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Primary Link Pubmed DOI Openalex

Key Takeaways

Sample Definition And Size

The study was a case series involving 12 children (mean age approximately 6 years, range 3–10 years; 11 boys and 1 girl) who were consecutively referred to a pediatric gastroenterology unit with a history of normal development followed by loss of acquired skills (including language) and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9500320/?utm_source=openai)).

Study Type

This was an observational case series study, involving clinical, developmental, neurological, gastroenterological assessments, imaging, endoscopy with biopsy, and laboratory investigations in a consecutive series of 12 children ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9500320/?utm_source=openai)).

Conflicts Of Interest

The paper was later retracted due to ethical and methodological concerns, including undisclosed conflicts of interest. Investigations revealed that Wakefield had received payment from lawyers preparing litigation against vaccine manufacturers, which was not disclosed in the publication ([yuobserver.org](https://yuobserver.org/2017/01/the-fallacy-of-the-mmr-autism-link/?utm_source=openai)).

Results Summary

Key findings included: histological evidence of patchy chronic inflammation in the colon in 11 of 12 children and reactive ileal lymphoid hyperplasia in 7 of 12; behavioral diagnoses included autism in 9 children, disintegrative psychosis in 1, and possible postviral or vaccinal encephalitis in 2; significantly raised urinary methylmalonic acid compared with age-matched controls (p = 0.003); low hemoglobin in 4 children; low serum IgA in 4 children; MRI and EEG were normal; no granulomas were observed ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9500320/?utm_source=openai)).

Abstract

No abstract available

Referenced In

William Fan
a year ago
A Scientific Review of Claims made by RFK Jr.

Claim: Mother awarded $20M by US courts who acknowledged her child had gotten autism from vaccines.

Validity: Misleading and False

[h]er name was Sarah Bridges. She was a psychologist from Minnesota...And the vaccine court had awarded her $20 million for acknowledging that the child had gotten autism from the vaccines.

-Joe Rogan Experience #1999 17:08

Joe Rogan Experience #1999 - Robert Kennedy Jr.There is truth to some of this story, though it needs to be contextualized. Sarah Bridges was awarded compensation by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), often referred to as the US "vaccine court". The VICP acknowledged that Sarah Bridges' child had experienced a severe reaction to the DTP vaccine which caused brain damage. I cannot find a reputable source for the $20M figure, but this link to the Minnesota Monthly describes Sarah Bridges eventual court victory.

It is important to remember that vaccines are not zero risk, as there are risk for almost all interventions. This is the reason for the creation of the VICP, so that Americans have a means of compensation for adverse effects like severe allergies. But RFK Jr.'s claim that the court admitted a link between vaccines and autism is plainly false. The court explicitly denied this connection.

It's important to note the Minnesota Monthly article highlighted the fraudulent and discredited Andrew Wakefield Autism study. And that the strongest scientific evidence shows no association between vaccines and autism, as shown by this 2014 meta analysis.

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