you might also note that this goes back to '02 when it was first asked
to be sealed...

but on the other side of this coin, is the fact that there is a move
afoot to  do a wide ranging study to try ot establish actual verifiable
info:

Thimerosal and Autism Case Control Study:

In response to public concerns, VSD researchers have begun a
case-control study to rigorously examine the association between
thimerosal and autism. The study aims to determine whether exposure to
thimerosal in infancy or in-utero is related to development of autism.
The study will also evaluate whether exposure to thimerosal in infancy
is related to development of the subclass of autism predominately
associated with regression. As part of the study, researchers will use
automated data and registries to identify children with autism (cases)
and without autism (controls). In person examinations, telephone
interviews, medical chart reviews, and immunization tracking systems
will be used to collect information on vaccine history and other
possible covariates. This IOM-recommended VSD study will be the first
rigorous, epidemiological study conducted on the issue of thimerosal and
autism. Data from this VSD study should provide the best available
scientific information on whether or not there is a possible causal
association between exposure to thimerosal and the development of
autism.
This study is in the data collection phase.