There is no link between childhood vaccination and autism, according to a major report by the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM).
A 600-page report, “Adverse Effects of Vaccines: Evidence and Causality,” released Thursday by the IOM, analyzed more than 1,000 research articles and concluded that few health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines. The review did find evidence of 14 health outcomes, including seizures, brain inflammation, and fainting, that can be caused by certain vaccines but occur rarely. However, the evidence shows no link between immunization and autism.
Despite clear statements from APA and the AMA that there is no evidence linking vaccination and autism, some parents have boycotted vaccinations for their children, sometimes resulting in outbreaks of infectious disease. Read much more about the issue in Psychiatric News at http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/44/14/4.1.full, http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/5/2.1.full, and http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/45/19/18.2.full.
Also, the “Concise Guide to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Fourth Edition,” published this year by American Psychiatric Publishing, includes the latest clinical information about autism. For purchasing information see http://www.appi.org/.
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