Trevor Butterworth
On June 16, 2005, David Kirby posted the following comment on the Huffington Post about how a Pharma-Political Complex was trying to deride and suppress the theory that a mercury preservative in vaccines -thimerosol – was responsible for autism:
“…at the risk of metaphorical overdose, I offer up some friendly counsel to those who resist this entirely plausible theory: The cat is out of the bag. The train has left the station. Thimerosal can no longer be swept under the rug.
I wrote “Evidence of Harm” in order to spark national debate over this very serious question. But I cannot debate myself. Critics of the thimerosal theory (and my book) have issued disapproving statements, posted blistering blogs, and even dropped off anonymous, vitriolic flyers at my public appearances. But no one will debate me face to face, at least not so far.
Last month, at the Autism One conference in Chicago, I issued a challenge to the thimerosal naysayers. Borrowing from a certain leader of the Free World, I said, simply, “Bring it on.”
So here is the challenge, repeated again. Dr. Julie Gerberding (CDC Director), Dr. Steve Cochi (head of the CDC vaccine program), Dr. Marie McCormick (head of the IOM panel that dismissed the thimerosal theory), Dr. Paul Offit (a leading pediatrician who passionately derides the theory) or any other prominent person who insists that there is no evidence of harm from injecting organic mercury directly into the systems of infant children at levels far in excess of federal safety limits: Let’s talk. You pick the time, place and speakers. You can even set the ground rules. All I ask is that you come forth, and let’s get this over with.”
As the blog neurodiversity noted at the time, the challenge was a tad disingenuous.
Now, Kirby acknowledges the possibility that “thimerosal may well not be a factor in a single case of autism,” which is to say after the link has been repeatedly debunked in the intervening years by study after study. Yet, he still insists in his latest posting on the Huffington Post that the autism-vaccine debate is far from over. Surgeon-blogger Respectful Insolence deconstructs Kirby’s latest play to keep the debate going with new ground rules.
