Monday 2 March 2015

OUGD505: Science Denial: Anti-Vaccination

The story behind the MMR myth- A time line from the Independent


October 1988
The three-in-one measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is introduced to the UK after successful use in the US. Previously, single measles and rubella vaccines were used, and there was no mumps vaccine.

September 1992
The Department of Health withdraws two brands of MMR vaccine after research suggests they are associated with a raised incidence of transient mumps meningitis, although much lower than with natural disease.

February 1998
The Lancet publishes a 12-patient case series by Andrew Wakefield and 12 others, proposing a link between MMR and a “new syndrome” of autism and bowel disease. At a press conference, he urges the use of single vaccines instead of MMR.

January 2001
The Daily Mail and other newspapers launch campaigns backing Dr Wakefield after he publishes a purported review of his evidence and repeats his calls for single vaccines.

December 2001
The Prime Minister Tony Blair is ambushed by Dr Wakefield’s supporters, who claim Mr Blair’s son Leo did not have the MMR jab. The Blairs initially decline to comment but later deny the claim.

February 2004
An investigation by Brian Deer of The Sunday Times reveals that the Legal Aid Board funded the Lancet research and that many of the children were litigants.

March 2004
Ten of the 1998 paper’s 13 authors, excluding Dr Wakefield, retract its “interpretation” section, which claimed an association in time between MMR, enterocolitis, and regressive developmental disorders.

April 2006
As measles outbreaks occur across Britain, the first death in the UK from the disease in 14 years is reported.

July 2007
The General Medical Council opens its case alleging serious professional misconduct by Dr Wakefield and two co-authors of the Lancet paper.

February 2010
The Lancet retracts the 1998 paper. The editor Richard Horton describes aspects of it as “utterly false” and says he “felt deceived”.

May 2010
After a 217-day inquiry, the GMC panel finds Dr Wakefield guilty of serious professional misconduct and orders that his name be struck off the medical register.


No scientists or researchers in any country across the globe have ever been able to replicate his results, there is no link between autism and the MMR and yet people still refuse to vaccinate.





This was the film that exposed the truth behind Wakefields intentions with exaggerating and claiming there was causation with the MMR vaccine and autism. After a small 12 person study and the research released a news release and press conference with very heavy emtoional influence (a girl crying, a large needle, a family who were convinced vaccines were the cause) were held to announce the newly developed individual vaccinations- created by Wakefeild and the companies who funded the initial research. 

It was all an attempt to make money, they spread fear, doubt and guilt to families in order to get rich. The media exploded, it caused a scare and now people have such a fear of vaccination that diseases that we wiped out years ago are making a return. 

He also during his time paid children at his son's birthday party for blood samples.





1,600 British children
England, UK 
Measles, 2006 - 2007
In just 2006 and 2007 there were 2,000 cases of measles in the UK. That's more than the previous decade, a surplus of roughly 1,600 cases. The increase is blamed on parents reluctant to vaccinate their children.Read more & more

1,600 children with a disease we can cure. If that child had a weak immune system, a heart condition, any range of problems measles could kill them.



9 children + 250 other people
Age: 3 weeks - 7 years
Jerusalem, Israel 
9 Dead, 250 Measles cases, 2002 - 2007
Refusal to vaccinate children has been growing in Israel, resulting in many preventable deaths from illnesses such as whooping cough and measles. In 2007 an ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem had 250 cases of measles. Read more


5 infants
Minnesota 
One death, four ill, January 2009
The largest outbreak of Hib meningitis in this state since 1992 has occurred among several infants who were unvaccinated due to parental refusal. One infant died, several others were injured. Read more






An autistic woman speaks out against anti vaccination with real passion. Explaining what it's like to be surrounded by groups who perceive you in a particular way and are unable to see any different than the myths and tell you they believe autism is a worse consequence than illness or death of other children. 

I did try to find some of my favourite quotes but the entire article is so profoundly written and so gut wrenchingly honest that I implore you to read it all. Just read the first paragraph and I bet you you will not be able to tear yourself away.


In a fight against anti-vaccination groups this article has given me the most powerful ammunition I could find.

'We could talk about people on the spectrum like we’re better than measles, like we’re human, or like we’re there at all.'


 Forbes Magazine Facts and findings:

A graph showing the increase in measles outbreaks across America.







Anti Vaccination Cartoons

There are many that are funny...



that call the mothers morons... and are funny


But this one here is similar to Darrly Cunninghams approach, bare facts in an easy to absorb way. I just sincerely hope people are listening. Here are some sections from it as it is a very large comic.











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