No Link Between Mercury and Autism
Researchers at the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH) of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have revealed new evidence dispelling the supposed link between mercury and autism. The research team, led by Dr. Eric Fombonne, tested mercury levels in the hair and blood samples from autistic children and their mothers and found that the levels did not differ statistically from those samples taken from non-autistic children. They also demonstrated that there was no correlation between the mercury level and the severity of symptoms and level of functioning of autistic children.
In recent years, hypotheses have been raised concerning a possible relationship between mercury exposure and autism," says Dr. Eric Fombonne, principal researcher, Director of Pediatric Psychiatry at the MCH, and Head of the Division of Child Psychiatry at McGill. "Specifically, the concerns have been related to childhood thimerosal-containing vaccines, dental amalgams, and methylmercury in food.
"Our findings do not support the hypothesis that autism is a form of mercury poisoning. The mercury levels we discovered in autistic children and their mothers were within the normal range for the general population."
Consecutive referrals of young children to the Autism Spectrum Disorders clinic at the MCH were invited to participate in the study. In total, 71 children were included in the study alongside 76 pediatric controls recruited from clinics at the same hospital. Children with autism spectrum disorders all met rigorous diagnostic criteria and were assessed with state-of-the-art standardized measures. Blood and hair samples were taken from all participating children and their mothers, and analyzed using the most advanced techniques available.
"An important practical implication of this study is that chelation therapies, whereby heavy metals are removed from the body using specific compounds, are not useful in the treatment of autism," says Dr. Fombonne. "Chelation has never been proved efficacious as a biomedical intervention to treat autism."
Sign up for the OV Daily Newsletter
OV Social
It is interesting that these studies which are done on children with autism conclude that they have no higher levels of mercury in their bodies than other children. What they have not addressed that is so much more important - is how their bodies react and process not only the mercury, but the high levels of other foreign matter entering their immature bloodstreams in such large quantities. With every other disease and disorder, we study how the brain reacts and how the organs and nervous system react; what other factors, weaknesses and predispositions exist in the person.
What these studies have done is similar to comparing a person who has been drinking and an alcoholic, and finding that they both have the same levels of alcohol in their blood. So what? It is how the body and brain process what enters them that really matters.
“With every other disease and disorder, we study how the brain reacts and how the organs and nervous system react; what other factors, weaknesses and predispositions exist in the person.”
In a sense yes, however when you are attempting to determine if a given substance is causing a disorder you look at everyone… not just those suffering from the disorder. If vaccines cause autism then there should be a correlation between vaccination and autism. However the rates of autism are not statistically higher when you compare those vaccinated and those not vaccinated… this indicates that it is not the vaccination that are the causative element.
“What these studies have done is similar to comparing a person who has been drinking and an alcoholic, and finding that they both have the same levels of alcohol in their blood. So what? It is how the body and brain process what enters them that really matters.”
Actually it is more like comparing the rate of alcoholism among those who drink gin and those who drink whisky.
Why doesn't Dr. Fommbonne do a study of this. It seems so straight forwaard. There are thousands of children that can be matched on both sides and then we will have some real science.
Dr. Eric Fombonne was present at the June, 2000 Vaccine Safety Data Study when Dr. Verstreaten announced increases in serious neurological disorders associated with vaccination. Fombonne did nothing to stop the conference members from conspiring to continue poisoning children then. Why would he do anything to help children now?
Dr. Fombonne also has numerous financial conflicts of interest in his work for vaccine makers. Apparently, he thought this fact not important enough to merit mention here.
What are doctors willing to do in order to approve their vaccines? Ask Dr. Bruce Ivins. He terrorized a country, murdered five and sickened many more to drive up demand for his anthrax vaccine.
I agree that Fombonne is a shill for vaccine makers and government regulators helping to protect murderous companies like Merck and Glaxo Smith Kline. I was curious about your reference to Dr Ivins. If you read his entry at Wikipedia with numerous sources in mainstream media and government, you will see a different picture. One significant bit of info is about the government getting the royalities form the invention of the anthrax vaccine. That sounds familiar to me, but I can't say that it is true. however, that aside, the rest of the story made for interesting reading including the claims by coworkers that he had no access to the equipment or the training to develop the fine tuned anthrax product that was in the letters. Even some members of Congress, including one of the targets of the attack (Leahy), do not believe Ivins is or could have been responsible
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Edwards_Ivins
I agree Fombonne is merely a shill. I have read his works regarding vaccines and autism , and although I am not trained in epidemiology even I can see the manipulations of data and semantics he has used to support his masters in the drug industry
Measuring blood and hair for mercury is representative of the same thing. The type of mercury most people are concerned with is ethylmercury from vaccines. This type of mercury rapidly clears the blood and is distributed immediatley to the brain. It would not show up in the blood unless it was tested within days of exposure. Doesn't Dr. Fombonne knows this? Maybe this is why psychiatrists should leave toxicological studies to toxicologists and/or chemists. Doesn't McGill University employ either? Also, shouldn't it be disclosed that Dr. Fombonne appears regularly as an expert witness for the vaccine industry?
Thousands of parents who have been treating their autistic children for mercury poisoning have witnessed first hand that their autistic behaviors decrease as a result. Many children are able to be completely recovered as a result. This is not a coincidence.
Setting up studies to prove there is NO link will do just that.
Why is it that you are so afraid to contact the parents of recovered children to find out what worked for their child and then do a study for that?
When all you do is refute time and time again what we have all witnessed first hand, it really does not help any of us to believe your intentions of finding out the truth or helping our children are sincere.
I completely agree - we too are treating our son and already we have noticed the lights beginning to illuminate.