CHE Penn Statement on Andrew Wakefield's presentation:

(download pdf version)

On Thursday, November 17, 2005, Andrew Wakefield, presented his research on the possible connections between the MMR vaccine and autism at Mellon Institute of Carnegie Mellon University under the sponsorship of the Institute for Green Chemistry and co-sponsored by CHE-Penn.

So many parents are struggling with the autism epidemic trying to figure out what happened to their children, why there is an increase in this disorder; what are the possible causes. What can they do to protect their children from harm?

CHE-Penn is a collaborative effort focused on looking at the environmental links to disease. There have been increases not only in autism over the past 50 years, but also in breast cancer, children’s cancer, prostate cancer, asthma and a wide range of learning and other developmental disabilities. Autism is an important issue in this context because increases in autism have tracked with the increases in so many devastating diseases with possible environmental connections.

Through quality science, CHE-Penn is focused on elevating public and professional dialog around the role of contaminants in human and ecological health. While tonight’s science is controversial, as new research often is, The Collaborative on Health and the Environment in Pennsylvania signed on as co-sponsor of this event in the spirit of academic freedom to explore the potential contributing factors to autism, so we can learn more about this mysterious condition.

For the past months we have encouraged our partners, as noted in our newsletters, “to join us to learn more about this controversial and provocative study.” We have not endorsed his work, but encourage every single one of us to be better informed, for ourselves, for our children and grandchildren.

Another issue that CHE-Penn is collectively addressing is the link between mercury and the growth of developmental disabilities. Our partners include the Healthy Children Project of the Learning Disabilities Association that is educating parents on the possible links between a wide range of environmental toxicants and learning disabilities. Our partners PennFuture and Clean Water Action are active in a statewide initiative to lower our exposure to mercury from coal-fired power plants mercury that ultimately deposits in the waters and accumulates in the fish that we eat. There are representatives from some of our partner organizations here tonight and I urge you to talk with us afterwards, to learn more about the good work that is taking place on a whole range of environmental health projects.

We are pleased to co-sponsor this event with CHE-Penn partner Dr. Terry Collins and the Institute for Green Chemistry here at Carnegie Mellon University. Because of the work that Terry and others are engaging in here on this campus, we now can envision a healthier environment whereby green chemistry will be able to replace the toxic carbon-based production that has created much of the environmental crisis of our time.

Lastly, it is important to state that The Collaborative on Health and the Environment in Pennsylvania, while supporting this opportunity for Dr. Wakefield’s work to be heard, continues to support good public health practice and part of that is urging all parents to make sure their children are properly vaccinated and protected from the infectious diseases that would otherwise ravage our populations.

Steffi Domike, CHE-Penn Coordinator, November 17, 2005