Fears over vaccines link to autism reaches U.S. court

A hearing began Monday on whether vaccinations have caused autism in many children with its first test case in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, according to media reports.

More than 4,800 families filed against the government that routine childhood vaccines are linked to a rise in autism. Many of them contend that a preservative called thimerosal (thy-MEHR'-uh-sahl) is to blame for the impaired social interaction that is typical of autism.

Scientists weighed in heavily with strong evidence that there is no link between autism and vaccines containing thimerosal. But a very vocal group of people remains unconvinced.

Many parents say their children's symptoms did not show up until after their children received the vaccines, required by many states for admission to school.

The parents are seeking payment under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, a no-fault system that has a 2.5 billion U.S. dollars fund built up from a 75-cent-per-dose tax on vaccines.

"Monday will mark the first time ever that evidence of autistic harm from childhood vaccines is examined and cross-examined in a court of law," activist David Kirby, who wrote a book about the purported vaccine and autism link, said in a statement.

No judges but instead three "special masters" will hear the test cases. They are Denise Vowell, a former U.S. Army chief trial judge; Patricia Campbell-Smith, a former environmental lawyer and clerk at the Federal Claims Court; and George Hastings a former tax claims expert at the Department of Justice.

The preservative is no longer used in routine childhood vaccines but is still used in some flu shots.

source:news.xinhuanet.com