The Article concludes by reiterating the IOM's recommendation to continue with the current immunization programs in the absence of any strong and concrete evidence on the contrary. [Michelle Meadows] The last few years have triggered intense debate on the autism and vaccination topic with research results supporting both sides. A study by weibel et.al (1998) concluded by stating a rare but important link between measles vaccine and brain encephalopathy among children. [Weibel et.al] Another study by Singh VK et.al (1998) implicated measles virus induced autoimmunity in autistic children. [Singh, et.al] the fact that Dr. Megson's prescription of vitamin a therapy via cod liver oil capsules reversed or considerably improved the condition for her autistic patients serves to attest the 'G alpha proteins' theory and consequently the link between autism and DPT vaccination. Also, recently a hepatitis protein strain was extracted from a similar retinoid receptor gene (RAR beta). Thus, it is possible that the pertussis toxin induced G. alpha protein defect may be the cause for vaccine related autism. [Mary Megson] Furthermore, other researchers have reported that only since 1988, after the multiple vaccination program of MMR was launched, there was a surge in the incidence of autism and related brain disorders while the previous 21 years with the single measles vaccine...

[Andrew J. Wakefield] This gives enough reason to suspect that there maybe some link between the combination vaccine MMR and the development of autism. Though there may not be conclusive proof against vaccination it is still within reasonable limits of medical doubt that vaccination may be linked with development of autism.
Bibliography

Mary Megson, MD, 'Autism and Vaccinations',

Accessed 8th Nov 2007, Available at http://www.westonaprice.org/children/autism

Michelle Meadows, 'IOM Report: No link between Vaccines and Autism',

Accessed 8th Nov 2007, Available at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/504_iom.html

Andrew J. Wakefield, 'Autism and Vaccination',

Accessed 8th Nov 2007, available at http://osiris.sunderland.ac.uk/autism/vaccine.htm

Weibel RE, Caserta V, Benor De, Evans G, 'Acute encephalopathy followed by permanent brain injury or death associated with further attenuated measles vaccines: a review of claims submitted to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program', Pediatrics, 1998 Mar; 101(3 Pt 1): 383-7.

Singh VK, Lin SX, Yang VC, 'Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism', Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology, 1998 Oct;89(1):105-8.