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The Mercury and Autism Link
By Laura Lane
December 21, 2006
There has been a medical controversy brewing for quite some time
regarding the cause of autism. Many people believe that what they
refer to as an autism epidemic, is due to vaccines that children had
received when they were babies.
New York Times journalist and Pulitzer Prize nominee David Kirby has
written a book, ³Evidence of Harm,² which addresses the autism-mercury
link. He came to East Meadow High School to discuss his book.
³One in six children in our country has some sort of learning
disorder,² said Kirby. ³There was a huge spike in autism in 1992 when
the Hepatitis B vaccine was added to the regular vaccination schedule
for babies. I believe the spike in autism is due in large part to
Thimerosal, a Mercury based preservative (approved by the Food and
Drug Administration in the 1930ıs) used in vaccines. In 2001, doctors
started phasing in new mercury-free vaccines, however the Food and
Drug Administration didnıt recall what was already on the shelves.²
In his book, Kirby explores the possibility that the vaccine additive
may have fueled the autism epidemic, attention deficit disorder,
speech delays and other disorders in children. When speaking at East
Meadow, he referred to his extensive research which was supported by
many charts and graphs.
³There were 1 in 10,000 children with autism in 1987 in the United
States before the addition of Thimerosal,² said Kirby. ³Now there are
1 in 166 children with autism. My book examines the story of the
families and the political drama in the courts and congress. It
explores both sides of the controversy which has pitted families and
their allies against the federal government, public health agencies
and the pharmaceutical giants.²
Michelle Soodek, the East Meadow Special Education PTA co-president
has a child with autism. She said that she was very familiar with
Kirbyıs book prior to attending his discussion. ³Even so, I was
overwhelmed with the statistical portion of his discussion,² said
Soodek. ³When you see how many children are affected by it; it gave me
food for thought and I was saddened by it.²
Soodek also mentioned the autism spike. She reasoned that if there
were just as many people with autism when she was a child, than where
are the institutions and facilities to house all of these people that
would now be adults? ³The lecture substantiated my beliefs,² said
Soodek. ³I always thought Shelbyıs autism was related to the vaccines.
How do you put all of that mercury in a tiny body?²
Kirby also discussed possible environmental triggers that some believe
may be linked to autism including mercury in fish, pesticides,
flame-retardants, and jet fuel. But he added that it was unclear how
or if these factors were affecting the increase in autism.
He pointed to Denmark and Sweden to support his theory that there was
a connection between an autism increase and Thimerosal. In 1992, both
countries removed the mercury preservative from their vaccinations and
have seen a remarkable drop in autism.
Kirbyıs data and research indicate that Thimerosal continues to be a
danger. It is still found in flu shots, which the United States
government recommends for children between he ages of six and 23
months. ³The Center for Disease Control has been unable to prove or
disprove the theory that Thimerosal causes autism, attention deficit
disorder, speech delays and other disorders,² said Kirby. ³They insist
theyıve looked into it thoroughly and found no evidence of harm. But
many public health officials, who discount the Thimerosal theory, were
unwilling or unable to speak on the record for my book.²
Judy Shiechel, the former president of SEPTA, and current
co-coordinator of the Special Education Resources Center and Library,
said that she was impressed that Kirby had undertaken the task of
researching the issue and writing the book without any vested interest
in autism. ³I think he did an extensive amount of work and he doesnıt
have a family member with autism,² said Shiechel. ³He was approached
by a group of parents who had children with autism and wondered about
the mercury connection. I have a child with learning disabilities in
the area of language and communication and I always wondered where
that came from.²
Source: East Meadow Herald
