By John Stone http://www.ageofautism.com
Eric Fombonne and Stephen Bustin were the star witnesses for the
defence in the Michelle Cedillo case, the first case to be heard in
the Omnibus autism proceedings in the US vaccine court. There is no
doubt that the case hinged on the success of the evidence the two
men gave. In a series of three articles just published on
Vaccination News, paediatrician and veteran court expert F Edward
Yazbak subjects their testimony to scrutiny and raises important
questions. How well qualified was Fombonne to give evidence in
reality? Yazbak shows that while the court deferred to Fombonne’s
apparent seniority over an appellant witness this was not justified
by his CV and aspects of his evidence regarding his expertise and
qualifications were vague and misleading.
Serious questions also arise over the evidence of Stephen Bustin.
How, and why was he allowed give it, at the last moment and without
giving the appellant’s lawyers time to prepare? Did he not actually
endorse the validity of key results from the O’Leary laboratory
while trying to discredit them?
Double Standards by F.
Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP (Part 1 of 3) Read full article
HERE.
Double Standards
The long awaited decision in the Cedillo MMR/Thimerosal/Autism
case [Theresa Cedillo and Michael Cedillo, as parents and natural
guardians of Michelle Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human
Services - No. 98-916V] was filed by Special Master George L.
Hastings Jr. on February 12, 2009.
It immediately became the ultimate proof that the MMR vaccine and Thimerosal do not cause autism.
I chose not to publicly comment on the case until the plaintiffs’ appeal was decided. Needless to say, I was like many others, most saddened and disappointed to learn recently that the original decision was affirmed. This was even more painful for me because it coincided with the good news from the U.K. about the Fletchers’ case...
Busting Rules: How a questionable testimony affected so many cases
The Cedillo case was one of three test cases involving the vaccine-autism connection.
The verdict in Cedillo v Secretary of HHS was interpreted as absolute proof that vaccines never triggered autistic regression in children.
The fact that the petitioners did not prevail does not mean that Michelle Cedillo was not vaccine-injured. It only means that the Special Masters did not think that the evidence presented by them was as convincing as that presented by the DOJ.
The Special Masters’ conclusion, that the DOJ evidence was more convincing, stands however on shaky ground. It should become clear that the testimony by Stephen Bustin PhD, which seriously affected the decision, should have never been considered because it included extremely complicated yet unsupported scientific evidence that had not been made available to the petitioners as expected...
Translation in the Court by F. Edward Yazbak, MD, FAAP (Part 3 of 3) Read full article HERE.
Translation in the Court
As discussed earlier, Eric Fombonne MD and Stephen A. Bustin PhD
were effective expert witnesses for the respondent in the Cedillo
case [Theresa Cedillo and Michael Cedillo, as parents and natural
guardians of Michelle Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human
Services - No. 98-916V].
While Dr. Bustin criticized the laboratory testing and results,
Dr. Fombonne directly influenced the plaintiff’s case by discussing
the vaccine-injured girl herself.
He may have been the respondent’s MVP.
Dr. Fombonne first testified in Washington DC on June 18, 2007
(Day 6).
These three articles leave a profound sense that justice has not
been done.
John Stone is UK Editor for Age of Autism.
Posted by: Jen | November 09, 2010 at 10:01 AM
Posted by: Evelyn Pringle | November 08, 2010 at 08:22 PM
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 04:33 PM
"SISTER MARY PILAR VERZOSA: I first got suspicious of the vaccination programme by the way it was being carried out. The government would announce one or two days a year which they called national immunisation days. They made announcements that only women of reproductive age, that is from 14 to 45-year-old, should come to the health centres for their tetanus immunisation shots.
NARRATOR: Records show two-thirds of tetanus deaths in the Philippines are amongst men, so why would they target the women? She was even more suspicious when she discovered the jabs were to be given five times in three years, when usually a tetanus is given much less frequently.
....
NARRATOR: There are several research programmes around the world testing the contraceptive vaccine linked to tetanus which creates an immune response. The vaccine contains Beta HCG, part of a hormone necessary for pregnancy. This Beta HCG stimulates antibodies so that if a woman's egg becomes fertilised her own natural HCG will be destroyed and pregnancy will not occur.
MARY PILAR VERZOSA: I began to suspect that here in the Philippines that's exactly what's happening. They have laced the tetanus toxoid vials with the Beta HCG. The only way I could make sure that they hadn't done that was to examine the vials, and how to get a hold of those vials was going to be a problem. Who was I to collect them from the health centres?
NARRATOR: Sister Mary was helped through the Catholic network. A friend who worked in a health clinic removed the vials unnoticed. The nuns packed them with ice and sent them to an independent laboratory.
MARY PILAR VERZOSA: Oh boy that was really something when this came out of my fax machine. Report on HCG concentration in vaccine vials. Three out of those four vials registered positive for HCG, so my suspicions are affirmed that here in our country they are not only giving plain tetanus toxoid vaccination to our women, they are also giving anti-fertility."
http://www.oldthinkernews.com/Articles/oldthinker%20news/The%20Human%20Laboratory.htm
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 03:58 PM
Posted by: Birgit Calhoun | November 08, 2010 at 03:53 PM
Posted by: polliwog | November 08, 2010 at 02:45 PM
Posted by: patrons99 | November 08, 2010 at 02:18 PM
Posted by: CT teacher | November 08, 2010 at 02:09 PM
Ayoub's name was new to me, or at least I don't remember hearing of him before. I looked for him on youtube and found a 10-part video of a talk he gave in 2005.
Here's part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7_xfUV4kSo
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 01:38 PM
McGill seems to be a hotbed of shit. Dr. Joe Schwartz and Fombonne are both very involved in pro-vaccine activities. recently, McGill held their 6th Lorne Trottier Symposium on "Confronting Pseudoscience." In their little intro to the symposium they say that the difference between science and pseudoscience is "critical thinking and peer reviewed research." What a fucking joke. ( in light of Fombonne's data sleight of hand and the ped journals unwillingness to re-consider the results). this a shame on this Canadian university. Oh yeah, and guess who was one of the guest speakers at the symposium- science blogger Orac.
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 11:27 AM
I don't have alot of time to look up things like I used to, with kicking off my Pre-Employment Series and work for my two AS groups and all.
I deeply appreciate it!! And the links!!
Posted by: Theodora Trudorn | November 08, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Posted by: Jen | November 08, 2010 at 11:00 AM
New findings presented yesterday [March 6, 2007] at a National Autism Association meeting bolster claims that vaccines may play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorders. David Ayoub, MD presented data suggesting a correlation between mercury-containing vaccines and rates of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a form of autism, in Montreal. The peak rate of one in 87 children diagnosed with PDD occurred following the period of greatest exposure to the mercury- based vaccine preservative thimerosal. A flattening of the rates studied is now emerging as mercury-containing vaccines have been gradually eliminated from the routine schedule.
This new data points out flaws in a 2006 study published in the journal Pediatrics by Eric Fombonne, MD, et al, which found PDD rates continued to increase even when rates of MMR vaccination and use of mercury-containing vaccines decreased. The study population consisted of a single Montreal school board that was an Autism Center of Excellence, suggesting an over- ascertainment of regional diagnoses. Dr. Ayoub and co-authors Monica Ruscitti, BA, and F. Edward Yazbak, MD broadened the data to include all five Montreal school boards.
The earlier study also reported PDD rates in children from Montreal, but MMR coverage data was taken from Quebec City located 265km from Montreal. The researchers confirmed MMR coverage rates actually increased in Montreal along with PDD, noting a sharper rise in rates after the number of required MMR shots doubled.
The Pediatrics paper claimed there was no exposure to mercury from vaccines post-1996 although several mercury-containing vaccines were administered well beyond 1996. "It's irresponsible that such flawed data was published in a medical journal. This new information confirms a relationship between vaccines and autism that can't be explained by better diagnosing or changing diagnostic criteria," said Karen McDonough, NAA -- Chicago president.
Drs. Ayoub and Yazbak detailed the Fombonne study flaws in letters to Pediatrics which the journal declined to publish. Editor Jerold F. Lucey, MD stated in a reply, "I believe the evidence of no link between MMR and Autism is sufficient. It's not worth publishing more on this subject."
"This dismissal of legitimate concerns regarding data affecting those suffering with autism is a disgrace," commented Ms. McDonough.
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 10:28 AM
"I have to ask: We do know that Fombonne actually graduated from medical school, don't we?"
Yes, we do actually know that.
Posted by: John Stone | November 08, 2010 at 10:26 AM
Posted by: Erik Nanstiel | November 08, 2010 at 09:57 AM
Am I mean for saying so? Or is it the morning grouchiness?
It just seems like everyone was being played. I would definately file for re-trial on those grounds.
Posted by: Theodora Trudorn | November 08, 2010 at 09:34 AM
Posted by: Carol | November 08, 2010 at 09:34 AM
And as a side business Fombonne regularly testifies against children in vaccine court.
Fombonne is also under investigation at MacGill University for ethics violations- big surprise.
It seems like vaccine court unquestioningly accepts the testimony of "scientist" with a heartbeat as long as they are not working for families.
Posted by: Katie Wright | November 08, 2010 at 08:07 AM
Angus