It's About Time: Meet Hannah Poling!

Family to Receive $1.5M+ in First-Ever Vaccine-Autism Court Award

The first court award in a vaccine-autism claim is a big one. CBS News reported that the family of Hannah Poling will receive more than $1.5 million dollars for her life care; lost earnings; and pain and suffering for the first year alone. In addition to the first year, the family will receive more than $500,000 per year to pay for Hannah's care. Those familiar with the case believe the compensation could easily amount to $20 million over the child's lifetime.

Hannah was described as normal, happy, and precocious in her first 18 months of life. Then, in July 2000, she was vaccinated against nine diseases in one doctor's visit: Measles, mumps, rubella, polio, varicella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae. Afterward, her health declined rapidly. She developed high fevers, stopped eating, didn't respond when spoken to, began showing signs of autism, and began having screaming fits. In 2002, Hannah's parents filed an autism claim in federal vaccine court. Five years later, the government settled the case before trial and had it sealed. It's taken more than two years for both sides to agree on how much Hannah will be compensated for her injuries.

In acknowledging Hannah's injuries, the government said vaccines aggravated an unknown mitochondrial disorder Hannah had which didn't "cause" her autism, but "resulted" in it. It's unknown how many other children have similar undiagnosed mitochondrial disorder. All other autism "test cases" have been defeated at trial. Approximately 4,800 are awaiting disposition in federal vaccine court.

Time Magazine summed up the relevance of the Poling case in 2008: There's no denying that the court's decision to award damages to the Poling family puts a chink (a question mark) in what had been an unqualified defense of vaccine safety with regard to autism. If Hannah Poling had an underlying condition that made her vulnerable to being harmed by vaccines, it stands to reason that other children might also have such vulnerabilities."

Then-director of the Centers for Disease Control Julie Gerberding (who is now President of Merck Vaccines) stated: "The government has made absolutely no statement indicating that vaccines are a cause of autism. This does not represent anything other than a very specific situation and a very sad situation as far as the family of the affected child."

Court Awards Over $20 Million for Vaccine-Caused Autism

The National Autism Association joins thousands of parents nationwide in support of the federal claims court's decision acknowledging that vaccines were responsible for the development of autism in Hannah Poling, who regressed developmentally after receiving nine vaccines on the same day. Just 18 months old at the time, Hannah's health also declined dramatically in the aftermath of the shots.

In what many parents are referring to as Orwellian doublespeak, the government determined that the vaccines Hannah received triggered an undiagnosed mitochondrial disorder that didn't "cause" the onset of autism but "resulted" in it. "These word games fool no one," according to NAA board chair and parent Lori McIlwain. "It's time for the government to admit that vaccines can and do cause autism in some children. We need to learn from children like Hannah Poling and develop strategies for the prevention of further needless injuries."

As CBS News reported yesterday, nearly 1,300 cases of brain injuries resulting from vaccines have been compensated over the past 20 years. Families who prevail in court cite brain injuries in more general terms in their cases rather than using the word "autism." NAA Exceutive Director Rita Shreffler said, "We've got to stop thinking of autism as a mysterious disorder with no known causes. Parents who observe regression and failing health following vaccines are told it's just coincidence. Many of us no longer buy it. We know that our children suffered brain injury from vaccines, resulting in a diagnosis of autism."

Hannah's story reflects that of thousands of children around the country prompting parents and advocates to question the need for such an aggressive vaccine program. In reviewing the nation's vaccine policy, NAA points out:

1. The number of vaccinations in the current schedule is a whopping 49 by the age of six years old, a seven-fold increase since the late 1970's.

2. The cumulative effects of giving multiple vaccines in combination has never been studied.

3. Tests for underlying conditions that could be aggravated by vaccines, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, are not given prior to administering vaccines.

4. Comparison research of total health outcomes in vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated populations has never been conducted although data is available for study.

Mrs. McIlwain said, "The Center for Disease Control and other health agencies need to ensure that vaccines are as safe as possible. The study of vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations is an important next step."