ANOTHER Study Links Thimerosal Exposure to Increasing Risk of Autism

ANOTHER Study Links Thimerosal Exposure to Increasing Risk of Autism

Another recent study, this time published in Neurendocrinology Letters, has given more fuel to the movement that the vaccine preservative Thimerosal contributed to the rising incidence of autism. This peer-reviewed study was extremely well designed and explored the connection between Rho(D) immune globulin (common named Rhogam) which contained Thimerosal until 2002.

The researchers based the study on two hypotheses:

1. If prenatal exposure to Rho(D)-immune globulin (Rhogam) was a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders THEN more children with a neurodevelopment disorder would have Rh- negative mothers (these mothers receive the Rhogam shot to help prevent her own immune system from attacking the fetus if the unborn child’s blood is Rh- positive) compared to a similar group of children born to RH-positive mothers (a control group).
2. If the Thimerosal in Rho(D)-immune globulin preparations was the main risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders THEN, following the removal of Thimerosal from all manufactured Rho(D)-immune globulin preparations distributed in the US (2002 onward), the frequency of maternal Rh-negativity among children with a neurodevelopmental disorder should be similar to that for the control groups

The study found a statistically significant increase in maternal Rh-negative percentage among those with neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism) AND attention deficit disorder in comparison to the control groups. Children with a neurodevelopmental disorder born after 2001 had a maternal Rh-negativity percentage which was similar to the percentages for the control groups – thus their two hypotheses were correct, clearly stating that there is a connection between neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism) and the mercury derived preservative Thimerosal.

This by far is one of the most far reaching and clear pictures to date of the damaging effects of Thimerosal. I was extremely impressed by this rigorous study they put together and without a doubt it will be used as a positive correlation in the ongoing battle over Thimerosal.
References:

Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Maternal Rh-Negativity, and Rho(D) Immune Globulins: A Multi-Center Assessment, published in Neuroendocrinology Letters 2008; 29(2): 272-280