In what can only be described as a legal bombshell, the Petitioners in
the Autism Omnibus hearings seemingly withdrew four of its highest
profile experts to support the various claims that say that vaccines
cause autism. The experts are James B Adams, Mark Robin Geier, Boyd E
Haley and Andrew J Wakefield. The ‘New’ experts are those we recognise
from the testimony offered thus far. Indeed, this reporter can find no
further mention of Adams, Geier, Haley or Wakefield as expert
witnesses for the petitioners.

If this case was in the civil arena, the withdrawal of four experts of
such magnitude would in all likelihood result in sanctions, a directed
verdict or the total failure of the case as in the time Jeff
Bradstreet (another expert for the petitioners) left his clients high
and dry. There’s no way to spin this as a positive development for the
petitioners.

Drs. Adams, Geier, Haley and Wakefield were apparently unwilling or
unable to testify about the substance of their beliefs and ‘science,
leaving only the report and testimony of Dr. Asphosian, a scientist
who has not devoted significant time to the question of mercury and
autism. (At one point in his career it’s alleged that Dr. Asphosian
claimed that the argument that ‘the dose makes the poison’ was wrong.)

I spoke with various people about this development and they also
agreed that this was knocking out some of the petitioners strongest
pillars that autism is related to thimerosal or MMR. All those I
talked to considered it difficult to underestimate the near-hilarious
reputation of these four experts in the field of autism. Their
apparent unwillingness to testify on these matters suggests they
cannot sustain their previous assertion that thimerosal or MMR has
anything to do with autism.

Although the parties are continuing to submit motions and it appears
unlikely that there will be a decision this summer, the withdrawal of
these experts are likely to have profound consequences.

UPDATE: There’s a good chance this might be satire, although the facts
are true..

http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=948