#042- Has the CDC Hidden Autism/Vaccine Link?

The League of Nerds

Posted in Podcast, The League of Nerds, Vaccinations // 1 Comment

Myles and James discuss the recent paper trying to link vaccines to autism in African American children.

2014

About Myles Power (795 Articles)

Hello Internet! My name is Myles Power and I am a chemist from the North East of England, who loves to make videos trying to counter pseudoscience and debunk quackery in all of its various forms! From the hype around GMOs through to Atrazine turning the freakin’ frogs gay, I’ll try to cut through the nonsense that’s out there!

1 Comment on #042- Has the CDC Hidden Autism/Vaccine Link?

Margaret Paton // March 5, 2016 at 4:51 pm // Reply

I’m not anti vaccine as such and both my children (now in their 20’s) had all their recommended vaccines – (except for the HPV for my daughter, as I thought at the time she could make her own decision on that one as she got older.) I do believe there are some legitimate concerns raised by the anti vaccers. In my country, Australia, the flu vaccine is recommended by the Department of Health for all pregnant women. The flu vaccine still contains thimerosol. In my day, women were advised never to have any drugs or injections whilst pregnant – if possible. In Australia (and the US), the Hep B vaccine is routinely given to newborn babies and they are given a second dose later. Hep B is not given to infants in the UK. Neither is chicken pox. Are those two really necessary then? Re the Gardisal vaccine, did you know that the vaccine was hardly trialled at all and was rushed out to all schoolgirls ( in Victoria, Australia) soon after its development? There are now questions about its continued immune effectiveness as early as 5 years after the 3 injections. The Japanese and Italian Governments have taken it off the recommended list of vaccines. Why is Merck now pushing for mandatory Gardisal vaccination of girls in the US (and also pushing for boys to have it.) The HPV is not airborne, like measles or whooping cough. It is sexually transmitted. Not all young people have multiple partners. (My daughter and her husband have only ever had sex with each other). In any event, all women are encouraged to have regular Pap smears to detect any possible problems. Should our children have vaccinations for all sexually acquired diseases if those vaccines become available?
I have always respected science as being “the truth”. But I do believe that many scientists have their biases as well. You say that ordinary people are too ready to magnify any possible problems with vaccines. However I feel that you yourself are not prepared to concede any validity to the claims of people who have expressed concerns. It doesn’t have to be a black and white issue, ie totally for or against. Antibiotics have saved millions of lives, and we are all so grateful for having them. However, there is no doubt that their misuse and over-use is causing some problems. (Their routine use in livestock is particularly disturbing ). Just because there are a few very important vaccines which have saved many lives since their development, should we willingly accept more and more of them without question? I’ve read that within a decade there could be as many as 70 doses given to kids, as more vaccines are developed and marketed. ( Currently in Australia, there are 44 doses up until the age of 16). What about the possible interaction, both short and long term, of all these different vaccines and their aluminium adjuvants? What also concerns me is the revolving door that occurs between public officials and private corporations – especially in the USA. (A case in point is the former head of the CDC resigning her position to take up a $3million a year position with Merck. Industry employees regularly take up temporary positions in Government as well – before returning to their private employers.)
Anyway, although I am grateful that we have access to modern medicine, I will not delude myself that these corporations are in it for altruistic reasons. Their scientists may be well intentioned but never underestimate the greed of those in charge and their shareholders. Profit and ever increasing profit is the name of the game. Just read some of the well researched books about the history of the pharmaceutical industry, especially in developing countries.
I believe that Thompson has whistleblower protection and is working closely with one of the US Congressmen. It will be interesting to hear what he eventually has to say…..

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