money, you can get into one of those pockets of excellence. If you have to rely on Medicaid or your state's early intervention program, it could be very hard. "There is no blood test for autism. Diagnostic testing takes time and patience — usually about two days' worth of testing at a cost of about $3,000," said Souders.

    Cultural differences may also contribute to the delay in diagnosis. Some ethnic groups may feel more stigma attached to autism and be more likely to try to manage problems inside the family. "Let's face it. Racism is still alive and well in America. It is not surprising that an African-American family or other minority family would be sensitive and distrustful of someone telling them that there is something wrong with their child," said Souders.
    And then there is the often- over looked part of what Thompson wrote:

    I want to be absolutely clear that I believe vaccines have saved and continue to save countless lives. I would never suggest that any parent avoid vaccinating children of any race. Vaccines prevent serious diseases, and the risks associated with their administration are vastly outweighed by their individual and societal benefits.
    Last edited by Zippyjuan; 08-28-2014 at 08:56 PM.

  30. #26
    So why hide it?

    Why not encourage a study of it? Why not say "hey, here's what we found so we think we should study this" like they do on other study results?

    No, they did.not.follow.protocol. Shall I biggify it again for you?

    And again...this was a study of Age at First Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination in Children With Autism and School-Matched Control Subjects: A Population-Based Study in Metropolitan Atlanta

    They were studying children with autism. Duh.
    They were studying when they received that first shot. Duh.

    Somehow there was a marked difference in African American boys.

    But meh - let's not reveal that. Might make people question. And questioning is too dangerous.


    If we know *THIS* subsection of society tends to have a genetic risk for a certain disorder - and yet this is a relatively NEW trend. (ie, in the 80's and before there were not a lot of autistic kids no matter what BS they spew about diagnosis and there certainly were not 1 in 88 autistic kids.) Why not figure out what in the world relatively new in the environment is causing it?

    Know what would shut up the vaccine and autism link once and for all?

    Figuring out what the hell is the environmental trigger that is relatively new in the grand scheme of our human existence.

    I'm not anti-vaccine and I'm not even one that blames vaccines for autism. I do think that there are multiple environmental factors and ALL factors should be considered until the reason is found. Even if that factor is inconvenient for a large segment of our society. Even if it means we have to stop and say "oops! we failed! This is NOT safe". At this point, because of the possible pay out (liability) for the harm done, I'm not sure we can trust anyone in government to actually do that.

    We know what leads to lung cancer, heart disease, skin cancer, etc...it's time for them to figure out the autism trigger - either once born or pre-born (through mother or father's genetic defects and what caused THOSE). Like, yesterday.
    Until then people will blame GMOs, vaccines, pitocin, c-sections, teflon, etc...

    You can consider them crazy all you want - but the best way to shut them up is to demand that science invest everything they have into figuring it out. EVEN IF that means the answer is something they'd rather not admit. Our children, our future, demands nothing less!



    Here's my final thought - many in the science crowd believe in evolution. They believe that it took thousands of years for us to develop into the humans we are today. Many mutations to get to this highly evolved piece of machinery. Now those same people who believe in evolution, also believe we can skip right over thousands of years and shoot things directly into our bloodstreams and NOT have it cause any detrimental effects. How do we know we're not fudging up our DNA? And if my vaccines from my youth and adulthood messed up my DNA, then what DNA am I passing to my children? Multiply that effect to the extent that we have dozens of vaccines now we believe we can invent a vaccine for EVERYTHING without any negative consequences AT.ALL and .... well....

    Same thing for GMO and pre-packaged food. Our bodies evolved (or didn't evolve in the case of lactose intolerance or celiac) to eat the diet we have been eating for thousands of years. Yet we think we can manipulate our foods and not have any effects? Our bodies just mutated overnight?
    Last edited by mosquitobite; 08-28-2014 at 09:12 PM.
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  31. #27
    Unfortunately I don't have the link at the moment but during my research I did find that one of the ways they considered a child to be autistic or not was if they were in a "special education" program. Minorities are more likely to be put in Special Ed and being in Special Ed does not necessarily mean a person is autistic. Maybe they just weren't taught the same things at the same time as the other kids. And again- there is no single definition of what autism is or a diagnostic test to say if somebody is or isn't autism.

    Know what would shut up the vaccine and autism link once and for all?

    Figuring out what the hell is the environmental trigger that is relatively new in the grand scheme of our human existence.
    For some, nothing could possibly convince them that there is no connection between vaccines and autism. Mercury in vaccines was once thought to be the culprit- even after mercury was removed from vaccines intended for children and the rate continued to rise people still blame mercury in vaccines.

    One factor in the growing number of reported cases of autism is that its definition has been expanded over time and also people are seeking to give that diagnosis when they would not have done so to the same child ten years earlier.

    http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54...anded.html.csp

    Utah study: Expanded definition finds more disabled kids with autism

    One reason for the dramatic increase in children diagnosed with autism in Utah is the expanded definition of the disorder, according to a new study.

    University of Utah researchers applied today's criteria for autism-spectrum disorders to children who were considered challenged in the 1980s and who participated in an autism study at that time. The new study found a majority of those kids would now be classified as autistic.

    "The modern criteria have expanded the number of folks who are included in this diagnosis," said one of the study's authors, Deborah Bilder, an assistant professor of psychiatry who works in the U.'s autism diagnostic clinic.

    It is known that the expanded definition has increased the identification of high-functioning individuals with autism. The new study shows it has also boosted identification of those who have both autism and an intellectual disability.

    "It does support the idea that a part of this increase in prevalence is related to the broadening criteria," said Bilder.

    She said she is not convinced that the alarming spike in autism prevalence reflects a true increase in the number of cases driven by genetic or environmental causes.


    More at link.
    Last edited by Zippyjuan; 08-28-2014 at 09:14 PM.

  32. #28
    That's great - except it doesn't explain why the numbers have increased DRAMATICALLY over the last 5 years. I get that SOME may be attributed to the diagnosis.

    But 1 in 88? Sorry - ain't no one that grew up in the 80s or before that will say they had that many "challenged" kids in their school.


    And want to know another reason for an increase in diagnosis? Yet again, big government. A school gets more money for those "challenging" kids with labels.
    So maybe I just figured out the environmental factor for you Zippy!
    Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. ~GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter, Aug. 17, 1779

    Quit yer b*tching and whining and GET INVOLVED!!

  33. #29
    Again- correlation is not causation but so far the strongest link they have come up with is age of parents- both of them but particularly the father. People are having kids at later ages in their own lives than they used to. As we age, our genes develop more mutations and those can be passed onto offspring. The older the parent, the more mutations they can pass along.

    http://www.cbsnews.com/news/aging-da...enia-and-more/

    Aging dads more likely to have kids with autism, ADHD, schizophrenia and more

    Years ago, doctors were mostly concerned with how a child's health would be affected the longer a mom delayed birth. Now, a father's age may be a big factor.

    Dads who wait until age 45 to have a child may face a significantly increased risk their offspring may have mental health and academic problems including autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, suicidal ideation, low IQ scores and failing grades.

    Researchers examined all births that happened in Sweden between 1973 and 2001, and found a child born to a 45-year-old dad was 25 times more likely to have bipolar disorder, 13 times more likely to have ADHD, 3.5 times more likely to have autism, 2.5 times more likely to exhibit suicidal behavior or a substance abuse problem, and twice as likely to have a psychotic disorder like schizophrenia when compared to kids born to a 24-year-old father.

    That's in addition to the increased risk for academic problems.

    "We were shocked by the findings," study author Dr. Brian D'Onofrio, an associate professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University Bloomington, said in a statement.

    It presents a worrisome public health risk, given that the average age for childbearing has been on the rise in the past 40 years for both men and women. On average, U.S. married men are about 25.6 years old when they have their first child, compared to 22.5 for single men, according to government statistics. The researchers said fathers in the northeast tend to be older than elsewhere in the country.

    For most of the mental health risks identified by researchers, the likelihood for disorders increased steadily the older a dad got, which means there isn't one particular age threshold that a dad should aim to stay under.
    More at link.

    Even when the researchers controlled for other factors that may influence risk for mental health woes in children, including parental income and education levels, the findings remained "remarkably consistent."

    They also compared their findings to siblings born when dad was a younger age, which accounted for different environmental factors since they'd have similar upbringings. They found the risk was even higher for psychiatric and mental health conditions when comparing dad's age across siblings. The researchers also looked at cousins, finding consistent results for these risk increases.

    "These approaches allowed us to control for many factors that other studies could not," D'Onofrio said.

    Other studies have found similar links. Researchers have reported increased risks for autism as dads got older, as well as increased risk in grandchildren. Earlier studies also found intelligence levels dropped in offspring the older the dad got. In many of these studies, genetic mutations transported through a father's sperm were suspected to increase the risks.
    Last edited by Zippyjuan; 08-28-2014 at 09:40 PM.

  34. #30


    “The spirits of darkness are now among us. We have to be on guard so that we may realize what is happening when we encounter them and gain a real idea of where they are to be found. The most dangerous thing you can do in the immediate future will be to give yourself up unconsciously to the influences which are definitely present.” ~ Rudolf Steiner

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