According to the claim that vaccines or something in vaccines can be linked to autism—the source of much discussion and dissent for most of my son’s life—-autistic persons are “damaged” and “injured”; they were once “normal,” “typical” and “ok.” The notion that vaccines or mercury poisoning are the cause of autism not only poses some potential health hazards, but also creates an image of autistic children and adults as “less than [the rest of us]” due to a short; as “damaged goods.” Whereas, genetic studies on the causes of autism suggest that, far from being an “accident” that befalls an …read more

On April 11th, a new document in the case of Hannah Poling was filed. The document—Order Deferring Ruling on Petitioners’ Motion for Complete Transparency of Proceedings—-can be read here. The petitioners are Terry Poling and Jon Poling, the parents of “Hannah Poling, a minor.” The respondent is the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Polings have requested that two Rule 4 Reports filed by the respondent be disclosed. (A Rule 4 Report is filed by respondent in a vaccine proceeding and incorporates medical information pertaining to the petitioner.)
One report states that Hannah’s seizure disorder was “not related to …read more