Last week, bloggers revived a 2008 PETA ad noting the potential link between dairy consumption and autism symptoms. We created the ad after hearing from many parents of children with autism who had reduced their children’s symptoms by cutting out dairy products. We wanted to let other parents know about the potential benefits of dropping dairy products.

While parents’ experiences are admittedly anecdotal, such evidence can be an important impetus for further research. As Harvard-trained physician Raphael Campo explains, “Whether we choose to admit it or not, the anecdote continues to be an important engine of novel ideas in medicine. … When we fail to listen to our patients’ stories, we lose the opportunity to discover what truly ails them.”

Gillian Loughran, editor of the U.K.’s Autism Eye magazine and the mother of a child with autism, was quick to voice her support for PETA, our campaign, and the benefits that children with autism may reap by eliminating dairy products from their diets. She sent the following letter to each publication that covered the story: