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SCIENTISTS have found that some symptoms of autism can be alleviated by a nasal spray containing oxytocin, the "bonding" hormone.

The original article can be found at: * http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/nasal-spray-can-relieve-autism-symptoms/story-e6frg8y6-1225830265240

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what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

This story accurately reports on an interesting conference paper. Oxytocin is a well known hormone but its use in autism is new, and the article states that it is a long way from being available as a treatment. The story could have been improved by an independent expert view, and by specific mention of side effects. The story appears to have been sourced from The Sunday Times a notable omission from The Australian article. The Times story moderated expectations with an explicit statement: "Dr Gina Owens, research leader at the National Autistic Society, said: "Further rigorous scientific evaluation is necessary before we can fully assess any potential benefits. As autism affects people in very different ways, any intervention that may help one person may not be effective for another."

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