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Autism Speaks! I have a request. You claim you give money and support to families of autistics, but I proof to back up that claim. I want you to release your form 990 to the public, for all to see.

to Facebook on Autism Speak's Wall or anything else, (perhaps their forums, etc.). I've got em cornered.

What does this mean?

I think he meant "I want proof to back up that claim."

I swear, Autism Speaks is like Umbrella. They're studying autistic brains to tap into their ability to hyperfocus, and the savant capabilities present in some cases.

^ thanks Captain, I was reading it as "but I am proof to back up that claim" and of course it didn't make sense to me.

There's no need to do that because, as I understand it, they're already available for inspection and all you need do is ask them for a copy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_tax_forms#990

I believe they're also available directly from the Autism Speaks website: I'm sure they've been referenced and possibly linked here before now.

Their form 990's have always been available on their website. Their annual report provided their provides more details on how the organization has met it's stated goals for the year.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/documents/as_annual_report_2010-web_01.pdf

http://www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/documents/990s/2010_tax_form_990.pdf

The issue was discussed for about three months in the don't bash autism speaks thread, that finally died a few weeks ago, which you can still find visible in this forum if you scroll down. I imagine that everything that could have possibly be said about the organization was said in that thread. It was about 50 pages long.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about that form 990, is that the organization reported about 340,000 volunteers.

Direct financial aid is not part of the mission of the organization, you won't find that in their mission statement.

However, morale support is, and many of those 340,000 volunteers are family and friends of autistic individuals that come together, and receive a tremendous amount of support from each other as part of their own segment of the autistic community, whether it is in direct volunteer support, or through the support sites that autism speaks provides for that community to gain support from each other, just as some do on this website and others.

The best way to offer constructive criticism to the organization is to use the avenue they provide for this on their internet site.

[email protected]

http://www.autismspeaks.org/about-us/contact-us

They also provide direct phone numbers you can use to call the organization to voice you complaints.

As discussed in the don't bash autism speaks thread, for those that don't like the organization, it's good to voice whatever one's opinion might be on the subject.

But per the actual discussion in the "don't bash autism speaks thread", for the most part, the likely net effect the organization receives is giving it months of free advertisement for the thousands of people that view this website and see the word "autism speaks", who might not of even known the organization exists.

Interesting that the op in that thread suggested against it for that specific reason, and the thread lived three more months, to provide exactly what he was cautioning against, in his opinion.

I understand that the vice president of the organization Peter Bell, was announced as appointed to the President's committee on individuals with intellectual disabilities, so I'm sure sooner or later that topic will be discussed in this forum.

He is a parent of an 18 year old autistic individual, so he likely has a fairly good idea about what autism is up close and personal, and the challenges his son, will likely meet in life. I have no idea if he has an intellectual disability, but mental retardation is a fairly common co-morbid condition with some cases of autism.

I think I'd rather just have a beer.

dude. peter bell is anti-vaccine. supporting autism speaks on some issues is debatable, but supporting peter bell is outright wrong.

Autism Speaks, officially, is a pro-vaccine organization; as you have seen on their website, this has made some of their supporters unhappy.

Regardless of whatever Peter Bell's personal beliefs might be about vaccines, he has to support the organization's view point on vaccines, as an executive and representative of that organization.

Peter Bell hasn't publically expressed a viewpoint that is anti-vaccine, since Autism Speaks announced publically that they support the vaccination of children, years ago. The question of whether or not vaccines have been proven safe and effective, has been answered by science, and both Autism Speaks and Peter Bell publically support that scientific evidence.

Autism speaks is funding research into existing issues in some autistic children that may make them more vulnerable to the side effects of vaccines than others. However, that is not an anti-vaccine viewpoint, it is a common area of research done in the general population, in relation to the side effects of vaccines, that the government also conducts. The government is also a pro-vaccine organization.

Peter Bell is anti-vaccine. he has said it many times, don't deny it. So, you are starting to support anti-vax research? first autism speaks then this....

This is autism speaks official policy statement in support of vaccines that has been posted on their website for over 2 years now. All employees of the organization must effectively support their public policies, as part of that organization.

http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/policy-statements/information-about-vaccines-and-autism



Show me evidence of one time that Peter Bell or Autism Speaks has publically suggested that vaccines have not been proven and shown as a beneficial means of protecting children from serious disease, since this policy statement was issued.

He was head of an organization before he was employed with autism speaks, that was concerned that a mercury related chemical that was part of vaccines, might be harming children. The organization supported research into determining whether or not there was a verifiable concern.

This was a serious area of concern, that many questioned, until the vaccines were proven safe through research. The government didn't take any chances; they removed the mercury related chemical from childhood vaccines, well before research proved that this chemical was not linked with autism.

Many anti-vaccines groups opposed Autism Speaks decision to support the finding of the Institute of Medicine that vaccines are not proven linked to autism. Per their policy statement, in rare cases there are still reputable concerns associated with vaccines and some children with underlying conditions that may be more succeptible to side effects.

I don't support autism speaks, I support reputable evidence of facts, and effective research in the area of autism that may improve the lives of some debilitated by symptoms and co-morbids associated with autism.

Vaccines have not been shown to cause Autism, but a small percentage of children do get very sick after receiving vaccinations. That's a well understood fact, that no one in the scientific community is disputing. Research is ongoing to understand why. And it would not be ethical to ignore it.

Yet another thread full of excuses for Autism Speaks.

Simple, easily verified facts.

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