Most of the scientific community has known for years that the idea of a link between vaccines and autism is simply wrong. "Dr." Andrew Wakefield somehow managed to get his study claiming a link between the two published in the British medical journal The Lancet in 1994, a lapse on their part. In the years since, based on the tireless and, I would say, heroic, efforts of investigative journalist Brian Deer, The Lancet made a full retraction of Wakefield's paper in February of last year. The UK General Medical Council investigated, and subsequently condemned Wakefield in light of Deer's work, calling the good doctor, "callous, unethical and dishonest." Strong words from a major medical organization.
And now, we have a study done by Deer, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) further discussing and dismissing Wakefield's work, calling it an "elaborate fraud." Surely with all the continual and overwhelming denunciations of this man and his work we would see the idea that vaccines cause autism in children die out. Alas, that would be too much to ask in such a public and emotional debate. Facts are irrelevant, emotion and total certainty, set in motion by Wakefield, are relevant and will not be swayed by mere facts.
Witness the very public face of the anti-vaccine crusade, Jenny McCarthy, actress, model, and autism rabble-rouser. It is she whom we have to thank for years of anti-vaccine hysteria based on Wakefield's faulty work; she is a reliable idiot to keep pounding the drum of the vaccine-autism link. And in spite of all the evidence, she won't back down, having recently posted a rebuttal on Huffington Post.
If you can stand it, read it in full here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-mccarthy/vaccine-autism-debate_b_806857.html
She writes that Wakefield's study did not actually establish link between vaccines and autism, but instead called for further study into the matter. Well, stop the presses, then what's all the fuss about, Jenny? McCarthy notes the onset of autism symptoms in her son after being vaccinated (coincidence, perhaps, not a link?)
"Why hasn't anyone studied completely non-vaccinated children to understand their autism rate?" she asks with concern. Because no sane parent refuses to vaccinate their children, because it is patent insanity, that's why. Although, since you started your heroic crusade, I'm sure the number has gone up exponentially. Thank you for endangering public health with your nonsense.
"This debate won't end because of one dubious reporter's allegations. I have never met stronger women than the moms of children with autism. Last week, this hoopla made us a little stronger, and even more determined to fight for the truth about what's happening to our kids." Well, really, it certainly would be a shame to let facts get in the way of a good story, wouldn't it? It's interesting how facts that discredit one's position only make them more sure that they're right. It's like fighting creationists all over again!
Ms. McCarthy, I understand that this is a sensitive topic, that you are hurt and upset that your child has autism. You and others like you want answers, but continuing in this delusion that there is some magical link between vaccines like MMR that have saved countless lives and autism isn't the answer. You not only distract the medical community from going beyond the fictitious vaccine-autism link to actually get an answer but you endanger public health by scaring the public, scaring parents, about vaccines. How many have not been vaccinated because of this hokum, how many will be stricken with preventable diseases because of it?
Please, cease and desist. Your silence on this issue is long overdue.
And now, we have a study done by Deer, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) further discussing and dismissing Wakefield's work, calling it an "elaborate fraud." Surely with all the continual and overwhelming denunciations of this man and his work we would see the idea that vaccines cause autism in children die out. Alas, that would be too much to ask in such a public and emotional debate. Facts are irrelevant, emotion and total certainty, set in motion by Wakefield, are relevant and will not be swayed by mere facts.
Witness the very public face of the anti-vaccine crusade, Jenny McCarthy, actress, model, and autism rabble-rouser. It is she whom we have to thank for years of anti-vaccine hysteria based on Wakefield's faulty work; she is a reliable idiot to keep pounding the drum of the vaccine-autism link. And in spite of all the evidence, she won't back down, having recently posted a rebuttal on Huffington Post.
If you can stand it, read it in full here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenny-mccarthy/vaccine-autism-debate_b_806857.html
She writes that Wakefield's study did not actually establish link between vaccines and autism, but instead called for further study into the matter. Well, stop the presses, then what's all the fuss about, Jenny? McCarthy notes the onset of autism symptoms in her son after being vaccinated (coincidence, perhaps, not a link?)
"Why hasn't anyone studied completely non-vaccinated children to understand their autism rate?" she asks with concern. Because no sane parent refuses to vaccinate their children, because it is patent insanity, that's why. Although, since you started your heroic crusade, I'm sure the number has gone up exponentially. Thank you for endangering public health with your nonsense.
"This debate won't end because of one dubious reporter's allegations. I have never met stronger women than the moms of children with autism. Last week, this hoopla made us a little stronger, and even more determined to fight for the truth about what's happening to our kids." Well, really, it certainly would be a shame to let facts get in the way of a good story, wouldn't it? It's interesting how facts that discredit one's position only make them more sure that they're right. It's like fighting creationists all over again!
Ms. McCarthy, I understand that this is a sensitive topic, that you are hurt and upset that your child has autism. You and others like you want answers, but continuing in this delusion that there is some magical link between vaccines like MMR that have saved countless lives and autism isn't the answer. You not only distract the medical community from going beyond the fictitious vaccine-autism link to actually get an answer but you endanger public health by scaring the public, scaring parents, about vaccines. How many have not been vaccinated because of this hokum, how many will be stricken with preventable diseases because of it?
Please, cease and desist. Your silence on this issue is long overdue.
Hey Brady...I started a blog too..."WithMentalReservations" Got lots of work to do, but now we'll be tossing book reviews at each other!
ReplyDeleteMcCarthy is a tragic case, but unfortunately not an uncommon one. America has always been an anti-intellectual country with a profound distrust of the highly educated. This tendency, coupled with inadequate science education in the public schools and the active anti-science efforts of the fundamentalists, makes "true-believers" (Eric Hoffer's term) far more numerous than should be in this century. We just have to keep placing the factual evidence in front of the public and hope that rationalism will prevail.