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Twyla Ramos
Glendale, CA
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Twyla commented on the article |I am so disappointed in Change.org for jumping on the bandwagon of vaccine-autism denialism. Change.org is supposed to be a "platform for social change that raises awareness about important causes". Most of its causes have to do with standing up for the little guy in response to powerful interests. But first Change.org had Kristina Chew blogging about autism, and now here is Brie Cadman blindly repeating the govt/pharma talking points such as vague assurances that science has spoken.
I'm not anti-vaccine. I believe in the importance of some vaccines to protect against serious prevalent diseases. But we are overdoing it, and ignoring the consequences. An important part of any vaccine program is to understand and deal with adverse effects.
Imagine this conversation:
Person A: "My friend is suffering from complications from a botched surgery."
Person B: "Surgery is important! Without surgery lots of people would die! Are you anti-surgery?!?"
This is the same disconnect that often occurs in the vaccine-autism debate. Yes, in some cases surgery is called for. But the risks and benefits must be weighed, and when things go wrong the complications must be constantly studied to figure out why they happened and how they can be prevented. This is the case with any medical treatment or procedure, and it should be the case with vaccines.
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Twyla commented on the article |
Here’s what Congressman Dave Weldon (who is also a physician) said in remarks to Congress soon after the release of the IOM’s 2004 report:
“In my 10 years of service in the U.S. Congress, I have never seen a report so badly miss the mark. I have heard some weak arguments here in Washington, D.C., and I can tell my colleagues that the arguments put forward in this IOM report are indeed very weak…
“Now, I had a follow-up conversation on February 3 of this year [2004] with Dr. Gerberding [then head of the CDC, now head of Merck’s vaccine division], and she assured me that the Institute of Medicine’s February meeting was not an attempt to ‘draw conclusions,’ but merely to ‘update the science,’ of where we are, basically. However, it is clear that this report draws conclusions; and what is perhaps the greatest outrage, it goes further to call for the halt of further research…”
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Twyla commented on the article |
The Institute of Medicine concluded that there is no link between autism and vaccines? Actually, in it’s 2001 study the IOM concluded:
"The Committee concludes that although the hypothesis that exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines could be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders is not established and rests on indirect and incomplete information, primarily from analogies with methylmercury and levels of maximum mercury exposure from vaccines given in children, the hypothesis is biologically plausible." - October 2001, Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal - Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Medicine
http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/chapter3.html
Before beginning another report in 2004, the IOM had meestings which were documented in a transcript. Go to http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/chapter6.html to see a discussion between Dr. Marie McCormick, Chairman of the Committee, and Dr. Kathleen Stratton, Study Director of the Committee, before they had reviewed any of the evidence on either side of the debate, saying that the CDC “wants us to declare, well, these things are pretty safe on a population basis (p. 33)” and that “we are not ever going to come down that [autism] is a true side effect...(p. 97)” referring to the transcript of this meeting at http://www.putchildrenfirst.org/media/6.4.pdf
And, when told that there were case studies available for review, Dr. McCormick’s response was, “Let's not do that. Do you have a free weekend that you want to plod through them?” (p. 149-150)
“The IOM refused to review any drafts of biological studies linking vaccines and autism, and rushed their report, relying solely on epidemiology.”
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Twyla commented on the article |
Glenn said, "All these appeals for science from Mr Handley and his accolytes are merely an exercise in handwaving and window dressing." Is that the best you can do? You can't produce any science, for example comparing autism rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children? Proving no link between vaccines and autism? Or between vaccines and asthma, allergies, diabetes, bipolar, ADHD? Or what is a safe level of mercury to inject into infants? Or how many vaccines is it safe to give at the same time? Or at least come up with a better rationale for not providing any science?
Dr. Robert Sears looked for studies to show what is a safe level of aluminum to inject into infants, as many vaccines use aluminum as an adjuvant to stimulate the immune system. But he could not find any research on this.
http://www.mothering.com/health/is-aluminum-the-new-thimerosal
All these vague references to science by vaccine defenders. Where's the science?!?
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Twyla commented on the article |
Actually, "Ms. Sauceress", none of us are wailing or gnashing our teeth. We are simply writing calmly and logically. And I'm not "anti-vaxx" -- can't speak for the others. Too bad you can't think of anything to say other than name calling.
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Twyla commented on the article |
Glenn, you are repeating the oft-repeated spin regarding Hannah Poling and Bailey Banks. First of all, they were both diagnosed with autism. They both had the characteristics which define autism -- impaired language and social skills, and perseverative repetitive behaviors/interests. One of the neurologists who did not diagnose Bailey Banks with autism said that the reason he did not is because a cause was known -- as if part of the definition of autism is an unknown cause. The judge disagreed with him on this.
Hannah Poling did not show signs of a mitochondrial disorder until after that fateful day when she received 9 vaccines at once. To say that it was "pre-existing" is purely speculative.
Yes, ADEM can result from wild measles, but it is extremely rare. The fact that this can happen is yet another piece of supporting evidence lending plausibility to the measles vaccine-autism connection. Your statement that autism would be more likely to occur if our kids came down with live measles instead of being vaccinated is purely speculative, and it is contradicted by reality. When I was a kid 50 years ago we all came down with measles, and the rate of autism was far lower than today.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't vaccinate for measles. I'm saying that the adverse effects of vaccines need to be recognized, researched, and understood better for the sake of prevention and treatment.
And we should not be giving 9 vaccines at once!!
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Twyla commented on the article |
Darn, typos -- not "unvaccinatted" -- unvaccinated
not "may children today" -- many children today.
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Twyla commented on the article |
Iliana, if your great-uncle was really autistic, and if he was unvaccinatted, that would only prove that vaccines are not the only cause of autism. That would not prove that vaccines don't cause autism.
Genetics may very well be one factor in autism, but over the past 30 years autism has increased from 1 in 2,500 to 10,000, to 1 in 100. Genetics can't explain that.
Furthermore, judging from your writing, your autism is much less severe than that of may children today.
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Twyla commented on the article |
Glenn, the "We Support Andy Wakefield" site remains accurate and current.
Yes, I did mention that Brian Deer is strange. But what is more important from the links I posted is, for example, when he looks at a photo a mom is holding of her son's abdomen with a colostomy bag hanging out and says repeatedly, "That's not bowel disease! That's diarrhea!", and he ignores the other mother who is carrying an xray of her son's gut showing a giant mass of constipation. This is heartless, ignorant, and strange in a way that is relevant to the distorted work he is doing.
And, for you to label me as relying on "mommy science" and the University of Google is just typical of vaccine defenders. Don't address the issues, just label your adversaries.
No, I'm not just labeling Brian Deer. There's more to it than that.
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Twyla commented on the article |
As for Dr. Andrew Wakefield, he is only “notorious” because of media hype and government persecution. Dr. Wakefield was doing just the kind of research needed – in depth study of the children. He listened to the parents, and studied the children who were brought to him with serious GI issues and autism. His colleague the world renowned pediatric gastroenterologist John Walker-Smith supervised their care. Appropriate tests and treatments were provided. The parents have spoken out in support of Dr. Wakefield, saying that for the first time their children receive effective treatment of their severe bowel disorders, with subsequent amelioration of pain and discomfort.
Dr. Wakefield et al’s 1998 Lancet study was a humble “case series” study describing the attributes and symptoms of 12 children and calling for further research. He did not create a vaccine scare, he responded to it. His story would not have had “legs” were it not for the many families experiencing vaccine injury. Are these people marching because Dr. Wakefield has the power to pull them out and draw them along like the pied piper of Hamlin? No, they are marching because of what has befallen their children:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/04/watch-the-london-open-your-eyes-to-autism-rally.html
http://www.generationrescue.org/vaccines/green
For another side to Dr. Wakefield’s story see the articles linked to at this site:
http://www.wesupportandywakefield.com/
Brian Deer is a strange man, and totally without scientific credentials. He picks apart medical records which he has no right to possess and manufactures inconsistency out of nothing. The medical histories used in the Lancet paper were based on the parents’ accounts, not on the records which Brian Deer is looking at.
See the parents speak about their experiences, and see Brian Deer in action here:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/ziggy/videos/1/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya2P2GOXIwU
There is so much more I would like to say, but it is past time for sleep.
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