focusautisminc.orghttp://focusautisminc.org/focus-autism-releases-findings-on-2003-cdc-autism-study-higher-autism-rate-among-african-american-boys-receiving-mmr-shot-earlier-than-36-months/
Focus Autism Releases Findings on 2003 CDC Autism Study Higher
Autism Rate Among African-American Boys ReceivingMMR Shot Earlier
than 36 Months
Focus Autism releases their findings of a possible reduction in
the sample size of a major 2003 studyconducted by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. This sample size reduction
negatesstatistically significant findings from the study.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Watchung, NJ (PRWEB) August 19, 2014
A top research scientist working for the Centers for Disease
Control andPrevention (CDC) played a key role in helping Dr. Brian
Hooker of the FocusAutism Foundation uncover data manipulation by
the CDC that obscured ahigher incidence of autism in
African-American boys. The whistleblower cameto the attention of
Hooker, a PhD in biochemical engineering, after he hadmade a
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for original data on the
DeStefano et al MMR (measles, mumps,rubella) and autism study.
Dr. Hooker has viewed highly sensitive documents related to the
study via Congressional request from U.S.Representative Darrell
Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee.
Dr. Hookers study, published August 8 in the peer-reviewed
scientific journal Translational Neurodegeneration,shows that
African-American boys receiving their first MMR vaccine before 36
months of age were 3.4 times morelikely to develop autism vs. after
36 months.
In the study, Dr. Hooker notes how a statistically significant
relationship between the age the MMR vaccine was firstgiven and
autism incidence in African-American boys has not yet been made
public by CDC researchers.
According to Dr. Hooker, the CDC whistleblower informant who
wishes to remain anonymous guided him toevidence that a
statistically significant relationship between the age the MMR
vaccine was first given and autismincidence in African-American
boys was hidden by CDC researchers. Data was gathered on 2,583
children living inAtlanta, Georgia who were born between 1986 and
1993. However, CDC researchers did not include any childrenthat did
not have a valid State of Georgia birth certificate reducing the
studys sample size by 41% . Dr. Hookerexplains that by introducing
this discretionary criteria into the analysis, the cohort size was
sharply reduced,eliminating what would have been a higher
statistical finding. This minimized the strong MMR-autism link in
AfricanAmerican boys. When asked if there could be any scientific
basis for excluding children born outside of Georgia, Dr.Hooker
responded, I know of none, and none has been provided by the
authors of the DeStefano study.
The results of the original CDC study first appeared in the
journal Pediatrics, which receives financial support fromvaccine
makers through advertising and direct donations, according to a CBS
News report. The DeStefano et alstudy is widely used by the CDC and
other public health organizations to support a claim that there is
no linkbetween vaccines and autism a neurological disorder on the
rise among children.
Dr. Hooker states, Based on the scientific findings, the CDC
failed to report the relationship between the age of first
http://focusautisminc.orghttp://focusautisminc.org/focus-autism-releases-findings-on-2003-cdc-autism-study-higher-autism-rate-among-african-american-boys-receiving-mmr-shot-earlier-than-36-months/http://focusautisminc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/FOCUSlogo.pnghttp://www.prweb.net/Redirect.aspx?id=aHR0cDovL3BlZGlhdHJpY3MuYWFwcHVibGljYXRpb25zLm9yZy9jb250ZW50LzExMy8yLzI1OS5hYnN0cmFjdA==http://www.prweb.net/Redirect.aspx?id=aHR0cDovL3d3dy50cmFuc2xhdGlvbmFsbmV1cm9kZWdlbmVyYXRpb24uY29tL2NvbnRlbnQvMy8xLzE2L2Fic3RyYWN0http://www.prweb.net/Redirect.aspx?id=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jYnNuZXdzLmNvbS9uZXdzL2hvdy1pbmRlcGVuZGVudC1hcmUtdmFjY2luZS1kZWZlbmRlcnMv
MMR vaccine and autism incidence in African-American boys as
early as 2003. This data is important and wouldallow the public to
make decisions based on full disclosure of vaccine risks.
Dr. Hooker concludes that further study is needed to determine
why this specific effect (3.4-fold increase when MMRis administered
prior to 36 months) is seen exclusively in African-American males,
and determine whether delayingthe first MMR vaccination should be
advised for this population. A link between vaccines (including the
MMR) andautism has been acknowledged in cases compensated by the
National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
According to David Lewis, Ph.D., former senior-level
microbiologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys(EPA)
Office of Research & Development, skewing scientific data to
support government policies should beconsidered a major problem at
federal agencies, including EPA, CDC, and USDA. Lewis, who was
terminated byEPA after publishing papers in Nature that questioned
the science the agency used to support certain regulations,believes
top-down pressure on federal scientists and researchers working on
government-funded projects inacademia jeopardizes public
health.
Ive found working for the government is no different than
working for corporations. You either toe the line or findyourself
looking for another way to make a living, Lewis says. No one would
be surprised if Merck publishedunreliable data supporting the
safety of its products. Why would anyone be surprised that the CDC
or any agencywould publish skewed data to conclude that the
vaccines it recommends are safe? Scientists need a better
system,where scientists are free to be honest. Accordingly, Focus
Autism suggests that the CDC be held accountable torelease all
vaccine safety data in order to allow for independent, unbiased
analysis.
The Focus Autism Foundation is dedicated to providing
information to the public that exposes the cause or causes ofthe
autism epidemic and the rise of chronic illness focusing on the
role of vaccinations.
See the published press release
See Dr. Brian Hookers full paper
Copyright Focus Autism 2014
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Focus Autism Releases Findings on 2003 CDC Autism Study Higher
Autism Rate Among African-American Boys Receiving MMR Shot Earlier
than 36 Months
