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by: Michael J. Goldberg, MD, FAAP
With
apologies for not jumping in more frequently, I am going to
try to jump in at least weekly or biweekly with comments on
recent postings and / or issues coming up within the practice.
By doing it this way, I hope I can take a regular part in the
activities of this list, and help all of you bring this effort
together - we are so close, but . . . .
And
that is the start, with the hearings in Washington; the good
news is there is little (if any) opposition to the idea we are
dealing with a different syndrome from "traditional" autism.
Unfortunately, based on my experience at the NIH and the rally,
it is obvious that the "gap" is still in the idea
that while many are recognizing this as different, "triggered,"
and likely a disease process, I believe that few understand
that this means an ongoing "evolving" disease process
vs. the concept of a static encephalopathy or fixed condition.
The
good news is that we may be very close to bridging that gap
in understanding (I would dare say the "switch" was
hopefully thrown at the hearings for a few of the NIH people
there). The bad news is that while the establishment might be
swayed into dealing with the real crisis, if confronted with
solid and real science, (even if that means a."paradigm"
shift in thinking) it will fight adamantly if assumptions are
thrown out that do not make sense or are not supported scientifically.
For
example, looking at the current vaccine "crisis":
IF one is foolish enough not to recognize that there is a temporal
relationship between what is happening to some of these children
and "vaccine stresses," (in the midst of an enlarging
truly horrible epidemic), then that person, congressman,
or researcher is going to begin to look pretty foolish.
But if that persons is given the opportunity to fight, and they
are confronted with statements that won't be supported by science
(i.e. implications that the vaccines are the cause of this crisis
/ epidemic), then they will be able to use"real science,
real facts", to prove these accusations wrong, feel like
they have won another skirmish, while in reality merely continuing
a fruitless battle, nobody will really win in the end.
I
went back to Washington with the ability to safely say that
with funding and manpower, we could have 1 to 4 new agents in
trial within the next 6 to 8 months for your children (that
is still dependent upon funding and hiring support personnel,
but that is now the ONLY contingency). However, as many
of you are aware, I have always stressed that to get a pharmaceutical
company to look at your children now (NOT after years of adult
work) was something that had never happened before (but COULD
happen now). With the science falling into place, and
the "logic" looking appealing, if a "class action
lawsuit" (over the MMR link) is undertaken, it is likely
that every pharmaceutical company and organization would go
into a defensive holding pattern, possibly stopping any chance
at new trials for your children. WE need the pharmaceutical
companies, the Academy of Pediatrics, and others in the"system’Ä?
IF we are to have any chance to change this fast enough for
the majority of children out there. The next few
months are likely to be critical for all of you and your children.
Other
comments include:
Comments made regarding the fact there is no association of
"wild" (more virulent, more severe) measles, mumps,
or rubella causing Autism, is only one of the many logical scientific
observations that argue adamantly against a direct connection
to the MMR.
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Rather, I would urge all of you to make that"step backì
- look at the "big picture" and realize the logic
here is a predisposed population, SOME of whom may have
a temporal relationship, but not causal relationship
from a vaccine injection.
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Additionally, IF truly vaccine connected, the numbers would
be significantly higher than they now are again "common
sense."
Computers
are one of the strongest tools for "redeveloping"
these children's brains and thought processes - efforts should
be enlarged to reach out to other organizations, perhaps computer
companies, to help provide computers for the many children and
families that can not afford them for the purposes of "cognitive
rehabilitation." (imagine the CD ROMs that could
be created to help . . .)
As
noted above, congressman Waxman (and others) can be made to
look very foolish for not helping congressman Burton solve this
crisis, but NOT if given the ammunition of the NIH, CDC, Academy
of Pediatrics and others to "refute" the "assumptions"
being presented.
-
It may seem like only "semantics" - but how things
are said, and what assumptions are made, are "critical"
if we're going to "help" the system change quickly,
rather than having to fight over this for years to come.
- While
the finding of measles viral particles may be a good scientific
fact, since they were also present in æ Ulcerative Colitis
/ Crohn's Disease patients, and since some of the MMR cases
had already begun their regression BEFORE the vaccine, it
is NOT reasonable to say this establishes a "causal"
relationship.
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WE must demand common sense, logic, good science, and focus
the "fight" and treatment efforts constructively.
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The fact that there are comments regarding connections to
the DPT, Hep B, etc. again leads one to realize the stress
of a vaccine may be a trigger in different children, but
it is not THAT vaccine, that "organism" that is
the real reason.
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I do believe we can wake up the establishment at this point
very quickly - but you have to know how to "beat it
at its own game."
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This was the reason for the creation of the NIDS Medical
Research Board - we have the ability, the expertise and
the scientific credibility to help all of you change
this now (and likely have the"establishment" join
in!!
"Molds"
and other non listed impurities should raise a level of caution
with all of you
-
A common impurity apparently in many brands of St. John's
Wart and "other" products is the same impurity
that caused an immune triggered eosinophilic state, killing
some adults in the Southwest in the late 1980's (remember
the "tryptophan scare?" - it was not the tryptophan,
it was the"impurity")
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I believe you should have a healthy skepticism of any new
or old nutritional product without studies either showing
proof of efficacy or starting as a pharmaceutically pure
product. This is not very likely at the present time.
The
clock is ticking for these children,
MJG
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