(Undated) -- Vaccines containing a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal cannot cause autism on their own. That's the ruling handed down Friday by the special U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The ruling stems from the case of an Oregon family who claimed their son's regressive autism was caused by a vaccine. The court's special master, George Hastings, found that the parents had, quote, "not presented a scientifically sound theory." The ruling had its supporters. Alison Singer, president of the Autism Science Foundation, hailed the decision, saying quote "It's time to move forward and look for the real causes of autism.'' But there were also critics. Jim Moody of the Coalition for Vaccine Safety blasted the special court, saying, "We hope that Congress will intervene in what is clearly a miscarriage of justice to vaccine-injured children."
