Dateline - Vaccines and Autism (Tonight!)

[BlackBerry25]

Is anyone watching this? I just put it on right now... Looks interesting!

 

[tasha41]

How was it??

 

[Bam]

It was like any other controversial subject. If you're a proponent of vaccines, you'll say "See? I told you so." If you're against vaccines, you'll say, "No. That show was full of crap and they didn't get their facts straight." In either case, you're not going to change your mind on your position.

Personally, I found it interesting that the entire vaccine/Autism link started with ONE doctor who was paid millions to find the link and that people will turn to celebrities for answers rather than actual experts on the subject. It was an interesting program, though... if you have an open mind.

 

[BlackBerry25]

TBH I ended up not watching it. Too hard to watch when your baby is awake. I did watch a little bit of it, and really one doctor came up with this idea, and I don't even think HE thinks it causes it, he just thought it might be a possibility. Really no other studies have shown it to have a link.

 

[PeanutBean]

It was like any other controversial subject. If you're a proponent of vaccines, you'll say "See? I told you so." If you're against vaccines, you'll say, "No. That show was full of crap and they didn't get their facts straight." In either case, you're not going to change your mind on your position.

Personally, I found it interesting that the entire vaccine/Autism link started with ONE doctor who was paid millions to find the link and that people will turn to celebrities for answers rather than actual experts on the subject. It was an interesting program, though... if you have an open mind.

You're my hero!

What I don't understand is why when one scientist makes an entirely unsubstantiated claim about something everyone decides to believe it completely, but when 99% of scientists in a whole cross section of fields all carry out bundles of supporting research (e.g. humans are causing climate change) suddenly it's a thorny controversial issue. I wonder if it could have anything to do with people being over-sensitive to health scares and over-sensitive to having to alter their comfortable lifestyles? Hmmm....

 

[Bam]

heehee.

I think that has a lot to do with it, though. A lot of people will believe whatever scaremongering propaganda is shoved own their throats. And, please, no one take offense to this statement. If you're against vaccines, that's fine. But make sure you're against them for the right reason and that you're getting your information from experts in the field and not some celebrity's latest book and talk show appearance.

The key to anything is education and we have to educate ourselves.

Personally, I'm pro-vaccines. We will be getting our child vaccinated as necessary. My husband is autistic (Asperger's Syndrome) and my brother is autistic. If our child is going to be Autie, it's going to happen one way or another and the vaccine, or lack thereof, will not influence that.