CDC Report Ignores Autism-Mercury Link Despite New Data

Written by: J.T. Thorn

Date: May 5, 2006


A new report reveals startling data that show a link between the mercury
used in vaccines to the rising Autism rate in the United States.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia
authored the new study, which show that 1 in 175 school aged children have
some form of autism.

Despite the numbers, the CDC refuses take responsibility for the connection.

"The study, while valuable in showing that autism rates are high, also
substantiated that the rate of autism has increased during the 1990s, and
that the rate of autism among children born after 1992 are at epidemic
proportions of 6.8-7.6 cases per thousand," said SafeMinds Executive
Director Sallie Bernard.

Among children in the study born between 1986 to 1992 the autism were much
lower, 4.1-4.6 cases per thousand, about 3/5 the rate of the children born
after 1992.

"The rise in autism rates for children born after 1992 as compared to those
born between 1986 and 1992 corresponds to increased exposures from mercury
in infant vaccines. Two new mercury-containing vaccines were added to the
infant schedule in 1990-1991, and it is after this time period that the rate
in autism increased dramatically," said Bernard.

The agency attempted to justify the numbers during a recent press conference
which didn't fair well with anti-mercury and anti-vaccine groups across the
board.

"It wouldn't be in the CDC's best interest to admit fault here. What we know
- as parents, is being denied and ignored by the very individuals who
control our children's health," said Human Rights journalist and
anti-vaccine advocate, Anai Rhoads Ford.

Mercury, known as Thimerosal, was first put in vaccines in the 1930's. It
was initially used as a preservative, and remained a center ingredient to
most vaccines. It was around this time that Autism made its appearance.

"Symptoms of Mercury poisoning mirror what we see in children with Autism.
More children are going to suffer as long as we allow the CDC to continue
their experiments," said Rhoads Ford.

As time went on, the vaccine schedule for infants was increased from 10 to
24 shots. Not only were there more recommended immunizations, the CDC
increased the Thimerosal in each one.

Rhoads Ford went on to say, "Children have been used as guinea pigs for the
last 70 years. We are no longer living in a society where scientific
advances are out of our reach.  We have researchers that can find a better
preservative than Thimerosal. The CDC needs to stop thinking of the
bottomline and start considering safer alternatives. Period."

To this day, the CDC and other pro-vaccine groups have not effectively
offered data that prove that Thimerosal is safe.

©2006 J.T. Thorn