You've Got Questions. We've Got Answers
We didn't say they are right, helpful, or accurate answers, but we've got 'em!
Does anyone remember the RadioShack © slogan "You've got Questions. We've got Answers?"
I haven't heard the slogan in awhile but they still use it.
The slogan is very similar to the message of hope offered by many alternative practitioners who specialize in autism treatment. Dr. Amy Yasko even uses the domain http://www.autismanswer.com/ [warning, turn your speakers down before visiting this site] not answers mind you but 'Answer', THE Answer.
Back to Yasko later.
RadioShack © used to be a place where electronic hobbyists could go to buy everything from a PNP transistor to an enclosure or complete project kit. They stocked common items at a considerable mark-up but customers would accept high prices for the convenience. Some stores were staffed by relatively knowledgeable employees but many of the customers were smart enough to avoid assistance and advice from sales clerks.
I once went to a RadioShack © to buy a common baseboard telephone jack only to find it was out of stock. "No problem," said the helpful RS associate, "What you want to do is take this jack, cut off the terminal lugs, solder them to this plug....." No, what I want to do is cut off this lug before I have to listen to any more helpful work-arounds.
Me: "OK, let me buy a pack of AA batteries"
RSA: "No problem, can I get your name, address, and telephone number for our records?"
Me: "Yeah, never mind. "I'll just go to the drugstore"
RSA: Sir? Are you aware of our free battery of the month club?"
Me: [sigh]
In all fairness, RadioShack © has changed a lot over the years but I still overhear bad advice and wrong answers in response to customer inquiries. Recently I needed an adapterter for my MP3 player. One look and I was told that they didn't carry anything that size followed by a shrug when I found it right behind the clerk. Yeah, you've got answers....
I'm not knocking RadioShack© for the knowledge of their employees, my guess is they don't attract a lot of electrical engineers with the salaries they offer, and I'm sure most of their customers are completely satisfied to buy a flash memory card for their digital camera at nearly double the price but gadgets can be confusing and most consumers are grateful for any bit of expertise and guidance.
Its not that different for parents of children with autism, only autism isn't well understood by anyone including the so-called experts. Is it any wonder that we parents have so many questions and we jump at answers from seemingly knowledgeable people? Not only do we listen to autism professionals with rapt attention but other parents are quickly elevated to expert status when they speak with authority. We've got questions and we need answers. NOW! What can you tell me doctor? You don't know? Well, I'm going with the folks who can offer answers. NOW!
Back to Autism Answers dotcom. Let's see how many answers we can find on that site.
Right away on the home page we find "Educational Starter Packets (ESP)" Excellent! They must have read my mind. The starter pack consists of a book and several of Amy Yasko's DVD's. Kind of looks like a clever way to get me, the customer, to buy promotional materials that will help me understand the supplements and other products only available from Dr. Amy Yasko and associates. Hmm..
"The purpose of this site is to equip parents with the necessary information to help get their children healed. There are many people who have devoted untold hours to the discovery of answers to this problem called Autism. "
So far it looks like the answer involves more questions but I shouldn't jump to conclusions. There is some science sounding stuff here too:
Impressive! I'm not sure of the question but a chart like this must provide some sort of answers, Right?
Under Genetic Testing there is a link: "For more information or to order genetic testing visit http://www.testing4health.com/ "
Where we find several references to Dr. Amy. I wonder if she has an interest in the "Testing4 health" lab? There are three SNP panels available. SNP's (pronounced SNiPs) refer to Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and are a type of genetic mutation where the product protein will have a single amino acid substituted in it's sequence. Usually the protein will function normally but it may be more or less active depending on the substitution and position of the amino. Most of these SNP's are common in the general population and rarely result in major medical problems, though certain SNP's can be associated with various disorders. Marvin Boris et al (including Jill James) claims to have found "significantly increased frequency of the homozygous mutation 677CT allele" for the MTHFR gene. Published in the not so well respected Journal of the American Physicians and Surgeons (JPandS) a journal where you will also find publications by such notable scientists as the Geiers and Jeff Bradstreet. Recently, Jill James mentioned that this research hasn't or couldn't be replicated. I guess that's where the ESP part comes in:
"Many of the newer SNPs that Dr. Yasko has chosen for this panel have not yet been fully characterized in terms of their effects on these genes. By analyzing patterns that are seen as a function of SNPs on nutritional status, Dr. Yasko has already been able to discern relationships between genes that may not have been intuitively obvious. "
Right, not intuitively obvious.
One of Yaskos big sellers are her RNA drops. Offering "Stem cell like properties." Since the RNA is derived from yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the same organism used for the production of beer and wine and to make bread rise, the drops are probably like human stem cells in that they contain ribonucleotides. The products are available in many custom formulas but it's a little hard to tell by the list of ingredients because they sound the same for each of the RNA products.
This product works in conjunction with a supplement plan to help promote the detoxification of chronic metals and virus. Part 1 of a four-part program
Proprietary Blend of Nucleotides (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, cytidine-5'-monophosphate, adenosine-5'-monophosphate, guanosine-5'-monophosphate) - 5 mcg
Does not contain yeast, sugar, dairy, wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors or flavors.
Well, no actual whole intact yeast cells but Saccharomyces is a yeast. I guess that counts as a question. By the way, these nucleotides are completely safe and very inexpensive in bulk. So safe they are added to many brands of baby formula: nucleotides (adenosine 5'-monophosphate, cytidine 5'-monophosphate, disodium guanosine 5'-monophosphate, disodium uridine 5'-monophosphate).
One of Dr. Yasko's associates, Garry F Gordon MD DO MD(H), of the Gordon Research Institute has links to an article about RNA interference (RNAi) which has absolutely nothing to do with the yeast based RNA drops sold by Gordon & Yasko but they never said the drops work like RNAi, you are free to arrive at that conclusion on your own. The article provides a roughly accurate overview of RNAi technology but fails explain the connection with the "RNA drop" products sold in the range of $100 per bottle. Lot's of answers, but nothing to do with autism.
Here's something from Dr. Gordon's site: Testosterone: a Key to Understanding Mercury-Autism Link? Judging by the question mark this isn't an answer. Looks like Dr. Gordon supports the whole Lupron to assist chelation idea, not surprising after seeing some of the other reading material available on the Gordon Research Institute website:
Thimerosal Definite Cause Of Autism By the well respected researcher and journalist Evelyn Pringle. [cough]
Doctor Gordon's Position on DMPS vs EDTA "Clearly we all cannot ignore the fact that SOME children are making significant progress with TD DMPS. I prefer however even if transdermal is a part of the detoxification program that parents choose, that they are informed adequately about the need to follow it up with the long-term use of some chelation therapy and I have found it most convenient and affordable to choose for that purpose safe Oral Chelation using Garlic, Malic Acid and EDTA Â a combination that gets at all of the toxic metals"
In other words, that stuff may help some kids but his product works better.
Autism: A Twisted Tale of Virus and ThimerosalDr. Amy A. Yasko
"The thimerosal can assume at least two other, potentially more dangerous structural conformations. Based on my extensive work in molecular biology and DNA and RNA synthesis, I can see where it is possible for thimerosal to mimic the actual building blocks for DNA or RNA synthesis in the body. These "thimerosal building blocks" would contain the mercury molecule. This has the potential to create a condition where the mercury is stably integrated into the nucleic acids, DNA or RNA. "
So that brings us full circle back to the RNA products. Like the RadioShack© clerk who may not have what you may need, you won't leave empty handed. You've got questions. They've got answers.
posted by notmercury @ 8:08 AM
15 comments
15 Comments:
NM,
I appreciate your analogy, I often felt the same frustration at Radio Shack back in the day.
As long as you were discussing the "Autism Experts" answers, I was surprised that you didn't mention their "Treatment Of The Month" club. Oh wait, that's not free. Nevermmind.
NM,
I think your letting traditional medicine get a free ride here. I wonder how many parents have been told that their kids diarrhea is caused by autism by their pediatricians? There is a lot of bad medicine being practiced out there. There was a time in the not too distant past when traditional doctors would order all kinds of tests when treating an illness. It wasn't until HMO's and other insurance providers started to question and place testing restrictions in their contracts thus, forcing doctors to limit testing. I remember that the medical associations vehemently complained about how the insurance companies were compromising patient care. I don't seem to hear that much anymore. Is it because doctors became fatigued with trying to fight the insurance providers? I think so.
-Kent
You are probably right about that Kent,
I should have pointed out that pediatricians can be just as guilty of making sure their patients don't leave empty handed, so to speak. Overprescribing antibiotics is a good example.
The average pediatrician isn't trained to recognize autism at an early age let alone discuss and explain comorbid GI symptoms. I don't know if it's fair to blame the ped though since I think most are doing their best to serve the majority of their patients.
Believe me, I've had my share of frustrating arguments with doctors but I haven't come across any I would label as incompetent. Many specialists don't have much to offer once they hear the 'A' word either and that sucks, no doubt about it.
I'm sure it doesn't help when doctors are regularly challenged by parents convinced their child has persistent gut measles or a glutathione deficiency.
I don't think its too much to ask traditional pediatricians to educate themselves about one of the largest disorders diagnosed in childhood. I also think too many of them are on autopilot when they tell parents, "Oh don't worry, all children are different". I think they should be more receptive to when a parent has a concern about development and perhaps suggest further examination. Once diagnosed, I think we all feel as though suddenly the doc doesn't view our child as a child anymore but more like an animal. Disabled children are the most vulnerable of all children and if the pediatrician can't appreciate that, they need to find another line of work. I'm not bitter about one particular pediatrician as I think the one I have now is decent, but he is young and not yet jaded like the 5 others we have had in the past 3 years. I just feel as though we need to be urging AAP, no bully the AAP to educate themselves on the early warning signs. Pediatricians should also be natural advocates for disabled children and fight to help us get services for them.
Thanks for this on Amy Yasko and her pal Dr. Gordon.
These people are just amazing. Maybe Yasko can sleep better than Buttar at night if she isn't giving IV chelation but instead is selling worthless and harmless RNA drops, she still probably ought to go to jail for fraud.
Excuse the self promotion, but it took me some time to "dig up" these old photos.
If there was some glycerol, some fragrance, and a good bit of kerosine in it, the RNA drops might be useful as lamp oil.
Nice! I want some RNA! Where can I get me some RNA?
Children are often the targets of the alternative medicine crowd. Autism spectrum,ALS, MD, cancer, asthma, etc.
Old people ,too, are targeted by the quacks. Seems our most vulnerable population gets screwed.
I don't have the epidemiology, and this is not an assertion, it's a hypothesis. There may be a "quackery epidemic".
Hi Not mercury
Looking at the chemistry of Hg compounds and DNA I found this recently
http://pubs3.acs.org/acs/journals/doilookup?in_doi=10.1021/ja056354d
If this kind of reaction can take place in ASd children is something that at the best of my knowledge, nobody has studied.
I want to let you know that I do /did not consider RNA drops because of efficiency considerations. My interest is in the chemistry behind, not the proposed treatment.
Always surprises me how many "supps sellers" combine "some" real science with other salt and pepper to prepare better the combination.
María Luján
Thanks Maria,
I guess I'm not surprised to learn that a Hg atom can be incorporated in to DNA in a lab. If that sort of thing goes on inside living organisms I don't imagine it happens often or becomes part of the genetic code of said organism. I can't imagine how consumption of yeast ribonucleotides would do anything to remedy the situation.
Not mercury
You say
I can't imagine how consumption of yeast ribonucleotides would do anything to remedy the situation.
Me neither.Even if the blocks of DNA can be similar, the chemistry in the body to do them is enough complex to think that giving orally the "blocks" can reverse the problem.
I do think that some subgroup of ASD has purine/pirimidine synthesis problems-following some published literature about the topic. If "new" DNA must be synthesized properly to overcome the Hg problem, it is not a better way of treatment to detect what is wrong with the in vivo "blocks " synthesis? I wonder because obviously I am a student of this since my son´s diagnosis.The adequate treatment is another thing, once is detected upon safe and correct testing the biochemical abnormalities, if any.
You can find here some biochemistry about, if you are interested on.
http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/
mwking/nucleotide-metabolism.html
http://web.indstate.edu/thcme/
mwking/nucleic-acids.html
Please remember to copy all the link-not only the upper line- because it does not work.
María Luján
Just to clarify a point about where the "answers" are located on the autismanswer.com site...I donate hours each day to answer parents questions daily on the parent discussion group on that site. At this point we have over 18,000 posts which encompass hundreds of answers that I have taken the time to answer personally. The main purpose of the site is to share scientific information for parents to integrate into the programs they are using for their children, and also to give support and hope. It is not about selling anything. Many of the answers that are given have nothing to do with research I have done in developing the RNAs. The nutrigenomic test that we use was a test that I designed in order to have the SNPs we need in that region available for parents. I spent months developing this test last summer after one of the labs that offered tests with the relevant SNPs suddenly closed, leaving parents without their genetic results.
With love and hope for all the children,
Dr. Amy Yasko
Dearest notmercury,
What's the point of all your ranting? How are you contributing in any positive way to the advancement of treatments and prevention of autism? Or are you claiming to provide support for other parents? Keep dreaming.
My guess is you need to whine, and the more people that listen to you, the better you feel.
Do you claim that if mercury/thimerasol/vaccines didn't cause a particular child to have autism then it didn't wasn't a contributing factor for any child? How is that premise different from a pregnant woman who says "My mom smoked and drank all through her pregnancy with me and I'm fine, therefore smoking and alcohol don't harm a fetus" ? I knew a man who smoked for over 60 years, never got lung cancer, therefore, all those warnings about tobacco are false.
Don't you understand about subtypes? There are millions of children who currently have one diagnosis. It's as if we lumped every kind of cancer together and only treated it as one thing. They don't all have exactly the same symptoms, the same medical history, the same risk factors, the same treatments don't help all of them. There are variations that have yet to be defined and they very likely have different causes.
Oh, and one other thing. You've never come across an allopathic physician you'd label as incompetent??? Either you haven't met enough doctors, or you're not judging them by the same standard that you use for alternative practitioners. Or maybe you've been fooled as well, just like the foolish parents you make fun of, but by a different breed.
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