A List of 28 Studies from Around the World that Support Dr. Wakefield’s Research:

This putative list of 28 papers was originally published (to the best of my ability to ascertain) on Joe Mercola's site as a part of his interview with Andrew Wakefield in April, 2010.  The list has returned to circulation recently, so it deserves another look.

Of the 28 papers, two (#18 and #22) are repeat citations, bringing the number down to 26. Wakefield's retracted Lancet paper was published on February 28, 1998. Any papers published prior to that date cannot be said to "support" or "replicate" his work. The list of 26 includes three papers (#5, #16, and #17) published well before the Lancet paper, so the list is down to 23.

Of the remaining 23 papers, #s 2, 3, 4, 18, and 19 have Wakefield as a co-author. So we are down to 18 papers.   

Of those 18 papers, #9 was published by a journal Wakefield edited; #20  included Wakefield's co-authors on the retracted Lancet paper; and #27 is closely associated with Wakefield's Texas clinic, Thoughtful House None represent independent replication or support of Wakefield's research.  So the list is down to 15 papers.

Remember what the retracted Lancet paper claimed, 

"We have identified a chronic enterocolitis in children that may be related to neuropsychiatric dysfunction. In most cases, onset of symptoms was after measles, mumps, and rubella immunisation. Further investigations are needed to examine this syndrome and its possible relation to this vaccine."

Of the remaining 15 papers, #s 1, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 24,25, 26, and 28 discussed some aspect of gut disfunction in autistic individuals but did not mention measles virus or measles vaccines.  These 10 papers do not, therefore, "replicate" or "support" the retracted Lancet paper or Walkfield's research.  the list is down to 5 papers.

Of those 5 papers, #6 and 11 are by one researcher.    #14 is a speculative paper in a dodgy journal on the author's belief that autism is an occult tetanus infection. #15 discusses a treatment modality. #23 discusses metabolic variations in autistic adults. 

Paper #6 does mention autism and measles, but there is sound reason to believe that what the authors found was laboratory contamination, not measles virus.

In short, the list of 28 doesn't "support Dr. Wakefield's Research". 

The list as cited

1. The Journal of Pediatrics November 1999; 135(5):559-63 gut; no measles
2. The Journal of Pediatrics 2000; 138(3): 366-372  Wakefield a co-author
3. Journal of Clinical Immunology November 2003; 23(6): 504-517 Wakefield a co-author
4. Journal of Neuroimmunology 2005 Wakefield a co-author
5. Brain, Behavior and Immunity 1993; 7: 97-103 published prior to February 1998
6. Pediatric Neurology 2003; 28(4): 1-3 Singh; signficant doubts about laboratory findings; 
7. Neuropsychobiology 2005; 51:77-85 gut; no measles
8. The Journal of Pediatrics May 2005;146(5):605-10 gut; no measles
9. Autism Insights 2009; 1: 1-11 Published in journal edited by Wakefield
10. Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology February 2009; 23(2): 95-98  gut; no measles
11. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry 2009:21(3): 148-161  Singh; speculative paper
12. Journal of Child Neurology June 29, 2009; 000:1-6  gut; no measles
13. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders March 2009;39(3):405-13 gut; no measles
14. Medical Hypotheses August 1998; 51:133-144. Speculative paper on C. tetani
15. Journal of Child Neurology July 2000; ;15(7):429-35 treatment modality
16. Lancet. 1972; 2:883–884. published prior to February 1998
17. Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia January-March 1971;1:48-62 published prior to February 1998
18. Journal of Pediatrics March 2001;138:366-372.  duplicate citation for #2
    
19. Molecular Psychiatry 2002;7:375-382. Wakefield a co-author
20. American Journal of Gastroenterolgy April 2004;598-605. Has previous Wakefield co-authors
    
21. Journal of Clinical Immunology November 2003;23:504-517. Wakefield a co-author
22. Neuroimmunology April 2006;173(1-2):126-34.  duplicate citation for #4
23. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol Biol. Psychiatry December 30 2006;30:1472-1477. no gut; no measles
24. Clinical Infectious Diseases September 1 2002;35(Suppl 1):S6-S16  gut; no measles
25. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2004;70(11):6459-6465  gut; no measles
26. Journal of Medical Microbiology October 2005;54:987-991  gut; no measles
27. Archivos venezolanos de puericultura y pediatría 2006; Vol 69 (1): 19-25. Thoughtful House connection.
28. Gastroenterology. 2005:128 (Suppl 2);Abstract-303  gut; no measles

Discussion of the papers in depth

1. Cited as, "The Journal of Pediatrics November 1999; 135(5):559-63" resolves to: Horvath K, Papadimitriou JC, Rabsztyn A, Drachenberg C, Tildon JT. Gastrointestinal abnormalities in children with autistic disorder. J Pediatr. 1999 Nov;135(5):559-63. A case series study on 36 autistic children with pre-existing gastrointestinal symptoms found that many had unrecognized gastrointestinal disorders, especially reflux esophagitis and disaccharide malabsorption. This study did not look for measles virus. Instead it looks at gastrointestinal (GI) malabsoption as an underlying mechanism for autism. The study is uncontrolled; that it, it did not include autistic children without GI symptoms, nor did include non-autistic children who had similar GI symptoms. Most of the autistic children in the study upper GI problems such as reflux. This articles in no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”, which have been shown repeatedly to have been manufactured or the result of laboratory contamination. "Autistic enterocolitis" was not found.
2. Cited as "The Journal of Pediatrics 2000; 138(3): 366-372", resolves to: Furlano RI, Anthony A, Day R, Brown A, McGarvey L, Thomson MA, Davies SE, Berelowitz M, Forbes A, Wakefield AJ, Walker-Smith JA, Murch SH. Colonic CD8 and gamma delta T-cell infiltration with epithelial damage in children with autism. J Pediatr. 2001 Mar;138(3):366-72. Note that this paper includes seven of Wakefield's co-authors on the now-retracted 1998 paper. This is not independent confirmation of Wakefield's work, and therefore cannot be said to "support" Wakefield. While this paper claims to "confirm[ed] a distinct lymphocytic colitis in autistic spectrum disorders", please read Brian Deer's report on how normal gut pathology findings were reclassified as "inflamed". http://briandeer.com/solved/bmj-enterocolitis.htm
3. Cited as "Journal of Clinical Immunology November 2003; 23(6): 504-517", resolves to Ashwood P, Anthony A, Pellicer AA, Torrente F, Walker-Smith JA, Wakefield AJ. Intestinal lymphocyte populations in children with regressive autism: evidence for extensive mucosal immunopathology. J Clin Immunol. 2003 Nov;23(6):504-17. Note that Wakefield and several of his co-authors on the retracted paper are authors on this paper. This is not independent confirmation of Wakefield's work.
4. Cited as "Journal of Neuroimmunology 2005". Note that this is a citation of a whole year's worth of a journal. As it happens, the hyperlink resolves to Ashwood P, Wakefield AJ. Immune activation of peripheral blood and mucosal CD3+ lymphocyte cytokine profiles in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. J Neuroimmunol. 2006 Apr;173(1-2):126-34. Epub 2006 Feb 21. Note that Wakefield is one of the two authors on this paper; Ashwood appears as a co-author on several other Wakefield papers, not to mention the circular reasoning in the body of the paper. This is not independent confirmation of Wakefield's work.
5. Cited as "Brain, Behavior and Immunity 1993; 7: 97-103", resolves to Singh VK, Warren RP, Odell JD, Warren WL, Cole P. Antibodies to myelin basic protein in children with autistic behavior. Brain Behav Immun. 1993 Mar;7(1):97-103. Found some but not all children with autism had specific antibodies to myelin. One: Note that this paper was published 5 years before the  now retracted Wakefield paper. It may have "informed" Wakefield's work, but it in no way validates it. Two: Study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus. In no way ”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s research 
6. Cited as "Pediatric Neurology 2003; 28(4): 1-3", resolves to Singh VK, Jensen RL Elevated levels of measles antibodies in children with autism Pediatric Neurology 2003; 28(4): 292-294. To the best of my knowledge, this study has not been replicated, and the findings refuted by several other studies, such as Baird et.al (2008) Measles vaccination and antibody response in autism spectrum disorders. Arch Dis Child. 2008 Oct;93(10):832-7. Epub 2008 Feb 5. Further, Singh's findings are deeply suspect: As Paul Offit wrote on page 45 of Autism's False Prophets,

   ...a closer look at Singh's science revealed two critical flaws: children with autism didn't have nerve damage and, according to measles experts, the test that Singh had used to detect measles antibodies didn't detect them.

7. Cited as "Neuropsychobiology 2005; 51:77-85", resolves to Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Ruby A, Zimmerman-Bier B. Dysregulated Innate Immune Responses in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Their Relationship to Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Dietary Intervention. Neuropsychobiology. 2005;28:51 77-85. This study did not look for measles virus but evaluated inflammatory response to specific dietary proteins. In no way ”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield.
8. Cited as "The Journal of Pediatrics May 2005;146(5):605-10", resolves to Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Ruby A, Reddy C, Zimmerman-Bier B. Evaluation of an association between gastrointestinal symptoms and cytokine production against common dietary proteins in children with autism spectrum disorders. J Pediatr. 2005;146(5):605-10. Study did not look for measles virus. Study evaluated inflammatory response to specific dietary proteins. In no way ”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
9. Cited as "Autism Insights 2009; 1: 1-11", resolves to Krigsman A, Bors M, Goldblatt A, Stott C, Clinical presentation and Histologic Findings at Ileocolonoscopy in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Chronic Gastrointestinal Symptoms. Autism Insights 2010:2 1-11. Note that the citation is not a peer-reviewed journal indexed on PubMed. At the time of the paper's publication, Wakefield, Krigsman, and Stott were paid staff of Thoughtful House in Austin, Texas. Wakefield and Stott were at the time of publication editors of the journal Autism Insights. This by no means can be said to be an “independent replication” of the 1998 study or of Wakefield's work.
10. Cited as "Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology February 2009; 23(2): 95-98", Galiatsatos P, Gologan A, Lamoureux E, Autistic enterocolitis: Fact or fiction? Can J Gastroenterol. 2009:23:95-98 Two case reports of autistic adults with disparate histories of GI distress. Neither were positive for so-called "autistic enterocolitis". In no way "supports" Wakefield's positing of a bowel condition unique to autism.
11. Cited as "Annals of Clinical Psychiatry 2009:21(3): 148-161", resolves to Singh VK. Phenotypic expression of autoimmune autistic disorder (AAD): a major subset of autism. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2009 Jul-Sep;21(3):148-61. This paper is only a summary of putative research. The paper does not mention the number of children in the stud(ies) or discuss the reason to believe that the study subjects were indeed autistic (ie, no discussion of how or when the study subjects were diagnosed). The paper then goes on to makes assertion that are not supported by the evidence base in the paper.
12. Cited as "Journal of Child Neurology June 29, 2009; 000:1-6", resolves to Genuis SJ, Bouchard TP. Celiac disease presenting as autism. J Child Neurol. 2010 Jan;25(1):114-9. doi: 10.1177/0883073809336127. Epub 2009 Jun 29. A single case study (that is, one autistic child), from which the authors launch into the (unsupported) hypothesis that many children with autism have celiac disease, or subclinical "gluten sensitivity", and either of these conditions may cause micro-nutrient deficiencies and bowel distress. Further, they hypothesize that such children's behavior normalizes when fed a gluten-free diet. No mention of the measles vaccine or persistence of vaccine-strain measles in the gut. Not a support to Wakefield's claims.
13. Cited as "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders March 2009;39(3):405-13", resolves to Nikolov RN, Bearss KE, Lettinga J, Erickson C, Rodowski M, Aman MG, McCracken JT, McDougle CJ, Tierney E, Vitiello B, Arnold LE, Shah B, Posey DJ, Ritz L, Scahill L. Gastrointestinal symptoms in a sample of children with pervasive developmental disorders. J Autism Dev Disord. 2009 Mar;39(3):405-13. Epub 2008 Sep 13. This study looked at 172 autistic children, who were classified (in a non-specific way) as having GI problems or not having GI problems. Only 23% had GI problems, mostly constipation and diarrhea. Those with GI problems were no different from subjects without GI problems in demographic characteristics, measures of adaptive functioning, or autism symptom severity. Compared to autistic children without GI problems, those with GI problems showed greater symptom severity on measures of irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal. Those with GI problems were also less likely to respond to treatment. There is a glaring weakness in this study: one is that there was not a "typically developing, but with matched GI problems" wing, to see if the GI problems alone would account for the differences. With respect to "replicating" or "supporting" Wakefield's research, the study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus. . In no way “”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
14. Cited as "Medical Hypotheses August 1998;51:133-144", resolves to Bolte ER. Autism and Clostridium tetani. Med Hypotheses. 1998 Aug;51(2):133-44. One: this paper entered the publication stream in advance of Wakefield's now-withdrawn paper, so it is hard to say how it supports or builds on Wakefield's now-discredited findings. Two: this paper is a wild surmise about antibiotic use in children later diagnosed with autism, and builds a cloud-castle about autism symptoms are really the result of a subacute, chronic tetanus infection. No actual data about finding tetanus in blood samples from autistic individuals are presented. In short, this is a fairytale, and in way ”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
15. Cited as Journal of Child Neurology July 2000;;15(7):429-35, resolves to Sandler RH, Finegold SM, Bolte ER, Buchanan CP, Maxwell AP, Väisänen ML, Nelson MN, Wexler HM. Short-term benefit from oral vancomycin treatment of regressive-onset autism. J Child Neurol. 2000 Jul;15(7):429-35. Study did not look for measles virus. Study evaluated 11 children’s response to a specific antibiotic. Gains faded following cessation of antibiotic. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
16. Cited as "Lancet. 1972;2:883–884", resolves to Walker-Smith J, Andrews J., Alpha-1-antitrypsin, autism, and coeliac disease. Lancet. 1972 Oct 21;2(7782):883-4. First, note that this was published 26 years before the publication of the withdrawn Wakefield paper. Prior papers do not "support" papers published later. Second, this is a short, letter to the editor type report on the investigation of alpha-1-antitrypsin levels in 8 children with autism vs in children with untreated and treated celiac disease and control children. Alpha-1-antitrypsin is a protease inhibitor (meaning it inhibits the functions of enzymes involved in metabolism). The Walker-Smith letter found levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin in children with autism and celiac disease to similar. The letter did not mention the MMR vaccine; the vaccine was not used in the UK until 1988. Although Walker-Smith was one of the 13 original authors on the Wakefield Lancet paper, he withdrew his name from the paper in 2004. This paper in no way In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s paper.
17. Cited as "Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia January-March 1971;1:48-62", resolves to Goodwin MS, Cowen MA, Goodwin TC. Malabsorption and cerebral dysfunction: a multivariate and comparative study of autistic children. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1971 Jan-Mar;1(1):48-62. First, note that this was published 27 years before the publication of the withdrawn Wakefield paper. Prior papers do not "support" papers published later. Second, it was published the year that the MMR vaccine was licensed in the US and 17 years before it was licensed in the UK. As the paper predates the wide use of the US. At the time, the DSM-II was in effect, "autism" was not a separate diagnostic category, but was characterized as "Schizophrenia, childhood type". This paper was an early attempt at finding distinguishing features between childhood autism and adult schizophrenia using a number of challenges and physiological measurements. One minor element in the paper is that "malabsorption" may lead to autistic behavior. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”
18. Cited as "Journal of Pediatrics March 2001;138:366-372, resolves to resolves to: Furlano RI, Anthony A, Day R, Brown A, McGarvey L, Thomson MA, Davies SE, Berelowitz M, Forbes A, Wakefield AJ, Walker-Smith JA, Murch SH. Colonic CD8 and gamma delta T-cell infiltration with epithelial damage in children with autism. J Pediatr. 2001 Mar;138(3):366-72. Exactly the same paper as paper #2, with the correct publication date. This should cue the alert reader that this list, which has been circulating at least since April, 2010, is a shoddy, intellectually dishonest piece of work.
19. Cited as "Molecular Psychiatry 2002;7:375-382." Resolves to Torrente F, Ashwood P, Day R, Machado N, Furlano RI, Anthony A, Davies SE, Wakefield AJ, Thomson MA, Walker-Smith JA, Murch SH, Small intestinal enteropathy with epithelial IgG and complement deposition in children with regressive autism. Mol Psychiatry. 2002;7(4):375-82, 334. First, note the commonality of authors: Ashwood P has previously published with Wakefield; Davies SE, Murch SH and Walker-Smith JA were co-authors with Wakefield on the withdrawn Lancet paper; and of course, Walkfield is an author on both papers. This is not independent confirmation of Wakefield's work.
20. Cited as "American Journal of Gastroenterolgy April 2004;598-605.", resolves to Torrente F, Anthony A, Heuschkel RB, Thomson MA, Ashwood P, Murch SH.Focal-enhanced gastritis in regressive autism with features distinct from Crohn's and Helicobacter pylori gastritis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2004 Apr;99(4):598-605. One: Independent replication means no one from the 1998 Lancet paper can be an author. Murch SH, Anthony A, Thompson MA, Torrente F and Ashwood P were previous co-authors with Wakefield. Two: the paper does not mention measles or any other vaccine. So not an independent replication of gut malfunction and autism; nothing about measles: In no way “”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
21. Cited as "Journal of Clinical Immunology November 2003;23:504-517", resolves to Ashwood P, Anthony A, Pellicer AA, Torrente F, Walker-Smith JA, Wakefield AJ. Intestinal lymphocyte populations in children with regressive autism: evidence for extensive mucosal immunopathology. J Clin Immunol. 2003 Nov;23(6):504-17. One: Independent replication means no one from the 1998 Lancet paper can be an author, nor should any of Wakefield's other co-authors. So not an independent replication of gut malfunction and autism; nothing about measles: In no way “”replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”.
22. Cited as "Neuroimmunology April 2006;173(1-2):126-34", resolves to Ashwood P, Wakefield AJ., Immune activation of peripheral blood and mucosal CD3+ lymphocyte cytokine profiles in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms. J Neuroimmunol. 2006 Apr;173(1-2):126-34. Epub 2006 Feb 21. Exactly the same paper as paper #4, with the correct publication date. This should cue the alert reader that this list, which has been circulating at least since April, 2010, is a shoddy, intellectually dishonest piece of work.
23. Cited as "Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol Biol. Psychiatry December 30 2006;30:1472-1477", resolves to Shinohe A, Hashimoto K, Nakamura K, Tsujii M, Iwata Y, Tsuchiya KJ, Sekine Y, Suda S, Suzuki K, Sugihara G, Matsuzaki H, Minabe Y, Sugiyama T, Kawai M, Iyo M, Takei N, Mori N., Increased serum levels of glutamate in adult patients with autism. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Dec 30;30(8):1472-7. Epub 2006 Jul 24. Study of adults with autism on blood levels of amino acids, to assess whether altered glutamatergic neurotransmission was likely in autism. Study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus or anything connected with the gut. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings” Since when are “adults” still children? Also, no mention of any MMR vaccine (and the Japanese MMR vaccine was different from the American vaccine).
24. Cited as "Clinical Infectious Diseases September 1 2002;35(Suppl 1):S6-S16", resolves to Finegold SM, Molitoris D, Song Y, Liu C, Vaisanen ML, Bolte E, McTeague M, Sandler R, Wexler H, Marlowe EM, Collins MD, Lawson PA, Summanen P, Baysallar M, Tomzynski TJ, Read E, Johnson E, Rolfe R, Nasir P, Shah H, Haake DA, Manning P, Kaul A, Gastrointestinal microflora studies in late-onset autism. Clin Infect Dis. 2002 Sep 1;35(Suppl 1):S6-S16. Stool samples from children with regressive autism were compared to samples from children without autism; differences in stool flora were found. Study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus. Study did not evaluate changes in gut structure, In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”
25. Cited as "Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2004;70(11):6459-6465", resolves to Song Y, Liu C, Finegold SM. Real-time PCR quantitation of clostridia in feces of autistic children. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2004 Nov;70(11):6459-65. PCR is the acronym for Polymerase Chain Reaction, a labratory technology that copies a segment of DNA many thousands to billions of times, allowing scientists to study a particular sequence in depth. This study describes how to do PCR for specific bacteria on stool samples of autistic and non autistic children. Does not mention vaccines, measles, or structural gut pathology. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”
26. Cited as "Journal of Medical Microbiology October 2005;54:987-991", resolves to Parracho HM, Bingham MO, Gibson GR, McCartney AL. Differences between the gut microflora of children with autistic spectrum disorders and that of healthy children. J Med Microbiol. 2005 Oct;54(Pt 10):987-91. This study compared fecal flora for children with autism with two control groups: siblings without autism and unrelated children without autism. Minor differences were found. The study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus. Study did not evaluate changes in gut structure. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”
27. Cited as Archivos venezolanos de puericultura y pediatría 2006; Vol 69 (1): 19-25, resolves to González LG., López K, Navarro DC, Negrón L, Flores LS, Rodríguez R, Martínez M, Sabrá A. Características endoscópicas, histológicas e inmunológicas de la mucosa digestiva en niños autistas con síntomas gastrointestinales [Endoscopic and Histological Characteristics of the Digestive Mucosa in Autistic Children with gastro-Intestinal Symptoms] Archivos Venezolanos de Puericultura y Pediatría Enero-Marzo 2006, Volúmen 69, Número 1 Arch Venez Pueri Pediatr 2006 69(1):19-25. One: The authors cannot replicate Wakefield’s 1998 “findings” of a distinct autistic enterocolitis, although they do report a higher incidence of gastrointestinal problems in their autistic group. Two" It appears that the Gonzalez paper was funded by Thoughtful House while it was under Wakefield’s leadership.
28. Cited as "Gastroenterology. 2005:128 (Suppl 2); Abstract-303". Searching for this citation on PubMed yields nothing. Searching for subsets of the authors reveals only one citation. According to Catarina Becker at JustTheVax, this citation resolves to a 2005 meeting abstract that has never been published a peer-reviewed journal. The abstract discussed nine autistic adult males with GI symptoms, who were evaluated for GI disease. Study did not look for measles virus, nor did study look for mumps or rubella virus. Study did not evaluate changes in gut structure. In no way “replicates” or “supports” Wakefield’s “findings”

Note that the newest paper on this list is from 2009. Since then, there have been approximately 11,000 papers published on the subject of autism;  you would think that whoever has drawn up this list could find one or two to add to the list.

This list has been rebutted by

• my vaccine-advocate colleague Chris on April 30, 2011  posting in the comments at Shot of Prevention
• myself on May 2, 2011, commenting on a different post at the Shot of Prevention blog
• Catherina  on May 8, 2011 at her blog,  JusttheVax
• Sullivan (Matt Carey) on May 7 2013 at the LeftBrain/RightBrain blog

Where the list has been cited uncritically recently:

• Liberty Beacon staff, June 21, 2013 
• Brian Shilhavey, Health Impact News, March 11 , 2012

Comments

[Ross Coe]

So what has this critique proven? Absolutely nothing. Its mud slinging and name calling, not science, not a debunking. Its garbage. Try again.

[Facts]

Do you think that it's merely a coincidence that:
that scores of studies have shown a link between autism and vaccines, it's just a coincidence that thousands and thousands of parents have witnessed immediate regression into autism after shots, it's just a coincidence that autism skyrocketed when vaccination rates skyrocketed, it's just a coincidence that 100's of millions have been paid out to autistic children in damages, and it is definitely just a coincidence that Dr Singh found significantly elevated measles antibodies in all the autistic children as compared to the normal kids in his study..??

[Dorit Reiss]

What this post demonstrate is that as support for the claim that vaccine cause autism, each of these studies is fundamentally flawed. None of them are credible evidence that vaccines cause autism. Since so many o them have a connection to Wakefield, no, I don't think the findings of those studies are a coincidence. Whether it's because Wakefield's confirmation bias leads him to these findings or because he's willing to do anything to clear his name by finding a connection the science disproves.

[Dorit Reiss]

Singh's work has been addressed above. I suggest you actually read the post. It points out why none of these studies duplicates Wakefield's opinion (we can't actually call it a finding, because his 1998 paper did not find a causal connection between MMR and autism).

[Chris]

Ross Coe, so nice to see you again! Perhaps you would now answer the question I quite a while ago about how Roald Dahl's experience with measles was just like autism. Come on, you can do it!

[Chris]

Facts: "it's just a coincidence that autism skyrocketed when vaccination rates skyrocketed,"

Well, that is interesting because Wakefield claimed it was the MMR vaccine. While three MMR vaccines were introduced in the UK in 1988, the USA had one MMR that introduced in 1971. It was the preferred vaccine for the 1978 American Measles Elimination Program. So if the MMR vaccine was a cause of autism, it would have been noticed in the 1970s and 1980s because it is a much larger country and was using it much longer than the UK.

Facts, will you please provide verifiable evidence dated before 1990 that autism increased sharply in the USA due to the MMR vaccine?

"it's just a coincidence that 100's of millions have been paid out to autistic children in damages,"

Please provide a citation, because the statistics page of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Programs shows no such thing. Now it does show that there have been 3500 claims that have been compensated over the last twenty five years. Which is not much.

"and it is definitely just a coincidence that Dr Singh found significantly elevated measles antibodies in all the autistic children as compared to the normal kids in his study."

Actually, it is not a coincidence because he did not find those measles antibodies. Also since he was a colleague of Hugh Fudenberg, and Wakefield he would not have been independent. There seems to be a reason he left the Univ. of Utah not too long after that.

[lilady]

Thanks to Liz Ditz for her excellent analyses of those studies that supposedly support Andrew Wakefield's diagnosis of "MMR Vaccine-Induced Autistic Enterocolitis"

Fortunately we do have access to PubMed and by doing a search "MMR Vaccine + Autism" on PubMed we have a line listing of studies that show no association between MMR vaccine and the onset of autism:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?linkname=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=19952979

[lilady]

Included in that PubMed line listing of studies that find no link between MMR Vaccine and the onset of autism is this case control study:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18769550

PLoS One. 2008 Sep 4;3(9):e3140. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003140.

Lack of association between measles virus vaccine and autism with enteropathy: a case-control study.

Hornig M, Briese T, Buie T, Bauman ML, Lauwers G, Siemetzki U, Hummel K, Rota PA, Bellini WJ, O'Leary JJ, Sheils O, Alden E, Pickering L, Lipkin WI.
Source

Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America. mady.hornig@columbia.edu

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The presence of measles virus (MV) RNA in bowel tissue from children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances was reported in 1998. Subsequent investigations found no associations between MV exposure and ASD but did not test for the presence of MV RNA in bowel or focus on children with ASD and GI disturbances. Failure to replicate the original study design may contribute to continued public concern with respect to the safety of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

The objective of this case-control study was to determine whether children with GI disturbances and autism are more likely than children with GI disturbances alone to have MV RNA and/or inflammation in bowel tissues and if autism and/or GI episode onset relate temporally to receipt of MMR. The sample was an age-matched group of US children undergoing clinically-indicated ileocolonoscopy. Ileal and cecal tissues from 25 children with autism and GI disturbances and 13 children with GI disturbances alone (controls) were evaluated by real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for presence of MV RNA in three laboratories blinded to diagnosis, including one wherein the original findings suggesting a link between MV and ASD were reported. The temporal order of onset of GI episodes and autism relative to timing of MMR administration was examined. We found no differences between case and control groups in the presence of MV RNA in ileum and cecum. Results were consistent across the three laboratory sites. GI symptom and autism onset were unrelated to MMR timing. Eighty-eight percent of ASD cases had behavioral regression.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:

This study provides strong evidence against association of autism with persistent MV RNA in the GI tract or MMR exposure. Autism with GI disturbances is associated with elevated rates of regression in language or other skills and may represent an endophenotype distinct from other ASD.

[CrackerJack Nurse]

Doctors like to speak of the inability to convince some one with "empirical knowledge" to be convince he is wrong with studies and statistics. For instance, if the doctor gave prednisone to a patient with a migraine and the migraine went away, it is almost impossible to convince that doc that prednisone is useless for the treatment of migraine regardless of any studies that might say otherwise.
"Empirical knowledge" is our own experience and we learn from our experiences. I wouldn't argue about vaccines....I would simply avoid them and spend my energy protecting the personal rights that allow me to refuse to be vaccinated.

[lilady]

Cracker Jack Nurse:

Which vaccine(s) have you refused?

Which health care facility permits you to work and to not be vaccinated (or alternatively, show serological proof of immunity) against vaccine-preventable-diseases)?

Have you gotten your Tdap booster vaccine...or does the health care facility where you are employed give you "a pass"...based on your empirical knowledge?