Court rejects alleged link between vaccines and autism

Today's decisions by the Omnibus Autism Proceeding have received widespread media coverage. The three decisions -- available here -- total over 650 pages. Together they reject unequivocally the claim that MMR vaccines, individually or in tandem with thimerosal, could plausibly cause autism. Barring possible appeals, the decisions bring an end to a two-year process including 5,000 pages of transcripts, 700 pages of post-hearing briefs, and 939 referenced medical articles, according to this background document (pdf).

Here's an excerpt from the decision written by Special Master George Hastings in the case involving Michelle Cedillo (pdf), the most publicized of the three 'test cases'. (The 'petitioners' referred to below are the Cedillo family and the 'respondent' is the government.)

"The expert witnesses presented by the respondent were far better qualified, far more experienced, and far more persuasive than the petitioners’ experts, concerning most of the key points. The numerous medical studies concerning these issues, performed by medical scientists worldwide, have come down strongly against the petitioners’ contentions. Considering all of the evidence, I found that the petitioners have failed to demonstrate that thimerosal-containing vaccines can contribute to causing immune dysfunction, or that the MMR vaccine can contribute to causing either autism or gastrointestinal dysfunction. I further conclude that while Michelle Cedillo has tragically suffered from autism and other severe conditions, the petitioners have also failed to demonstrate that her vaccinations played any role at all in causing those problems."

Here are press releases by HHS, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics praising the decisions as further evidence refuting a link between vaccines and autism. Far less enthusiastic statements came from SafeMinds and Autism Speaks.

A sampling of headlines from around the web:

• New York Times: Court Says Vaccine Not to Blame for Autism
• Washington Post: Court Rules Autism Not Caused by Childhood Vaccines
• Slate: A Special Court Rejects Autism-Vaccine Theories
• Associated Press: Court Says Vaccine Not to Blame for Autism
• CNN: Vaccines Didn't Cause Autism, Court Rules
• CNN -- Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Court Rules Vaccines Not to Blame for Autism
• CBS News: Vaccine-Autism Link Ruled Out By Court

A second group of 'test cases', based on the closely related theory that thimerosal-containing vaccines could cause autism (without reference to MMR) were argued in 2008. Decisions in the cases (by the same three Special Masters) are pending, but today's decisions would suggest a different result is highly unlikely.