MMR and autism (From The Northern Echo)
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MMR and autism
11:26am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in
BARRY Nelson’s article regarding links between MMR and autism (Echo, Feb 4) was irresponsible journalism and scaremongering. It is shameful The Northern Echo has based an entire article on one person’s perception of “a possibility”.
The medical profession cannot base its conclusions on anecdotal evidence – we use randomised controlled trials. I am yet to see a trial of any kind, with the exception of Dr Andrew Wakefield’s flawed and unethical research, now retracted, that points to any link between autism and MMR.
The researcher quoted in your article states: “We are not saying that there definitely is a link, we are just saying we should find out.” Don’t you think we should wait until he has “found out”
before printing this?
Articles like this have caused a resurgence in life-threatening measles cases in this country. I thought the Echo would have been more conscious of the public health implications of this article.
The Committee on Safety of Medicines, Medical Research Council and The Cochrane Collaboration review organisation have not found any evidence of a link between MMR and autism. There is no link. I fear that due to falling vaccine uptake as people read articles like this we will re-enter a time when children die of preventable infections. This would be a tragedy.
Dr K Wilson, Appleton Wiske, near Northallerton.
Comments(3)
chriswhite
says...
11:02am Wed 10 Feb 10
.
Measles is a serious illness. There were three deaths in Ireland in 2000 (from 1500 cases). The outbreak was attributed to reduced uptake of vaccinations following the vaccine scare. Andrew Wakefield has blood on his hands.
.
There's dozens of properly conducted studies from all over the world that have shown that there's no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/MMR_vaccine
_controversy#Recent_
studies
David Lacey
says...
2:56pm Wed 10 Feb 10
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Super steve says...
8:08pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Now suddenly because those same doctors now get paid a large bonus for having high groups of innoculation rates measles becomes a life threatening illness.
If its that bad then offer single jabs for patrents who want them alongside the MMR and the problem will go away, but they wont do that because it directly impacts on GPs pockets.
MMR is three diseases in one dose being administered to under developed immune systems of children. Where in nature can kids pick up three infections at once ?
Single jabs is a much wiser and safer option, but it means GPs wont make as much money. MMR is banging three illnesses in one go into our children.
Remember its these very same "experts" who told us BSE can't jump species, Salmonela is not in eggs and Thalidomide is safe.
At the private hospital in Darlington they held a series of day clinics offering single vacine shots for a period of over 6 weeks, Most of the people I met their were NHS staff and other professionals.
Go Figure.