Group looks for link between autism and jabs (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Group looks for link between autism and jabs

A CIRENCESTER parent whose daughter is autistic has joined a new national research group to find out if there is a link between the controversial MMR jab and the disorder.

Dave Launchbury, of Elphick Road, Stratton has become a trustee of the Cheltenham-based MMR Research Trust - the first of its kind in the country.

The trust is managed by parents who have autistic children or experience of autism.

It has been set up by Cheltenham parent Tony Bateson, whose daughter Ruth is profoundly autistic.

The group aims to find out if there is any connection between vaccines like the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and autism.

It is hoping to contact as many parents of children or adults with autism as possible to find out if unvaccinated children have become autistic.

Mr Bateson, who believes the DTP (dyptheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough)) vaccine contributed to his daughter's autism, said: "Our trust is the only one doing this work which we think is essential.

"We aim to contact as many families of autistic people as possible and determine what their early childhood history was and look at the statistics in relation to vaccination.

"We want to find out how many unvaccinated children have become autistic and if the prevalence is the same as vaccinated children.

"If the numbers were the same we could safely say the autism was nothing to do with the vaccination.

"The government does not collect this information but it is vital to help answer widespread concerns about the MMR vaccine."

Mr Launchbury is one of a number of parents who will be helping the trust.

He and his wife Julie are suing MMR manufacturer Aventispasteur MSD Ltd claiming the MMR vaccine caused their seven year old daughter Lucy's autism.

They say she was a healthy baby until she was given the jab at a doctors surgery in Cirencester when she was 15 months old.

Mr Launchbury said: "I firmly believe that there is a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

"There's no way a child can just become autistic or be born that way.

"Something else sparks it.

"The new trust will try and find out how many children were never vaccinated and how many have become autistic without having the vaccine."

Northleach parents Paul and Alison Krisson are taking action against SmithKline Beecham which manufactures the MMR vaccination Pluserix.

The couple's son Oliver was given the MMR jab when he was 13 months old.

He suffers from dyspraxia tendencies which affect his co-ordination, a condition similar to autism.

To contact the MMR Research Trust call freephone 0800 0630174 or visit the website at www.autismobserved.com.