The Institute of Medicine has done a comprehensive review of the studies on vaccines. They reviewed 1,000 studies and found no link between vaccines and autism and type 1 diabetes. The findings are that vaccines are generally OK. Vaccines have been a highly controversial area, especially in the autism community. Last year there was a fraudulent study; several celebrities have trumpeted the risks of vaccines.
The Institute of Medicine gathered experts to review the studies. The Institute of Medicine, which is part of the National Academy of Sciences, is a non-profit group outside the framework of the U.S. federal government. It provides independent guidance and analysis to improve health conditions. Their review indicates that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines.
Vaccines Can Cause Short-term Problems
The review committee did find that in rare cases, vaccines do cause problems including inflammation of the brain, fainting, and seizures. They also found less clear evidence that certain vaccines may impact allergic reactions and temporary joint pain. They also found convincing evidence that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can lead to fever-triggered seizures in some…but that the effects are almost always without long-term problems.
Experts Say Report Disproves Claims of Autism Link
The report disproves claims made by the British physician, Andrew Wakefield who reported in 1998 that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine contributed to autism. The U.K.'s General Medical Council in 2010 revoked Wakefield's license to practice medicine due to glaring problems with his research.
One physician is saying that the lack of vaccinations is causing "devastating" effects.
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29. August 2011 at 12:03 am
i also believe that vaccination is not a cause of autism
27. August 2011 at 3:12 pm
The only way sa I see it that they could ever disprove that it is not the vaccinations that cause Aspergers is if they test every child that is born before they ever have their first vaccination.
My son was a normal healthy boy it was never the first or second vaccination that triggered him to be different to the way he was before. He was 4 and a half when he had his last immunization. This was the one they give before entering school, after he had that immunization I seen him change. I am not saying that I would not have got his immunization done if there was some way of telling that it would have triggered his aspergers, but that if there was testing involved and surely they could have come up with another altered dosage for those that showed a risk of having aspergers if they had the immunization. I for one still believe that some immunizations do trigger Aspergers, in saying that though I would still get my son immunized as the other risks for other illnesses and diseases that these immunizations protect him against are too great, and while he is immunized and the fact that he has aspergers at least he is alive and still with me.
27. August 2011 at 3:10 pm
You should Think Twice giving vaccines if a child is known to have developmental delays or brain injury of any kind. This will just make things worse and possibly be the ‘trigger’ to autism.
27. August 2011 at 2:04 pm
Here is what I know. I have 4 boys. I can see that all 4 could lean towards aspergers type issues. However, ONLY the one who was vaccinated has severe aspergers and many many co morbidities and has a low prognosis of functioning in society without extreme intervention. So, I “think” that some children could be predisposed genetically to having aspergers or autistic type of troubles but the immune response to the vaccine put them over the edge into having something more serious.
No one can say what happens to the body when exposed ALL AT ONCE, ON PURPOSE to that many diseases…
Does this mean that I am against vaccines?
No, but they will not be given to any more of my children. Just in case…
27. August 2011 at 1:46 pm
Has anyone looked into high levels of testosterone? I have been researching this and found some links. My son is 23 and is going through tremendous hormonal changes. He was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 16. We seem to be having a lot more issues with this since he has gone through puberty. Also, the fact that it is diagnosed more with males than females. I didn’t really think it was due to vaccines.
27. August 2011 at 1:28 pm
I still have my doubts about it… I know kids that spoke 10+ words, made great eye-contact and went back to 0 words and no eye contact after one of the shots. Here in the Netherlands they wanted to finish up the old type (known for many problems)of vaccines before they started to use the new type. Even though we (the parents of these kids) had our shots too, I think it could be (our) mercury poisoning on top of (our kids’) mercury poisoning and the moms having black fillings in their teeth (mercury again) during pregnancy. All this mercury adds up and may have resulted in an overdose causing autism….
27. August 2011 at 12:51 pm
My thought on this is that aspergers is a personality type. My son has aspergers and I had no idea there was anything wrong until he started school so he wasn’t interested in toys and he loved books at a very young age. He didn’t mind playing by himself but all of these things didn’t bother us until the school told us it wasn’t normal. I still resent them for that because after my son got diagnosed at 14 I finally caved in and had him tested. My sun did not accept this very well and he got depressed, suicidal, addicted to drugs. I feel like we should of sued the school. He wasn’t causing any problems he was just different which they advertise in their hallway is a good thing so why my son being different from majority was not OK.
He was brilliant and still is. Why did they not work on his strengths instead of making every little thing he did and said way bigger then it was. Because he was my first I also didn’t know who to believe my instinct or the teachers. Now that I know what aspergers is I see people all around me with aspergers. Probably most are undiagnosed even teachers professors i am constantly pointing out aspies to my family. It drives them crazy. The reason i do it is to prove a point that its all around us. It didn’t just become bigger these people always existed. Every family has one. Its a personality type just like shyness or add everyone has a label. What a joke and we are falling for this bull.
Think about it 30 years ago. No one talked about ADD and Aspergers and ADHD. You didn’t listen that’s what they called it you had a short attention span that’s what they called it not labeled people as if there is only one type of personality. We should all strive for if not by nature then they will drug our kids so they can fit the mold. We all need to calm down and wake up.
27. August 2011 at 12:20 pm
I have always had my doubts, when I think of the number of children with Autism compared to children who get vaccines.
As a Public Health Nurse who has to administer vaccines, I am now feeling better to give information to parents.
Thank you
27. August 2011 at 2:12 pm
I think ONE study should not give you cause to “feel better” about vaccinations. It’s your job but you should tell all parents to seek out their own private counsel regarding vaccines and not give them any advice at all. You are not a scientist or a doctor…keep it to yourself and encourage anyone questioning vaccines to find out more about them before they make that decision.
27. August 2011 at 2:14 pm
Also, the general population may not have problems with vaccines, but the 1 in 10,000 does. So, your reasoning “how many people are vaccinated versus how many people get autisim” is not sound. How many people go to war? How many people come back with PTSD? Not all, but some.
27. August 2011 at 12:11 pm
not surprised… after all most of the adults
I know were vacinated as children and are “normal”
27. August 2011 at 11:20 am
I realized once I knew what was up with my son, now 18.5. He came home from the hospital with sensory issues such as: needing to be clammed wrapped in a blanket, in a Moses basket, in the crib and he screamed in pain when bathed.
He was my 3rd child, I did know how to give him a bath, and that my others liked some freedom when sleeping, so that wasn’t the problem. He was 3 days old when I brought him home, those shots were not given to him at that point.
I never believed it was the shots causing the problems.
I would like to say something about possible detection before birth. I was tested for Spina Bifida, since my husband had a brother that was born with and passed away before age 6 months(1958). Because of the family history, I had AFP tests done- 3 times, and each time it was higher than the last one, and then a Triple Blood test was done and it was claiming an issue as well. My ammio was negative for SB along with all 4 ultrasounds.
Always wondered if ASD was the issue in my blood work? Anyone else?
27. August 2011 at 11:07 am
Most people, including researchers, think that statistical insignificance equates with clinical (i.e., meaningful) insignificance. From a scientific viewpoint, they are entirely wrong. It is a bit like the story of the man throwing starfish back into the sea, except in reverse. When told that there were millions of starfish washed ashore and that all his throwing couldn’t possibly make any difference, he replied (as he threw another one back into the sea), “It will to this one.” If vaccines cause only one case of autism, then they have caused one case of autism. Should we, therefore, take the risk? Probably, if not certainly. But that is not the same as saying that vaccines never cause autism.
27. August 2011 at 2:09 pm
A sensible post. Most of the population should take the risk. However, if are already aware thru your families medical history that this type of thing or any psychiatric problems run in your family tree…then perhaps don’t take the risk.
27. August 2011 at 4:35 pm
the research doesn’t show low risk. It shows no risk.
27. August 2011 at 11:06 am
This is no surprise, as I am an 19 year old asperger, and I study my own diagnose, I KNOW that only GENETICS can lead to any form of autism.
further more, for those of you who don’t understand it, there is no cure for aspergers or autism, and there never will be.
“YOU CAN’T CURE WHAT IS NOT A DISEASE”
It was a newsletter e-mail that got me to this article, in there it said:
“(…)the result surprised the heck out of me.”
well the only surprise I found, was the fact that some professional people believe there is a connection between vaccines and autism, where there’s obviously is none.
Lars Erik Grambo (19)
aspergers syndrome
Norway
27. August 2011 at 11:00 am
I have been delaying my son’s MMR shot for fear of not autism but brain inflammation – particularly since he has global developmental delays. He is so far seizure free but i worry that the shot is risky for him. He is now 35 months old, non verbal and crawls but does not walk independently. Any views on this?
27. August 2011 at 2:07 pm
Don’t do it IF you see your child already has physical or mental health troubles. I wouldn’t risk it.
27. August 2011 at 3:06 pm
It is the inflammation, preservatives & heavy metals of any kind that I worry about with vaccines. Also: that fact that there are many more given today than when I was a kid born in the 1950′s.
27. August 2011 at 4:57 pm
@Serene: you need to have your child check by pediatrician and developmental specialist. Sounds like cerebral palsy, or maybe other conditions
27. August 2011 at 5:52 pm
Serene, Have you had your son evaluated? I have two adult children with Asperger’s. Early detection and intervention is very important. When my children were young, so little was known about Autism. Very important to have his hearing checked as well. Good luck to you.
27. August 2011 at 7:18 pm
It is very important to get an accurate and early diagnosis and begin therapy and treatment for autism as soon as possible. Research consistently indicates that the earlier a child is diagnosed and the earlier intervention begins, the better the long-term results. Read How to Recognize Autism Symptoms in Infants for insights.
27. August 2011 at 10:25 am
I am not convinced that vaccinations have nothing to do with Autism. Has the rate of autism been studied in other countries where they do not vaccinate?
27. August 2011 at 2:24 pm
So they cause inflammation, and inflammation at the right time can cause autism. Check into Dr. Blaylock, he’s been saying this the whole time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUCCdCecLTo
This study changes nothing, and if it’s reporting the link between vaccines and inflammation, then consider the link to autism proven as well.
27. August 2011 at 10:13 am
I just want to say thank you very much for this interesting information about the new study.