Recent Autism Studies Do Little to Vindicate Vaccines

Three separate autism-related studies published within the past six weeks have given pro-vaccine groups, pharmaceutical companies and government officials a major PR victory in the tug-of-war battle between their side and anti-vaccine lobbyists, which include many parents of children with autism. Adding to the frenzy and confusion has been the false depiction by many media outlets of total vindication for vaccines and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Misleading headlines such as "Thimerosal Vaccine Proved Safe" and "Vaccine not linked to autism" have swept across newswires at a near-hysteric rate, giving the false impression that the autism-vaccine controversy has finally been laid to rest once and for all.

The attention these study results received was in stark contrast to a recently published article from the Journal of Child Neurology entitled, "Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis of an Important Data Set." The report received little media fanfare when it was released several months ago, even though researchers from the University of Northern Iowa reanalyzed data from a previous study and concluded that a "significant relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder."

Then there was the ABC pilot episode of "Eli Stone," which depicted a jury awarding $5.2 million to a mother who believed her son's autism was caused by a vaccine. Despite intense pressure to cancel the program, ABC refused and the show was subsequently watched by nearly 15 million viewers.

What preceded and followed ABC's choice to air the episode was a massive campaign to neutralize public perceptions that a connection between vaccinations and autism exists.

Included in this information blitz was the release of the pro-vaccine study results. The timing of their release was neither accidental nor coincidental.