finally, Hannah Poling got justice. A federal court in the us recently asked authorities to compensate the Georgia girl who became autistic after getting vaccine shots in 2002. She was 18 months old then. Many hope the ruling will also influence nearly 5,000 similar cases at the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in the country.

Among the many theories on what causes autism, the use of mercury in childhood vaccines is prominent. Thimerosal, a widely used vaccine preservative, contains mercury. Parents of autistic children have linked vaccines containing thimerosal to autism. Though the court has upheld this link, the us Health Resources and Services Administration still denies it. Officials will be presenting their views on the connection before the special court during its Omnibus Autism Proceeding (oap) in May 2008.

The court is looking into the three major theories on autism. In June 2007, it took up the first theory which says thimerosal in the measles mumps and rubella vaccine (mmr) causes autism. The verdict is pending.

On Poling's case, the court said the vaccinations worsened an underlying mitochondrial disorder in her which made the girl susceptible to autism. In autistic children the disorder is not inherited