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Samuel Fetzer
Mrs. A
English 12
3/13/2015
The Non-Existent Link Between Vaccines and Autism
Autism is becoming more and more common in todays world. Many people have begun
to believe that MMR Vaccines are the cause of Autism, due to a paper written in 1998. With the
dramatic increase in diagnosed children, parents want a cure and a cause for this life changing
disease. Today, nearly one in twenty children are diagnosed with some form of Autism, but this is
not because of mandatory vaccines.
Autism is not defined as one singular disease. Instead it is defined on a spectrum, called
the Autism Spectrum. This is the main reason that Autism is so hard to diagnose. With no one
defined formed of Autism, many forms slip through the eyes of professionals and some children
never get the extra care they need. Some of the least common forms include Fragile X, tuberous
sclerosis, and Rhett syndrome. Most forms of Autism are simple the cause of one less x
chromosome. (Insel)
The disease occurs in different numbers all over the world. It comes to roughly every one
in twenty children worldwide. Some countries shame and hide children diagnosed with this
disease, never to see the sun or live a normal life. Because of this, some countries refuse to help
in the research for a cure. They think that the disease doesnt exist if they dont acknowledge it.
For example, in Copan Ruinas, Honduras, children are hidden away in the back of huts. They are
kept in the dark their entire lives and sometimes the family does not let the village know of the
child. They hide them away because there, they are seen as a weakness or a sign of un-Godliness.
(Cohen)

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One man thought he had found the cause of this life changing disease. Andrew Wakefield
published a research article in 1998 claiming to have found the main cause of Autism. He
claimed that he had found a link between MMR vaccines and Autism. MMR stands for mumps,
measles, and rubella. These are the vaccine given to children one to two years old and before
they go to public school. Wakefield was a practicing physician from the United Kingdom. After
the publication of Wakefields paper, nearly half of all parents in the UK decided against giving
their children the vaccines. (Wakefield)
The MMR vaccines were first introduced to the UK in the late 1980s. At first there were
three strands of the supposedly helpful vaccinations. After only two months, two of the three
strands had to be pulled because they were causing meningitis in children that had received the
vaccine. Dr. Alistair Thores worked for the Joint Committee On Vaccination and Immunization.
He warned against the use of MMR vaccines, saying that they were dangerous and unpredictable.
Around this time, Canada began to experience some of the same problems the UK had after
beginning the use of MMR vaccines. After four years the vaccines had to be pulled and remade
into what they are today.
Wakefield claims that,it is the governments fault for choosing MMR vaccines. It
would be better to allow parents to choose which vaccines their child needs. The vaccine itself is
failing to prevent the diseases it claims to. For several years people trusted and believed
Wakefield, until thousands of studies and investigations came forward, discrediting Wakefields
work. An investigation by the CDC found that Wakefields work had major ethical lapses in his
work and research. Other researchers failed to find any evidence that Wakefields claim was even
remotely true. Wakefield was banned from practicing medicine in 2010.
Many more studies to find the cause and the cure for Autism are underway and several
things have been learned and accepted by healthcare professionals. Two reports published in
August of 2011, examined possible health problems associated with the MMR vaccines. While

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both of these reports found health problems, neither one found a link between the vaccines and
Autism. (Concerns About Autism). Because of these studies, the amount of Thimerosal, the
chemical used as a preservative, was removed or reduced except in one type of influenza
vaccine.
Thomas Engle is the director of the National Institute of Mental Health. He says that his
own personal opinions and opinions of other healthcare professionals, is that most forms of
Autism are caused by genetics. Because no one can find a definitive cause for the disease, this is
a very probable cause. Alterations in a single base (or letter in the DNA code) appear to
promote autism in some individuals. He goes on to say,no single mutation in any particular
gene has been proven as the culprit, but mutations affecting the development of synapses in the
brain are key to autism. Many professionals agree that siblings with Autism can place children
at higher risk for development. (Facts About ASD)
Further investigations and studies where done to see if Wakefields research had any
credibility. One of those studies, conducted March 29, 2013, evaluated the concern that if a child
received too many of these vaccines a one time, I would increase the likely hood of that child
developing Autism. The study looked at the amount of antigens from vaccines received on one
day of vaccination and the amount of antigens from vaccines received in total during the first two
years of life. Researchers collected data from three managed core organizations in a group of 256
children with Autism, and compared them to 752 children without Autism. The study found no
connection to the development of Autism in children and the antigens found in vaccines. In fact
children with Autism were given even less antigens than those children without. (Vaccines Not
Associated with Risk of Autism)
While having Autism may not be extremely dangerous, not vaccinating a child before he
or she enters into public school is extremely dangerous. In order to enter some public schools,
children must first receive the appropriate vaccines. If they do not get these vaccines and are

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allowed to enter into the public school system, they could spread diseases far worse than the
common cold. A child could spread any number including the measles. Parents need to take
charge break free from the new normal. Without vaccination, a child is at far greater risk for
diseases than if they are vaccinated. Especially since there has been no connection between the
vaccines and Autism, and the only man to publish a report saying that there is has been banned
from practicing medicine.

Works Cited
Cohen, Shirley. Targeting Autism: What We Know, Dont Know, and Can Do to Help Young
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 3rd ed. Berkeley: U of California, 2006. Print.
Concerns about Autism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2015
<http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/Autism/Index.html>.
Facts about ASD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
Ingel, Thomas. Autism is caused by a Mix of Genetic and Environmental Factors. Why is
Autism on the Rise? Ed. Clay Farris Naff. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014. At
Issue. Rpt. from The New Genetics of Autism - Why Environment Matters. NMH Directors
Blog. 4 April 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 13 Feb 2015.
Vaccines Not Associated with Risk of Autism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/Autism/antigens.html>.
Wakefield, Andrew. The Link between the MMR Vaccine and Autism is Real. Why is Autism
on the Rise? Ed. Clay Farris Naff. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2014At issue.
Rpt. From Transcript: Statement from Andrew Wakefield. Age of Autism. 2013. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 12 Feb. 2015

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