David Ayoub

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David Ayoub, MD, is a radiologist at the Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois, an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and director of the Prairie Collaborative for Immunization Safety, a lobbying organization. He is also the medical director of Foundation for Autism Information and Research, Inc. (FAIR).

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[edit] Early athletic accomplishments

In 1977, as a senior at Peoria (Central) High School, Ayoub became the Illinois state track and field half mile champion, clocking a time of 1:48.86 at the Illinois state meet. His time was the fastest by any half miler in the United States that year, and it still stands as the Illinois state high school record. According to Ayoub's coach Phil Salzer, the mark was the third fastest among all half mile times recorded anywhere in the world that year as well. Throughout his high school career, Ayoub was dominant in both the quarter mile, the longest event considered to be a sprint, and the half mile, a middle distance event. He went undeafeated through every outdoor race he entered in Illinois during his high school career in both events. Running for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1980, he was the Big Ten Conference indoor champion in the 1,000 yard run. "I had a reasonable shot at making the 1980 Olympic Trials," Ayoub says, "but I think I wanted to be a doctor a little bit more." He is a member of the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame, in recognition of his achievements.[1]

[edit] Career

[edit] Early work

As an undergraduate in 1983, Ayoub was first author of a paper in the journal Science on differences between neurons in the brains of male and female juvenile macaque monkeys[2], which was a hot topic of the time[3]. This produced national media coverage.[citation needed] He later became interested in examining the theory that vaccines may play negative roles in various health issues.

[edit] Views on autism and thiomersal

Ayoub lectures throughout the United States, at Defeat Autism Now! conferences and for other groups, claiming that a growing amount of scientific evidence suggests a connection between vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders. He has also testified before the Illinois and Massachusetts state legislatures about the dangers of vaccines.[citation needed] Although concerns about vaccines are largely dismissed by most medical authorities,[4] Ayoub states "the evidence is clear that mercury in thiomersal-containing vaccines is playing a large role in the autism epidemic."[citation needed]

Ayoub has said that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have backed marginal research and unsupported policies because of conflicts of interest.[citation needed] Ayoub is especially critical of what he describes as doublespeak coming out of federal health agencies charged with safeguarding public health, saying "They're saying (thimerosal) causes no harm, but get it out (of vaccines) as soon as possible."[citation needed] Ayoub further asserts, "Contradicting its own policy, the CDC then increased mercury exposure to the fetus and infant by allowing the inoculation of pregnant women and young infants with the mercury-containing influenza vaccine."[5]

Ayoub's views have been summarized in a CD entitled The Science and Politics of Vaccine-Induced Autism.[citation needed]

[edit] Criticism

Ayoub's involvement in the autism debate and his position as the medical director of FAIR has been criticized by some autism-rights activists due to his lack of credentials in the studies of either autism or toxicology.[6] He has also not published any peer-reviewed studies on autism or mercury.[7]

[edit] Quotes

  • "The autism epidemic is largely the result of heavy pharmaceutical industry influence. To prevent future tragedies, we need major reform."[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Inductee: Dave Ayoub", Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame
  2. ^ Sex differences in dendritic structure in the preoptic area of the juvenile macaque monkey brain
  3. ^ a b "Mercury falling", Illinois Times
  4. ^ Immunization Safety Review: Vaccines and Autism
  5. ^ "David Ayoub - Thimerosal Definite Cause of Autism", Independent Media TV
  6. ^ Dr David Ayoub - Hidden Agenda and Stone Cold Certainty
  7. ^ PubMed search

[edit] External links

  • IllinoisTimes.com - 'Mercury rising again: State agency seeks to circumvent Legislature’s ban on vaccines containing thimerosal', R. L. Nave, Illinois Times (January 19, 2006)
  • ParamusPost.com - 'Researcher studies connection between autism, vaccines', Scott Hilyard, Paramus Post (June 12, 2006
  • Scoop.co.nz - 'David Ayoub - Thimerosal Definite Cause Of Autism', Evelyn Pringle (March 11, 2005)
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