There was nothing in the Report or its executive summary to justify such a headline in a reliable national newspaper. The foregoing is all based on lacking evidence. I do not disagree with the Committee's opinions as cited except in degree. We do not know whether there is any link between MMR and any autistic disorder. The evidence is inconclusive.
More study is needed.
I agree with the three conclusions. It is understandable that the lay press picked the wrong message from the wrong source. As an epidemiologist who has been a Member of the IOM since 1986, I have been proud of IOM reports in my field that I have examined or co-authored. I am embarrassed by the process of this latest Report and would urge President Shine of the IOM to retract the Report until the message has been clarified. I am a worried agnostic on the matter of MMR linked with autism just for reasons given by the IOM Committee.