Latest news with #InternationalSocietyforAutismResearch
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medicaid cuts threaten autism and lung cancer research, endangering health care for all
I pray that our politicians remember all of us, including some of our most disabled — but often overlooked — community members: those with profound autism, which has been defined by the Lancet Commission and the International Society for Autism Research as a person who meets the diagnostic criteria for autism, is at least 8 years old, demonstrates adaptive function skills significantly below age level, has communication deficits, tests at an IQ level below 50 and is unable to independently perform most activities of daily living with increased safety risks. I am deeply concerned over cuts to services including Medicaid. Medicaid pays for personal care, day programs, housing and therapy, which equates to jobs and keeping the parents of disabled adults employed. Many of us want to develop additional housing programs in Missouri through private-public partnerships because there are few options for adults with profound autism. I pray that we take into account the common good of all, including our duty to others. To remember the most disabled Missourians is to remember those who need our charity and our love, like my son Isaac. I pray we promote social justice and remember the more than 4,000 Missourians with profound autism who would be hurt by Medicaid funding cuts. - Julia Chaney Faughn, Macon, Missouri As a lung cancer survivor from the Johnson County area, I am deeply concerned about the massive cuts to Medicaid and health care being proposed by Congress. Taking away coverage for millions of people will jeopardize our progress in defeating this disease. All the changes Congress is considering to Medicaid — including adding work requirements and reducing funding for expansion, as well as repealing parts of the Affordable Care Act — would terminate health coverage when people need it most. I urge readers to contact their members of Congress and demand they protect health care. Visit to learn more and take action. - Ann Howard, Gardner Missourians came out and passed Amendment 1. We came out and passed the right for abortion and women's health. Did the Republicans in Jefferson City not hear us? Their constituents spoke loudly. Americans across the country are seeing our votes dismissed by politicians ignoring our wishes and not implementing our choices - Ken Henderson, Kansas City White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller's comment that the Trump administration is 'actively looking' at potentially suspending habeas corpus in the deportation of illegal immigrants is dangerous. (May 14, 14A, 'Trump's attacks on due process are a dangerous shift away from democracy') Miller's position clearly threatens democracy. Habeas corpus protects the civil liberty of everyone. Its suspension would be a slippery slope. What constitutes illegal behavior? Is it any action the administration doesn't like? Would it be illegal to give an undocumented immigrant a sandwich? My point is that criminal behavior must not be defined by the predilections of any administration. Abraham Lincoln, unfortunately, did not leave a good example by suspending habeas corpus during the Civil War, suppressing judicial dissent and ignoring judicial findings. But at least the Civil War was a real national emergency. That brings up a second point: Our so-called national immigration emergency today is dubious at best. Already undocumented immigrants who were otherwise contributing to society have been swept up and deported, without due process. Already two judges have been arrested. I hope Congress conducts an actual six-month National Emergencies Act review, as required by law. One thing is certain: This fails in the court of public opinion. - Gregory Ellermann, Kansas City I grew up in Rolla, the hometown of the very Republican John Powell, who cast Missouri's votes for Ronald Reagan in 1980. I went through school with his son. Mr. Powell would hire high school boys to unload boxcars twice a year for $10 per hour — a fortune in 1975. Rolla was also home to Mel Carnahan, Democratic Missouri treasurer, lieutenant governor and governor, who was posthumously elected to the U.S. senate. He did not return to politics until his children were grown. I was in Scouts with an older son, Randy, and a younger son. Rusty. I rode in his station wagon many times. I will never forget Randy, the first 'big kid' who paid attention to 11-year-old me. Rolla was a small town. I never heard one bad word about Mr. Powell or Mr. Carnahan. They were like everyone's dad. The Greatest Generation came home from World War II older, much wiser, with a little money and a dream. Republicans and Democrats were friends. They both wanted the same thing — to preserve the world order they fought for and that their friends died for. Things are not like that anymore. This is not normal. - Randall Jones, Independence Kansas City fails to celebrate its musical icons until they have passed on. People such as Tim Whitmer, David Basse, Millie Edwards, Danny Embrey, Stan Kessler and Rod Fleeman, among many others, need to be celebrated while we can still enjoy listening to them. And Lonnie McFadden, the multitalented phenom with a rich family history in jazz, should be named Kansas City's ambassador, the official greeter for any visiting celebrities. He is handsome, charming, well-spoken and kind. There could be no better example of what Kansas City is, where it has been and where it is going than Mr. McFadden. - James L. Mowbray, Kansas City
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Yamo Pharma Presents Statistically Significant Phase 2 Autism Results for L1-79 at INSAR 2025
Trial achieves unprecedented and clinically meaningful socialization gains in adolescents and young adults, addressing core autism symptoms currently lacking FDA-approved therapies NEW YORK, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yamo Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to treating the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), today announced positive Phase 2 results for L1-79, presented at the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) 2025 Annual Meeting. The 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study (n = 58, ages 12-21) showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in the Vineland-3 Socialization Standard Score (VSSS) and several secondary outcome measures during the first period, while maintaining a favorable safety profile. The VSSS is widely recognized as the gold-standard instrument for objectively measuring real-world social skills, directly addressing a core symptom of ASD. Key Phase 2 Highlights Robust social improvement: L1-79 produced a 7.94-point advantage over placebo on the VSSS (p =0.01), nearly double the 4-point minimal clinically important difference (MCID) recognized by experts.1 Clinical global impression: Investigator-rated severity (CGI-S) improved by ~0.6 points versus placebo (p < 0.02), indicating a meaningful reduction in overall socialization symptom burden. Caregiver-reported change: On the Caregiver Global Impression of Change in the three most bothersome symptoms of ASD (CaGI-3P), families reported mean improvements of 0.48–0.61 points (p < 0.05). Favorable safety and tolerability: L1-79 was generally safe and well tolerated, with no serious adverse events and no trial dropouts with L1-79 due to side effects. 'These results are extremely encouraging for the autism community,' said J. Thomas Megerian, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at Yamo Pharmaceuticals. 'Seeing nearly an 8-point jump in Vineland Socialization scores is remarkable. To our knowledge, this is one of the largest positive effects observed to date on an adaptive-behavior measure in ASD for any medication. More importantly, it represents a clinically meaningful change—essentially moving patients to a higher level of social functioning. For families and clinicians, that could translate to noticeable gains in real-life social engagement and independence.' Dr. Megerian added that both clinician- and caregiver-reported global assessments corroborated the Vineland findings. Trial investigators rated participants on L1-79 as having lower overall symptom severity (CGI-S), and caregivers reported clear improvements in their loved ones' most bothersome symptoms (CaGI-3P). 'These global impression scales matter because they capture day-to-day life,' he explained. 'For example, a parent might cite difficulty engaging in back and forth conversation, seeking friendship, showing flexibility, or engaging in repetitive behaviors or speech as top concerns—and on L1-79 we saw improvement across all of them. That kind of broad positive shift defines meaningful benefit in autism treatment.' L1-79's compelling efficacy may stem from its unique mechanism. The drug inhibits tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for dopamine and norepinephrine production. Overactive catecholamine signaling has been tied to ASD-related social and sensory difficulties; by tempering this activity, L1-79 aims to rebalance circuits governing social interaction and communication. 'Rather than chasing downstream symptoms, we're modulating a core neural pathway,' noted Dr. Megerian. L1-79 is the first autism therapy to directly target catecholamine synthesis—an approach now backed by emerging research. 'With these compelling Phase 2 data, we are moving full speed into Phase 3 planning and FDA discussions,' said Chuck Bramlage, Chief Executive Officer of Yamo Pharmaceuticals. 'Our mission is clear: bring the first medicine that meaningfully improves social functioning in autism to patients as quickly and responsibly as possible.' About L1-79 L1-79 is an oral, first-in-class tyrosine-hydroxylase inhibitor designed to modulate catecholamine signaling. Preclinical and human studies suggest dysregulated catecholamines contribute to core social difficulties in ASD. L1-79 selectively targets this pathway to improve social-communication function. The FDA granted L1-79 Fast Track designation in May 2018. About the Phase 2 Study The multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover trial (NCT05067582) enrolled 58 participants (ages 12–21) who received L1-79 (200 mg or 300 mg BID) or placebo for 12 weeks, followed by a six-week washout and crossover. Due to a pre-specified statistically significant period-by-treatment interaction, primary and secondary efficacy analyses were confined to Period 1. Full details are available at About Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by two core symptom domains: (1) persistent difficulties in social communication and interaction and (2) restricted or repetitive behaviors and interests. Symptoms typically emerge in early childhood and persist throughout life, with wide variability in presentation and support needs. In the United States, the CDC estimates that approximately 1 in 31 children is diagnosed with ASD, with boys affected nearly four times more often than girls.2 No FDA-approved medications currently address the core symptoms of autism; existing treatments (e.g., risperidone, aripiprazole) target irritability and often carry significant side effects. About Yamo Pharmaceuticals Founded in 2015, Yamo Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company committed to advancing L1-79 as a novel therapeutic option for the core symptoms of ASD. Supported by strategic partners such as the Autism Impact Fund, Yamo completed its Phase 2 study in 2024 and is preparing for pivotal Phase 3 trials. Visit for more information. References Chatham et al. Adaptive behavior in autism: minimal clinically important differences on Vineland-II. Autism Res. 2018;11(2):270-283. Maenner et al. Prevalence and early identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder among children aged 8 years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 2022. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2025;74(SS-2):1-22. Media & Investor Contacts Chuck Bramlage, CEO – cbramlage@ Eugene Prahin, CAO – eprahin@ Phone: (212) 610-1570Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Can heavy metals in toys trigger autism in your child? Here's what AIIMS study found
Imagine a toddler playing with her toys, running barefoot in the park, eating chips bought by her parents from the vendor and drinking water from a community tap that has been installed near a public sit-out. You wouldn't know that such innocuous activities would have exposed her to heavy metals like lead, cadmium, manganese, chromium and mercury. All of this heightens her risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurological and developmental malaise that could affect her social communication and behaviour. An ongoing study from the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi, has shown how the environment plays a key role in autism development in children. The findings were recently presented at the International Society for Autism Research. Autism cannot be ascribed to a single inherited gene but is caused by the interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors. What does the child study say? Dr Shefali Gulati, faculty in-charge of the child neurology division in the department of paediatrics, AIIMS, conducted the study on 500 children with ASD and 100 control subjects, monitoring their blood, urine, hair and nail samples to study the impact of 21 heavy metals. While the hair and nail analysis is ongoing, high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, manganese and chromium were present in the urine samples of all 500 children with ASD compared to the control group. 'These impact brain development and IQ. It is very important to understand where they are coming from. Children play with toys or use paints which are contaminated with lead, are exposed to non-standardised batteries that power their devices, to cadmium that comes from their passive smoking, to arsenic, which is everywhere, including in water, and to mercury which exists in seafood,' she says. Jewellery, cosmetics, drinking water from old lead pipes or plumbing fixtures, household dust, even traditional medicines are all laced with heavy metals and within easy reach of the child. 'It is worst for children living near factories or waste sites, where both the soil and water get easily contaminated,' says Dr Gulati. Some of the foods which grow on this soil — whole grains, broccoli, grape juice, potatoes, garlic, apples and green beans — have traces of chromium. How is environment a risk factor for autism? Although some children are born with genetic triggers for autism, how they manifest depends on the environment. 'These factors include exposure to air pollution, pesticides, or certain medications during pregnancy, as well as maternal health conditions like obesity or diabetes. The advanced age, stress level and lifestyle of the father can impact the genes in the sperm and be a trigger of autism. We did another study where we found the gut microbiome of children with ASD different from that of their siblings, which is another area that needs looking into,' says Dr Gulati. That's why she is focussing on minimising environmental risks, focussing on heavy metals now. Earlier research has shown that children exposed to higher levels of air pollutants before and after birth were more likely to have autism. Other possible environmental factors include exposure to flame retardants, used in most home appliances and products to decrease the risk of fire. Scientists are also studying phthalates, used in plastics, soaps and shampoos among others.
Toronto Star
02-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
RFK Jr. said his agency will find the cause of autism. These researchers have actually been looking
The annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research took place in Seattle this week. The field's premiere scientific conference was scheduled to be held in the Emerald City five years ago, until COVID-19 dashed those plans. This time, U.S. autism researchers face a very different kind of crisis: massive cuts to federal funding, Cabinet members making false statements about the complex neurological condition they study, and a series of confusing and potentially worrisome policy announcements about autism research.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. said his agency will find the cause of autism. These researchers have actually been looking
The annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research took place in Seattle this week. The field's premiere scientific conference was scheduled to be held in the Emerald City five years ago, until COVID-19 dashed those plans. This time, U.S. autism researchers face a very different kind of crisis: massive cuts to federal funding, Cabinet members making false statements about the complex neurological condition they study, and a series of confusing and potentially worrisome policy announcements about autism research. In April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services disclosed that it's planning a $50-million 'comprehensive research effort aimed at understanding the causes of [autism spectrum disorder] and improving treatments,' a department spokesperson said. The effort was spurred by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s stated goal of determining the cause of autism, a neurological and developmental condition whose symptoms cluster around challenges with communication, social interaction and sensory processing. At his first news conference last month, Kennedy made a number of scientifically inaccurate statements about autism: that it is preventable (there is no evidence that it is); that studying its genetic underpinnings is a 'dead end' (genes play a significant role); that children with autism "will never hold a job" (autism presents in myriad different ways and many autistic people work) and, perhaps most significantly, that 'we know it's an environmental exposure' (this is, to put it mildly, far from an established fact.) On Thursday, an HHS spokesperson said that the agency was developing 'a secure data repository' of 'large-scale, de-identified data to better understand the causes of conditions like autism and chronic diseases,' similar to the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. This was a clarification of National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya's statement during an April 21 meeting with NIH advisors that the study would draw in part from personal health information gathered across a variety of sources, including insurance claims, pharmacy chain medication records and fitness tracker data, a plan widely reported as an 'autism registry.' HHS has otherwise offered minimal detail on the research effort, which Kennedy initially said would return results as early as September. (Bhattacharya has since pushed back on that timeline, saying that grants would only start to go out to participating researchers by the end of summer.) A half-dozen senior scientists interviewed for this article said that neither they nor anyone they knew of had been consulted. 'I'm someone who knows a lot of people in this field,' said Helen Tager-Flusberg, professor emerita at Boston University and director of its Center for Autism Research Excellence, and 'not a single person I know has been approached.' Tager-Flusberg is a member of HHS' Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, which advises the agency and Congress on autism research. Since Trump took office in January, she said, the committee has not received any communications from HHS, and has not been informed or consulted about the latest research initiative. 'With one hand, [Kennedy's] offering $50 million in new research, and with the other hand, they have already removed a significantly large number of grants that are already carrying out cutting-edge research on autism,' she said. 'NIH has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into [studying] causes of autism over the last three decades, and so it's disturbing to hear that it's all being dismissed.' The U.S. government is by far the nation's biggest investor in autism research. In 2019 and 2020, the most recent period for which data are available, federal grants totaling $350 million supported 82.5% of U.S. autism research, with the remainder coming from private sources. 'Federal funding is the engine by which research runs, and it is certainly the engine by which autism research has made the incredible advances that it has over the last 25 years,' said Matthew Lerner, an associate professor at Drexel University's AJ Drexel Autism Institute and a board member of the International Society for Autism Research. Several researchers also said that they found Kennedy's insistence that autism stems from exposure to an undetermined environmental source perplexing. The role of environmental factors in autism is already a major focus area for government-funded research, they said, albeit in a more nuanced way. When scientists speak of 'environmental exposures,' they are referring to any nongenetic influence before or after birth. These can range from prenatal stress hormones to neighborhood pollutants to the school a child attends. 'Any scientist will tell you that this is such a complex thing that you can't just be looking at one [cause], that you have to be thinking about the role of environment, the role of genetics, how they interact, and how that changes over the lifespan,' said Alycia Halladay, chief science officer of the nonprofit Autism Science Foundation. 'We do know that there are a lot of environmental exposures that have not been studied. We can't say it is an environmental toxin.' Dr. Shafali Jeste was more blunt. 'This is what we dedicate our lives to,' the Los Angeles pediatric neurologist said. 'If we knew there could be one environmental cause, wouldn't we all be out there hunting for it, and maybe having already found it, given that we've been doing research for 20 years?' The cuts and chaos of the second Trump administration are already having an affect on the research community. Several people interviewed for this article asked not to be quoted by name for fear of retaliation, or specified that they could only speak on behalf of themselves and not their employer, at the institution's request. In late April, Tager-Flusberg founded the Coalition of Autism Scientists, a group of senior researchers united around the shared goals of pushing back on disinformation and advocating for evidence-based research approaches. More than 200 fellow scientists signed up immediately, she said. But when younger researchers have asked to join, she has discouraged them from doing so. Speaking out could cost them their jobs. 'I don't really have anything to lose,' she said. But 'the last thing I would want is to put anyone's career in jeopardy.' This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
