MMR vaccine link to autism hypothesised
Pulse Magazine - United Kingdom
7 July 2001 Pulse magazine
Autism may be triggered by MMR vaccine in a subgroup of children
genetically predisposed to immunological problems, new unpublished research suggests. The research has led to a hypothesis that mothers
who fail to develop protective antibodies when they themselves are vaccinated with MMR may
have an immune problem which predisposes their children to autism. The study postulates that autism might then be
triggered by an ‘immune insult’ like giving MMR or another live vaccine to the
child. Alternatively, a live vaccine booster,
given inadvertently to the mother during pregnancy, could cause autism via a teratogenic
effect on the fetus. The hypothesis has been
described as biologically plausible by a former medical assessor to the UK Committee on
Safety of Medicines and a key official at the US Center for Disease Control.
Dr Edward Yazbak, a retired US paediatrician, has presented
preliminary results of his study to a conference of the authoritative American Academy of
Pediatrics.
The controversial findings are due to be published later this year. Dr Yazbak contacted 400 members of vaccine and
parent groups using the internet and newsletters in the UK, Australia and the US. He asked all mothers who had received an MMR or
rubella booster after the age of 16, because of a failure to seroconvert to an earlier
dose, to complete a questionnaire.
His final results reveal that among women revaccinated with MMR or
any other live vaccine just before, during or after pregnancy, 76 per cent had one or more
child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
A further 17 per cent of these women went on to have children with
autistic tendencies, severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and significant
developmental delays.
Dr Yazbak said: ‘The vaccine from the mother and the immune
predisposition of the mother are predisposing factors for the child.
‘Then the child has its own vaccine which is a precipitating
factor - except where the mother is revaccinated (during or before conception) when the
child is damaged from birth.’
He added: ‘This is a very unscientific study. I’m just
saying “listen, this is something worth pursuing”.
Dr Peter Fletcher, who was principal medical officer and medical
assessor to the CSM during the 1970’s, said the hypothesis was plausible. He said: ‘It’s certainly something the
immunologists should have a better look at.’
Dr Robert Chen, chief of vaccines safety and development at the US
National Immunisation Programme at the Center for Disease Control said: ‘It’s an
interesting hypothesis in the sense that wild rubella is known to be one of the risk
factors of autism. This is one of the true causes of autism, which has been well
documented.’
But he said this would not explain why the same effect may be seen
in women revaccinated soon after giving birth.
Dr Yazbak said one explanation might be that the viruses from vaccines could be passed to the infant via breast milk.