• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Research triggers fears among autistic rights campaigners

Research triggers fears among autistic rights campaigners

By guest on 30th June 2010 Category: News Archive

Listen

Disabled activists have raised serious concerns about new genetic research which could lead to treatments or cures for autism.

Members of the autistic rights movement fear the research could lead to abortion clinics being seen as a “solution” to autism, as they say has happened with Down’s syndrome.

They spoke out after an international consortium of scientists announced they had discovered new genetic triggers for autism.

Scientists with the Autism Genome Project said their discoveries pointed to “new avenues of scientific investigation, as well as potential targets for the development of novel treatments”.

But Roderick Cobley, chair of the London Autistic Rights Movement, said the widespread media coverage of the research had failed to acknowledge that it was the “economic, social and attitudinal barriers in society that are the true disablers of autistic people, and not their condition in itself”.

Cobley said the research could eventually benefit parents if it was used to give them advance notice of their child’s needs.

But he said that much of the discussion in the media had focused instead on the possibilities for “treating and eliminating autism”.

He said: “We are again being bombarded by references to autism in terms of disease, disorder and suffering.

“Worst of all is the raising of the possibility of genetic testing, and perhaps of pre-natal testing.

“Without in any way prejudicing the rights of women to make their own reproductive choices, the abortion clinic should not be seen by society as the solution for autism, as has happened with Down’s syndrome.”

Cobley called for more funding for research into how to “improve autistic people’s lives in the here and now”, rather than “chasing after miracle cures and treatments”.

And he pointed to research in Canada which found that autism often had advantages as well as disadvantages.

14 June 2010

Share this post:

Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on Reddit

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

Image shows a man wearing glasses sitting by an open laptop The text reads: Free Career Support for Disabled People Our services include: 1-2-1 Coaching Online Career Resources Find Support near you Search for Inclusive Jobs Career Events and Workshops Visit the Evenbreak Career Hive today to find out how we can help you

Access

Latest Stories

Grenfell: Call for action over government’s ‘deplorable’ decision on evacuation plans

‘Severely neglected’ man found dead, three months after DWP assessment

Government brands DNS ‘vexatious’ for trying to obtain info on 90 DWP deaths

Government’s ‘milestone’ disability jobs stats ‘are meaningless when it comes to equality’

Concern over offensive LGBT+ comments at access awards event

Universal credit boss defends years of misleading information

Discrimination could be a cause of increased risk of Covid death, says ONS

Access to Work in crisis as figures show ‘massive’ waiting-list

Queen’s speech: Activists’ message to Patel over new protest bill: ‘We fight on’

Queen’s speech: Six bills that may change disabled people’s lives, for better and for worse

Advice and Information

The Department for Work and Pensions: Deaths, cover-up, and a toxic 30-year legacy

Readspeaker

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2022 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web