by J.D. Heyes
August 21, 2014
from
NaturalNews Website
A top scientist and researcher for
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
had a key role in helping Dr. Brian Hooker of the Focus
Autism Foundation uncover manipulated data from the agency that
obscured a higher incidence of autism in African American boys.
As
reported by The Liberty Beacon,
the whistleblower came to the attention of Hooker, who has a Ph.D.
in biochemical engineering, following a Freedom of Information Act
request for the original data regarding the DeStefano et al.
MMR (measles, mumps rubella) and
autism study.
The site further reported:
Dr. Hooker's study (Measles-Mumps-Rubella
Vaccination Timing and Autism Among Young African American Boys
- A Reanalysis of CDC Data), published August 8 in the
peer-reviewed scientific journal Translational Neurodegeneration,
shows that African-American boys receiving their first MMR
vaccine before 36 months of age are 3.4 times more likely to
develop autism vs. after 36 months.
According to Dr. Hooker, the CDC
whistleblower, who at present wants to remain anonymous, guided him
to evidence revealing that a statistically significant relationship
between the age when the MMR vaccine was first administered and the
incidence of autism in African American boys was hidden by
CDC researchers.
'Widespread manipulation of
data'
After data on 2,583 children who were living in Atlanta, and who
were born between 1986 and 1993, had been assembled, CDC researchers
excluded children who did not have a valid State of Georgia birth
certificate, a decision that reduced the sample size being studied
by 41 percent.
Hooker said that by adopting this arbitrary criterion into the
analysis, the cohort size was dramatically reduced, thereby
eliminating the statistical power of the findings and essentially
negating a very strong MMR-autism link in the boys.
Hooker, The Liberty Beacon reported, has been working closely
with the whistleblower.
He says he has viewed extremely
sensitive documents related to the study via congressional request
from U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
"The CDC documents from
Congress and discussions that Hooker had with the whistleblower
reveal widespread manipulation of scientific data and top-down
pressure on CDC scientists to support fraudulent application of
government policies on vaccine safety," the website reported.
"Based on raw data used in the 2004
DeStefano et al study obtained under FOIA, Dr. Hooker found that
the link between MMR vaccination and autism in African-American
boys was obscured by the introduction of irrelevant and
unnecessary birth certificate criteria - ostensibly to reduce
the size of the study."
The results of the original study
were first published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics,
a publication that receives financial support from vaccine makers
via both advertising and direct donations,
CBS News has reported.
The DeStefano study is widely cited by the CDC and other public
health groups to dismiss any link between vaccines and autism, which
is a neurological disorder that
appears to be on the rise.
Whistleblower expresses
deep regret over his role
"The CDC knew about the
relationship between the age of first MMR vaccine and autism
incidence in African-American boys as early as 2003, but chose
to cover it up," Dr. Hooker said, a claim that he says the
whistleblower has confirmed.
When he was asked if there could be any
scientific basis for excluding children born outside of Georgia, Dr.
Hooker responded,
"I know of none, and none has been
provided by the authors of the DeStefano study."
"The exclusion is reminiscent of tactics historically used to
deprive African-Americans of the vote by requiring valid birth
certificates," he added.
Dr. Hooker said further research
is needed to determine why, specifically, there is a 3.4-fold
increase in autism rates when MMR is administered prior to 36 months
of age and primarily in African American boys.
There has been a link between the
MMR vaccine and autism in cases
that have been compensated by the National Vaccine Injury
Compensation Program, The Liberty Beacon reported, adding
that the whistleblower has alleged criminal wrongdoing by his
supervisors and has expressed deep regret over his role in helping
the CDC hide data.
Sources
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