overveiw of topic

Recently autsim seems to be a growing epidemic that is sweeping the nation and more specifically California.  Rates of autism diagnosis have skyrocketed in about the last ten years and everyone in the autsim community is searching for and answer, some are just searching for someone to blame.  The focus was quickly directed on the MMR vaccine that became part of the rutine vaccine shedule for infants because of the presence of a mercury containing preservative called thimerosal in the vaccine.  Suddenly, all vaccines were under attack and parents, scientists, and celebrities were preaching them to be unsafe and the cause of the growing autism rates.  These anti vaccine activists argued that there were unsafe amounts of mercury in vaccines that led to the neurological problems of children, and the CDC (center for disease control) was promoting a huge lie when they claimed that the rate increases was because of a new greater awareness of the disorder.  On the other hand, there was been a series of other tests done by more credible scientists and the CDC that prove no casual link between the MMR vaccine or mercury to autism.  Andrew Wakefeild, the lead scientist in the anti vaccine cause was proven to have faulty data and illigitimate studies.  There is scientific evidence proving no link between vaccines and autism.  Also, the rates for autism continued to rise AFTER the mercury containing substances were removed from all vaccines.