Investigations: Vaccine-Autism Debunker Disappears Amid Fraud Probe

A leading scientist involved in debunking links between mercury-laced vaccines and autism has disappeared in the midst of an investigation of whether he forged documents to steal $2 million, the Huffington Post and other media report here and here.

Dr. Poul Thorsen's work was used by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and reporters to say that mercury in vaccines is safe for children. Thorsen relied on data from Denmark that showed reported autism rates shot up after mercury was banned in vaccines, according to the reports. Thorsen's conclusions have been widely disputed because Denmark had at the same time improved reporting of autism, and an autism clinic had opened in Copenhagen.

Mercury was phased out of many vaccines after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found in 1999 that many children were receiving excessive doses of mercury. But it is still present as a preservative in many flu vaccines given to children. A 2008 study in the journal Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry found that boys who were given a vaccine with thimerosal, a form of mercury, were nine times more likely to have developmental problems than unvaccinated boys.

TAGS: vaccines, health

Interesting: Reports on Sat Surveillance, Afghan Casualties

Interesting new reports from the U.S. Congressional Research Service. The first is on civil-rights issues related to the possible expansion of satellite surveillance within the U.S. This report, made available at the site of the Federation of American Scientists, covers existing practices, restrictions, legal issues and proposals to expanding surveillance. The second report is a detailed analysis of Afghan military and civilian casualties.

TAGS: intelligence, Afghanistan

Interesting: Exploiting Disaster in Haiti

As legions of aid workers, security personnel and diplomats descended on Haiti in the wake of its earthquake disaster, how much of the millions in help actually made its way to Haitians? Montreal nurse Scott Weinstein, who quickly headed down to help survivors, reports in this interesting first-person account in Montreal Serai magazine that the foreign interests have mostly worked to further their own interests. Meanwhile, ordinary Haitians have little say in the rebuilding.

But unless they have a seat at the table, Weinstein writes, "so-called aid becomes another weapon to exploit these good people who liberated themselves from slavery and are still paying the price."

TAGS: corruption, development