There is no evidence to suggest that autism is genetic. No autism gene has ever been found a n d the search will be endless - how can you have a gene fo r a mythical condition? Autism is mercury poisoning. What is true is that certain children may have an impaired ability genetically to detoxify heavy metals from their systems. These children are mo re likely to be affected by mercury exposure. However, all children, a n d adults, if given too much mercury will manifest symptoms of mercury toxicity, which we call "autistic" symptoms. All children bo rn from 1991 fo rward who received all recommended vaccines were injected with levels of mercury that dramatically exceeded safety levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency fo r adults. Mercury has become ubiquitous in our environment: in fish a n d other foods, water, a n d air. Exceedingly high doses of mercury exposure can result in death - it is that neuro-toxic a n d damaging to the human body. Two drops of dimethylmercury spilled onto the gloved ha n d of a Dartmouth chemistry professo r, a leader in a study investigating mercury's causal role in cancer, resulting in the progressive loss of her balance, speech, vision, a n d hearing, a n d ultimately lead to her coma a n d death within a year of the exposure.
It is impossible to have a "genetic epidemic." Since 1991, there is a very real a n d dramatic rise in the incidence of autism a n d other neurodevelopmental diso rders. In the 1970s, the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000 children. In 1986, the rate was 1 in 2,500. Today the rate is 1 in 150. It has been estimated that one in six children have some type of learning disability. Epidemics can happen in 10 years, genetic changes to populations require many generations.
There is a growing body of evidence that children properly treated fo r mercury poisoning fully recover no rmal functioning a n d are indiscernible from their neurotypical peers. Any toxicologist will tell you that mercury poisoning represents a tempo rary, treatable state. Tho rough removal of mercury will resolve most o r all of the symptoms. Autism is only life long if mercury poisoning is never treated.
Myth #3: Autistic children are not affectionate a n d do not like to be held o r touched. This is an unfo rtunate myth. Many autistic children are extremely affectionate a n d love to be held a n d hugged. Mercury kills neurons in the brain a n d damages the central nervous system resulting in disturbances in all of the senses - vision, hearing, o ral, smell, proprieceptive (touch), a n d vestibular (motion). Some children develop ultra sensitivities in these systems (e.g., difficulties tolerating loud noise, bright lights, car rides, o r certain kinds of clothing on their skin); others develop extreme undersensitivies (e.g., numbness, abno rmally high pain tolerances, lack of fear o r
physical caution). Children who appear to not like being held o r touched likely do not because it feels painful to them. Touch is literally either too painful o r overwhelming to the senses to tolerate. Many autistic children are extremely affectionate a n d love to be held a n d hugged. Some may even crave o r seek the pressure from that touch to penetrate their dulled senses. Underneath the disto rtions of mercury toxicity, all of these children wish to be held a n d loved.
Myth #4: Autistic children are in their own wo rld a n d are not interested in other people.
Mercury poisoning overloads the senses a n d can make sights, sounds, touch, a n d smells intolerable. This senso ry overload causes some autistic children to withdraw inward as a means of survival - it is their body's way of coping with the massive senso ry overload. Parents often remark, as the mercury is removed from their children's bodies, that they experience their child "in our wo rld" fo r the first time: focusing on people's faces, attending to sounds, a n d having a light o r aliveness in their eyes again. The removal of mercury reduces the senso ry disto rtion a n d overload, making the wo rld a safer, mo re readily understood, a n d mo re tolerable place again. By using our own frame of reference, we mistake an autistic child's retreat inward as an "aloofness" o r "indifference" to those around them. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Myth #5: If you have autism, you are mentally ha n dicapped.
Some autistic children are given IQ tests, which were created fo r people not suffering from mercury poisoning. Because of the limitations caused by senso ry overload a n d damage to the brain a n d central nervous system, some autistic children perfo rm poo rly on the IQ test a n d are labeled "mentally ha n dicapped." Many recovered autistic children are perfo rming at o r above their peer group in a variety of topics in school. There is even some evidence to suggest that intelligence a n d the impaired ability to detoxify may be related through DNA a n d that, in fact, those most susceptible to mercury poisoning are among our most intelligent. Most parents of an autistic child know that their child is very bright a n d many clinicians treating autistic children assert that their patients are among the most intelligent children they have ever seen.
Myth #6: There is no autism epidemic, it's just better diagnosis.
This myth persists despite being refuted by a wide range of scientists, policy makers, a n d health care o rganizations. All the available data points to an epidemic. Between 1992-2002, the Department of Education estimates that there has been a 714% increase in the number of autistic children. In the 1970s, autism was estimated to occur in 1 in 25,000 children. Between 1970 a n d 1990, that number increased to about 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC acknowledges the number is about 1 in 166, even Eli Lilly, the maker of Thimerosal, says it's 1 in 150. Many believe it is closer to 1 in 125. The anecdotal evidence that we are experiencing an epidemic is overwhelming. If there is no epidemic, then where are all the autistic adults? Ask any docto r, teacher, o r day care wo rker who has been around children fo r 20 o r mo re years, a n d they will tell you that the epidemic is unprecedented. What parent, either now o r 20 years ago, does not notice that their child who spoke at one year is no longer speaking, o r that their child does not respond to their name o r look them in the eyes, o r is displaying odd, repetitive behavio rs like ha n d-flapping, spinning, a n d rocking that no other child is doing? Did those parents 20 years ago not notice these things?
Testosterone is a synergistic toxin with mercury which means that it enhances the toxicity of mercury in the body while estrogen appears to protect neurons a n d neuronal fibers from mercury's toxicity. This synergistic toxicity is the reason fo r the high ratio of males in the epidemic. Arguably the leading scientist on the toxicity of mercury, Boyd Haley, Ph.D., Professo r a n d Chair of the Chemistry Department, University of Kentucky discusses the issue of testosterone a n d mercury:
"One of the conundrums of autism is the 4:1 ratio of boys to girls that get the disease. We therefo re decided to test the effects of both female a n d male ho rmones on the neurotoxicity of thimerosal. The results were eye-opening. Fo r example, 50 nanomolar thimerosal causes less than 5% neuron death within the first three hours incubation a n d 1 micromolar testosterone causes no significant death within this time frame. However, mix these two together a n d 100% neuron death was observed at the earliest time point checked. This represents a severe enhancement of thimerosal toxicity."
Myth #8: Autism is a complex, multi-facto rial epidemic. There are many different causes that all wo rk together. Mercury may be one of the facto rs in creating autism, but saying it is only mercury is way too simplistic.
The symptoms of autism a n d other neurodevelopmental diso rders are identical to the symptoms of mercury poisoning. The rapid rise in the number of these diso rders co rresponds to the dramatic increase in the amount of Thimerosal (49.6% ethylmercury by weight) given in recommended vaccines to children under two years of age. With the addition of two new vaccines in the early 1990s, the amount of ethylmercury increased 246% with most of this increase being given within the first six months of life when an infant's neural, detoxification, a n d immune systems are all undergoing rapid development. Equally damaging, the vaccines were given much earlier in a child's life, when the capacity to detoxify is still developing. Numerous studies demonstrate again a n d again the causal link between neurodevelopmental diso rders a n d mercury, regardless of the source of exposure. Finally a n d most definitively of all is that when mercury is removed from these children via chelation o r other means of detoxification, their symptoms resolve.
What has made mercury difficult to identify as the culprit is that mercury toxicity is cumulative a n d progressive with a delayed onset. Symptoms can take months to appear, long after exposure, making it difficult to see the clear link. It is also exceedingly difficult to test fo r mercury toxicity in affected children. Mercury poisoning also manifests itself in an astonishing array of symptoms in different people. Differences in manifestations are due to individual biochemistry a n d genetic susceptibilities, gender, amount of mercury received, age of exposure, fo rm of mercury, a n d the presence of other synergistic toxins during exposure, to name a few.
Mercury alone is not the cause of all of these symptoms, but it is the spark that sets off a cascade of damage in the body. Mercury progressively kills neurons in the brain a n d damages the central nervous system leading to a wide range of neurological, cognitive, a n d senso ry dysfunctions. Mercury displaces specific, essential vitamins a n d minerals, the loss of which go on to create their own damage in the brain, immune, ho rmonal, a n d virtually every other system in the body. Mercury impairs the detoxification system allowing all other toxins, which are ubiquitous in our environment, to accumulate a n d do damage in the body. Mercury damages the gastro-intestinal track creating dysbiosis (imbalance of good a n d bad bacteria) a n d yeast overgrowth. Yeast, itself, is a neuro-toxin a n d allowed to proliferate, can create tiny holes in the lining of the gastro-intestinal track leading to a condition called Leaky Gut. Molecules of digested food, larger than typical, are able to pass through these holes into the bloodstream where the body recognizes them as fo reign invaders a n d mounts an immune response, triggering food allergies, eczema, a n d other auto-immune reactions. Untreated food allergies a n d a damaged gut can lead to chronic ear a n d other infections. Treating these with antibiotics, as is a typical histo ry with many autistic children, only makes matters wo rse. Antibiotics exacerbate gut dysbiosis a n d, like testosterone, are synergistically toxic with mercury. Damage to the gastro-intestinal track, which is the body's first line of immune defense, lowers the immune system.
The symptoms of mercury poisoning are varied a n d complex. But, the cause is simple a n d always will be: mercury toxicity. Remove the spark a n d the body has a chance to balance a n d heal.
Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. Thimerosal, administered through vaccines, is the primary source of mercury exposure a n d the root cause of the autism epidemic. Thimerosal is an untested, unnecessary vaccine preservative. Today, most vaccines are available with reduced o r no amounts of Thimerosal (with the exception of the flu vaccine with 25 micrograms per shot) a n d are still effective. Many health o rganizations, physicians, a n d scientists agree that there is no safe level of mercury. Being anti-mercury is distinct from being anti-vaccine.
Using a potent neurotoxin in the vaccines given to infants a n d children has seriously eroded the public's trust in the vaccine program. The unwillingness of most public autho rities to acknowledge the true cause of the current epidemic will only further erode this trust. To try to turn the argument back around a n d accuse advocates of the mercury-autism connection as being "anti-vaccine" is nothing mo re than an attempt to muddy the debate fo r reasons of self-interest a n d self-protection.
Myth #10: You say mercury from Thimerosal causes autism.. Others say the MMR vaccine causes autism. But, the MMR vaccine has never contained Thimerosal. How can both be true? The MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine does not contain Thimerosal. Unlike most vaccines, the MMR is a live-virus vaccine a n d therefo re does not need Thimerosal as a preservative. However, the fact that the MMR is a triple live-virus vaccine is part of the problem. The goal of a live virus is to trigger a mild immune response a n d build immunity. This may wo rk in a healthy child. However, many children who develop autism are already burdened with mercury poisoning by the time they receive the MMR at 12-18 months. Mercury impairs the immune system, a n d the live virus, rather than triggering a mild response, can overwhelm an impaired immune system. A virus' goal is to find a host a n d recreate. There is scientific proof that many autistic children have their intestinal walls lined with the measles virus received from the MMR vaccine. The virus is able to host a n d replicate due to the impaired immune system of the child. Some docto rs believe the live MMR virus traps heavy metals within the cells of the body a n d further impairs the body's ability to excrete metals. The reason some parents repo rt immediate regression in their child's behavio r after an MMR vaccine is that, fo r some children, it may be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back.
Myth #11: The mercury used in vaccines is the safe kind of mercury that the body disposes of quickly.
Methylmercury, the kind of mercury found in fish, is mo re widely understood a n d studied than ethlymercury, the kind of mercury found in Thimerosal. This has led to the false assertion that ethylmercury is the "safe" fo rm of mercury. The assertion that certain fo rms of mercury are quickly a n d easily excreted by the body violates basic principles of chemistry a n d physics. There is no such thing as a safe fo rm of the second-most toxic substance on earth. Dozens of studies have demonstrated the extreme toxicity of ethlymercury a n d the fact that most autistic children retain meaningful quantities of mercury in their majo r o rgans after receiving vaccines containing Thimerosal. Parents who chelate their children have fecal, urine, a n d hair toxic metals tests showing mercury being excreted at levels 10-50x no rmal.
Here is Dr. David Baskin, testifying befo re Congress, on the differences between methyl a n d ethyl mercury:
（这里David Baskin博士，在议会中做证，分析了甲基汞和乙基汞的不同：）
"There is mo re data, mo re a n d mo re data on ethlymercury. The cells that I showed you dying in cell culture are dying from ethlymercury. Those are human frontal brain cells. You know, there has been a debate about...ethyl versus methyl. But from a chemical point of view most chemical compounds that are ethyl penetrate into cells better than methyl...When I began to wo rk with some of the Ph.D.s in my labo rato ry a n d discuss this everyone said, 'oh gosh, you know, we've got to adjust fo r ethyl because it's going to be wo rse; the levels are going to be much higher in the cells.'"
Here are a few of the many studies that discuss the toxicity of Thimerosal a n d it's primary ingredient, ethylmercury, a n d its devastating consequences on developing brains a n d nervous systems:
2. Molecular Aspects of Thimerosal Induced AutismTestimony Befo re the Subcommittee on Human Rights a n d Wellness, Committee on Government Refo rm, U.S. House of Representatives
Richard Deth, Ph.D., Professo r of Pharmacology, No rtheastern University
September 8, 2004
（2.在人权小组委员会，政府改革委员会，美国众议院代表前，硫柳汞诱发孤独症分子部分的证词。
Richard Deth,哲学博士，东北大学药理学教授
2004年9月8日）
3. Thimerosal Neurotoxicity is Associated With Glutathione Depletion: Protection with Glutathione Precurso rs
Neurotoxicology 26
Dr. Jill James et.al.
January 2005
（3.硫柳汞的神经毒性与谷胱甘肽缺失之间的关联：保护谷胱甘肽的前体
神经毒理学第26期
Jill James博士
2005年1月）
4. The Comparative Toxicology of ethyl- a n d methylmercury Toxicology
Myth #12: The mercury received in a vaccine is no greater than in a can of tuna. Eating a can of tuna has certainly never caused autism. This myth has received a lot of publicity because it offers an analogy anyone can understa n d a n d makes the mercury-autism connection appear trivial.
We can start by comparing a 200-pound male adult consuming tuna with the infant who receives a single vaccine on their first day of birth (since day-old infants don't eat tuna). On the first day of birth an infant receives the vaccine with about 25 micrograms of ethlymercury - this does approximate the 30 micrograms of methlymercury in an average can of tuna. Since the average infant weighs about 7 pounds, the weight equivalent number of cans of tuna fo r an adult would be 28 cans. (The adult male weighs 28x mo re than the infant.)
If you take those 28 cans of tuna a n d distill it down to mercury content, you would have 840 micrograms of mercury (30 micrograms per can). Keep in mind that the stomach successfully abso rbs a n d excretes about 90% of any mercury ingested through food, leaving only about 10% of the mercury to be abso rbed into the bloodstream. Since the mercury in vaccines is injected directly into the bloodstream where 100% of it can be abso rbed by the o rgans, you would need an additional 252 cans of tuna to get the equivalent amount of mercury into the bloodstream fo r a total of 280 cans of tuna a n d 8,400 micrograms of methlymercury.
Also, remember that a developing brain is far mo re sensitive to toxins than an adult brain. Current estimates say mercury is 5-10x mo re toxic fo r a developing brain. We'll use the low end of that range, so multiply the 280 cans of tuna by 5 a n d you get 1,400 cans of tuna.
So, receiving the Hep B vaccine with Thimerosal on the first day of birth is the equivalent of a 200-pound adult male consuming 1,400 cans of tuna in a single day. One final adjustment: the adult male in the analogy needs to have no capacity to excrete mercury. As Boyd Haley, Ph.D. notes, "it is very well known that infants do not produce significant levels of bile o r have adult renal capacity fo r several months after birth. Bilary transpo rt is the majo r biochemical route by which mercury is removed from the body, a n d infants cannot do this very well."
So, a 200-pound male who consumes 1,400 cans of tuna in a single day a n d has their ability to excrete mercury severely diminished is the same as a day-old infant receiving the Hep B vaccine. Now the analogy is fair.
Myth #13: The mercury received through a vaccine has always been at trace levels, but not ever enough to cause harm. The Wo rld Health O rganization has stated that there is no safe level of mercury. 246 micrograms of mercury, the amount received by children bo rn between 1990 a n d 2002 befo re the age of two as part of the recommended vaccine schedule, has created an epidemic of neurodevelopmental issues.
Even Dr. Pierre Lavigne, a spokesman fo r Aventis Pasteur, a manufacturer of vaccines, states, "The impo rtant thing to note is that thimerosal is an issue really only fo r pediatric vaccines fo r small children. The developing nervous system is very sensitive, so if they're exposed to mercury it's mo re likely to cause damage."
Neal Halsey M.D., the Fo rmer Chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases (who makes recommendation on vaccinations) states, "In most vaccine containers, thimerosal is listed as a mercury derivative, a hundredth of a percent. A n d what I believed, a n d what everybody else believed, was that it was truly a trace, a biologically insignificant amount. My honest belief is that if the labels had had the mercury content in micrograms, this would have been uncovered years ago. But the fact is, no one did the calculation."
Myth #14: There have been many autistic children who showed no sign of mercury after testing. Therefo re, the idea that autism is nothing mo re than mercury poisoning is implausible. It is very true that some autistic children, tested fo r mercury poisoning via a chelation challenge o r provocation test, showed no signs of mercury excretion. However, these results are not because these children are not mercury poisoned, but because they are the most mercury poisoned a n d are known as "non-excreto rs."
A non-excreto r of mercury is someone who, even after the administration of a chelating agent (which is how a mercury toxicity test has typically been perfo rmed), is unable to excrete any mercury. A majo rity of autistic children are non-excreto rs. Autistic children typically have some genetic impairments in their detoxification pathways. These impairments are wo rsened with each additional exposure to mercury as accumulated mercury effectively shuts down the body's detoxification system, thereby exacerbating their mercury poisoning. The non-excreto r phenomenon has only been recently understood a n d studied. Unfo rtunately, many autistic children were given a single chelation challenge test, showed no mercury excretion, a n d were falsely told that, "mercury is not an issue here." These are often the children most overloaded with mercury! It may require a few months of chelation befo re a non-excreto r will show any mercury coming out of their body, at which point it typically starts to pour out of the body. As Dr. Rashid Buttar noted in a recent study he did of chelating autistic children:
"Virtually all patients reviewed in the study did NOT show any appreciable amount of mercury level on baseline tests. Results however clearly showed that as treatment continued, an increase in the level of mercury being excreted was increased."
Myth #15: The scientific sta n dard fo r proof is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. If you are so sure mercury causes autism, where is this study to prove it?
First, there is no double-blind, placebo-controlled study to show Thimerosal is safe. In o rder to do an effective double-blind, placebo-controlled study, you would need to vaccinate a group of children with Thimerosal-containing vaccines a n d vaccinate another group of children with Thimerosal-free vaccines using the current vaccine schedule, then follow their development over a 2-4 year period, a n d see which ones develop neurological issues a n d which do not. Obviously, this would be a challenging study to recruit children fo r, "Your child will be part of a study where they may receive a vaccine with a substance in it that many believe causes autism. Would you like to participate?" Given the impracticality of such a study, here are some alternative studies that could be done:
1. You could analyze the data the government maintains through its "Vaccine Adverse Events Repo rting System" a n d compare the data they already have on children who received Thimerosal-containing vaccines against children who did not receive Thimerosal in their vaccines. This study has already been done by Mark & David Geier a n d showed a high co rrelation between Thimerosal dosing a n d neurological diso rders:
（1.你可以通过分析政府的“疫苗不利事件报告系统”获得的数据，对比那些已经接种含汞疫苗的孩子与没有接种含汞疫苗的孩子的数据。该研究已经由Mark & David Geier做过了，显示在硫柳汞与神经疾病之间有很高的关联性。）
Thimerosal in Childhood Vaccines, Neurodevelopmental Diso rders, a n d Heart Disease in the United States
Journal of American Physicians a n d Surgeons
Mark Geier, M.D., Ph.D., David A. Geier
Spring 2003
（《美国儿童疫苗中的硫柳汞，神经发育性疾病，心脏病》
美国内科与外科医生期刊，
Mark Geier博士,David A. Geier
2003年春）
2. You could compare the symptoms of mercury poisoning a n d the symptoms of autism a n d see how similar they are. This study has already been done a n d demonstrated that the symptoms of autism a n d the symptoms of mercury poisoning are exactly the same:
3. You could administer a chelating agent to remove heavy metals, including mercury, to a group of autistic children a n d to a group of neurotypical children a n d measure the amount of mercury coming out of the children to see if there are any differences. This study has already been done by Jeff Bradstreet et.al. a n d showed that autistic children excrete significantly mo re mercury than neurotypical children:
Myth #15: The scientific sta n dard fo r proof is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. If you are so sure mercury causes autism, where is this study to prove it? (cont.)
4. You could inject a group of mice with Thimerosal in doses that propo rtionally mimic the timing a n d amount received acco rding to the recommended vaccination schedule a n d compare
these mice to a control group fo r neurological development.
This study has already been done by Mady Ho rnig et al. a n d
showed that a subset of mice with genetic detoxification
impairments who received Thimerosal injections developed
"autistic symptoms":
（4.你可以给一组老鼠注射硫柳汞，汞的剂量、时间按比例模仿推荐免疫接种程序表，然后将些老鼠和控制组老鼠在神经发育方面进行对比。这项研究已经由Mady Ho rnig等人做过，表明有遗传解毒损害的老鼠亚类，接受硫柳汞的注射会发展出“孤独症症状”。）
Neurotoxic Effects of Postnatal Thimerosal are Mouse Strain Dependent
Molecular Psychiatry
Dr. Mady Ho rnig, Columbia University College of Physicians a n d
Surgeons
May 2004
（《硫柳汞对老鼠后天的、毒害神经的影响，由老鼠的种类决定》
分子精神病学
Mady Ho rnig博士，哥伦比亚大学医学院
2004年5月）
5. You could compare the first baby haircuts of autistic children versus neurotypical children to see if there are any differences in the patterns of heavy metal excretion (hair is one of the ways the body excretes metals). This study has already been done a n d showed that autistic children demonstrated an impaired ability to excrete metals from birth:
Reduced Levels of Mercury in First Baby Haircuts of Autistic Children
International Journal of Toxicology
Dr. Amy S. Holmes, Mark F. Blaxill, Boyd E. Haley,
Ph.D.br>March 14, 2003
（《孤独症孩子第一次的婴儿胎发中减少的汞的水平》
国际毒理学期刊
Amy S. Holmes, Mark F. Blaxill, Boyd E. Haley博士
2003年3月14日）
6. You could run a trial of 31 autistic children where you chelated patients over the course of twelve months a n d had parents videotape their children a n d test urine a n d fecal samples fo r toxic metals every other month. You could then compare the children's progress a n d symptoms from the beginning to the end of treatment. This study was done by Dr. Rashid Buttar a n d he made the following statement befo re Congress:
Autism, the Misdiagnosis of our Future Generations
Testimony, U.S. Congressional Sub-Committee Hearing
Rashid A. Buttar, DO, Vice Chairman, American Board of Clinical Metal Toxicology
May 6, 2004
（孤独症，对我们未来一代的错误诊断
美国国会分委员会听取Rashid A. Buttar、美国临床金属毒理学委员会副主席的证词
2004年5月6日）
"The Autism study consisted of 31 patients with the diagnoses of autism, autism like spectrum, a n d pervasive developmental delay. Inclusion criteria was simple, including an independent diagnosis of the above mentioned conditions from either a neurologist o r pediatrician, a n d the desire of the parent to try the treatment protocol using TD-DMPS. All patients were enrolled sequentially as they presented to the clinic a n d only those who did not wish to participate in the TD-DMPS were not included.
All 31 patients were tested fo r metal toxicity using four different tests: urine metal toxicity a n d essential minerals, hair metal toxicity a n d essential minerals, RBC metal toxicity, a n d fecal metal toxicity, all obtained from Docto r's Data Labo rato ry. These tests were perfo rmed at baseline, a n d repeated at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 8 months, 10 months, 12 months, a n d then every 4 months there after. All 31 patients showed little o r no level of mercury on the initial baseline test results. Slide #37 shows an example of a baseline test result of one participant in the study showing very little mercury.
Myth #15: The scientific sta n dard fo r proof is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. If you are so sure mercury causes autism, where is this study to prove it?
Compared to the baseline results all 31 patients showed significantly higher levels of mercury as treatment continued. Slide #39 shows significantly higher mercury levels in this same study patient after two months of treatment with the TD-DMPS, with results showing approximately a 350% increase from previous baseline levels. The improvements in the patients in the study co rrelated with increased yield in measured mercury levels upon subsequent testing. Essentially, what was noted was that as mo re mercury was eliminated, the mo re noticeable the clinical improvements a n d the mo re dramatic the change in the patient.
The manifestations of this evidence fo r clinical improvements included many observations but were specifically quantifiable with some patients who had no prio r histo ry of speech starting to speak at the age of 6 o r 7, sometimes in full sentences. Patients also exhibited substantially improved behavio r, reduction a n d eventual cessation of all stemming behavio r, return of full eye contact, a n d rapid potty training, sometimes in children that were 5 o r 6 but had never been successfully potty trained. Additional findings repo rted by parents included improvement a n d increase in rate of physical growth increased, as well as the child beginning to follow instructions, becoming affectionate a n d social with siblings o r other children, seeking interaction with others, appropriate in response, a n d a rapid acceleration of verbal skills. The results in many of these children has been documented on video a n d other physicians involved with this protocol have been successfully able to reproduce the same results.
Mercury is the "spark" that causes the "fires" of Autism as well as Alzheimer's. Autism is the result of high mercury exposure early in life versus Alzheimer's is a chronic accumulation of mercury over a life time. A docto r can treat ALL the "fires" but until the "spark" is removed, there is minimal hope of complete recovery with most improvements being transient at best. However, once the process of mercury removal has been effectively started, the damage is curtailed a n d full recovery becomes possible..."
7. You could remove the mercury from some autistic children a n d not remove mercury from other autistic children a n d see if there was any difference in cognitive improvement over time. This is what hundreds of docto rs a n d thousa n ds of parents are doing every day throughout the country right now a n d seeing their children recover.
Myth #16: The scientific a n d medical communities have proven there is no co rrelation between Thimerosal in vaccines a n d autism. Many in the medical a n d regulato ry communities assert that "there is no proof" o r that "they proved there was no connection" regarding the link between mercury a n d autism. This assertion has been widely repo rted in the mainstream press to the point that it is now accepted as fact. It is impo rtant fo r any parent to view these statements critically a n d understa n d what a n d who are actually making these assertions.
Generation Rescue believes autism is an issue of toxicology. Yet, you never hear from a toxicologist saying there is no co rrelation between autism a n d mercury. This is because toxicologists know that the link is likely. Hearing a psychiatrist comment on mercury toxicity is like seeking the opinion of a urologist fo r a new heart procedure. It doesn't make sense to accept the expertise of people who have no experience in the field of heavy metal toxicity.
The only science that claims to refute the connection is epidemiological science. Epidemiological study is statistical analysis of population data (in this case, analyzing fo r a co rrelation between the amount of Thimerosal received with the incidence of neurological diso rders). The outcomes of epidemiological studies, however, are highly sensitive to small changes in the parameters of analysis (e.g., definition of diso rder, amount of dosing, timeframe). In other wo rds, it is easy to massage the data to reduce the power of statistical co rrelation. There have never been any medical studies done to establish "no proof" in the way many studies have been done in Myth #15 to establish "proof." There was no safety testing of Thimerosal in children befo re it was put into pediatric vaccines. There have been no placebo-controlled studies following children fo r five years after receiving vaccines containing Thimerosal.
The actual epidemiological science that is held up as "proof" of no connection is both paltry a n d controversial. The totality of the "scientific evidence" centers on three clusters of recently released info rmation from the medical community. These include:
- A CDC study that appeared in Pediatrics in November of 2003 is the primary study held up as "proof" of no connection between Thimerosal a n d autism. This is astonishing in light of the fact that both the study a n d the autho r of the study repo rt that the analysis was "inconclusive" a n d mo re research was required. The study that fo rms the basis fo r the assertion of "proof" admits it did not prove anything! Also, Pediatrics represented that the autho r of the study was an employee of the CDC when in fact he had become an employee of Glaxo SmithKline, a vaccine manufacturer. (See Myth #17). A separate study of this same data undertaken by an independent research team (Geier & Geier) identified significant co rrelations between Thimerosal exposure a n d the rate of neurodevelopmental diso rders.
- Four studies from Denmark, where Thimerosal was removed from vaccines in 1992, appeared in four separate medical journals in 2002-2003 a n d assert that Denmark's population data demonstrates no link between Thimerosal a n d autism. Not only has the methodology of the "Denmark Studies" been disputed, but it also was later established that the autho rs of all four studies had an economic interest in a n d/o r are employees of a Danish vaccine manufacturer who had recently received a big o rder from the United States fo r vaccines. The publishing journals did not mention these associations in any of the repo rts. (See Myth #18)
- A study by the Institute of Medicine released in March 2004 claims there is no link between Thimerosal a n d autism. The IOM did not do any primary research, they simply reviewed what already had been done, focusing mostly on the above CDC a n d Danish studies fo r their conclusion. (See Myth #19). This conclusion was a change from a similar review in 2001 by the IOM that stated the mercury-autism link was "biologically plausible". While there appear to be no links between the members of the reviewing panel a n d vaccine makers, there were no toxicologists o r other scientists versed in mercury toxicity included in the panel.
Myth #17: The CDC did a study a n d proved there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
（荒诞的说法17：CDC做了一个研究，证明疫苗中的汞与孤独症之间并无关联。）
In the November 2003 a study appeared in the medical journal Pediatrics titled, "Safety of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines: A Two-Phased Study of Computerized Health Maintenance O rganization Databases" written by Thomas Verstraeten who had been an employee of the Centers Fo r Disease Control. By the time the study was published, he was an employee of Glaxo SmithKline, a vaccine manufacturer. It is this study, mo re than any other, which has fo rmed the basis fo r the mainstream medical community to claim that the link between vaccines a n d autism has been disproven. This study is also routinely cited in the mainstream press on the autism/mercury topic as the "proof" of no connection. Here are the facts:
1. The study itself was inconclusive. Nowhere in the study is it stated that there is "no link" between Thimerosal a n d neurodevelopmental issues. In fact, the study specifically states:
（1.研究本身没有结论。研究论文中到处都是硫柳汞和神经发育性问题没有关系。实际上，研究特别说明：）
"The biological plausibility of the small doses of ethylmercury present in vaccines leading to increased risks of neurodevlopmental diso rders is uncertain...Fo r elucidating further whether a causal association exists between thimerosal exposure a n d nuerodevelopmental conditions, additional studies with different designs will be needed."
2. The study's autho r, Thomas Verstraeten, confirmed that the study was inconclusive. In a letter to Pediatrics five months after the publication of the study, he writes:
"I am the first autho r of a recent article on a study undertaken by the Centers fo r Disease Control a n d Prevention (CDC) to screen fo r a potential link between thimerosal-containing vaccines a n d neurodevelopmental delays. The article has been subject to heavy criticism from antivaccine lobbyists...Because I was responsible fo r nearly all aspects of this study, including study design, data gathering, data analysis, a n d writing of the article, I wish to give my opinion on these claims...Surprisingly, however, the study is being interpreted now as negative [where 'negative' implies no association was shown between Thimerosal a n d autism] by many, including the antivaccine lobbyists. The article does not state that we found evidence against an association, as a negative study would. It does state, on the contrary, that additional study is recommended, which is the conclusion to which a neutral study must come. Does a neutral outcome reduce the value of a study? It may make it less attractive to publishers a n d certainly to the press, but it in no way diminishes its scientific a n d public health merit. A neutral study carries a very distinct message: the investigato rs could neither confirm no r exclude an association, a n d therefo re mo re study is required."
3. There is compelling evidence that initial analyses by the CDC found a pronounced, positive co rrelation between exposure to Thimerosal a n d a wide range of neurodevelopmental issues but that data was manipulated out of the study over time to produce a neutral, inconclusive result. Here is Dr. Mark Geier discussing the study:
"...this very study was the topic of secret-closed meetings between members of the CDC a n d other government o rganizations, as well as members of the vaccine manufacturers held at Simpsonwood, Geo rgia from 7-8 June 2000. The transcript of this meeting has been obtained under the Freedom of Info rmation Act. This transcript reveals that the study initially found statistically significant dose-response effects between increasing doses of mercury from thimerosal-containing childhood vaccines a n d various types of neurodevelopmental diso rders. The transcript documents that the data was real a n d statistically significant fo r many types of neurodevelopmental diso rders, but that the meeting participants expressed that the data had to be 'ha n dled.' Despite discussion about how to 'ha n dle' the data, some participants expressed concern that the wo rk that had already been done would be obtained by others through the Freedom of Info rmation Act. In this event, even if professional bodies expressed the opinion that there was no association between thimerosal a n d neurodevelopmental diso rders, it was already too late to do anything. In addition, other participants expressed that the vaccine manufacturers were in a ho rrible position to be able to defend any lawsuits alleging a relationship between thimerosal a n d neurodevelopmental diso rders, since no one would say with the available data that there was no relationship between thimerosal a n d neurodevelopmental diso rders."
Myth #17: The CDC did a study a n d proved there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
...continued:(...继续)
(荒诞的说法17：CDC作了研究,证明疫苗中的汞与孤独症之间没有关联。）
The transcript of Simpsonwood meeting, if read in its entirety, is surprising in its clarity on the Thimerosal-autism link a n d in the explicit planning by the participants over how to "ha n dle" the info rmation with the outside wo rld. One of the expert panelists, William Weil, MD, commented during Simpsonwood:
"The number of dose related relationships [thimerosal to neurological issues] are linear a n d statistically significant. You can play with this all you want. They are linear. They are statistically significant."
"I do not wish to be the advocate of the anti-vaccine lobby a n d sound like being convinced that thimerosal is o r was harmful, but at least I feel we should use our sound scientific argumentation a n d not let our sta n dards be dictated by our desire to disprove an unpleasant theo ry."
Below are some repo rts documenting the initial findings of the CDC analysis, criticisms of their subsequent methodologies, a n d transcripts from the Simpsonwood meeting.
1. Analysis a n d Critique of the CDC's Ha n dling of the Thimerosal Exposure Assessment Based on the Vaccine Safety Datalink Info rmation
Safe Minds (Sensible Action Fo r Ending Mercury-Induced
Neurological Diso rders)
October 2003
（1.《基于疫苗安全数据关联信息的CDC处理硫柳汞暴露评估的分析和批评》
安全精神（采取明智的行动来终止汞诱发的神经系统疾病）
2003年10月）
This 46-page presentation describes how the CDC perfo rmed four separate rounds of analysis, with the first one showing a significant positive co rrelation between Thimerosal exposure a n d incidence of neurodevelopmental delays. It charts how the methodology of each subsequent analysis was changed, eventually resulting in a neutral, non-significant co rrelation.
2. Misses Link Between Thimerosal a n d Neurodevlopmental Diso rders
Letter to the Edito r of Pediatrics
Dr. Mark Geier
February 23, 2004
（2.《在硫柳汞和神经发育性疾病之间丢失的链接》
给《儿科学》编辑的信
Mark Geier博士
2004年2月23日）
Dr. Geier's letter to Pediatrics outlines flaws in the CDC's
methodology a n d approach.
（Geier博士给《儿科学》的信，概述了CDC的方法和方法学的缺点）
3. The Truth Behind the Vaccine Cover-up www.russellblaylockmd.com
Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.
September 4, 2004
（3.掩盖在疫苗后面的真相
www.russellblaylockmd.com
Russell L. Blaylock博士
2004年9月4日）
This extensive review of the Simpsonwood transcript is interspersed with Dr. Balylock's own commentary. It is shocking, disheartening, a n d ultimately incriminating. Excerpt from Dr. Verstraeten discussing some of the positive co rrelations found between exposure to Thimerosal a n d the incidence of later neurodevelopmental delays:
"...we have found statistically significant relationships between the exposures a n d outcomes fo r these different exposures a n d outcomes. First, fo r [exposure to Thimerosal at] 2 months of age, an unspecified developmental delay, which has its own ICD9 code. Exposure at 3 months of age, Tics. Exposure at 6 months of age, Attention Deficit Diso rder. Exposure at 1, 3, a n d 6 months of age, language a n d speech delays which are two separate ICD9 codes. Exposure of 1, 3, a n d 6 months of age, the entire catego ry of neurodevelopmental delays which include all of these plus a number of other diso rders."
Myth #17: The CDC did a study a n d proved there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
...continued:（...继续：）
(（荒诞的说法17：CDC做了一个研究证明疫苗中的汞和孤独症之间没有关联。）
4. Immunization Safety Review
Letter to the Institute of Medicine written by Safe Minds
2004
（4.《免疫安全的评论》
《安全精神》写给医学学会的信
2004）
This letter to the Institute of Medicine written by Safe Minds also highlights some of the incriminating discussion from the Simpsonwood meeting. Excerpt from Dr. Bernier, near the closing of the Simpsonwood meeting:
"We have asked you to keep this info rmation confidential. We do have a plan fo r discussing these data at the upcoming meeting of the Adviso ry Committee on Immunization Practices on June 21 a n d June 22. At that time CDC plans to make public release of this info rmation, so I think it would serve all of our interests best if we could continue to consider these data. The ACIP wo rk group will be considering also. If we could consider these data in a certain protected environment. So we are asking people who have a great job protecting this info rmation up until now, to continue to do that until the timing of the ACIP meeting. So too basically consider this embargoed info rmation. That would help all of us to use the machinery that we have in place fo r considering these data a n d fo r arriving at policy recommendations."
5. Internal Email From Thomas Verstraeten of the CDC Noting he Thimerosal/Autism Link in the Data "Won't Go Away"
Internal Email Co rrespondence at the CDC
December 17, 1999
（5.《来自CDC、Thomas Verstraeten 的内部邮件，在资料"Won't Go Away"中指出硫柳汞/孤独症的数据关系
CDC的内部通信邮件
1999年12月17）
Thomas Verstareten's email, prio r to the Simpsonwood meeting, laments that in his analysis the relationship between Thimerosal a n d a wide range of neurodevelopmental issues just "won't go away."
（在Simpsonwood会议之前，Thomas Verstareten的邮件，哀叹他对硫柳汞和广泛性发育问题关系的分析就是"won't go away"。）
6. Scientific Review Of Vaccine Safety Datalink Info rmation
Simpsonwood Retreat Center
June 7-8 2000
（6.疫苗安全数据关联信息的科学评论
Simpsonwood休养中心
2000年6月7-8）
This is the actual "Simpsonwood Transcript" that SafeMinds obtained with a Freedom Of Info rmation Act lawsuit. At 286 pages, it takes some time to get through. Russell Blaylock's (#3 above) o r Safe Mind's (#4 above) repo rts are an easier way to capture the highlights of this transcript.
Myth #18: Denmark, which removed Thimerosal from vaccines in the early 1990s, did a study proving there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
This myth implies that the government of Denmark was responsible fo r a study of Thimerosal a n d autism, which is not accurate. In rapid succession, four studies from Denmark were released in four separate medical journals, all purpo rting to disprove the thimerosal-vaccine-autism connection. Specifically, The New Engla n d Journal of Medicine published in 2002, "A Population-based study of measles, mumps, a n d rubella vaccination a n d autism"; The American Journal of Preventative Medicine published in 2003, "Autism a n d thimerosal: lack of consistent evidence fo r an association"; Pediatrics published in 2003, "Thimerosal a n d the occurrence of autism: negative ecological evidence from Danish population-based data"; a n d, The Journal of the American Medical Association published in 2003, "Association between thimerosal-containing vaccine a n d autism."
Soon after the studies were published, Safe Minds revealed that most of the Danish researchers behind all four studies were employees of a Danish manufacturer of vaccines, Statens Serum Institut. None of the repo rts noted this conflict of interest. Mothering magazine repo rted on Safe Mind's response to one of the Danish studies (from the Journal of the American Medical Association):
"Safe Minds released an analysis of the autism registry data from Denmark that showed the rate of autism dropped sharply after removal of thimerosal from infant vaccines in that country in 1992. Their findings showed the rate of autism declined from an incidence of 1 in 500 prio r to 1992 to 1 in 1,500 today. The analysis also uncovered a flaw in the methodology of Danish investigato rs publishing in the October issue of JAMA (Hviid et al), who utilized the same Danish registry data a n d concluded that autism rates in Denmark rose after thimerosal removal from vaccines. "In our review of the Danish data we identified a flaw which resulted in a substantial loss of autism case reco rds from the registry which essentially renders the findings from the JAMA study by Hviid a n d colleagues invalid", said Sallie Bernard, executive directo r of Safe Minds. "The registry allows 10-25% of diagnosed autism cases to be lost from its reco rds each year. The effect [cumulative] of this loss is such that the reco rds will disappear from older age groups to a much greater degree than from younger age groups in any given registry year."
（Safe Minds发布了丹麦孤独症登记数据的分析，证明了该国在1992年后消除了婴儿疫苗中的硫柳汞之后，孤独症的发病率急剧下降。他们的研究成果，证明孤独症的发病率，从以前1992年前的1/500，下降到今天的1/1500。这个分析也揭露了丹麦研究人员方法学的缺陷，发表在11月的《issue of JAMA》上，利用相同的丹麦登记数据，Hviid得出在丹麦消除了疫苗中的硫柳汞之后，孤独症发病率上升了的结论。“在我们对丹麦数据的评论中，确定有一个缺陷，它导致来自登记处孤独症病例记录的真正失败，登记处本质上赞同由Hviid所做的JAMA研究的结果”，Safe Minds得执行理事、Sallie Bernard说。“登记处允许每年10-25%的孤独症诊断病例从它的记录里丢失。在任何设定的登记年份，丢失的累计结果，使年龄较大组的记录比从年龄教小组的记录消失的更多。”）
The Hviid findings are based on finding fewer older children diagnosed with autism than younger ones in the 2000 medical egistry. Since the older children received Thimerosal vaccines a n d the younger ones did not, Hviid falsely concluded that Thimerosal must not be a facto r in autism. The Safe Minds analysis shows instead that the "higher" incidence of autism in younger children is likely due to the loss of reco rds of older children, rather than a true "increase" in autism rates in the younger group.
Safe Minds reanalyzed the Denmark registry data a n d used an alternative method to avoid the reco rd removal bias. The analysis looked at same-age children - 5-9 year olds - but from different registry years: 1992, when all of the children received Thimerosal-containing vaccines, a n d 2002, when none of the children received vaccines with Thimerosal. The analysis found a 2.3x higher incidence of autism cases among the 1992 Thimerosal-exposed group relative to the 2002 non-exposed group.
The analysis then determined an autism incidence rate fo r the non-Thimerosal group of 1 in 1,500, while the Thimerosal-exposed group had an incidence of 1 in 500, a 3-fold increase. The higher figure is comparable to the 1 in 500 incidence level fo r autism in Engla n d a n d the 1 in 150 incidence level in the US. The Thimerosal exposure level a n d timing in pre-1992 Denmark was comparable to that in Engla n d, while that fo r the US was somewhat mo re aggressive. As Lyn Redwood, president of Safe Minds comments:
"In the Hviid study in JAMA we can clearly see how the data was misinterpreted so a conclusion could be drawn to clear thimerosal from any role in autism. This misinterpretation is not surprising given the autho rs' employment with the manufacturer a n d promoter of vaccines in Denmark, Statens Serum Institut. This conflict of interest should have been stated by JAMA...Safe Minds is calling fo r a complete analysis of the Denmark autism registry data set by independent, unbiased epidemiologists who have no involvement in vaccine development, production, promotion, o r administration."
Myth #18: Denmark, which removed Thimerosal from vaccines in the early 1990s, did a study proving there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
2. Analysis of the Danish Autism Registry Data Base in Response to the Hviid et al Paper on Thimerosal in JAMA
(October, 2003)
Safe Minds
Sallie Bernard
October 2003
（2.丹麦孤独症登记数据库分析，回应Hviid在JAMA发表的硫柳汞的论文
2003年10月
Safe Minds
Sallie Bernard
2003年10月）
This paper details the above findings by Safe Minds a n d refutes the methodology of Danish study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Myth #19: The IOM did a study a n d proved there was no link between mercury in vaccines a n d autism.
(（荒诞的说法19：医学协会做了一个研究，证明疫苗中的汞与孤独症之间没有关联。）
In May 2004, the Institute of Medicine released a 216-page repo rt titled Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines a n d Autism a n d concluded that there did not appear to be a causal link between Thimerosal a n d the autism epidemic. This study was paid fo r by the CDC, a conflict in of itself, a n d there is growing evidence that the conclusion was pre-o rdained befo re any research was done. Regarding the potential link between mercury a n d autism, Dr. Marie McCo rmick, Committee Chair of the IOM study, in a recently released transcript, stated (befo re any research had been done), "We are not ever going to come down that it is a true side effect." Much of the IOM's conclusion was based on the afo rementioned CDC a n d Danish studies - there was no primary research done. This lack of new, primary research is a critical point: the IOM's conclusion was largely based on the studies discussed in Myths 17 & 18 above that are controversial flawed.
Soon after the repo rt's release, Congressmen Burton a n d Weldon a n d Congresswoman Watson held a joint press conference. An excerpt from othering magazine on the press conference:
"Unfo rtunately, I believe the findings announced in the May 18th IOM repo rt are heavily biased, a n d unrepresentative of all the available scientific a n d medical research," stated Chairman Burton. "I think it is highly irresponsible fo r the IOM Immunization Safety Review Committee to purpo rt definitive findings to the American public, which are based on selective scientific studies that are greatly flawed to begin with."
The recently released IOM repo rt is the eighth a n d final in a series designed to examine the safety of vaccines that contain the mercury-based preservative, Thimerosal. In their latest repo rt, the IOM Committee concludes, "The body of epidemiological evidence favo rs the rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines a n d autism." This statement represents a significant change from the Committee's finding in their 2001 repo rt, which called such a causal relationship, "biologically plausible." The Committee based its final conclusions on their review of approximately 10 previously conducted epidemiological studies. Of those roughly 10 studies, 5 repo rted probable links between thimerosal-containing vaccines a n d autism, yet those 5 were summarily dismissed because the Committee determined the manner in which they were conducted was flawed."
Myth #20: Our health autho rities would never let this happen - it's impossible that so many responsible fo r the welfare of our kids would allow an entire generation of children to be poisoned with mercury.
It is very hard to believe that so many docto rs a n d health autho rities, most of whom truly have the welfare of our children in their hearts, would allow this to happen. Some of the reasons, unfo rtunately, that this is a myth include:
- Docto rs are not trained in toxicology in medical school. Therefo re, very few people who monito r the vaccine program a n d monito r neurological developmental issues in children know what the signs of mercury poisoning look like, how to test fo r it, o r what to do about it.
- Mercury has a slow onset that can take years to fully manifest. Therefo re, the decision in 1991/92 to change the vaccine schedule did not start to show up in the autism figures until 1995/1996, creating confusion a n d uncertainty.
- By the time the epidemic was in full stride, those in positions of power seem to have suffered from denial, self-protection, a n d self-interest. Unfo rtunately, these traits have been exhibited throughout American histo ry. Think asbestos, lead, alar, a n d Vioxx, to name only a few.
From our own Congressional Subcommittee on Human Rights a n d Wellness:
（来自我们自己的国会人权小组委员会：）
"Thimerosal used as a preservative in vaccines is likely related to the autism epidemic. This epidemic in all probability may have been prevented o r curtailed had the FDA not been asleep at the switch regarding injected thimerosal a n d the sharp rise of infant exposure to this known neurotoxin. Our public health agencies' failure to act is indicative of institutional malfeasance fo r self-protection a n d misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical industry."
A n d, a study on Conflicts of Interest in Vaccine Policy-Making:
（并且，对疫苗政策制定者利益冲突的研究：）
Conflicts Of Interest In Vaccine Policy Making
Committee On Government Refo rm - U.S. House of Representatives
August 21, 2000
（疫苗政策制定者的利益冲突
政府改革委员会——美国众议院
2000年8月21日）
Myth #21: The best treatment fo r Autism, a n d the only proven treatment, is behavio ral therapy - specifically ABA o r Applied Behavio r Analysis. There appears to be clinical evidence that ABA therapy improves autistic symptoms in some autistic children. In general, the use of many fo rms of behavio ral therapy fo r autism leads to improvement. However, to represent that ABA is the only fo rm of treatment fo r autism is untrue. There are hundreds of children who have recovered from autism through biomedical treatment a n d that number is growing everyday.
Myth #22: Autism is a psychological diso rder a n d a psychologist should provide treatment. Autism is an issue of toxicology. A physician who understa n ds toxic metals in terms of testing, symptoms, a n d removal is critical to treating autism effectively.
（荒诞的说法22：孤独症是一种心理疾病，心理学家应该提供治疗。
孤独症是一种毒理学问题。一个懂得检测、症状、清除有毒金属的医生，被认为能有效治疗孤独症。）
Myth #23: Chelation therapy is unsafe, unproven medicine. It is something only desperate parents would consider doing, a n d has mo re risks than benefits. Chelation therapy is a safe, effective way to remove toxic metals from the body. It has been used fo r decades to treat acute metals poisoning a n d mo re recently, to treat degenerative diseases such as chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's, cancer, a n d heart disease. When monito red by a physician, potential side affects such as mineral depletion a n d impacted liver function can be monito red a n d remedied. On the other ha n d, the risks of maintaining acute mercury toxicity in the body - progressive neuro a n d other degenerative disease - as well as poo r quality of life fo r the severely toxic are significant. Below is the coverage position on chelation therapy from CIGNA, one of the country's largest insurance ompanies:
"CIGNA Healthcare considers chelation therapy medically necessary in the following conditions: arsenic, mercury, iron, copper o r gold poisoning when long-term exposure to a n d toxicity has been confirmed through lab results (i.e., blood, plasma, a n d/o r urine results) o r clinical findings (i.e., symptoms consistent with metal toxicity)."
Myth #24: Mercury may be one of the causes of autism. It doesn't really matter what the cause - once you have autism, you have autism fo r life. We often say a child "has autism" implying it is something someone "acquires" o r "catches" o r "is bo rn with". Autism is not a disease. Autism is simply a label fo r a range of observed behavio rs. There is no medical test fo r autism. These behavio rs are typically assessed by a psychologist using the DSM-IV criteria which identifies 12 groups of abno rmal behavio rs. A child exhibiting any 6 of these behavio rs results in a diagnosis of autism. This diagnostic process means that two children exhibiting the opposite six criteria could both be considered autistic. It is also entirely plausible that a single child diagnosed separately by five psychologists could receive five separate diagnoses like autism, Asperger's, ADHD, PDD-NOS, a n d a developmental delay. In sum, it is an imperfect a n d subjective process that rests on a description of symptoms, not cause.
That many autistic children seem to share physiological manifestations like food allergies, gastrointestinal distress, suppressed immune systems, recurrent ear infections, yeast overgrowth o r ca n dida, gross a n d fine moto r delays, senso ry processing disto rtions, sleep disturbances, a n d impaired detoxification pathways has not been publicized o r considered by the majo rity of professionals involved with diagnosing autism. You almost never read about these common physical symptoms when researching autism. Autism a n d mercury poisoning have identical symptom profiles, both physical a n d behavio ral. They are one in the same thing.
The current paradigm fo r thinking about these mercury-poisoned children is broken a n d unhelpful. "Autism" will always be a mystery without a cure. When you begin to think of autism as a misdiagnosis fo r a mercury-poisoned state, things start to make mo re sense. All of the physical symptoms a n d behavio rs are explained by the presence of mercury. When you know the cause, you can focus on cure. Curing autism is a miracle; curing mercury poisoning is a medical
Myth #25: Autism, Asperger's, ADHD, a n d ADDAll of these behavio ral diagnoses are mythical: they simply do not exist. Each one simply places a child somewhere along the "spectrum" of mercury poisoning.