Experts who connect autism to mercury-based vaccines are struck by court

Many parents sincerely believe that their children suffer from autism as a result of mercury used as a preservative in childhood vaccines.  We have addressed that issue previously in this web log.  Their arguments have consistently been undercut, however, by major studies, involving hundreds of thousands of vaccinated children, that have not supported any causal relationship.  The Centers for Disease Control now concludes that "the weight of the evidence indicates that vaccines are not associated with autism."

These studies are starting to influence courts assessing expert testimony in cases involving claims against vaccine manufacturers.  This month, a Maryland Court struck all five of the experts who were willing to testify for the Blackwell family that their son suffered autism as a result of a thimerosal-containing vaccine.  Judges are increasingly willing to conclude that a proferred expert who still sees a causal connection is not applying reasonable, scientific analysis to the existing evidence.