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Immunization Registries Briefing ECBT Supports Continued Use of MMR Vaccine Additional News Stories and Press Releases National Infant Immunization Week Gates Foundation Awards $18 Million Grant to Sabin Vaccine Institute |
In the wake of a much debated Government Reform Committee hearing on autism chaired by congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) on Thursday, April 6, one theme seems to have emerged: the need for more autism research. Witnesses appearing on both sides of a debate regarding a link between autism and the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine seemed to meet on common ground by agreeing to the importance of increased funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism. Congressman Waxman declared his support for H.R. 3301, the Children's Health Research and Prevention Amendments of 1999, which includes a request for increased funding to the National Institutes for Health for research into autism. Additional bills have been introduced in the House. (CLICK HERE) Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by behaviors that include withdrawal from social interactions, communication and repetitious patterns. Autism is four times more common in boys than girls. Although the incidence of autism has increased dramatically in recent decades, some believe that this increase is due to a broadening of diagnostic criteria and better surveillance measures. Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), ranking member of the Government Reform Committee, and several witnesses registered concern that the sensationalization of the autism-MMR connection, a connection without scientific basis, might result in a decrease in the public's confidence in MMR and other vaccines, and a subsequent increase in vaccine preventable diseases. Dr. Paul Offit, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pennsylvania and member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the CDC, declared that "no evidence exists that proves the association between vaccines and autism." Dr. Offit addressed each of three theories presented consistently by those who purport such links. The first theory is that children who get the measles vaccine produce an immune response not only to the vaccine, but also to their own nervous system. Dr. Offit explained that "the immune response to natural infection is greater than the immune response to immunization. If the immune response is greater after natural infection, then the autoimmune response would also be greater. If this were the case.if measles virus caused autism, measles vaccination would lower, not raise, the incidence of autism." The second theory is that the child's immune system is simply overwhelmed by seeing three viruses in a vaccine at the same time. However, according to Offit, "the newborn has billions of immunologic cells that are capable of responding to millions of different microorganisms.therefore, the three vaccines in MMR, or even the 10 vaccines given in the first two years of life, is literally a raindrop in the ocean of what infants successfully encounter in their environment every day." The final theory is that MMR vaccine is given by an unnatural route, injection, while children would normally inhale measles, mumps or rubella. Dr. Offit explained that encountering viruses or bacteria under the skin or within the muscles does occur naturally via cuts and the lymph glands are capable of meeting this challenge. Every Child By Two supports the continued routine provision of MMR vaccine to all children. We know that measles epidemics occurred in England when MMR coverage declined because of the decline in public confidence in vaccines. ECBT is dedicated to the health of our nation's children and strongly urges parents to continue to immunize their children. ECBT also support efforts to increase research into the causes and treatment of autism, which clearly has devastating effects on families financially, emotionally and socially. For more information on autism, contact
the National Alliance for Autism Research:
For additional press releases click
here .
To view legislation information on the Internet, visit: http://thomas.loc.gov/.
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