WASHINGTON (CNN) — A special court ruled Thursday that evidence presented in three cases by parents of children with autism did not prove a link between autism and certain early childhood vaccines.
A special court denied Mike and Theresa Cedillo’s claim that vaccines caused autism in their daughter, Michelle.
A special court denied Mike and Theresa Cedillo’s claim that vaccines caused autism in their daughter, Michelle.
The ruling came from a panel of “special masters” who began hearing three test cases in 2007 involving children with autism — a disorder that their parents contend was triggered by the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella combined with vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative.
Three families — the Cedillos, the Hazlehursts and the Snyders — sought compensation from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, but the panel ruled that they had not presented sufficient evidence to prove that the childhood vaccines caused autism in their children.
“I feel deep sympathy and admiration for the Cedillo family,” Special Master George L. Hastings Jr. wrote in his ruling in the case involving 14-year-old Michelle Cedillo, who cannot speak, wears a diaper and requires round-the-clock monitoring in case she has a seizure.
“And I have no doubt that the families of countless other autistic children, families that cope every day with the tremendous challenges of caring for autistic children, are similarly deserving of sympathy and admiration. However, I must decide this case not on sentiment, but by analyzing the evidence,” Hastings wrote. “In this case the evidence advanced by the petitioners has fallen far short of demonstrating such a link.” Video Dr. Gupta: A look at the life of Michelle Cedillo ยป
In a statement shortly after the release of the decisions, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it continues to support research “to better understand the cause of autistic disorders and develop more effective methods of treatment.” Paging Dr. Gupta blog: What the ruling tells us
However, “the medical and scientific communities … have found no ociation between vaccines and autism.”
“Hopefully, the determination by the Special Masters will help reassure parents that vaccines do not cause autism,” the statement said.
Autism Speaks, a large autism advocacy organization, called for continued examination of the disorder’s contributing factors.
“The causes of autism remain poorly understood. … We will continue to support authoritative research that addresses unanswered questions about whether certain subgroups of individuals with particular underlying medical or genetic conditions may be more vulnerable to adverse effects of vaccines,” the Autism Speaks statement reads, in part.
The Autism Society of America, one of the oldest and largest autism grassroots organization in the country, also called for more research into autism’s causes.
“ASA believes that the science of autism causes and treatments need to be more vigorously researched. … Individuals living with autism need help today, and this case illustrates the need for the medical community to probe further into environmental causes of autism. Like all families affected by autism, these families deserve to be heard and supported in their journey raising their children.”
Health Library
* MayoClinic.com: Autism
* MayoClinic.com: Asperger’s syndrome
Since 2001, thousands of parents of autistic children have filed petitions seeking compensation from the VICP at HHS. Visit CNNhealth.com, your connection to better living
By mid-2008, more than 5,300 cases had been filed in the program — and 5,000 of those were still awaiting adjudication, according to the agency. Video Watch Dr. Gupta discuss how court reached its decision.
A litigation steering committee is representing thousands of families that fall into three categories: those that claim that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine can combine with thimerosal-containing vaccines to cause autism; those who claim thimerosal-containing vaccines alone can cause autism; and those who claim that MMR vaccines, without any link to thimerosal, can cause autism.
Prior to the release of Thursday’s rulings, an attorney for the families, Thomas Powers, said the expected rulings would affect only the families that fall under the first category.
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Tags: autism, CNN, decision, Gupta, mmr, thimerosol, Vaccine
Let’s think about …
Let’s think about the facts shall we? Amish are genetically distinct, as they seem to only breed amongst their own. Autism is heavily thought to be a genetic disease. Amish don’t interact to much with the outside world, and no comprehensive studies have been performed on their communities, let alone prevalence of disease. Furthermore, they DO vaccinate. The implications of not vaccinating are far worse than vaccinating, they at least know that.
u think the amish …
u think the amish gene pool is pure,..thats rich
further more they DONT vac/ its against religion
here is a quick study for you,..ready>
amish people dont vaccinate
and they dont get autism -almost zero %
study over…pop quiz monday!!!
The Amish DO …
The Amish DO vaccinate. The younger generations understand the importance, not the old. Peculiar.
According to the …
According to the Lancaster, PA DOH, the Amish population vaccinates at a 70% rate, and autism is present in the population.
only a small % of …
only a small % of amish {young and old} vaccinate
like i said b-4
they dont vaccinate
and they dont get autism
NOW THATS PECULIAR !
Muckstar23-
My …
Muckstar23-
My oldest son and I have asperger syndrome. My youngest has Pdd-NOS.
My oldest son was vaccinated on time, my youngest just got all of his shots- he is 4.
Both boys had the same autistic characteristics, one vaccinated on time, the other not. You do the figuring.
Autism has been around way before thimerasol was used as a PRESERVATIVE in vaccines, just not recognized until recently.
Take it from a family dealing w/ autism, we’d rather have that than measels mumps and rubella.
I also want to add …
I also want to add that there has to be a genetic factor. I feel it is a combination of genetic/enviromental, but refuse to find a quick scapegoat for the cause of autism.
Shame on anyone who thinks their children should catch disease and possibly die vs. getting vaccinated. I was a nurse, and i’ll tell ya, measles do happen every now and then though rare, yet very horrible.
I will always be …
I will always be thankfull for learning the truth about the harmful effects of vaccines and not ever subjecting my daughter to one shot. Autism is only one of many damaging effects vaccines have on the human body. My daughter is well past the age when some horrible illness should have struck her down. People are so blinded and brain washed. Some of us still have our senses……. Thank God!
First of all I’m …
First of all I’m attacking your simple minded logic. I could make the same exact argument that you are by dubiously proclaiming a link between autism rates and the number of certified psychologists practicing today, the number of TV sets sold in the world today, the amount of bandwith available on the internet today. etc etc etc..
r-u a politician ?u …
r-u a politician ?u should be!
what the does that have to do with
the fact that there is no autism in amish communities?they dont take v/ they dont get autism..of course there is a link,,what else accounts for the huge rise in autism in the last 10 or so years???<
A Rhodes Scholar …
A Rhodes Scholar wouldn’t rely on such a correlation, a dubious one at best. A lie can travel the Earth before the truth even get’s it’s boots strapped on. The whole vaccine/autism link is a myth. Brought about by lawyers who funded a doctor in an attempt to establish a link, and the doctor managed to publish his findings in a scientific journal, only later to be recalled, and the doctor being investigated for professional misconduct.
amish people dont …
amish people dont take the v/s
and they have no autism,…
doesnt take a rhodes scholar to do the math
sounds pretty f n rational to me,..
Following that same …
Following that same logic, you could also say that electricity causes autism.
Is that rational? Hardly.
That is a statement …
That is a statement of scientific ignorance, as they is no evidence to support your anecdotes.
gee i wonder why …
gee i wonder why there virtually no autism in the amish community,…no vaccinations maybe?
news=lies
Vaccine-free is …
Vaccine-free is disease-free. If people want to contract the disease let alone other sequela, then get vaccinated. If they want to live a healthy life, then eschew vaccines. And that is real science.
Its rush and …
Its rush and roulette with vaccinations.. lets just face it