J
John
Guest
Does this troubled teenager prove there IS a link between MMR injections and autism?
Daily Mail Dec 20, 2002
A BOY who changed from being bright and chatty to mute and disturbed after having the MMR vaccine as
a toddler could be the 'missing link' which proves the combined jab causes autism.
Tests on James Sinclair, now 13, have found the measles virus - which is known to cause brain damage
- in the fluid surrounding his brain and inside his spine.
His mother Anna says she watched helplessly as his personality changed after being given the
combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
The discovery of the measles virus inside his cerebro-spinal fluid is the most compelling evidence
yet to support the theory that the MMR jab could lead to autism.
Experts believe the virus from the injection travelled from his blood
- where it is supposed to stay in order to produce immunity - into his spinal fluid, where it
attacked his brain.
Two leading neurologists who have studied James's case believe MMR is responsible for causing brain
damage which sparked his autism.
Fears of a link have led to record numbers of parents shunning the MMR jab, resulting in warnings
that Britan is facing a growing threat of measles outbreaks.
But further scientific tests which could definitively prove a causal link have stalled because the
Government is refusing to fund a legal challenge against the manufacturers of the vaccine.
The teenager is among those suing vaccine manufacturers for compensation in a landmark legal battle,
which is currently on hold after legal aid was withdrawn.
Solicitors representing James and six other 'lead' cases will launch
another court fight to try to reinstate legal aid in the New Year.
Yesterday, his mother Anna Sinclair, of Evesham, Worcestershire, said: 'My son's body is suffused
with the measles virus. It is in his brain. What is it doing there?
'He has never had measles - only the MMR jab. There is no other logical explanation for the presence
of this virus in his spinal fluid other than the MMR jab.'
Other tests have also shown that the measles virus is in James's blood and inside bowel tissue.
MRS Sinclair, 39, a marketing officer whose marriage collapsed under the strain of caring for
James, added: 'I feel very strongly it needs to be investigated further. I want to know exactly what
is wrong with my son in the hope that there may be something that can be done to make him better.
'He is a lovely boy, but from the moment he had the vaccine he changed forever.'
James is diagnosed as having 'atypical' autism, in that he can maintain eye contact and show
affection. But he is only able to make basic noises to display his emotions and displays erratic
behaviour such as refusing to wear clothes and ripping up belongings.
Paediatric neurologist Dr Marcel Kinsbourne, a professor of cognitive studies at Tufts University
in Massachusetts and the New School University, New York, is planning to give evidence supporting
the claim that MMR caused James's autism.
He is backed by another eminent neurologist, Professor John Menkes, emeritus professor of neurology
and paediatrics at the University of California in Los Angeles.
Yesterday, solicitor Richard Barr, of law firm Alexander Harris, which is representing the families
in their compensation bid, said: 'I have talked to leading virologists and they say you should never
find measles virus in the brain and it is a clear indication that it has caused damage. 'It is the
equivalent of finding the smoking gun and the bullet.' Brain damage is already known to be a risk of
suffering measles infection.
At the age of 15 months, just before he was given a first dose of MMR, James was able to talk in
short sentences and enjoyed singing nursery rhymes.
After the first injection in 1992, he became withdrawn, lethargic and stopped speaking.
Mrs Sinclair, who has two other children Jack, 14, and Rory, eight, said: 'He had a temperature and
became very withdrawn. He would also take my hand and press it to his head. It was as if he was
trying to tell me he had a terrible headache.'
James was mistakenly given a second dose of MMR vaccine, just over a year later, instead of the Hib
vaccine against a pneumococcal infection.
'That seemed to compound things,' said Mrs Sinclair. 'He was struggling to find words, he would
scream for hours on end.'
A sample of spinal fluid was taken from James and six other children involved in the MMR court case
in a hospital in Detroit last year.
No NHS or private hospital in the UK would carry out the tests.
PROFESSOR John O'Leary, of Trinity College in Dublin, then carried out screening at his private firm
Unigenetics and found the measles virus in three samples of spinal fluid. Crucially, one of these
contained an MMR strain of measles.
In the case of James and another child, doctors were unable to identify the strain of the virus.
Further tests are needed.
However, control studies on spinal fluid samples from 19 children with leukaemia found only one
case with measles virus in spinal fluid. Children with leukaemia may be more susceptible to viruses
due to their illness.
Three drug firms - Glaxo-SmithKline, Merck and Co and Aventis Pasteur MSD - are being sued over
the MMR jab.
The case is seen as a crucial test of whether MMR is safe.'
The Legal Services Commission, which provides legal aid, decided to withdraw funding in September.
Some £15million had already been spent pursuing the case. A further £l0million was thought to be
needed to bring the case to court.
A spokesman said: 'This was the first case in which research had been funded by legal aid.
'In retrospect it was not effective or appropriate for the LSC to fund research. The courts are not
the place to prove medical truths.'
The Department of Health said it could not comment on any research which had discovered measles
virus in spinal fluid until it had been independently reviewed.
A spokesman said: 'We want to see parents given the facts - that there is no credible scientific
evidence showing an association between MMR and autism.
'It remains the best form of protection for your child.'
[email protected]
Daily Mail Dec 20, 2002
A BOY who changed from being bright and chatty to mute and disturbed after having the MMR vaccine as
a toddler could be the 'missing link' which proves the combined jab causes autism.
Tests on James Sinclair, now 13, have found the measles virus - which is known to cause brain damage
- in the fluid surrounding his brain and inside his spine.
His mother Anna says she watched helplessly as his personality changed after being given the
combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
The discovery of the measles virus inside his cerebro-spinal fluid is the most compelling evidence
yet to support the theory that the MMR jab could lead to autism.
Experts believe the virus from the injection travelled from his blood
- where it is supposed to stay in order to produce immunity - into his spinal fluid, where it
attacked his brain.
Two leading neurologists who have studied James's case believe MMR is responsible for causing brain
damage which sparked his autism.
Fears of a link have led to record numbers of parents shunning the MMR jab, resulting in warnings
that Britan is facing a growing threat of measles outbreaks.
But further scientific tests which could definitively prove a causal link have stalled because the
Government is refusing to fund a legal challenge against the manufacturers of the vaccine.
The teenager is among those suing vaccine manufacturers for compensation in a landmark legal battle,
which is currently on hold after legal aid was withdrawn.
Solicitors representing James and six other 'lead' cases will launch
another court fight to try to reinstate legal aid in the New Year.
Yesterday, his mother Anna Sinclair, of Evesham, Worcestershire, said: 'My son's body is suffused
with the measles virus. It is in his brain. What is it doing there?
'He has never had measles - only the MMR jab. There is no other logical explanation for the presence
of this virus in his spinal fluid other than the MMR jab.'
Other tests have also shown that the measles virus is in James's blood and inside bowel tissue.
MRS Sinclair, 39, a marketing officer whose marriage collapsed under the strain of caring for
James, added: 'I feel very strongly it needs to be investigated further. I want to know exactly what
is wrong with my son in the hope that there may be something that can be done to make him better.
'He is a lovely boy, but from the moment he had the vaccine he changed forever.'
James is diagnosed as having 'atypical' autism, in that he can maintain eye contact and show
affection. But he is only able to make basic noises to display his emotions and displays erratic
behaviour such as refusing to wear clothes and ripping up belongings.
Paediatric neurologist Dr Marcel Kinsbourne, a professor of cognitive studies at Tufts University
in Massachusetts and the New School University, New York, is planning to give evidence supporting
the claim that MMR caused James's autism.
He is backed by another eminent neurologist, Professor John Menkes, emeritus professor of neurology
and paediatrics at the University of California in Los Angeles.
Yesterday, solicitor Richard Barr, of law firm Alexander Harris, which is representing the families
in their compensation bid, said: 'I have talked to leading virologists and they say you should never
find measles virus in the brain and it is a clear indication that it has caused damage. 'It is the
equivalent of finding the smoking gun and the bullet.' Brain damage is already known to be a risk of
suffering measles infection.
At the age of 15 months, just before he was given a first dose of MMR, James was able to talk in
short sentences and enjoyed singing nursery rhymes.
After the first injection in 1992, he became withdrawn, lethargic and stopped speaking.
Mrs Sinclair, who has two other children Jack, 14, and Rory, eight, said: 'He had a temperature and
became very withdrawn. He would also take my hand and press it to his head. It was as if he was
trying to tell me he had a terrible headache.'
James was mistakenly given a second dose of MMR vaccine, just over a year later, instead of the Hib
vaccine against a pneumococcal infection.
'That seemed to compound things,' said Mrs Sinclair. 'He was struggling to find words, he would
scream for hours on end.'
A sample of spinal fluid was taken from James and six other children involved in the MMR court case
in a hospital in Detroit last year.
No NHS or private hospital in the UK would carry out the tests.
PROFESSOR John O'Leary, of Trinity College in Dublin, then carried out screening at his private firm
Unigenetics and found the measles virus in three samples of spinal fluid. Crucially, one of these
contained an MMR strain of measles.
In the case of James and another child, doctors were unable to identify the strain of the virus.
Further tests are needed.
However, control studies on spinal fluid samples from 19 children with leukaemia found only one
case with measles virus in spinal fluid. Children with leukaemia may be more susceptible to viruses
due to their illness.
Three drug firms - Glaxo-SmithKline, Merck and Co and Aventis Pasteur MSD - are being sued over
the MMR jab.
The case is seen as a crucial test of whether MMR is safe.'
The Legal Services Commission, which provides legal aid, decided to withdraw funding in September.
Some £15million had already been spent pursuing the case. A further £l0million was thought to be
needed to bring the case to court.
A spokesman said: 'This was the first case in which research had been funded by legal aid.
'In retrospect it was not effective or appropriate for the LSC to fund research. The courts are not
the place to prove medical truths.'
The Department of Health said it could not comment on any research which had discovered measles
virus in spinal fluid until it had been independently reviewed.
A spokesman said: 'We want to see parents given the facts - that there is no credible scientific
evidence showing an association between MMR and autism.
'It remains the best form of protection for your child.'
[email protected]