Treating autism with anti-biotics, what could possibly go wrong?

[TZ]

:sarcasm:
Luc Montagnier is applying unorthodox ideas to the treatment of autism. With support from the Autism Research Institute (ARI), based in San Diego, California, the Nobel laureate is about to launch a small clinical trial of prolonged antibiotic treatment in children with autism disorders. The trial will also use techniques based on Montagnier's research into the notion that water can retain a 'memory' of long-vanished pathogens, and that DNA sequences produce water nanostructures that emit electromagnetic waves, published last year. But experts are critical and worry that the nobelist's status may lend unwarranted credibility to unconventional approaches to autism.


Luc Montagnier, co-discoverer of HIV, is no stranger to controversy.W. MCNAMEE/GETTYThe planned pilot trial in France — funded by a US$40,000 grant from ARI — will screen around 30 children with autism disorders and 20 or so controls for bacterial infections, and then test whether months of antibiotic treatment improve the children's condition. Montagnier, who shared the 2008 Nobel prize
http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101208/full/468743a.html
As a virologist of note, this guy should KNOW this isn't just DOGMA that says this is a bad idea! He's really going to hurt someone badly with this kind of experimentation....:grr:

[realisticphish]

1. what?

He's treating autism as a BACTERIAL infection???

[laconicsax]

2. Better than treating with chelation.

I wouldn't be surprised if some ND quack offered frontal lobotomies as treatment.

[laconicsax]

3. What do you expect from a homeopath? n/t

[TZ]

5. At least traditional homeopthy

Wouldn't hurt anyone. But this? Aside from the obvious toll it will take on the kids, this is totally irresponsible seeing how these emerging superbugs are a bigger problem overseas right now . This guy may be about to throw gasoline on a fire..

[laconicsax]

7. Traditional homeopathy hurts people the same way anti-vaccination hurts people.

It may not interfere with herd immunity, but if you get sick, all the magic water in the world isn't going to help your chances of recovery.

[Odin2005]

4. Of for fuck's sake!

:banghead:

[Deep13]

6. Psst...it's not an infection. nt

[toddaa]

8. Here's to TB coming back in a big way

Our own stupidity will be our downfall.

[LeftishBrit]

9. Well, apart from the risk of side effects from any medication; and the risk of bacteria developing

resistance to the antibiotics, no, not a problem! :sarcasm:

How idiotic can you get? Autism isn't a *disease*, that you get by catching germs! Oh, I'm really afraid I'm coming down with teh autism; there's a lot of it about this winter!

[Deep13]

10. Save a step and just inject the kids with MERSA.

Either that or accept that autism is a nuerological condition and not an infection.

[realisticphish]

11. but then there's no one to blame, and call a shill nt

[woo me with science]

12. Well, it's working for the folks who see Lyme everywhere,

and it's extremely lucrative.

[DavidDvorkin]

13. Oh, no, we'll end up with superbugs that won't interact with us!

Wait a minute, that wouldn't be so bad.