So I saw a post about the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine and its link with autism, and its an important topic to me, so I thought Id write this little essay to set the record straight. I am an actual, professional biologist, and I fully recognize how A) misleading and self-serving many scientific articles can be, and B) how hard it is to interpret scientific data in the first place. So, cutting to the chase: this MMR vaccines cause autism thing is bupkis. I chose the Yiddish word for bullshit just because I like the sound. There is absolutely no reliable, repeatable data that has ever shown vaccines are linked with autism. I cannot stand that bull being spread from person to person despite it being, in the first place, entirely made up. That whole vaccine-and-autism thing started because of ONE guy, Andrew Wakefield, who released one study in 1998 claiming a link between the MMR vaccine and occurrence of autism. The paper only made it into existence because, somehow, no one ever found a chance to properly edit it before press. When it was finally edited, it was immediately found to be flawed (Ive reviewed it myself and it is really is). The testing made no sense, the statistics were all manipulated to make results appear one way, and Wakefield was found to have several professional conflicts of interest that would cause any other scientist to be recused from that line of questioning. Needless to say, the paper was retracted, and Wakefields medical degree was permanently taken from him. Many, and I mean many, independent researchers have tried to verify his results, and not a single one has been able to. And heres the kicker, not ONE paper has come out since arguing Wakefields original hypothesis (well, none backed by any data). Not to mention the huge increase in outbreaks of measles, mumps, and rubella as a result of this media sensationalization. So just to be clear, vaccinate your kids. At least for the big stuff. It doesnt cause autism. And dont take my word for it, instead listen to the CDC, the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, the UK National Health Service, dozens (potentially hundreds at this point ) of independent researchers, and also the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. CDC- (web.archive.org/web/20080407015528/cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/mmr_autism_factsheet.htm) IoM at the NAC- (iom.edu/Reports/2004/Immunization-Safety-Review-Vaccines-and-Autism.aspx) U.S. Court of Federal Claims- (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedillo_v._Secretary_of_Health_and_Human_Services). UK NHS- (webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4002972) Also, if you want more sources, Ill totally link some below. Ive just been typing too much tonight.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 03:15:14 +0000
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