1 Immunization Safety Review, Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorder, IOM 2001, pp. 31-37 viewed at: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309076366/html/ and Autism A.L.A.R.M. by the AAP and CDC
http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/screening/Autism%20downloads/AutismAlarm.pdf.
2 Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Telephone Interview with Boyd Haley, April 9, 2005. See also Leo Trasande, Public health and economic consequences of methyl mercury toxicity to the developing brain, Environ Health Perspect 113:590-596 (2005) (The research found the IQ losses linked to mercury range from one-fifth of an IQ point to as much as 24 points. The study showed about 4 percent of babies, or about 180,000, are born each year with blood mercury levels between 7.13 and 15 micrograms per liter. That level of mercury, the researchers concluded, causes a loss of 1.6 IQ points. The study found that between 316,588 and 637,233 children each year have cord blood mercury levels > 5.8 μg/L, a level associated with loss of IQ. The resulting loss of intelligence causes diminished economic productivity that persists over the entire lifetime of these children. This lost productivity amounts to $8.7 billion annually (range, $2.2-43.8 billion; all costs are in 2000 US$). See also Grandjean P, Cognitive deficit in 7-year-old children with prenatal exposure to methylmercury, Neurotoxicol Teratol. 19(6):417-28 (1997) (“[m]ercury-related neuropsychological dysfunctions were most pronounced in the domains of language, attention, and memory, and to a lesser extent in visuospatial and motor functions. The effects on brain function associated with prenatal methylmercury exposure therefore appear widespread, and early dysfunction is detectable at exposure levels currently considered safe”). See also, CBS News, Study: IQ Loss From Mercury Costly, March 1, 2005. Accessed online June 15, 2005 at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/01/health/main677206.shtml.