Vaccine opinion

In 2006, a U.S. District Court judge rejected a lawsuit over mercury in vaccines filed by Bill Graham.

In a 25-page opinion, Judge James Beaty Jr. writes that the methodology used by Dr. Mark Geier, an expert listed by Graham in the filing does not meet the requirements to be used in court.

"In this case, much, but not all, of Dr. Geier's proposed testimony is not based upon his own research, but instead upon a review of the relevant literature," he writes.

He also writes that in more than 10 recent cases in U.S. District Court, Geier's testimony was excluded.

In his conclusion, Beaty does not reject a causal link between mercury in vaccines and autism, but he says it cannot be proved at this point.

"Time and additional well-reasoned research may yet bring much needed light to the difficult question that this case poses for Plaintiffs and many others similarly situated," he writes, "but no such answers can be reached on the record currently before the Court."