Autism "miracle" called junk science
The front page of today's Chicago Tribune features a large article on autism:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-autism-lupron-may21,0,242705.storyFrom the above:
"Desperate to help their autistic children, hundreds of parents
nationwide are turning to an unproven and potentially damaging
treatment: multiple high doses of a drug sometimes used to chemically
castrate sex offenders.
"The therapy is based on a theory, unsupported by mainstream
medicine, that autism is caused by a harmful link between mercury and
testosterone. Children with autism have too much of the hormone,
according to the theory, and a drug called Lupron can fix that. etc..."
The header to a related story states "Autism drug Lupron: Father-and-son team's crusade shows cracks."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-autism-lupron-geiers-may21,0,983359.storyFrom the above:
"Dr. Mark Geier has, he says, solved the riddle of autism. He says he
has identified its cause and, in the powerful drug Lupron, found an
effective treatment -- what he calls a 'major discovery.'
"But behind Geier's bold assertion is a troubling paper trail that
undercuts his portrayal of himself as a pioneer tilting against a
medical establishment that refuses to embrace his novel ideas.
"Time and again, reputable scientists have dismissed autism research
by Geier and his son, David, as seriously flawed. Judges who have
heard Mark Geier testify about vaccines' harmful effects have
repeatedly called him unqualified, with one describing his statements
as "intellectually dishonest."
"'Dr. Geier may be clever," another wrote, "but he is not credible.'
"A physician and genetic counselor by training, Geier, 61, presents
himself as the scientist who has unraveled autism's mystery, a claim
that has won him a devoted following. He and his son tie the
neurodevelopmental disorder to a mercury-based preservative called
thimerosal, which has been removed from childhood vaccines except for
some flu shots. etc..."
[Skriptefehler fixed. P]
