Put your money where your mouth is

[cosmik debris]

The Autism army is demanding public funding for research into the causes of autism. So I took a look at the funding for other research.

The American Cancer Society kicks in $146M for research in 2007.

The American Cancer Society is the largest source of private, not-for-profit cancer research funds in the United States, second only to the federal government in total dollars spent. The Society has spent about $146 million on cancer research in FY 2007.

Since 1946, the Society has invested over $3.3 billion in cancer research. The research program consists of 3 components: extramural grants, intramural epidemiology and surveillance research, and the intramural behavioral research center.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/AA/content/AA_2_1_Research.asp?sitearea=AA

Alzheimer's Association came up with $32M for research in 2007.

Expenses were well managed by the national organization. With our chapter network, the combined Alzheimer's Association expended over $181 million on program activities to forward our mission. To advance progress in Alzheimer science, we invested more than $32 million in research. As the largest funding resource after the U.S. government and the pharmaceutical industry, we strive to increase our research funding each year to achieve our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s.
http://www.alz.org/about_us_financial_information.asp

The American Diabetes Association donated $46M for research in 2006.

The American Diabetes Association Research Program supports basic and clinical diabetes research aimed at preventing, treating, and curing diabetes. The diabetes research projects we support cover the spectrum from islet cell biology and transplantation techniques, to studies in education and behavioral issues. We have increased our support for diabetes research, from providing $18 million in 1999, to providing $46.4 million in 2006.
The ADA Research Funding program is designed to complement the National Institutes of Health (NIH) diabetes research program by supporting new investigators and new research ideas. With support from ADA, investigators are often able to prove that their ideas are solid enough to get more substantial funding from the United States federal government.
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-research/research-home.jsp

Even The National Parkinson Foundation found a million dollars for research.

The National Parkinson Foundation has awarded $3.3 million in its Center grant programs for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. NPF has dedicated approximately $1 million to research, more than $640,000 to comprehensive care, and more than $1.5 million to outreach. Funded projects cover a wide range of areas important to the study of Parkinson’s disease and NPF’s commitment to serving people with Parkinson’s disease, their families and communities, and healthcare professionals worldwide
http://www.parkinson.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=241&srcid=200

The Autism Society of America 2007 Annual Report (pg. 11) shows 0, zilch, nada, nil for research

http://www.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/asa-2007-annual-final.pdf

Program Expenses:
Education 1,777,106
Advocacy 463,965
Public Awareness 231,981
Support Services:
Fundraising 472,703
Management
& General 277,561

[trotsky]

1. Well, Generation Rescue did commission their flawed phone poll.

A lot of anti-vaxers like to cite it as a "study." They spent $200,000 to get absolutely useless data. Well, scratch that, they did find (if you actually look at the data, not their summary) that autism is just about as prevalent among the unvaccinated as it is the vaccinated. (You're 1% more likely to be autistic if you fully vaccinated than if you weren't vaccinated at all. But that's only if you are a boy - for girls there was absolutely no difference. Except for Asperger's - which was MORE common among unvaccinated than vaccinated girls! http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=567)

This *should* indicate to all but the most closed of minds that outfits such as GR aren't really interested in researching the causes of autism, but just taking advantage of parents and their autistic children.

[cosmik debris]

2. If they don't think it is important enough to pay for,

Why should we think it is important enough to pay for?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. The government is still blocking money to fund my theory...

that masturbation is the cause of autism.

Clearly, I'm on to something.

[salvorhardin]

10. Oh damn. You changed your name.

I *liked* Bornaginhooligan. Weren't you aware you were supposed to seek my approval first?

[xchrom]

4. recommend -- then every one could see their lunacy. nt

[cosmik debris]

5. If the Autism Society wants to set autism policy,

Let them practice what they preach.

[xchrom]

6. ain't that fuckin right?

i'm sick of letting people with no science behind them -- i.e. antivaxers -- anti-stem cell folks -- anti-abortion loons -- have more than their fair share of say so.

pony up.

[cosmik debris]

7. Time to tell them to put up or shut up. n/t

[cosmik debris]

8. Thanks to cureautismnow for pointing out

That the research money ($30M) is available from Autism Speaks, but even they won't fund research into a silly crackpot conspiracy theories.

I guess they have higher priorities.

[xchrom]

9. ...

'($30M) is available from Autism Speaks, but even they won't fund research into a silly crackpot conspiracy theories. '

[EvolveOrConvolve]

11. You're asking for WAY too much

Like the flat-earthers, moon-landing quacks, 9-11 conspiracists, and Elvis sighters, the vaccine->autism apologists aren't swayed by things like facts, logic, or science. Perhaps if you cried really hard they might pay attention? After all, emotion and anecdotal evidence seems to be the only thing that influences them.

[cosmik debris]

12. Perhaps we need a special dungeon for the Big Pharma CTers.

They could use it as a support group.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

13. I think that a single, extra-large dungeon for all the CTers is the way to go

Of course, it would be a cesspool of paranoia but that's the price they pay for their lack of critical thinking skills.

[xchrom]

14. kick

[xchrom]

15. kick

[xchrom]

16. kick

[xchrom]

17. kick