Autism and MMR vaccines

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Autism and MMR vaccines
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Behavioral Objectives

• Discuss the basis for linking MMR vaccination and
  autism.
• Discuss why a causal association between the 2
  has been rejected.
• Define autism and list the symptoms
• Discuss the risk/ benefit of immunization against
  poliomyelitis tetanus and varcella

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GOOGLE SEARCH Results 1 - 10 of about 197,000
for vaccines and autism.1-10 0f aboutResults 1 -
10 of about 361,000 for adverse reactions to
vaccines.
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THE PROBLEM

• Parents saw signs of autism in their children
  following MMR immunization.
• In 1998 Wakefield et. Al. hypothesized that MMR
  vaccine contributed to the development of autism.
• He believed that there was an increased incidence
  of autism in USA UK after the introduction of
  the MMR vaccine.
• He believed that the simultaneous administration
  of MMR vaccines led to an atypical exposure to
  measles which predisposed the vaccinee to
  persistent measles vaccine virus infection of the
  intestine and the resultant inflammatory reaction
  resulted in the absorption of toxins causing
  neurologic damage

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• Subsequent studies by others refuted a causal
  association between receipt of MMR and autism.
  (see Vaccines and Autism by Paul Offit at
  www.immunize.org/catg.d/p2065.pdf )
• Subsequent reports of the Institute of Medicine
  reviewed the data and concluded the same

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What is Autism?

• Autism is a complex developmental disability
  that typically appears during the first three
  years of life and affects a persons ability to
  communicate and interact with others. Autism is
  defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a
  "spectrum disorder" that affects individuals
  differently and to varying degrees. There is no
  known single cause for autism.
• CDC estimates that 1/150 children have
  autism and developmental disability.

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Signs of Autism

• Lack of or delay in spoken language
• Repetitive use of language and/or motor
  mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling
  objects)
• Little or no eye contact
• Lack of interest in peer relationships
• Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play
• Persistent fixation on parts of objects

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What Causes Autism?

• Refrigerator mothers
• Genetic studies in identical and fraternal twins.
• Timing of the development of autism-home movies
  show symptoms present before 1 year of age (prior
  to MMR immunization) and in videotapes of
  children as young as 2-3 months.
• Evidence suggests that autism is likely due to
  abnormalities of the CNS that occur in utero

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CDC Research on the Problem

• See handout.

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Relative Incidence of Severe Complications from
Diseases and the Vaccines Used to protect against
these Diseases

• Disease Complication Disease Vaccine Ratio
• Vaccine
• OPV Paralysis 1-5/1000 1/mil
  1000
• Measles Encephalitis 1000 1/mil
  1000
• Varicella Cerebellar 4/1000 1/mil
  4000
• ataxia
• Tetanus Death 1/10
  lt1/mil 105

Halsey in the Vaccine Book pg384.
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Suspected Links between Vaccines and Adverse
Effects that are Unsubstantiated by Research

• Vaccine Unsubstantiated Adverse Effect
• Lyme Autoimmune Disorders
• Bovine sera Prion Disease
• Anthrax Gulf War Syndrome
• Aluminum Asthma
• products
• Pediatric Sudden infant death
• vaccines syndrome

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Suspected links between Vaccines and Adverse
effects that have been disproved

• Vaccine Disproved Adverse Effect
• Pertussis Chronic Encephalopathy
• Polio Contracting HIV
• Thiomersal Autism
• Hepatitis B Multiple Sclerosis
• Hemophilus Type 1 Diabets
• influenza

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• To Immunize or Not?
• Considerations of Risks vs Benefits in
  Developing vs Developed Countries