So, what is your opinion on this issue, facetguy?
There's a long thread (
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=689463&highlight=autism&page=4) that discusses a number of related issues.
I don't think vaccines cause autism, at least not across the board. There may be relatively small subgroups who are particularly susceptible, but this remains unclear and is being studied.
My 2 young kids are vaccinated, which speaks to my overall mindset on this issue.
I think there are some aspects of vaccines that we still do not fully understand as yet. A couple of examples are noted in the above thread, toward the end.
MMR and thimerosal have been studied as they relate autism and appear to have been exonerated.
As to Wakefield, I can't say I'm fully educated on his claims and activities. Brian Deere has reportedly investigated and written quite a bit on Wakefield, but I haven't read it. I did read Dr. Offit's book (Autism's Prophets; I think he has another newer book which I haven't read). Wakefield himself has written a book to spell out his position and defend himself, but I haven't read that either. Wakefield has some pretty hefty charges against him, so I'd have to think there is at least some basis for those charges. But I'd be naive to believe at least some of those charges aren't more politically, rather than scientifically, motivated.
As long as we continue to have no idea what causes autism, all types of speculation will continue. This helps fuel conspiracy theories.
