Eric London resigns from Autism Speaks
The Autism News | English
By Autism News Science and Opinion
Dr. Eric London has resigned from Autism Speaks. I read his resignation letter a while back, but I held off blogging it until I could confirm it was legitimate. This letter is taken from the Autism Science Foundation blog.
After three years of great hopes for Autism Speaks being the optimal vehicle to advance autism science and treatment, I regretfully and sadly must announce my dissociation from this organization, including resignation from the Scientific Affairs Committee.Despite the very excellent work that Autism Speaks has done in the area of awareness and legal advocacy, there are many differences which I have with the organization, mostly concerning the direction and prioritization of the science program. There have been numerous decisions made which I believe have adversely impacted autism research and none of those decisions were made upon the advice of the Scientific Affairs Committee. The processes with which science decisions have been made have been contrary to my hopes and expectations when the NAAR-AS merger was effectuated.
If this were the only issue, I might have continued to try to work from within the organization to influence science policy and direction. However, the pivotal issue compelling my decision is the position which Autism Speaks is taking concerning vaccinations. The arguments which Dr. Dawson and others assert– that the parents need even further assurances and there might be rare cases of “biologically plausible” vaccine involvement –are misleading and disingenuous. Through its website and other communications, Autism Speaks has been influential and contributory in encouraging parents’ doubts. By preferentially investing and advocating for the use of limited financial resources on the “biological plausibility” argument, the organization is adversely impacting the advancement of autism research.
Recent reports have documented significant outbreaks of measles and other infectious diseases which could have been controlled and even eradicated. The lowering of the vaccination rate has already led to deaths. If Autism Speaks’ misguided stance continues, there will be more deaths and potentially the loss of herd immunity which would result in serious outbreaks of otherwise preventable disease. I further fear that if and when herd immunity is lost, there may be a societal backlash against the autism community.
In my role as an Autism Speaks Scientific Affairs Committee member, I would be lending credibility to an organization whose scientific agenda and positions I can no longer ethically support. Please accept my resignation, effective immediately. If anyone would like to discuss this with me further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely, Eric London MD
This is pretty harsh criticism of Autism Speaks, which has touted itself as a science-based organization taking direction from the research community. Instead, it appears that decisions are being made in direct opposition to their own Science Affairs Committee.
You may recall that when the IACC’s Strategic Plan was released, Autism Speaks pulled support (whatever that means) based on the lack of research into vaccines. No comment from Autism Speaks on lifespan issues, therapies or any other topic. Just vaccines.
The big question is whether Autism Speaks is just another Vaccines-Cause-Autism organization but hiding under a cloak of science. If so, they should let the donors know so they can take their money elsewhere.
Source: http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=2560
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Jean Barkley at 7:26am July 7
thats very interesting – and i had never even considered there could be a backlash against the autism community if there was significant increase in diseases like measles!!!!
Franklin Becker at 7:30am July 7
this is the best news yet! The vaccines definitely contributed to my son’s autism. we have before and after videos to prove it. Fact of the matter is, it is about time the direction changes and we prove once and for all, beyond a shadow of doubt, that vaccines are contributing to the rise in autism. Then and only then, big pharma will have to pay for all it has done to society.
Franklin Becker at 7:37am July 7
every Naar scientist should resign, then we can advance our work in the right direction. There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic! Enough with this. Get to the real source of things – big pharma!
Barbara Johnson at 7:38am July 7
Katie Wright wrote about Eric London’s resignation here:
http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/07/eric-london-resigns-from-autism-speaks.html#more
Nathalie Sytema at 7:41am July 7
Pretty shocking news. Too bad they were biased. If they allready were determined to have a specific outcome to all that research then all is for naught what they did. It is not a real scientific approach.And also gives a bad reputation. I have a very high suspicion my sons autism is genetic, and can be traced back at least two generations based on … Read More
Chantelle Jary at 7:47am July 7
Franklin isnt the resignation pro vaccine?? He’s saying that he does not want to be associated with an organisation that leads to lowering vaccinations…. I do not agree. I also have video proof like you of my son before and after vaccine but I think this resignation is NOT good news for you and me…… I also think Autism is very complex and vaccine injury is only one small part of the increased incidence. So much more to it…..
V Dawn Cullen Thiessen at 7:51am July 7
In our case itsw definantly genetic, my hubbys brother is aspergers, and my son is Autistic, the vaccines did not cause Andrews Autism ..
Tonya Trembly Karcher at 8:28am July 7
In our case, it is not genetic, it is not vaccines……I think it is something else environmental….. The reality is there are numerous causes.
Jean Barkley at 9:19am July 7
I think there are numerous causes too – my daughter was born with it – she was diff from birth – but i have also seen b4 and after vids of vaccinated kids , and i feel those parents know what hurt their child, same with enviromental reasons – now my baby is nearly due his mmr – what to do , what to do ?? ….
V Dawn Cullen Thiessen at 9:23am July 7
I worried with my second .. I decided a child with Autism is better than a chld who dies from a preventable disease.. .. that would end me if Will died because I didn;t vaccinate him.. or possibly killed a baby because they hadn;t been vaccinated yet or their mom was pregnant and my son infected them..
Robin Horne-Aceves at 10:34am July 7
If we are going to be used as an excuse for the lack of herd immunity it is because big pharma is pushing that agenda. When money or thought of money loss is involved there are always scare tactics pushed behind it and a group to blame it on. My son is a vaccine injured child who later developed autism but my daughter is vaccinated and she is fine… Read More
Sue Backer at 11:56am July 7
The more people who state “There is no cure for autism…so shut your yap about toxins and how your kid’s soul disappeared” leave Autsim Speaks gives me hope that someday, Autism Speaks will speak for me.
Donald Rilea at 12:36pm July 7
Know from nothing about Dr. London and barely anything about Autism Speaks, so I won’t comment on those.
As a high-functioning autie, I think I can safely state that am with those who attribute a variety of causes, including, in some cases, side effects of vaccine-related mercury poisoning. But, am sceptical that vaccines are the sole cause of … Read More
Donald Rilea at 12:42pm July 7
I can’t, won’t and don’t expect an apology from you for that remark. You owe me no personal apology. But, in future, I would suggest that you think long, hard, and many times over before making such remarks again. They reflect badly, not on their subjects, but on the person making them. Remarks like that do the person making them, and his or her cause, no service, and harm them all the more.
Sue Backer at 3:02pm July 7
@ Donald-I have thought long and hard. In my family’s journey, our son was born and loved interacting with his world, his eyes lit up as he crawled and toddled towards his mommy and a sparkly baby boy. Then, after repeated exposures to toxins in vaccines (yes, he had severe rashes, fevers, and gastric upsets after every one) He lost all expression, not only in his face, but in his body language and every aspect of his sociability. His eyes were dull and he show no recognition of who I was. For 2 years I was told there was no “cure”, for 2 years I was told that this was the best I could hope for. Then, I found people who were healing the medical issues their kids had…and I followed them. And I am “curing” what caused the autistic behaviors. My son no longer has the sensory issues that plagued him, he has become much more social than the “experts” who assesed him ever expected, and, yes, he is losing his “autism” because of what we are doing to reverse the damage toxins have done.
Sue Backer at 3:07pm July 7
I have never sat him down and drilled ,”You have autism, you have lost your soul, You are broken” or any such nonsense. What kind of monster would do that to their child?
We just heal him, teach him, love him, and thank God for him. But now that he is able to talk, he tells me what it used to feel like. He said about what he remembered, “My tummy was very owie. I hurt all the time and I was trapped. Trapped in a bubble and I couldn’t get out.” So, I asked him, “What about now?” “No more owie! No more bubble! I am in the world!”
Now THAT was totally unscripted, un-coached, and unrehearsed from a 7 year old boy.
And THAT’S where I’m coming from. I never meant for anyone to think that I think my son is a souless being. Every creation of God has a soul…but as my kid said, his autism trapped his in a bubble…and now he’s free.