National

Save the date! June 7, 2005 CALL IN DAY FOR President Bush, Laura Bush and Congress after 12 noon - Eastern Time. - Unlocking Autism and the National Vaccine Information Center are asking for your support from your home and work on June 7th for a call in/fax in day to Washington, DC. The last call/fax in on April 28th, started by Lynn Notgrass, was so successful, that the White House was in contact with us by 8:45am central time to ask us to have people stop calling. We told them that we had talked to parents for years and that they could talk to them for that day. ...Read more.

Musical by Neil Simon Celebrates Temple Grandin - "Temple", music by Norman Durkee, book and Lyrics by Silvia Peto (March 2- April 1, 2006). Based on the real life of a girl who did not speak until she was three but grew up — despite her autism — to achieve success, a doctorate and more, "this world premiere musical celebrates the determined ingenuity of a miraculous spirit through the true story of Temple Grandin." By Ernio Hernandez

President Bush: GET THE MERCUCRY OUT OF VACCINES. April 28, 2005 is National Call Day. President Bush's comment line is 202-456-1111 / Switch board 202-456-1414. Please join us on April 28, 2005 for a national call President Bush Day and tell him to "GET THE MERCURY OUT OF VACCINES." Also, ask him to identify assistance for our children who have been injured. We need our insurance companies to pay for our tests, doctor visits and chelation to help our children get well. Please make our message heard loud and clear and we can only do that if we all come together. Please forward to everyone you know to help with this issue. Family and friends can also call. An Open Letter from Unlocking Autism and how YOU can help!

"Two states passed bans of mercury in vaccines in 2004: California and Iowa. Seven additional states had ongoing mercury ban legislation in 2004: Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Four other states are pursuing legislation into 2005: Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Ohio. As 2005 starts, Mercury Ban representatives in the following 23 states are actively pursuing legislation to ban mercury in vaccines: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming."

French Company Reports Autism Gene Isolation Using AGRE Samples - IntegraGen, a personalised medicine company based in France, has been using samples from US families, provided by the Autism Genetics Resource Exchange (AGRE), to investigate the genetics of autism. Researchers at IntegraGen have discovered twelve genes associated with autism and the first results of this work are submitted for publication. Most of these genes affect two major gene networks, one regulating synaptic transmission in the cerebellum and the other involved in axonic transport. The Company is developing a genetic test for autism that might help with diagnosing the condition. The test is currently undergoing extensive clinical validation and is expected to be available in 2006. Earlier and more accurate diagnosis of autism in young children will allow direct interventional therapy to be given at the earliest possible age, when it is of greatest potential benefit.

Oregon Health Science University to Take Child Away from Mother / OHSU threatens to take an autistic child from his mother. Her crime? Seeking medical treatment for her son.

	Update on activist response request - 2/11/2005
	Update on activist response request - 2/17/2005

'A work in progress' - Jerry Newport pauses momentarily when, over the phone, you give him your birthdate. He takes a deep breath and in a casual voice says you were born on a Sunday, you've lived for 10,809 days, 259,416 hours 15,564,960 minutes and 933,897,600 seconds - to the nearest day. For good measure, he adds that you are 172 days older than his wife's youngest child, and 755 days younger than her eldest. By now, he's used to the predictable stunned reaction he gets to his human abacus party trick by Jennifer Parks

ASA Launches New Comprehensive Online Directory Of Programs and Services for the Autism Community - The Autism Society of America today launched a one-of-a-kind, nationwide online directory to help the 1.5 million American families affected by autism find the vital services they need in their own communities. The directory -- AutismSource -- offers, for the first time in one convenient place, the gamut of resources families require to help their children, such as physicians, psychologists, speech, occupational and behavioral therapists, schools, camps, training programs, government agencies, and much more.

“Every day, 50 families in America find out that their child has some form of autism, and they urgently need to know where they can go for help. AutismSource provides these families with a state-of-the-art directory that is easy to use and full of valuable resources that will help them get the services their child needs,” ASA Board Chair Lee Grossman said.

“As the prevalence of autism continues to grow, so too does the demand for professionals and services specializing in autism. ASA, which has been the #1 resource for the autism community for almost 40 years, developed AutismSource to answer this urgent need,” ASA President and CEO Rob Beck said.

AutismSource features more than 3,000 resources with listings in all 50 states and the capability to continuously expand. ASA continues to add programs and users can recommend resources to be added by following the prompts on the site.

To learn more or to access the directory, visit the ASA homepage (http://www.autism-society.org) and click on the AutismSource logo.

60 MINUTES TO AIR PIECE ON JERRY NEWPORT AND MARY MEINEL ON SEPT. 29TH.