Study: Autism continued to climb even after mercury removed from vaccines

A new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry finds that "Autism cases in California continued to climb even after a mercury-rich vaccine preservative that some people blame for the neurological disorder was removed from routine childhood shots." (Source: "Study challenges theory autism linked to vaccines," Associated Press, Jan. 8, 2008.) According to the article, "Researchers from the state Department of Public Health found the autism rate in children rose continuously during the 12-year study period from 1995 to 2007." The preservative thimerosal, which contains mercury and has been blamed by some advocates for causing autism, hasn't been used in childhood vaccines since 2001.