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CBS4: Vaccine Link To Autism Heads To Court

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May 12, 2008 7:08 pm US/Eastern

CBS4: Vaccine Link To Autism Heads To Court

The debate over the safety of certain vaccines shifts from doctors offices to federal court when a first of its kind lawsuit over autism will be heard.

CBS4 Chief Investigative reporter Michele Gillen reports many parents and pediatricians around the country will be paying very close attention to legal arguments that will try to prove that a mercury-based preservative once used in most children's vaccines can, and in some cases did, directly trigger autism.

For many parents of children living with autism and other neurological disorders, the preservative thimerosal which CBS4 has been reporting on for months, has long been considered a potential suspect in the possible link between autism and vaccines.

Now that theory will be put to the test as lawyers for two 10-year-old boys from Portland, Oregon, William Mead and Jordan King, attempt to show that they were happy and healthy until receiving vaccines with thimerosal after which they began to regress and show symptoms of autism.

"These children have the right to conversation and their only way to get it is to go to court," said attorney Mike Williams.

In recent years thimerosal has been removed from standard childhood vaccines, expect certain flu vaccines.

A special court established by the federal government to hear alleged vaccine injury cases will ultimately hear 9 such cases involving three different theories.

"Our theory is we go forward is not a legal theory, but is a scientific theory," explained Tom Powers.

Lawyers say they will present evidence that injections with thimerosal deposit a form of mercury in the brain that excites certain brain cells that stay chronically activated trying to get rid of the intrusion. They hope the court's special master will be convinced that thimerosal belongs on a list of causes for the inflammation that may lead to regressive autism.

A final decision could take several months.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)