Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

The debate over a link between childhood vaccinations and autism has reached fever pitch, as evidenced in a major court ruling March 2008. The federal government conceded that standard vaccination practices contributed to the development of autism in nine-year-old Hannah Poling. While failing to admit to a clear-cut link, the government has nevertheless offered the Poling family compensation, citing that a pre-existing mitochondrial disorder that predisposed the toddler to autism was "significantly aggravated" by the immunization shots she received at nineteen months. Dr. Isaac Eliaz offers his thoughts on this unprecedented ruling, noting that vaccines in general—and especially those containing thimerosal, a mercury-derived preservative—are not completely safe. Not only do they expose infants and toddlers to toxic loads of mercury, but when administered concurrently, they are also potentially dangerous—and often unnecessary, as in the case of the Hepatitis B vaccination. These risk factors amount to what should rightly be considered a true health crisis for our children.