It is rare that you see true evil in the world, but a British scientist named Andrew Wakefield certainly qualifies. According to a study, he deliberately faked research linking autism to the MMR vaccine, which caused some parents not to vaccine their kids. And some of them became ill withthe measles, mumps and rubella because they didn't get the vaccines.
He denies this, but the British General Medical Council has verified that his work was a deliberate fraud. And now the word is that his plan was to make millions from an alternative to the MMR vaccine. Getting kids sick to make money. Does it get any worse than that?
How does this guy sleep at night?
FD
Virtue
1 hour ago
I wonder how so many people sleep at night that waste their energy just hurting other people. Whether in the form of real bodily injury .. or sending out viruses.. or hurtful rumors.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes someone tick when that brings them joy?
Good post FD !
I agree, science has to be replicable to be trusted, it is a pity he got away with it. Similarly, DDT studies were rigged and we now have an epidemic of bedbugs and other world wide illnesses that DDT was useful to control.
ReplyDeleteThis researcher I believe had his MD stripped and will face charges. As he should.
Veritas
no-words-spoken.blogspot.com
Interesting I was thinking kind of the same thing the other day. We put so much faith in science that it doesn't even occur to us that we could be deceived by it's practitioners. I wondered if kids got sick, if they died. I thought about the parents who believed, who still believe that the science is right and that this man is a saint who has given his whole career in the service of autistic kids and parents.
ReplyDeleteAs an educator, i was livid when i heard this news report. Most parents try so hard to make the right choices for their children. How many innocents have suffered?
ReplyDeleteabby
Yes it was bad news: the diseases were almost wiped out i'n the UK and his work has brought them back.
ReplyDeleteThe most remarkable thing about the story is the extent to which people who should have known better --- especially including responsible people, even including parts of the medical establishment --- took his ideas seriously. His work was never replicated, and was clearly dodgy from the beginning. However, he managed to position himself as a champion of "ordinary people" against the scientific/medical establishment: in other words he took advantage of popular fear and suspicion of science.
The fact that it's taken so long for the establishment to find a bit of backbone to stand up to this quack is an indictment on their self-belief. That's the sign of the times, I think.
Rant, rave, ...
PL
I am always stunned to read of such evil in anyone.
ReplyDeleteSomething got badly twisted in his mind for him to be able to get away with this for so long.
Such a tragic story.
I've never understood how you could do something so hideous to innoscent unsuspecting people.
ReplyDeleteLike this guy http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/04/19/national/main506777.shtml
I know this story is old...but it was people in my hometown.
2 people in my world with fairly 'beatable' cancers died so this guy could pad his lifestyle.
Theres a special circle of hell for people like that.
And a special place in heaven for thier victims.
<3
The evil in people never ceases to shock me. Lance Morrow, a former Time Magazine essayist, wrote a book several years ago called "Evil - An Investigation." It's a great read, offering insight into a disturbing force that has been with us forever.
ReplyDeleteI have an autistic son who regressed after receiving the MMR vaccine. Many other parents of autistic report similar results. I still get my kids vaccines but will not let them have more than one in the same day. Also I stay clear of thimerisal containing flu shots.
ReplyDeleteIt's very hard to know what's the right thing to do or to beleive.
That's why I never believe anything unless I see the same results from multiple sources. I actually got scorned by a lot of parents on parenting message boards for getting my daughter vaccinated, but really... is it worth the risk not to?
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for the proof that red meat is bad for you...
There are so many people out there just trying to make a buck at everyone else's expense!!! Sad world I tell ya, sad.
ReplyDeletePY
The sad part is so many people still think you shouldn't vaccinate your children. The last I heard this guy has actually admitted he committed fraud in his study. And that blonde bimbo turned pseudo-activist isn't helping matters.
ReplyDeleteI am an advocate for child and have worked with many parents of children with Autism. I can attest to Serenity's comment. The unfortunate thing is that we now know the genetic disease was there (need to add this is very complex and I believe there will be environmental components during pregnancy as well as after birth affecting outcomes), present. It did not cause it, but multiple vaccinations did and does overload the system. The who, what, where, whys are all still unknown. We are starting to see screening tools that will help parents and MD's from birth better treat all children. Sometimes it is the madness that creates the sanity. Science is not going to out themselves. Least we all forget, the very first vaccinations were tested on - children with mental illness, family members of those scientists, etc., but in large numbers on the weakest in our society. Why wasn't it mentioned as a big flag when he released his research? Those children didn't get 'more' disabled, but then again, the discoveries were coming one at a time. I digress, but there is a ying and a yang. The vaccinations are better today, and we will make progress. When we persevere together, we all win. Special blessings for all those who do battle everyday to love and care for children with disabilities....
ReplyDeleteMy oldest nephew has Autism and my sister has been following this vaccine crap and feeling a huge amount of guilt over the possibility that she played a role via her deceision to have him vaccinated. This guy should be banned from the medical field forever and all of his qualifications should be revoked immediately.
ReplyDeleteIt is always tough to make that final decision as a parent no matter how well thought out the choice is. I begrudge no one their choices, I only blame the people who intentionally provide bad information for ill gotten ends.
ReplyDeleteFor 14 years I have been stay home parent. It was tough to give up that lucrative career as second income and the luxuries it afforded us. I did it for my children's future, because I believe as parents it is our job to give them the best future possible. I read so many research papers, medical studies (even the one mentioned) and dug through family medical history no one wanted to talk about (I am from the closed lip South) all deciding when to have children and while having them. I weighed all the possibilities and spent tormented hours deciphering what was the "right" thing to do for each of our children.
We have 3 children 4 years apart in age, we vaccinated all of them, but over a longer schedule than currently is standard in the States (and each child received their vaccinations at different intervals based on their own ability to heal). It never seemed right (in my logic and my intuition) to aggressively shock such a new immune system with so many "illnesses" in such a short period of time.
Every family member gets vaccinated each year for flu with the littlest child still taking the flu shot in multiple smaller doses. They were all breastfed more traditionally (2 years each at least) and fed food prepared in my kitchen grown locally, not from a jar. My children have never had to attend environments (like child care centers) that would expose them to stronger than usual diseases and they have developed healthfully.
When we are sick, we don't rush to the doctor we allow our systems to deal with naturally. Only when it is prolonged do we seek additional medical help (which is rarely). Consequently, we use much lower doses of antibiotics and the like. When their peers are falling like dominoes with illness, they stand strong against it almost all the time.
Our choices are not for everyone, but we know we have done the best for us that we can do. I have one child who is "cusp on the spectrum", and the one child has done very well. Many people don't know or couldn't notice the difference. Consequently neither does the child.
Cara
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