Lancet Retracts Study Tying Child Vaccine to Autism

[NFS4]

Oops! All of those parents got duped!

Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The Lancet medical journal retracted a 1998 study that linked a routine childhood vaccine to autism and bowel disease after a U.K. investigation found flaws in the research.

An investigation by the U.K. General Medical Council, which registers and licenses doctors, concluded in a report last week that three researchers led by Andrew Wakefield at the Royal Free Hospital in London carried out invasive, unnecessary tests, failed to act in the best interest of the children, and misused public funds. It also said Wakefield didn’t disclose a conflict of interest as he was involved in legal claims against the vaccine makers.

“It has become clear that several elements of the 1998 paper by Wakefield et al are incorrect, contrary to the findings of an earlier investigation,” the editors of the Lancet wrote in a statement today.

The original study, involving 11 boys and one girl aged 10 and under, found bowel disease and developmental disorders in the previously normal children. The parents reported symptoms in eight of the children after they were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella. Immunization rates plunged in the U.K. to less than 80 percent by 2003, as parents concerned about the possible health risks refused the vaccine, according to the Health Protection Agency.

The paper was retracted from the published record, stripping it of its scientific claims.

Wakefield oversees the research program at Thoughtful House, a treatment center for children with developmental disorders, in Austin, Texas.

“The allegations against me and against my colleagues are both unfounded and unjust, and I invite anyone to examine the contents of these proceedings and come to their own conclusion,” Wakefield said in a statement provided by Thoughtful House today.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aaLbZ1n4.rDw

 

[Nik]

Man, this is almost like News or something. :sneaky:

 

[her209]

Man, this is almost like News or something. :sneaky:

Not political news though.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Everyone knows mecury causes Autism. Thimerosal in vaccines is stupid.

 

[Vette73]

Yep and kids DID die to this assholes BS.

Before my son was born I looked into this and could not find ANYTHING real tying vaccines to autism.
My son has got ALL his vaccines and will get any others as well.

 

[Blackjack200]

Everyone knows mecury causes Autism. Thimerosal in vaccines is stupid.

There is no convincing evidence that thiomersal is a factor in the onset of autism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimerosal

 

[surfsatwerk]

Here's a situation where a public beating is the appropriate response.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Everyone knows mecury causes Autism. Thimerosal in vaccines is stupid.

O hai Jenny McCarthy!

The best are the parents that blame that when their kids were born after the vaccine no longer even had what they blamed for giving their kid autism.

 

[WT]

Parents with autistic children want a cure, and to that end they sometimes follow some oddball views or studies that someone puts together.

When my Mom developed liver tumors in '92, we researched any manner of oddball treatments like pills made from shark cartilage ... its amazing what you will go for when its your child affected by the condition.

 

[KeithTalent]

Great freaking news and it's about time.

KT

 

[NFS4]

Man, this is almost like News or something. :sneaky:

If you want to wander into the cesspool known as P&N, be my guest...

Here's a situation where a public beating is the appropriate response.

x eleventybillion

 

[SunnyD]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thimerosal

Yes, because wikipedia is 100% accurate. :sneaky:

 

[ichy]

This is hardly what I'd call news, the vaccine/autism connection has been debunked again and again and again. Even before this latest development it was about as credible as creationism or 9/11 conspiracy theories.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Yes, because wikipedia is 100% accurate. :sneaky:

lol

 

[darkswordsman17]

Parents with autistic children want a cure, and to that end they sometimes follow some oddball views or studies that someone puts together.

When my Mom developed liver tumors in '92, we researched any manner of oddball treatments like pills made from shark cartilage ... its amazing what you will go for when its your child affected by the condition.

Way different. These people were actually trying to convince others to not get vaccines because of the supposed ill effects, because of this study. They went beyond trying to cure, into trying to blame others, while ignoring rationality and facts. Even when confronted with things like it having been removed from the vaccine before their child even was born.

 

[ichy]

Yes, because wikipedia is 100% accurate. :sneaky:

It's not, but good wikipedia articles will cite legit sources which are very reliable. The article in question cites a number of legit scientific journals.

 

[mugs]

Not political news though.

If we nag them, they might give it a more fitting name: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2024702

 

[NFS4]

Parents with autistic children want someone/something to blame.

**fixed**

 

[SunSamurai]

Yep and kids DID die to this assholes BS.

Before my son was born I looked into this and could not find ANYTHING real tying vaccines to autism.
My son has got ALL his vaccines and will get any others as well.

Kids died due to parental stupidity. There will ALWAYS be BS in the world.

 

[So]

Everyone knows mecury causes Autism. Thimerosal in vaccines is stupid.

Are you being sarcastic?

 

[dullard]

Man, this is almost like News or something. :sneaky:

I thought you swore off being the "wrong forum" police.

 

[Agentbolt]

Awesome news, now find a cure already. I'm the worst person in the world for saying it, but I don't care, I hate autistic kids. I've been punched in the stomach by a ~14 year old HARD, and had water dumped on me because I was "wearing a color he didn't like." The punching one's mom actually smiled at me and gave me a "you understand, it's just one of their little quirks!" look while I was trying to catch my breath.

The violent/severe ones need to be locked in their house. They're a fucking menace, I don't care if they can help it or not.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Awesome news, now find a cure already. I'm the worst person in the world for saying it, but I don't care, I hate autistic kids. I've been punched in the stomach by a ~14 year old HARD, and had water dumped on me because I was "wearing a color he didn't like." The punching one's mom actually smiled at me and gave me a "you understand, it's just one of their little quirks!" look while I was trying to catch my breath.

The violent/severe ones need to be locked in their house. They're a fucking menace, I don't care if they can help it or not.

Wow.

 

[NFS4]

Here's some more good readin'

http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/the-false-prophets-of-autism/

 

[Agentbolt]

Wow.

Look, if they're screaming or running down the halls or counting everything as loud as possible, I'm obviously not going to say anything. They're not hurting anything. But when they're violent (and look up the symptoms of the disease, violent outbursts are not uncommon) then they don't belong in public settings. End of story. Just because it's sad doesn't mean the public at large should make unreasonable accommodations for them.