The recent Autism Omnibus Court decision denying a link between vaccines and autism was a big disappointment for the autism community, but not a surprise. It does give a clear message that parents won't receive any help if their child suffers a negative vaccine reaction.

The cards were stacked against the families from the beginning. The Department of Health and Human Services is the defendant in the vaccine injury cases, and at the same time is responsible for carrying out research on vaccine safety. The conflict of interest is glaring, and gives parents another reason to be worried about our National Immunization Program.

Families with injured children are told repeatedly that vaccines aren't the cause of autism, yet the government cannot tell them what is causing the epidemic. The numbers are growing at such an alarming rate that schools cannot handle the numbers, and soon tens of thousands of these children will be age 18 and eligible for Social Security.

I speak as someone with two vaccine-injured grandchildren (one recovered). This court decision will not change my mind nor the minds of thousands of families who saw their perfectly normal children regress into autism following vaccinations. We will continue to fight for justice.

Maurine Meleck

North Augusta, S.C.