Family Wins Fight Linking MMR Vaccine To Epilepsy
22 CommentsBy Ed Silverman // September 3rd, 2010 // 8:38 am
In what is being described as the first judgment of its kind in the UK, a family was awarded nearly $140,000 after a medical assessment panel consisting of two doctors and an attorney concluded that the MMR vaccine was to blame for the brain damage suffered by Robert Fletcher. He was vaccinated at 13 months and is now 18 years old, confined to a wheelchair and requires round-the-clock care.
His parents applied for compensation under the UK government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, but were rejected in 1997 on the grounds that it was impossible to prove beyond reasonable doubt what had caused their son’s illness, The Daily Mail reports. But she won on appeal, although she says the money isn’t the issue: “‘What matters is the recognition that (the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) was the reason this happened.”
In a six-page judgment, the panel wrote: “Robert was a more or less fit boy who, within the period usually considered relevant to immunization, developed a severe convulsion…and he then went on to be epileptic and severely retarded. The seizure occurred ten days after the vaccination. In our view, this cannot be put down to coincidence. It is this temporal association that provides the link. It is this that has shown on the balance of probabilities that the vaccination triggered the epilepsy. On this basis, we find that Robert is severely disabled as a result of vaccination and this is why we allowed the appeal.”
The case does not involve autism which, of course, is a hugely controversial issue. Nonetheless, the decision is likely to further fuel the debate over childhood vaccines and links to various disorders. Polly Tommey, who edits the magazine The Autism File and believes her son Billy is autistic because of MMR, tells the paper that “This is fantastic news. Now doctors can’t tell me that the MMR is safe.”
Nadine Dorries, a member of the Commons Health Committee in the UK Parliament, adds that, “if an independent panel has reached the conclusion that there has been a link between the MMR vaccine and the brain damage suffered by this boy in this case, then it is fair to assume that there could be as many as thousands of children and parents in the same position.”
As an aside, last month, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit recently upheld lower court decisions that rejected a connection between childhood vaccines and autism that was made in a lawsuit, which was the first in a series of several test cases heard by special masters for the US Court of Federal Claims.
David
Association between seizures, “epileptic encephalopathy” and vaccines is even weaker than the alleged association with autism. See Berkovic et al, 2006 Lancet Neurology - in 11 of 14 cases of alleged vaccine-induced seizures and brain damage, mutation in SCN1a (sodium channel gene, some mutations known to cause epilepsy). The vaccine apparently triggers a febrile reaction, which lowers the seizure threshold and produces the first seizure in a child who would have eventually had the problem anyways. The UK ruling was a travesty of bad scientific reasoning. They saw temporal association in a single case and confused that with proof of causation. Idiotic.
(no conflict of interest)
AnneS
But she won on appeal, although she says the money isn’t the issue: “‘What matters is the recognition that (the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine) was the reason this happened.”
Soon things will change here in the US too, when more concrete biological studies (not epidemiology) show the relationship with vaccines and autism. It just takes time. Took 30 years to prove cigarettes cause cancer.
We already know that vaccines cause damage - one simply has to look at the VAERS database online to see that.
Tony
I have to agree with David that this is an example of poor scientific reasoning. Unfortunately, those that are opposed to the MMR vaccine (or any vaccinations)that also suffer from poor scientific reasoning will grasp this ruling as “proof positive” that vaccines are not safe. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this travesty of poor scientific reasoning will make more difficult the prevention of serious illness through the most effective means possible - vaccination. As Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic states, “…vaccines are the only scientific technology that we apply, or attempt to apply, to every single human being on the Earth. There is nothing else like that in medicine.” To allow poor scientific reasoning to inhibit the prevention of serious disease through vaccination is the travesty.
TonyB
There is NO relationship between vaccines and autism. Anyone that believes that is clearly suffering from the misguided delusions of the scientifically illiterate. Therefore, AnneS - I strongly disagree with you based upon the overwhelming scientific evidence against your argument. Tony - nice quote.
ethan hunt
it is impossible to demonstrate or deny that there is a relationship between vaccines and autoimmune pathology. just as we cannot say that there is a relationship, we cannot say that there is none. there are many types of vaccines, with different compositions, and different manufacturing processes; meanwhile it is beginning to emerge that even umbrella diagnoses such as autism may really be represent a cluster of sub-conditions which we have piled together due to our current stage of medical understanding. as an analogy, we cannot really say that pain medication cause cardiovascular morbidity, but if only if you understand and dissect the groups of drugs and side effects, then you come to the evidence that vioxx (one kind of painmed) leads cardiac damage. a similar story will eventually unfold regarding vaccines and autoimmune pathology.
JaT
Surprisingly enough, I’m not going to buy this finding hook line and sinker without more information (I do try to be fair). Problem is, the information isn’t coming, or at least hasn’t yet. Maybe it will have to now.
It isn’t coming for epilepsy because science seems to have thrown it’s hands up in the air on that altogether.
It hasn’t come for vaccine safety - maybe because to prove (or state) the potentials are detrimental to the program?
The finding does make an argument against vaccine safety even by David’s explanation. I don’t believe people are made aware of the febrile reaction he spoke of. They are simply getting their children vaccinated because they are told to.
____________
I hate to pose something that seems simplistic on a forum of scientists. Wouldn’t be my first stupid question though. Not sure why I was thinking SCN1a dealt mostly with myoclonic epilepsy (a very different animal as symptoms go), but either way…
As sodium channels go, where epilepsy is concerned, if any amount of epidemiology is there, why are so many epilepsies still considered idiopathic?
Maybe the sodium channel mutations are what is idiopathic.
Semantics?
Are these the same sodium channel mutations that lead to certain heart problems?
The reason I ask is because so many people have long considered epileptics mentally ill, scary, and dangerous. At the very least people fear what they do not understand. So why not make them understand?
Also, as supposedly genetic conditions go, I am not the only person I know who’s idiopathic epilepsy doesn’t appear to be genetic. Though, no one has tested the theory through lab work. Is it an assumption?
JaT
Correction:
Though, no one has tested the theory through lab work in myself or anyone I know, and our family members.
Louis
The evidence continues to show that there is a definate genetic component in autism and I wonder if it was the same for this person case of idiopathic epilepsy as well. May not be evident now but as research continues time will tell either way.
People are quick to blame (and sue) without trying to find out why because it’s the easiest path and don’t want to take the responsiblity or accept that it’s something that is already a part of the dna of the child.
pharmavet
To me this seems like a straightforward case of unresolved severe febrile seizures leading to brain damage and retardation following MMR immunization. This is a stated complication in the package insert for MMR, and the time course is consistent with the labeling. This is a straightforward case of a viral-induced encephalopathy/encephalitis. Not being a lawyer I’d like to know why there would be liability involved for a known, pathologically proven complication which is clearly stated, incidence rate included, in the package insert.
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm070425.htm
JaT
“The evidence continues to show that there is a definate genetic component in autism”
Really? Definite?
I wonder, as generation after generation is vaccinated how you might differentiate between like reactions and genetics?
He might have been predisposed to epilepsy but might not have had a seizure severe enough to cause brain damage.
Nice we are mandating things which can cause encephalitis. Makes perfect sense. But hey, as long as you First Do No Harm and as long as it’s on a label…
Whatever gets you through the night.
AnneS
Sorry Louis, you’re wrong, even the recent Congress hearing was pointing to ENVIRONMENT not genetics.
http://www.huliq.com/10178/congress-affirms-autisms-environmental-causes
MArk Farmer
Not just this vaccine ..
BUCAPOPS
OK. No more vaccinations, getting into airplanes or driving of cars and please do not drink the milk - it could be from a BST-treated cow! Dr. Jenner must be spinning in his grave.
Erwin Alber
Vaccination is an organised criminal enterprise dressed up as disease prevention. Nigerian fraudsters and tobacco industry captains are more ethical than the crooks who run this appalling racket.
The tobacco companies had their day in court and the vaccine industry will have theirs in due course. These gangsters have ripped off the public to the tune of billions of dollars by selling useless and dangerous Tamiflu and swine flu vaccines to complicit governments under the direction of the so-called World Health Organisation who graciously changed the definition of the word ‘pandemic’ in order for this swindle to go ahead.
I can’t wait for these psychopaths to be put in jail where they belong and for vaccination to be declared a criminal assault on children.
pharmavet
Thanks, Erwin. Did these folks also kill JFK?
bucapops
Thanks pharmavet. May mankind never need medications and so be protected from these gangsters, psychopaths, the WHO and paid-off governments
Seriously, “To assure drug safety to all is to deny drug therapy to any”.
JS
@Pharmavet: “Not being a lawyer I’d like to know why there would be liability involved for a known, pathologically proven complication which is clearly stated, incidence rate included, in the package insert.”
There are liability rules in the U.S. and U.K. specific to vaccines - essentially, there’s no manufacturer liability outside of injury resulting from criminal acts. Special government funds are used to pay compensation to victims of vaccine injury, whether or not the risks are known beforehand. In the U.S. we have the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, and the U.K. has the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, under which the present case was heard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_injury
Evelyn Pringle
Right on Erwin. Think tobacco, asbestos, lead, etc., etc.
pharmavet
Pardon me while I straighten my tin foil hat.
elaine
AAPediatrics advertise$ a vaccination on the home page of their September meeting web announcement.
http://www.aapconvergence.com/Assets/AAP/email/AAP_Sept_2010_web.html
beinformed
The official statement by the defense in the Hannah Ploing case stated “Vaccines Don’t CAUSE Autism, They Just RESULT in Autism” and do you know what people?
sex doesnt cause pregnancy it just results in it!!!!
This is all about a play of words okay?
Anyone who claims that there is not link to autism and mmr or that all vaccines are safe clearly has not done any sort of proper research. It is NOT conclusive that MMR does not cause autism. Why is it that people tend to only look at the final “results” of a study and not HOW the study was actually done? You will find MANY pro vaccine studies are FUNDED by the pharma companies and that figures/data can be easily manipulated to give a misleading result. Check out the Hannah Poling case! This is the most recent evidence that there IS indeed a link there. To find out about Hannahs case go to youtube and seach: Proof of Vaccine Autism Link - Fox News
Info for you to start with. Being afraid of the truth and facts isn’t going to change them or make them go away people. The relationship between pharma companies and the regulating authorities has a clear conflict of interest. This is not a theory. This is fact that can be proven simplyby searching out the varifiable facts. Pharma companies are in the business in STAYING in business. If they made a magic “cure” for everything they wouldn’t have business. Please seek out your own information, check your sources and weigh out the FACTS before you start spouting your mouth about something you don’t know about.
“It is amazing how this doctor ignores the fact the symptoms for mercury poisoning are identical to the symptoms of autism. He also ignores the fact that groups like the Amish who don’t vaccinate their kids, their children don’t have autism…. Finally, I really wish this doctor would actually pick up a medical journal and read up on measles. Measles declined over 90% before the MMR vaccine came on the market. Also for the average child in average health, measles is an extremely minor condition and the small percentage of children who get it, fully recover in about a week.The majority of doctors are willing participants in the experimenting and poisoning of millions of people including babies. See the book: Medical Apartheid for example. Does anyone really believe that the doctor in this clip does not know of the the massive hard evidence that the mercury placed in vaccines causes autism? A high school student could uncover this information by just spending a few hours on Google, Youtube and at the library. Once we accept that this doctor and others like him know full well that the vaccines cause autism, then the real horror of what he and others like him are doing becomes clear!” (Curtis Cost 2010) “
john
scientific evidence is based on research. research is based on the INTERPRETATION of study data. funding is necesssary for the research study and resulting data. he who pays for the funding of research has a say in how the study data is interpreted, which results in the scientific evidence.