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Health-care providers oppose autism conference speaker's view
 
By Paul Everest
The Daily News
October 27, 2006

HEALTH - Halifax's largest health-care providers have some strong objections toward a presentation sceduled for an autism and Asperger's syndrome conference that begins today in metro.

The IWK Health Centre, Capital Health and Public Health Services are taking issue with the ideas of David Kirby, a speaker at the Keys to the Treasure Chest conference, organized by the Edmonton-based group Autism Today. Kirby will discuss the alleged link between the contents of children's vaccines and autism.

Joanne Langley, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the IWK, said the idea that thimerosal, an anti-bacteria preservative containing mercury found in some vaccines, could contribute to autism was raised about 15 years ago, but was later retracted.

"There is now a huge body of evidence that shows there is no association between infant vaccines and autism," she said, adding that thimerosal has not been used in children's vaccines in Canada for 10 years.

Langley also said it's important that parents know vaccines are safe and information to the contrary is "fear mongering" and could be dangerous.

"If they're concerned and don't immunize their children, they are susceptible to those infectious diseases, which are very serious."

Diseases for which children are vaccinated, such as measles, affect thousands and can cause death, whereas autism is much more rare, she said.

Karen Simmons, CEO and founder of Autism Today, compared the controversy to a ping pong game.

"There's people who say that there is evidence and there's people who say that there isn't," she said in a telephone interview last night from Toronto. "I know that mercury is one of the most toxic substances that there is, and there's a possibility that it is a contributing factor.

"Our stand is that people should be able to look at the facts and figures and make up their own minds."

When asked if she was concerned Halifax's hospitals are opposed to some of the conference's contents, Simmons said the "proof would be in the pudding."

 

 

 

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