Autistic History: Spark for Autism

About SPARK

What is Spark for Autism? Spark for Autism is a large DNA collection from autistic adults and children. My family and I almost contributed until we did more research. They are collecting DNA to try to find a prenatal test to help people practice eugenics. They put up a front that they want to help autistic people. How does collecting DNA do that? It does not.

This sounds awfully familiar. doesn’t it? Almost like Aut10k or Mssng Project. And this was the continuation from T4 Program from WWII. They just do not gas anyone to death. There is no dealth, they just want to prevent us from being born.

According to SPARK:

“The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) has launched a landmark autism research project in the U.S. This long-term online study is called SPARK, which stands for ‘Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge.’ The mission of SPARK is simple: we want to speed up research and advance our understanding of autism to help improve lives. The entire autism community is invited to participate.
SPARK is fully funded by SFARI. This means that you will never be contacted for a donation or a financial contribution of any kind.
This is why SPARK aims to build a research community of tens of thousands of individuals with autism and their families, who will be asked to share medical and genetic information with scientists and to agree to be contacted about future research studies. The data shared with SPARK researchers will power important new autism research that aims to advance the understanding of autism and provide meaningful information and resources to participants.

SPARK is a research partnership that hopes to be the largest of its kind, and we’re so excited for SPARK to help shape the future of autism research. With everyone’s help, we will be able to obtain answers more quickly to the questions we all have about autism.”

But what exactly do they do with our DNA? They do not tell us. When autistic people ask, they answer with “to help autistic people.” How does collecting our DNA help us? Reminds me of the X-Men Mutant Registration.  Just listen to what we have been saying. Its not difficult.   

“The more people who enroll in SPARK, the more genes and genetic changes related to autism we are likely to discover. When we compare the DNA of thousands of people, we can find differences between individuals. Sometimes these differences are related to autism, and other times they are not. SPARK aims to enroll 50,000 families affected by autism in order to move autism research forward more quickly.”


Partners in Research

They are partnered with many organizations. They are: Texas Children’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, New York-Presbyterian Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s Specialized Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s, Emory University and Marcus Autism Center (think Bernie Marcus from Home Depot who gave $25 million to start Autism Speaks), Geisinger Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute, Kennedy Kreiger Institute, Maine Behavioral Healthcare, Medical University of South Carolina, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Oregon Heath & Science Institute,  Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center, Rush University Medical Center, Sanford University, University of California at Davis, University of California at Los Angeles, University of California at San Diego, Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, University of Colorado, University of Iowa, University of Miami, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota at Twin Cities, University of Mississipi, Thompson Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Utah, University of Washington, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Yale University.


Privacy of DNA

Spark passes your DNA to other researchers so they can research a cure. They do not tell you what researchers your DNA is shared with. Sure, they do not share any identifying information but nothing is more identifying than DNA. There is no privacy. If you do not want to be a part of the study anymore, they will not remove the DNA from the database. How is that for control?

Final Thoughts

They told me they do not want to find a genetic test, like one for Downs Syndrome. They told me that they just want to help us.  This is from their website:

“Our genes contain the instructions, or code, that tell our cells how to grow, develop and work. “Genetic difference” refers to a change in a gene. These differences can range from being harmful to helpful. Some can have no effect.
Once our lab receives a family’s samples, we look for genetic differences that are definitively linked to autism. If such changes are found and confirmed, the family is contacted about those results. SPARK will return the genetic result either through a SPARK genetic counselor or through the family’s own medical provider.
Since new autism genes are discovered every year, each family’s genes will be re-analyzed every year and rechecked for results.”
If you value your privacy or your family’s privacy, do not do it! 
Sources:
Past interactions with the organziation

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