Again, no link for vaccines, autism

Washington -- A review of scientific literature by an Institute of Medicine committee failed to find a link between autism and either the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, used in some vaccines, or the MMR vaccine.

"The overwhelming evidence from several well-designed studies indicates that childhood vaccines are not associated with autism," said committee chair Marie McCormick, MD, ScD, professor of maternal and child health at Harvard School of Public Health.

The May 18 report was welcomed by physicians' groups.

"Today's IOM report rejecting a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine and autism is good news for patients, physicians and the public health," said AMA Trustee Ron M. Davis, MD. "Those who still remember the horrors of measles, mumps and rubella in the United States know that the importance of this immunization cannot be overestimated."

"For most parents, today's report should assure them of the safety of vaccines," said American Academy of Pediatrics President Carden Johnston, MD. "There's no doubt we must find the causes of autism, but we need to target other more promising research areas."

However, an advocacy group that looks at mercury-induced neurological disorders faulted the report for failing to include the latest research on the mercury-autism link. "The IOM has not only compromised their integrity and independence, but also failed the American public, especially mercury-injured children with autism, by toeing the CDC, FDA vaccine industry line," said Lyn Redwood, RN, president of SafeMinds.

The new report updates two earlier IOM reports on possible links between autism and the MMR vaccine and thimerosal. The panel determined then that the evidence did not show a link between MMR vaccine and autism but had not uncovered enough evidence to determine whether thimerosal could be implicated.