California Autism Cases Continue to Grow

[Kadie]

California Autism Cases Continue to Grow
By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer

Monday, January 7, 2008

(01-07) 15:34 PST LOS ANGELES, (AP) --

Autism cases in California continued to climb even after a mercury-based vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder was removed from routine childhood shots, a new study found.

Researchers from the state Department of Public Health found the autism rate in children rose continuously during the 12-year study period from 1995 to 2007. The preservative thimerosal hasn't been used in childhood vaccines since 2001, but is used in some flu shots.

Doctors say the latest study adds to existing evidence refuting a link between thimerosal exposure and autism risk and should reassure parents that the disorder is not caused by vaccinations. If there was a risk, they said, autism rates should have dropped between 2004 and 2007.

The findings show "no evidence of mercury poisoning in autism" since there was no decline in autism rates even after the elimination of thimerosal, said Dr. Eric Fombonne, an autism researcher at Montreal Children's Hospital who had no role in the research.

Some advocacy groups blame thimerosal for the impaired social interaction typical of autism. Nearly 5,000 claims alleging a vaccine-autism link have been lodged with the federal government, which is deciding whether victims should receive compensation from a government fund.


more...
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/07/national/a130048S36.DTL&tsp=1

[NC_Nurse]

1. What about environmental mercury?

I wonder about mercury poisoning from power plant emissions that ends up in acid rain, streams, fish like trout and salmon that pregnant women eat...

Vaccines were only one source of mercury in our lives. There are others.

[wuushew]

3. California does not rely on coal with in its own state borders

n/t

[PDJane]

2. Anywhere you burn coal,

you will have mercury. Some pulp and paper mills still use the stuff. Fish, including freshwater fish, have mercury in them. Doesn't really prove much,frankly.