The Maverick Conservative

A new study has been released showing that a gene is most likely linked to autism, and opening up new research targets for understanding the disease (research driven by SCIENCE instead of the politically motivated "research" trying to find SOME ingredient in childhood shots to blame for "increased" autism).

Again, a FAD SCARE STORY (essentially a political movement, instead of science--like "global warming")  has been debunked.

There is NO EVIDENCE that an ingredient in vaccines causes autism.

There is NO REAL EVIDENCE of any INCREASE in autism (the definintion--as stated in the story--has been BROADENED, and more attention means the disease is diagnosed more). 

This study shows that it is likely a GENETICALLY based abnormality.  Somehow, we have to stop turning science into political movements (and stop political movements affecting science, which at least seems to have been avoided with autism).

Importred comment from AOL, and my response:

"1 out of 150 births is hardly a comeback. It is a statistical improbablity that any genetic disease is going to have a 1 in 150 chance of a "mutation". Go back and review your adenines, cytosines, guanines, and thymines, and let me know the probability of having a mutation arise that often. It is highly improbable."

Absolutely FALSE. Objectively FALSE. Genetic diseases which are INHERITED do NOT represent a SEPARATE mutation every time. Sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and any number of other problems are INHERITED genetic problems (not appearing in everyone that carries the genetic defect).

Especially when you BROADEN the definiion of the problem, it is, in fact, NOT that unusual for a gentically linked disease to show up with this frequency.

Still another AOL comment, and my response:

"There is a huge increase in autism. It is estimated that 1 in 150 kids will have autism. I teach a lower elementary class and the majority of my students have autism."

These comments get STRANGER with each one.  Does this person expect us to believe that a MAJORITY of a NORMAL elementary school class have autism?   I do NOT believe it (if it is not a "special education class", then I think researchers SHOULD be investigating here--probably to see if the SCHOOL is overdiagnosing the problem).

Read the story.  It is NOT clear that autism is increasing AT ALL.  The DIAGNOSIS has increased, but they are using a BROADER definition of the disease (not to mention that more attention causes a disease to be diagnosed more often--correctly and incorrectly).

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