A new report, undertaken on behalf of Research Autism, found that the US spends an average of 18 times the amount the UK does on autism research in accordance with population size. The US spent the equivalent of £75.79 per person with autism in 2010, while the UK spent just £4.26.
Ouch.
Still, I feel as this is a global epidemic and not constrained to national borders, ANY research being done is of benefit.
I would assume though, that with the budgets what they are, each region needs to be quite selective in what their aim their research at. I feel (without any basis apart from hunches) that the deeper work into the gut / autism relationship is being spearheaded quite deeply in the US. A lot of the specialists we've seen in the UK refuse to acknowledge any relationship and believe a change in diet to be purely a matter of choice.
Just the other day there was a hyperbolic report from the US of a change in diet "curing" a child's autism. It's a little extreme, but I believe the principles to be sound and this seem to be coming from the US.
The difference in research spending is fine; I'm just concerned with the sharing and being able to apply the best results to the afflicted. If the research becomes an "us" vs. "them", we will lose every time.
I would assume though, that with the budgets what they are, each region needs to be quite selective in what their aim their research at. I feel (without any basis apart from hunches) that the deeper work into the gut / autism relationship is being spearheaded quite deeply in the US. A lot of the specialists we've seen in the UK refuse to acknowledge any relationship and believe a change in diet to be purely a matter of choice.
Just the other day there was a hyperbolic report from the US of a change in diet "curing" a child's autism. It's a little extreme, but I believe the principles to be sound and this seem to be coming from the US.
The difference in research spending is fine; I'm just concerned with the sharing and being able to apply the best results to the afflicted. If the research becomes an "us" vs. "them", we will lose every time.
