Title: Why the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Protocol Was Ended
Headings: Why the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Protocol Was Discontinued
Why the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) Protocol Was Discontinued
History of DAN!
Why It Was Discontinued
What Happened to the Autism Research Institute?
A Word From Verywell

Content: doctors believed that autism is a disorder caused by a combination of a lowered immune response, external toxins from vaccines and other sources, and problems caused by certain foods. 3 ﻿
The DAN! protocol was founded in 1995, and, during its brief heyday, was well-regarded by a subset of autism parents and researchers who believed strongly in the possibility that autism could be cured through biomedical interventions ranging from nutritional therapy to removal of heavy metals from the body (chelation) to hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The biomedical approach was particularly popular during the late 1990s and early 2000s. At that time, the debate was ongoing about the possibility that ingredients in vaccines (specifically a preservative called thimerosal and live measles virus ) could be the cause of a sharp increase in cases of autism. Massive international research studies have debunked both of the vaccine-related theories, 2 ﻿ though there are still those who believe that their autistic children are vaccine-injured. Why It Was Discontinued
The Autism Research Institute discontinued the DAN Protocol in 2011. Part of the reason for this decision related to objections to the name "defeat autism now." While the name was appealing to some parents, many self-advocates on the spectrum found the concept to be offensive. What Happened to the Autism Research Institute?