Contact:
Rita Shreffler, NAA (Nixa, MO) 417-818-9030
Wendy Fournier, NAA (Portsmouth, RI) 401-632-7523
Lori McIlwain, NAA (Cary, NC) 919-468-6455

DOUG FLUTIE, JR. FOUNDATION AND SPEEDWAY CHILDREN’S CHARITIES GRANT NAA $30,000 for BURBACHER/CHARLESTON STUDY
Funds to support research on effects to the brain following mercury exposure

Nixa, MO – The National Autism Association (NAA) announced today the receipt of two grants for the Burbacher/Charleston study into the effects of mercury exposure in the brain. The Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, Inc. awarded a $20,000 grant, along with 25 other grants to organizations totaling over $357,000. Speedway Children’s Charities (SCC) of Concord, NC, will also support the research with a $10,000 grant from its national charitable funding program. SCC awarded more than $2.8 million to over 470 organizations in 2006.

The mercury study’s primary investigator is Dr. Thomas Burbacher, a University of Washington researcher. Burbacher’s earlier research found that exposure to Thimerosal, the ethylmercury-based vaccine preservative, resulted in inorganic mercury deposits in the brain that were twice the amount of those following exposure to equal amounts of methyl mercury, the type commonly found in fish. Previous research has documented that inorganic mercury is associated with a neuro-inflammatory process, recently documented to also occur in the brains of children diagnosed with autism. Inorganic mercury has no discernable half-life and, once trapped in the brain, continues to damage brain cells.

NAA has been assisting in funding the ongoing Burbacher research since 2005. “Continuing this research will provide even more important clues into the neurological effects mercury has upon our children, which we hope will lead to better treatments and even a cure,” said NAA board member Laura Bono. “We’re extremely grateful to the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation and Speedway Children’s Charities for these wonderful grants.”

"As parents of a child with autism, we are concerned about the possible correlation between mercury and autism and are pleased to see NAA continuing to support this very important research that may help resolve the mercury issue," commented Doug and Laurie Flutie.

"SCC is proud to award the NAA a grant to enhance its Burbacher/Charleston research study," said General Thomas Sadler, Executive director of SCC. "I hope these funds will help them come closer to finding a cure and continue to help the children affected by autism."

For more information or to donate to the Burbacher/Charleston research, visit www.nationalautism.org

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