National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program: The Potential Impact of Cedillo for Vaccine-Related Autism Cases

摘要

A serious accusation has been leveled. A serious accusation has been leveled against an important part of the public health arsenal against a preventable disease. An accusation has been leveled that MMR vaccine causes autism. That accusation must be answered, and we will answer it.This argument was made by a government attorney, Mr. Matanoski, during the trial of Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Cedillo case is the first under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to test a link between a standard childhood vaccine and autism spectrum disorder.Michelle Cedillo was developing normally until she turned two years old. At that age, she received her MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. Shortly thereafter, Michelle developed a fever of 105 degrees that lasted one week. Her physician said she had a bad case of the flu; however, she suddenly stopped talking and interacting. She also began vomiting and developed diarrhea. Along with other symptoms, the diarrhea lasted 32 weeks. In My of 1997, 18 months after receiving her MMR vaccine, Michelle was diagnosed with autism. Believing a link existed between Michelle's autism and the MMR vaccine, Michelle's parents sued under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.