Sugar: the bitter truth
Labels: corn lobby, diabetes, hfcs, reality check
It is wrong always, everywhere, and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.
Labels: corn lobby, diabetes, hfcs, reality check

| Study | Conclusion | Comments |
Safety of Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines: A Two-Phased Study of Computerized Health Maintenance Organization Databases Thomas Verstraeten, Robert L. Davis, Frank DeStefano, Tracy A. Lieu, Philip H. Rhodes, Steven B. Black, Henry Shinefield, Robert T. Chen and for the Vaccine Safety Datalink Team Pediatrics 2003;112;1039-1048 | Conclusions: No consistent significant associations were found between TCVs and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Conflicting results were found at different HMOs for certain outcomes. For resolving the conflicting findings, studies with uniform neurodevelopmental assessments of children with a range of cumulative thimerosal exposures are needed. Pediatrics 2003;112:1039–1048; cohort study, computerized medical record systems, language development disorders, speech disorders, thimerosal, vaccines. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Thimerosal and the Occurrence of Autism: Negative Ecological Evidence From Danish Population-Based Data Kreesten M. Madsen, Marlene B. Lauritsen, Carsten B. Pedersen, Poul Thorsen, Anne-Marie Plesner, Peter H. Andersen and Preben B. Mortensen Pediatrics 2003;112;604-606 DOI: 10.1542/peds.112.3.604 | Conclusions: The discontinuation of thimerosal containing vaccines in Denmark in 1992 was followed by an increase in the incidence of autism. Our ecological data do not support a correlation between thimerosal containing vaccines and the incidence of autism. Pediatrics 2003; 112:604–606; autism, vaccine, thimerosal, mercury, population, epidemiology. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Continuing Increases in Autism Reported to California’s Developmental Services System: Mercury in Retrograde Robert Schechter, MD, MSc; Judith K. Grether, PhD Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008;65(1):19-24 | Conclusions: The DDS data do not show any recent de- crease in autism in California despite the exclusion of more than trace levels of thimerosal from nearly all childhood vaccines. The DDS data do not support the hypothesis that exposure to thimerosal during childhood is a primary cause of autism. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Neuropsychological Performance 10 Years After Immunization in Infancy With Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines Alberto Eugenio Tozzi, Patrizia Bisiacchi, Vincenza Tarantino, Barbara De Mei, Lidia D'Elia, Flavia Chiarotti and Stefania Salmaso Pediatrics 2009;123;475-482 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2008-0795 | Conclusions: Given the large number of statistical comparisons performed, the few associations found between thimerosal exposure and neuropsychological development might be attributable to chance. The associations found, although statistically significant, were based on small differences in mean test scores, and their clinical relevance remains to be determined. Pediatrics 2009;123:475–482 | There is a small correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism. The standard caution is warranted: correlation is not causation. They leave open the possibility that this is possibly a random correlation. |
Autism and Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines: Lack of Consistent Evidence for an Association Paul Stehr-Green, DrPH, MPH, Peet Tull, Michael Stellfeld, MD, Preben-Bo Mortenson, DrMedSC, Diane Simpson, MD, PhD American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2003;25(2):101–106 | Conclusions: The body of existing data, including the ecologic data presented herein, is not consistent with the hypothesis that increased exposure to Thimerosal-containing vaccines is responsible for the apparent increase in the rates of autism in young children being observed worldwide. (Am J Prev Med 2003;25(2):101–106) © 2003 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Thimerosal Exposure in Infants and Developmental Disorders: A Prospective Cohort Study in the United Kingdom Does Not Support a Causal Association Jon Heron, Jean Golding and and the ALSPAC Study Team Pediatrics 2004;114;577-583 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2003-1176-L | Conclusions: We could find no convincing evidence that early exposure to thimerosal had any deleterious effect on neurologic or psychological outcome. Pediatrics 2004;114:577–583; ALSPAC, cohort study, neurodevelopment, safety, thimerosal, thiomersal, mercury, vaccines. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Early Thimerosal Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes at 7 to 10 Years William W. Thompson, Ph.D., Cristofer Price, Sc.M., Barbara Goodson, Ph.D., David K. Shay, M.D., M.P.H., Patti Benson, M.P.H., Virginia L. Hinrichsen, M.S., M.P.H., Edwin Lewis, M.P.H., Eileen Eriksen, M.P.H., Paula Ray, M.P.H., S. Michael Marcy, M.D., John Dunn, M.D., M.P.H., Lisa A. Jackson, M.D., M.P.H., Tracy A. Lieu, M.D., M.P.H., Steve Black, M.D., Gerrie Stewart, M.A., Eric S. Weintraub, M.P.H., Robert L. Davis, M.D., M.P.H., and Frank DeStefano, M.D., M.P.H., for the Vaccine Safety Datalink Team New England Journal of Medicine, Thompson WW et al. (September 27, 2007) | Conclusions: Our study does not support a causal association between early exposure to mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines and immune globulins and deficits in neuro- psychological functioning at the age of 7 to 10 years. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Association Between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccine and Autism Anders Hviid; Michael Stellfeld; Jan Wohlfahrt; et al. JAMA. 2003;290(13):1763-1766 (doi:10.1001/jama.290.13.1763) | Conclusion: The results do not support a causal relationship between childhood vaccination with thimerosal-containing vaccines and development of autistic-spectrum disorders. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Thimerosal and Autism? Karin B. Nelson and Margaret L. Bauman Pediatrics 2003;111;674-679 DOI: 10.1542/peds.111.3.674 | Conclusion: Thimerosal is being eliminated from the vaccines used in routine infant immunization programs in the United States and Canada. If thimerosal was an important cause of autism, the incidence of autism might soon begin to decline. One can hope but not expect that that will happen; time will tell. Mercury poisoning and autism both affect the central nervous system but the specific sites of involvement in brain and the brain cell types affected are different in the two disorders as evidenced clinically and by neuropathology. Mercury also injures the peripheral nervous system and other organs that are not affected in autism. Nonspecific symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and irrational fears may occur both in mercury poisoning and in children with autism, but overall the clinical picture of mercurism from any known form, dose, duration, or age of exposure—does not mimic that of autism. No case history has been encountered in which the differential diagnosis of these 2 disorders was a problem. Most important, no evidence yet brought forward indicates that children exposed to vaccines contain- ing mercurials, or mercurials via any other route of exposure, have more autism than children with less or no such exposure. Continuing vigilance is necessary regarding the safety of vaccines, as is open-minded evaluation of new evidence. However, such evidence must be of sufficient scientific rigor to provide a responsible basis for decisions that influence the safety of children. When information is incomplete, as it is at present for thimerosal-autism questions, a balancing must be made of risks posed by vaccine constituents and the benefits of disease prevention achieved by keeping immunizations widely available. On the basis of current evidence, we consider it improbable that thimerosal and autism are linked. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autism |
Lack of Association Between Rh Status, Rh Immune Globulin in Pregnancy and Autism Judith H. Miles* and T. Nicole Takahashi Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Department of Child Health, University of Missouri Hospitals and Clinics, Columbia, Missouri American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A 143A:1397–1407 (2007) | Conclusion: Analysis of complete records including the blood group status and RhIg exposure of 214 families showed that Rh status is no higher in mothers of children with autism than in the general population, exposure to antepartum RhIg, preserved with thimerosal is no higher for children with autism and pregnancies are no more likely to be Rh incompatible. This was also true for autism subgroups defined by behavioral phenotype, gender, IQ, regressive onset, head circumference, dysmorphology, birth status, essential, or complex phenotype. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Rh Immune Globulin in Pregnancy and Autism |
Mercury concentrations and metabolism in infants receiving vaccines containing thiomersal: A descriptive study Michael Pichichero, MD The Lancet, Volume 360, Issue 3947, Pages 1737 - 1741 30 November 2002 | Conclusions: Administration of vaccines containing thiomersal does not seem to raise blood concentrations of mercury above safe values in infants. Ethylmercury seems to be eliminated from the blood rapidly via the stools after parenteral administration of thiomersal in vaccines. | This shows that the mercury in thiomersal doesn't stick around long enough to cause damage and is below levels that are considered safe anyway. |
Lack of Association between Measles Virus Vaccine and Autism with Enteropathy: A Case-Control Study Mady Hornig, Thomas Briese, Timothy Buie, Margaret L. Bauman, Gregory Lauwers, Ulrike Siemetzki, Kimberly Hummel, Paul A. Rota, William J. Bellini, John J. O’Leary, Orla Sheils, Errol Alden, Larry Pickering, W. Ian Lipkin PLoS ONE | www.plosone.org 1 September 2008 | Volume 3 | Issue 9 | e3140 | Conclusions: 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. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between Measles Virus Vaccine and Autism |
MMR vaccination and pervasive developmental disorders: a case-control study Liam Smeeth, Claire Cook, Eric Fombonne, Lisa Heavey, Laura C Rodrigues, Peter G Smith, Andrew J Hall The Lancet September 11, 2004 | Conclusions: Our findings suggest that MMR vaccination is not associated with an increased risk of pervasive developmental disorders. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between MMR Vaccine and Autism |
Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations Eric Fombonne, Rita Zakarian, Andrew Bennett, Linyan Meng and Diane McLean-Heywood Pediatrics 2006;118;e139-e150 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2005-2993 | Conclusions: The prevalence of pervasive developmental disorder in Montreal was high, increasing in recent birth cohorts as found in most countries. Factors accounting for the increase include a broadening of diagnostic concepts and criteria, increased awareness and, therefore, better identification of children with pervasive developmental disorders in communities and epidemiologic surveys, and improved access to services. The findings ruled out an association between pervasive developmental disorder and either high levels of ethylmercury exposure comparable with those experienced in the United States in the 1990s or 1- or 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations. | There is no correlation in the data they looked at between MMR Vaccine and Autism. |
Labels: autism sprectal disorders, causation vs. correlation, internet, vaccinations

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