Outline (Rough Draft)

This outline is the epitome of rough; sorry for any confusion

I. Abstract

II.       Vaccines DO Cause Autism

A.     “Vaccines and Autism” by Bernard Rimland PhD and Woody McGinnnis MD

1.      Review

2.      “Autism may very well be nature’s way of demonstrating a subgroup of common variable immunodeficiency children vulnerable to vaccine injury.” 

B.     “Do aluminum vaccine adjuvants contribute to the rising prevalence of autism?”

1.      Pdf Article

2.      validity of study is yet to be determined, but study says that Aluminum-adjuvanted vaccines could be one cause of rising ASD.

C.     “Mercury and Autism: Accelerating Evidence?”

1.      Study

2.      vaccines causing autism is not as simple as it sounds. this study suggests that ASD could result from genetically eligible children exposed to mercury in vitro and from vaccines.

D.     Early Downward Trends in Neurodevelopmental Disorders Following Removal of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines”

1. Study
2. Mercury exposure from maternal dental work could combine with exposure from vaccines to be a cause of ASD. It also states in the conclusion that more research to validify these results.

II.    Vaccines DO NOT Cause Autism

A.     “Autism and measles-mumps-rubella vaccination: controversy laid to rest?”

1.      Article/Review

2.      This article discusses the Wakefield paper which brought the idea that vaccines cause autism to the forefront, and refutes that study with various others that drew conclusions opposing those of the Wakefield paper. Also points out that MMR is not the only vaccine (or vaccine component) targeted for supposedly causing ASD.

B.     “No Link Between MMR Vaccine and Autism, Even In High-Risk Kids”

1.      Article

2.      Basically says studies have determined no link between vaccines and autism.

C.    “Immunizations Update in the pediatric population”

1.      Gale Article

2.      Expresses parent’s concern of thimerosal in vaccines. Points out that no studies have definitive proof that vaccines and autism are related.

D.     “Increasing Exposure to Antibody-Stimulating Proteins and Polysaccharides in Vaccines Is Not Associated with Risk of Autism”

1.      Study

2.      “ In this study of MCO members, increasing exposure to antibody-stimulating proteins and polysaccharides in vaccines during the first 2 years of life was not related to the risk of developing an ASD.

E.      “Time Trends in Autism and in MMR Immunization Coverage in California”

1.      Study

2.      No correlation was found between early childhood MMR immunization rates and numbers of children with autism enrolled in California’s regional service center system.

F.    “A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism”

1.      Study

2.      Has 3 strong arguments against an association between vaccines and autism: risk was similar in vaccinated and unvaccinated children, no clustering of autism cases at any point after immunization, and ASD nor AD was associated with MMR vaccination.

G.     “Continuing Increases in Autism Reported to California’s Developmental Services System”

1.      Study

2.      Relation to Early Downward Trends… This study refutes that study’s conclusions based on the findings. “If Thimerosal exposure is a primary cause of autism, then the prevalence of autism would be predicted to decrease.”

III. Not Determined (Neither For or Against)

A.     “Do vaccines cause autism?”

1.      Review

2.      There should be alot more research to determine if a relation between autism and vaccines exists. The author points out that ASD is not known to have one specific cause, and several genes have some currently unknown relation to ASD as well.

B.     “Autism and Vaccines: A New Look At An Old Story”

1.      Article

2.      Basically pulls from a bunch of different sources and presents various viewpoints, thus there is no conclusion as there would be in a study.

C.     “Thimerosal and Vaccines- A Cautionary Tale”

1.      Article

2.     Encourages that thimerosal dosen’t have anything to do with autism but also does not provide much reasoning as to why it has been removed from most vaccines; simply recounts the process of taking out thimerosal and its effects on how people see the vaccines and autism debate.

D.    “Vaccines and Autism Revisited- The Hannah Poling Case”

1.      Article

2.     Hannah Poling developed autism after recieving several vaccines, and her parents sued the DHHS. Hannah however was a very unique case because of encephalopathy as the article points out as well.


IV. Need for Further Conclusions or Studies

Appendix I: Figures and Graphs