About the Author
Richard Cochrane is trained in chemistry and metallurgy but is far more interested and practiced as a political and fund raising consultant, writer and amateur historian. He grew up in a Navy family and with his two younger brothers carried on its 500+ year tradition of naval service to Great Britain and the USA then enjoyed a career with one of the largest advertising and public relations agencies working with numerous Fortune 500 companies and many of America's premier educational institutions. He maintains friendships and acquaintanceships around the world. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.
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February 15th, 2009 •
Richard Cochrane
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Andrew Wakefield Intentionally Manipulated and Misrepresented Data on Vaccine Link To Autism – The Sunday Times.
The MMR vaccine controversy refers to claims that autism is caused by the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps, and rubella. The scientific consensus is that no credible scientific evidence links the vaccine to autism, and that the vaccine’s benefits greatly outweigh its risks.
Claims of a connection between the vaccine and autism were initially raised in a 1998 paper in the respected British medical journal The Lancet. After it was discovered that Andrew Wakefield, the paper’s lead author, had received major funding from British trial lawyers seeking evidence, ten of the paper’s twelve coauthors retracted its interpretation of an association between MMR vaccine and autism. It was also discovered that Wakefield had previously filed for a patent on a rival vaccine using technology that lacked scientific credibility, and that Wakefield knew but did not publish test results that contradicted his theory by showing that no measles virus was found in the children tested. In 2009 The Sunday Times reported that Wakefield had manipulated patient data and misreported results in his 1998 paper, creating the appearance of a link with autism. A special court convened in the United States to review claims under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program ruled on 12 February 2009 that parents of autistic children are not entitled to compensation in their contention that certain vaccines caused autism in their children.
Following the initial claims in 1998, multiple large epidemiologic studies were undertaken. Reviews of the evidence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the UK National Health Service and the Cochrane Library all found no link between the vaccine and autism. The Cochrane Library’s systematic review also concluded that the vaccine has prevented diseases that still carry a heavy burden of death and complications, and that the lack of confidence in the vaccine has damaged public health.
A hypocritical media’s irresponsibility, distortions and misreporting of the hoax contributed to near public hysteria that led some to unwisely not vaccinate their children. Main stream media failure now to correct that hypocrisy is malpractice. As the Cochrane Library just concluded the Wakefield hoax has damaged public health by readmitting nearly eradicated diseases back into our pathologic chain.
The culprit is Dr. Wakefield who it appears knowingly and purposefully – for his own profit – junked his own sacred Hippocratic Oath intentionally putting millions of innocent children at mortal risk. He should be horsewhipped.
Comment by concerned on 15 February 2009:
You’ll never convince me mercury plays no role in vaccines that lead to autism. The Amish community doesn’t vaccinate and their autism rate is virtually non-existent. The medical, pharmaceutical, and insurance industries are worried they might have to pay. If these parents win on appeal, it would open up the floodgates. It’s all about the money!
Comment by hello1 on 15 February 2009:
While the Amish may have a “non-existant autism rate”, they sure do have other diseases and genetic conditions that run rampant in their communities.
Comment by A Public Health professional on 15 February 2009:
A. Of course kids develop autism after getting shots–the age children typically manifest autism is right after the age kids get shots. Temporality does not prove causality.
B. The Amish have an amazingly low rate of genetic diversity. Perhaps the same genetic concentration that gives them high rates of dwarfism and otherwise rare metabolic disorders means they are not at risk for autism.
The anti-vaccine crowd needs to remember, the plural of “anecdote” is NOT “data.” The occurrence of autism in children who have received shots is not important. The rate of occurrence in all children who have received shots compared to that in OTHERWISE SIMILAR children who have not received shots is the key.
Now, shut up and move on–let the money wasted on defending against hare-brained suits go to finding real therapies and preventive strategies.
Comment by sam9 on 16 February 2009:
I saw a report on my local news the other night that put a “scientist” on that was still babbling about vaccines causing Autism, (without any proof of course). Then another “doctor” claiming it was caused by a virus.
Good grief! Talk about awful reporting. Does anybody bother to check a story before they release it? Truth be told we don’t know what causes autism yet.
I know several families with Autistic children, and we all feel for them and their children. But seriously, trust the epidemiologists on this one folks.
Comment by Mike on 16 February 2009:
Concerned: I urge you to check this link; Autism rates continuing to rise as Thimerosal (the mercury containing agent) is being removed: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/93217.php
I don’t understand why so many people can’t comprehend the “Temporality does not prove causality” argument. It’s very clear: The signs of autism manifest around the same time we vaccinate the children out of pure coincidence.
It’s like you’re driving down the highway and a plane crashes into your car. Coincidence? Yes. Did you driving cause the plane to crash? No.
Comment by concerned father on 16 February 2009:
Back 8 years ago, i had attended an Autism group meeting in the US, soon after learning that my child had autism. Being in a vulnerable state, i listened intently as they poured out information about their anger for MMRs and Mecury in vaccinations. I was upset myself, after listening to it.
I spent the last few years reading medical research papers, and following all the testing that has been done in research of this specific issue. We are talking about multiple studies, that were international in scope, and independent (meaning that they were not sponsored by the different governments).
i dont know whether to feel disgust or sympathy for parents who continue to hold onto this belief that vaccinations have caused their childrens autism. I know now that there is only anecdotal evidence as far as this issue is concerned.
My real anger over this situation is the number of Autism support groups who still push this as an agenda. They are willing to take advantage of a parents stressful situation, and push very bad data on them. This is akin to brainwashing people in a religous cult. you are take people who are vulnerable, and you influence them.
It is very painful to be no closer to an answer for what causes autism… in one way i had wished that this was the cause, so that we could begin finding a cure to it.
Now i wish everyone would stop wasting time on this issue, and continue the search.
Comment by chris on 16 February 2009:
I think everyone needs to keep in mind that every single one of you posting has had a vaccination shot in your lifetime. Did you not turn out normal? Face it EVERYONE that is concerned and posting on these boards has had it.
Comment by TomB on 16 February 2009:
“You’ll never convince me mercury plays no role in vaccines that lead to autism. The Amish community doesn’t vaccinate and their autism rate is virtually non-existent.”
“(N)ever convince me”? That comment is about as anti-science as you can get.
And as far as the Amish goes:
http://combatingautismfromwithin.blogspot.com/2008/01/guess-what-amish-vaccinate.html
“The idea that the Amish do not vaccinate their children is untrue,” says Dr. Kevin Strauss, MD, a pediatrician at the CSC. “We run a weekly vaccination clinic and it’s very busy.” He says Amish vaccinations rates are lower than the general population’s, but younger Amish are more likely to be vaccinated than older generations.”
Finally, mercury (or to be more accurate, thimerosal) was removed from all childhood vaccines around 2001, so by now we should have seen a tremendous drop in autism cases, yet we haven’t. Why?
Comment by robert on 16 February 2009:
Having lived adjacent to many Amish I admire much of their culture and ides. But, some of them who resist disease preventing vacinations is among their least responsible attrributes. Most do vaccinate their children - a few resist it. That provokes public health concerns and issues.
What surprises me is how many supposedly educated parents and others would accept such dangers, and risk public health in the name of public health.
Now that is hypocrisy.