March 3, 2008 / New York TIMES. McCain Steps Into Debate Over Cause of Autism
By BENEDICT CAREY "It's indisputable that autism is on the rise among children," Senator John McCain said while campaigning recently in Texas. "The question is what's causing it. And we go back and forth and there's strong evidence that indicates that it's got to do with a preservative in vaccines." With that comment, Mr. McCain marked his entry into one of the most politicized scientific issues in a generation. [Ironically, he ended up agreeing with Democrat Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on this issue. I'm hoping that bipartisan unity on this question does not result.] Mr. McCain is correct that autism diagnoses have increased in recent decades; indeed, no one disputes that. He is on much shakier ground when talking about the preservative as a cause. [Actually, there is doubt about the increase: it's possible that a lot of kids who would have been diagnosed as "retarded" (or whatever) 20 or 30 years ago are now diagnosed as "autistic."] While some parents' groups and lawmakers assert that the preservative, called thimerosal, has caused an epidemic of new autism cases, most mainstream researchers strongly disagree. [It must be said loud and clear, however, that mercury -- a key part of thimerosal -- does not belong in kids' drugs. Even if it doesn't cause autism, it's a crime to put it in there.] Several large-scale studies have found no evidence of a link between thimerosal and autism, and medical groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics have publicly stated as much. In January, the state of California reported an increase in autism cases, despite the removal of thimerosal from most vaccines. In February, an international team of researchers, analyzing blood samples from vaccinated children, found that blood levels of ethyl mercury "fell rapidly and had largely returned to baseline levels by day 11 after vaccination." Those levels fell much more rapidly, for instance, than levels of the mercury people absorb by eating fish — suggesting that the injected thimerosal is less likely to build up in the blood, the researchers concluded. Still, the parent groups raising concerns about the dangers of vaccines have not wavered in their conviction, and if anything have become more skeptical of government pronouncements on the issue over time. Radio hosts, journalists and a new television drama have also taken up the issue. So if his goal was bucking the establishment — and turning a weather eye on the government — Mr. McCain's remarks made good politics. Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
