I remember clearly receiving the warning from my child’s pediatrician regarding claims possibly linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. I also recall my pediatrician, herself a new mother, saying she was going to wait for further evidence before allowing her child to be administered the vaccine. That was eight years ago. Has the question regarding the possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism finally been answered?

After two years of hearings, more than 5000 pages of expert testimonies, and 939 medical articles, a special federal court  ruled last Thursday that there was little evidence to support the claim that substances in the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (including the use of thimerisol) had led to the autism of three children.

But the families of these children were not alone. There were many other claims supporting the connection between the vaccine and autism. Because of this concern, an increasing number of parents chose not to have their child vaccinated. Some claim these decisions were a major factor that led to an increasing occurrence of measles in children, to the point that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2008 measles were the highest levels in more than a decade.

Regarding the special court decision, Leonard Rappaport, MD, MS, chief of the Divisionof Developmental Medince at Children’s Hospital Boston said “Hopefully this decision will put an end to this sad chapter in the search for the cause and treatment of autism spectrum disorders.”