The Vaccine-Autism Controversy

Posted by Anthony Lee Feb 22, 2009

One of the most heated medical debates is whether vaccines, particularly the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or vaccines containing thimerosal, cause autism. Some parents claim that they do based on anecdotal accounts that their children's autism began shortly after vaccination. The medical community maintains their position that there is no link between vaccines and autism based on scientific evidence. All of this has started because of a 1998 article in the journal Lancet in which Dr. Andrew Wakefield expressed concern about the association.

I can understand both sides. I would be concerned if I had a child who became autistic after certain vaccinations, especially with the high-profile case of Hannah Poling. On the other hand, I know that medicine is evidence-based and all statements must be backed up. I have looked at the full texts of the studies that demonstrate no vaccine-autism link in various ways. For example, some illustrate that autism cases may be on the rise, but the percentage of children covered by vaccines has always been high and constant. A study from Japan found that new cases of autism did not decrease even after removing thimerosal from vaccines. In addition, most of these studies looked at very large patient populations.

Recently, a federal court ruled that vaccines were not the cause of autism. Obviously, the big question is what causes autism. Is it caused by vaccines alone, vaccines in conjunction with another factor, or something else altogether? Until new evidence sheds light on the issue, the controversy will no doubt continue.