Special federal court says thimerosal did not cause autism

[heli]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5job6H18Kpeta3KdlYBpF_TtVs_3AD9EDCCNG1

Court says thimerosal did not cause autism
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID (AP)

WASHINGTON — The vaccine additive thimerosal is not to blame for autism, a special federal court ruled Friday in a long-running battle by parents convinced there is a connection. While expressing sympathy for the parents involved in the emotionally charged cases, the court concluded they had failed to show a connection between the mercury-containing preservative and autism.

"Such families must cope every day with tremendous challenges in caring for their autistic children, and all are deserving of sympathy and admiration," special master George Hastings Jr., wrote. But, he added, Congress designed the victim compensation program only for families whose injuries or deaths can be shown to be linked to a vaccine and that has not been done in this case.

The ruling came in the so-called vaccine court, a special branch of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims established to handle claims of injury from vaccines. It can be appealed in federal court. Friday's decision that autism is not caused by thimerosal alone follows a parallel ruling in 2009 that autism is not caused by the combination of vaccines with thimerosal and other vaccines.

The cases had been divided into three theories about a vaccine-autism relationship for the court to consider. The 2009 ruling covered one theory, and a second was dropped after that. Friday's decision covers the last of the three theories. That doesn't necessarily mean an end to the dispute, however, with appeals to other courts available. The new ruling was welcomed by Dr. Paul Offit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who said the autism theory had "already had its day in science court and failed to hold up."...

[tabatha]

1. I am very glad to hear that.

[kimmerspixelated]

2. So just how SPECIAL was this court?

Specially stocked with Big-Pharma(protect our interest at all costs) lawyers?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. It's probably the same people who say that AIDS is caused by HIV.

Hahaha! Yeah, right.

:crazy:

[vadawg]

9. rofl, it took me a minute to get what you were saying, confused the hell out of me.

[OnTheOtherHand]

10. +1 n/t

[trotsky]

4. Educate yourself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_court

[kestrel91316]

5. Nah. They just listened to the SCIENCE.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. Or, kinda like the herring.

The red one.

[cureautismnow]

12. It's the SAME 3 "Special Masters" who decided last year's 3 test cases.

Here's their bios:

Patricia Campbell-Smith
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/43

George L. Hastings
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/39

Denise K. Vowell
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/node/45

[endless october]

6. the vaccine / autism study was a hoax.

the paper has been pulled, and it looks like the court listened to science.

[Midlodemocrat]

7. Finally. Now if we can just get Jenny McCarthy to STFU.

This entire thing has eaten up more time and dollars than it was ever worth. Utter, ridiculous speculation from people desperate to blame someone, anyone, for their child's autism.

[donco6]

8. And served to distract from identifying any real causes. n/t

[Midlodemocrat]

11. I've known far too many parents, both professionally and personally

who have a child who is 'differently-abled' and a great many of them are absolutely desperate for someone/something to 'blame' it on.

Unfortunately? They convey that to the child either subtley or not so subtley (not sure if that's even a word).

Some of the damage that parents like this do would take your breath away. It's child abuse of the highest order, just abuse with no bruises.

:hi: donco.

[surrealAmerican]

13. It's human nature to want to know why ...

... your child is the way she/he is, especially when faced with something like autism, for which there is no obvious cause.

I get what you're saying about "blame", but parents will still want an explanation.

[Midlodemocrat]

14. The problem is?

Parents never want to seek 'blame' for the aspects of their children's lives that are positive. They believe, rightly or wrongly that all the good stuff comes from them; their parenting.

The 'blame' thing is dangerous because parents spend so much time trying to find out the 'why' instead of working on the 'how do I make this work?'

Unfortunately? Most parents aren't able to keep their dismay from their kids. ANd, that's where the problems start.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Plus reduced the vaccine compliance rate

That's the real tragedy, IMO.

[donco6]

19. Like our parents need any more excuses not to do stuff.

I really try to always think the best, but when I see that they've NEVER taken their kid in for an immunization, I always make a mental note. It's usually a pre-indicator.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Too late. The damage is done.

You now have gaggles of folks thinking they have "special knowledge", refusing to vaccinate their kids.

Some of them ought to talk to my aunt about the 'evils of vaccines'.

Be patient, she moves kinda slow. It's the post-polio syndrome.