About Autism Mercury Link
Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old. This set of signs distinguishes autism from milder autism spectrum disorders (ASD) such as Asperger syndrome.
Most recent reviews estimate a prevalence of one to two cases per 1,000 people for autism, and about six per 1,000 for ASD, with ASD averaging a 4.3:1 male-to-female ratio. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, at least partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.
Autism affects many parts of the brain; how this occurs is poorly understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child’s life. Early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills. There is no cure. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but some become successful, and an autistic culture has developed, with some seeking a cure and others believing that autism is a condition rather than a disorder.
The thiomersal controversy is between claims that thiomersal-containing vaccines (TCVs) cause or contribute to the development of autism and other brain development disorders, and mainstream medical opinion that no convincing scientific evidence supports these claims.
Thiomersal, also spelled thimerosal, is an organomercury preservative used in vaccines since the 1930s to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination. In July 1999, following a review of mercury-containing food and drugs, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) asked vaccine makers to remove thiomersal from vaccines as quickly as possible, and it was rapidly phased out of most U.S. and European vaccines.[5] The precautionary principle assumes that there is no harm in exercising caution even if it later turns out to be unwarranted, but this 1999 action sparked confusion and controversy that has diverted attention and resources away from other efforts to find the causes of autism.
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. to seek damages from alleged toxicity from vaccines, including those purportedly from thiomersal preservatives. The scientific consensus—including scientific and medical professional bodies and governmental agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization—rejects the hypothesis that exposure to thiomersal causes or contributes to autism or other neurological disorders.