‘This Question Has Been Asked And Answered’

The warfare over vaccines and autism is heating up yet again. This week, Alison Singer, the executive vice president of communications and awareness at Autism Speaks, one of the nation's leading autism advocacy groups, announced her resignation, citing a difference of opinion over the organization's policy on vaccine research. "Dozens of credible scientific studies have exonerated vaccines as a cause of autism," she wrote in a statement. "I believe we must devote limited funding to more promising avenues of autism research." Singer, who has an 11-year-old daughter with autism, joined the organization when it launched in 2005. Singer praised Autism Speaks and its founders, Bob and Suzanne Wright, but said she could no longer work for a group that supports spending limited resources on vaccine research. Calling Singer's resignation "disappointing and sad," Bob Wright says more authoritative research needs to be conducted on the safety of vaccines given to children under 2. "We all know that autism has genetic causes, but it's highly associated with environmental factors we can't get our hands around," says Wright. "Vaccines fall into that category." NEWSWEEK's Claudia Kalb spoke with Alison Singer about her resignation. Excerpts:

NEWSWEEK: Describe Autism Speaks.
Alison Singer: Autism Speaks is an amazing organization. It has really been a privilege for me to work there. Autism Speaks has raised so much awareness of autism and has supported literally thousands of families around the world. I could not be more proud of Autism Speaks and the work that we've done.

But you disagree with their vaccine position?
In general, I disagree with a policy that says, "Despite what this study shows, more studies should be done." At some point, you have to say, "This question has been asked and answered and it's time to move on." We need to be able to say, "Yes, we are now satisfied that the earth is round."

MUCH more of a great interview at http://www.newsweek.com/id/179998

Good riddance, you $hamele$$ $hill!



Thanks for the link to an excellent interview.

Singer showed good form by leaving from an organization when she no longer supported the goals of the people in charge.

and it may be like trying to bust up a brick wall by ramming it with your head, but the problem is the wrong question has been asked.
The question should have been " Are their individuals that are allergic to vaccines " . A few years ago I detected a sudden walking away form the vaccine theory. It was abrupt and I still don't know why it happened. It wasn't consistent with crusaders against a cause.

Do you have a clue how vaccines work?

how dare you suggest that the earth is round?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/health/13auti.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

From the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website

Monitoring health problems after vaccination is essential to ensure the United States continues to have the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.

CDC's Immunization Safety Office identifies possible vaccine side effects and conducts studies to determine whether a health problem is caused by a specific vaccine

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/

Funny, but the CDC thinks its worthy studying the effects of vaccines so that it can moderate
its approach.

Maybe when the FDA is cleaned up we can start taking an honest look at vaccination programs
and how to prevent vaccine injury in the vulnerable.

And how to decide which vaccines have legitimate value.

“There are still people who believe fluoride is dangerous, who think jet contrails cause cancer,” he said. “I’m waiting for the debate to get beyond that, but you’re not going to convert some people.”

FROM THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL:

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

Vaccines are developed in accordance with the highest standards of safety. However, as with any medical procedure, vaccination has some risks. Individuals react differently to vaccines, and there is no way to predict the reaction of a specific individual to a particular vaccine.

The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) requires health care providers to report adverse events (possible side effects) that occur following vaccination, so the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) in 1990. VAERS is a national passive reporting system that accepts reports from the public on adverse events associated with vaccines licensed in the United States. VAERS data are monitored to—

Detect new, unusual, or rare vaccine adverse events
Monitor increases in known adverse events
Identify potential patient risk factors for particular types of adverse events
Identify vaccine lots with increased numbers or types of reported adverse events
Assess the safety of newly licensed vaccines
Approximately 30,000 VAERS reports are filed annually, with 10–15% classified as serious (causing disability, hospitalization, life-threatening illness or death). Anyone can file a VAERS report, including health care providers, manufacturers, and vaccine recipients or their parents or guardians. The VAERS form requests the following information: the type of vaccine received, the timing of vaccination, the onset of the adverse event, current illnesses or medication, past history of adverse events following vaccination, and demographic information about the recipient. VAERS forms can be completed online, or you can complete a paper form and mail or fax it to VAERS. To request a paper VAERS form to be faxed to you, or if you need assistance in filling it out, call (800) 822-7967.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/vaers/

As has been pointed out to you, no one on this forum has EVER said that vaccines were without risk. It is highly dishonest of you to continue to argue against the same strawman over and over.

And the CDC approves of Gardasil.

So I'm sure she will approve of Gardasil too.

Either that or she must impeach her own sources.

:rofl:

in the discussion.

To quote his/her post excerpt from NY Times:

Many doctors now argue that reporters should treat the antivaccine lobby with the same indifference they do Holocaust deniers, AIDS deniers and those claiming to have proof that NASA faked the Moon landings.

Experts in this debate did. Holocaust deniers and vaccine opponents do happen to have about the same amount of facts on their side.

:rofl:

to taking the mercury out of the drugs.

yet autism rates are still climbing.

This parent is a neurologist and his opinion is supported by government medical personnel. An interview with Dr Jon Poling. Dr Jon Poling states in the interview that if it hadn't happened to him, he would not have believed it.

The scientific studies that have been done have mostly been done on the general population. A study of the general population will not uncover a statistically significant effect that happens on a relatively small subset of the population, for example, the subset that Hannah Poling belongs to.

The studies need to start looking at gene types, and figure out who is at risk, and who isn't. Clearly the population "in general" is not at risk. But not every child is "in general".

Subsets, such as Hannah Poling, are at risk. Let's figure out who they are and then maybe everyone will feel more comfortable with vaccines.

Everyone acknowledges that there can be adverse reactions to vaccines. Otherwise, we wouldn't be doling out money from a fund. Now let's figure out who, and why.

Hannah became ill after receiving vaccinations for 9 nine separate diseases at the same time.

Maybe it is preservatives, maybe it is the other ingredients, but perhaps fewer vaccines should be
given at the same time.

Why shouldnt we ask the questions?

However some people just know, despite being massively less educated than the people giving answers, that the experts are "wrong" and simply refuse to accept the answer, thus further delaying real progress into researching the causes of autism.

if not, then no need for spend so much time on me.

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but anti-vaxers are thoroughly married to their beliefs.


there is no piece of evidence -- there is no mountain of evidence -- that will -- oh excuse me -- ain't no mountian high enough -- ain't no mountain low enough -- to keep me from gettin to you babe!

"What do you say to the families who believe their child's autism was triggered by vaccines?
It's very hard because people feel very strongly and love their families so much. But not all opinions are created equal. Some are based on fact and science and some are not. Do you remember when Jenny McCarthy went on Oprah? She said she doesn't need science. Her science is at home and his name is Evan. That's not science."

"We need to listen to experts and not actresses."

"I think that there's this feeling that the vaccine decision is a choice between, "Do I want to risk measles or do I want to risk autism?" That's not a good characterization. We know for a fact that the measles vaccine reduces the risk of getting measles. One choice is backed by science, one choice isn't."