Sanity. Hurrah.

From the Times:

A special vaccine court ruled against parents with autistic children Thursday, saying that vaccines are not to blame for their children's neurological disorder.

The judges in the cases said the evidence was overwhelmingly contrary to the parents' claims -- and backed years of science that found no risk.

''It was abundantly clear that petitioners' theories of causation were speculative and unpersuasive,'' the court concluded in one of a trio of cases ruled on Thursday.

My opinions about this are clear. Either one believes that medicine is based upon science, or one does not. Sometimes that science is flawed. Sometimes it is incomplete. But medical investigation is always ongoing, and there has been a huge amount of attention paid to vaccines, thimerosal, and autism. As I say to families that inquire, if there is a link between the three, it is so minute and unclear as to be scientifically undetectable.

I cannot imagine how much more complicated and unpleasant practicing pediatrics would have been had the court decided otherwise. I am grateful for their clear, correct and unambiguous ruling.