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U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

washingtonpost.com

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Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#11

Post by BenFranklin100 »

“Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official, repeatedly said before taking office that vaccines cause autism, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that they do not. He has declined to disavow his statements and has continued to promote a possible link.”

Having worked directly with autism researchers, I can confidently tell you that RFK is making a wild guess not based in current evidence. All the data we have indicate autism is a multifactorial condition with a genetic/developmental component that may or may not be affected by the environment.

RFK is genuinely a danger to health care in the United States.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#13

Post by cma »

NomDePlum wrote: post #8
formerly_proven wrote: post #3

The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different from those that would’ve resulted in an autism diagnosis shortly after the abolishment of lobotomy, it is hardly surprising the rate keeps going up as you widen the net.

What's the link between ASD and lobotomies?

I think he's just trying to choose a point in time when mental healthcare was more primitive to go along with saying the diagnosis is more sophisticated now.

A main thing is that people with autism would just be classified as generally mentally disabled and the rise in autism is highly tied a drop in that general diagnosis. I don't think that covers 100% of the rise but does seem to make up the big majority.

U.S. special-education autism classification was created in 1994 and tied to a big rise in diagnosis.

https://news.wisc.edu/data-provides-misleading-picture-of-au...

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#15

Post by ohgr »

Aktion T4 next? This is a dark dark road.

I suspect the US will become like Germany in the next few decades where the paranoia about handing any data over is justifiably high. I hope this burns the unethical side of the tech industry to the ground. It deserves it.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#16

Post by NomDePlum »

viraptor wrote: post #9
NomDePlum wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the link between ASD and lobotomies?

Progress of understanding.

Sorry, still not that clear to me.

Are you saying that there is no direct link but rather understanding of various areas increased due to the stopping of this practice?

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#17

Post by NomDePlum »

cma wrote: post #13
NomDePlum wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the link between ASD and lobotomies?

I think he's just trying to choose a point in time when mental healthcare was more primitive to go along with saying the diagnosis is more sophisticated now. A main thing is that people with autism would just be classified as generally mentally disabled and the rise in autism is highly tied a drop in that general diagnosis. I don't think that covers 100% of the rise but does seem to make up the big majority. U.S. spe…

Thanks. That helps.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#18

Post by SiempreViernes »

BenFranklin100 wrote: post #11

“Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official, repeatedly said before taking office that vaccines cause autism, despite overwhelming scientific evidence that they do not. He has declined to disavow his statements and has continued to promote a possible link.” Having worked directly with autism researchers, I can confidently tell you that RFK is making a wild guess not ba…

Calling it a "guess" seems very generous at this point, saying it is a "lie" is more accurate I think.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#19

Post by Freak_NL »

lawn wrote: post #4

This is just another angle of placing people in camps. Combine this with the overzealous focus on transvestites and the so called "illegal aliens" you should see a pattern with where the Nazis began.

> transvestites

The focus seems to lie on transgender people, not cross dressers.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#20

Post by chiefalchemist »

formerly_proven wrote: post #3

The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different from those that would’ve resulted in an autism diagnosis shortly after the abolishment of lobotomy, it is hardly surprising the rate keeps going up as you widen the net.

Yes, but is that a feature or a bug? Certainly those who define these things understand the need and value of historic tracking. And yet the target keeps moving.

If expanding the definition is the feature required action should be taken to mitigate the bug. True?

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