A fifteen page story about the MMR vaccination controversy. As ever, I'm sure a few spelling errors have slipped past me. Feel free to point any out so I can correct them
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You are awesome. I'm so sick of anti vaccine propaganda, especially coming from celebrities who think that because they are famous that makes their opinion important and "correct" and they think they can be spokespeople for ridiculous causes such as this.
Wow, excellent comic! The manipulation of the photo-copied images adds a real dimension to the storytelling. I am a terrible speller, though, so I can't help with that...
It's unfortunate that the conspiracy angle against vaccination has gained such headway; once anything like that gets out, any attempt to counter it comes across as more conspiracy. It doesn't help that it's Big Pharma in the spotlight-- they don't have the best track record. It's also sad that we'd have to rely on journalists, editors and newspapers to keep us informed about these things. This is the twenty-first century, after all, and we may not have those things around much longer.
Well there are sources of news and there are "sources of news." And there are more and more digital voices that call themselves journalists, but have none of the training or ethic. If the discussion is about how to best translate and present science news to people, I don't think I'm being unreasonably pessimistic. The comic portrays an excellent example of this: even though the Lancet has recalled the paper and the original stories have been debunked, those same sources are used all the time by the anti-immunization movement. Most of the actual journalists I know would know better than to cite them now. But there is no comparable set of standards on re:re:re: forwarded emails and "OMG did you know?" shock posts.
I'm not saying that digital technology is going to destroy us all-- I'm pointing out that digital technology is contributing to the issue discussed in the comic.
Unfortunately, many of those who have the training, don't have the ethic. At this point, calling someone out because they're making money on one side or the other is rather bogus, I fear, as *BOTH* sides tend to get paid to make their case however they can. I think this is part of a larger flaw in the US system, at least, where in our legal system pits two sides in a dispute against each other, missing the fact that there may in fact be a third side that is true. The prosecutor is not paid to find out the truth - he's paid to make sure the person is found guilty. The defense attorney is not paid to find out the truth, he's paid to make sure the person is found innocent. Even the police, perhaps theoretically paid to find out the truth, in effect are not - they're (or they perceive themselves as) paid to find the evidence the prosecutor needs to convict, *AND* to "solve" the case as fast as possible - where "solve" is taken to mean to get a conviction (which means they did find the guy who did it) or an acquittal (which is taken
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This is amazing. Thank you for this, the power of your work never ceases to astound and impress me. This issue is close to my heart as I myself have irritable bowel, but I got it when I was 15 and saying that the MMR caused it (as some in the anti MMR movement would no doubt love to do) is like saying that someone could get hepatitis at age 15 from kissing someone in kindergarten: ridiculous and unlikely.
So I am spreading this link to all my friends so they can finally see the truth. Thank you again for making this, I just wish more people could see it!
Oh, also when I was 25 I had an LP done because I had an incredibly rare condition called Ideopathic Intracranial Hypertension and frankly its one of the worst experiences of my life, they did it under X-Ray and I would not wish that on ANY child, it infuriates me that this guy just did them almost willy-nilly on children. I could barely stand the pain and I'm a grown woman I cannot imagine how those poor children must have felt. Disgusting conduct imho.
bronzed, it is even more disgusting than giving kids LP's.
For his "controls," Wakefield bribed children 20 pds each at a child's birthday party to give blood. Here's a Youtube video of him laughing at how the children were vomiting and fainting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTHDKNEx3lo
His behaviour verges on psychopathic in my view, and it's astonishing he carries any moral authority with anyone concerning anything at all.
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spelling errors - 'lumbar puncture' not lumber (pg 12).
lackeys not lackys (pg 13)
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-K
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It's unfortunate that the conspiracy angle against vaccination has gained such headway; once anything like that gets out, any attempt to counter it comes across as more conspiracy. It doesn't help that it's Big Pharma in the spotlight-- they don't have the best track record.
It's also sad that we'd have to rely on journalists, editors and newspapers to keep us informed about these things. This is the twenty-first century, after all, and we may not have those things around much longer.
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(The comment has been removed)
I'm not saying that digital technology is going to destroy us all-- I'm pointing out that digital technology is contributing to the issue discussed in the comic.
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So I am spreading this link to all my friends so they can finally see the truth. Thank you again for making this, I just wish more people could see it!
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For his "controls," Wakefield bribed children 20 pds each at a child's birthday party to give blood. Here's a Youtube video of him laughing at how the children were vomiting and fainting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTHDKNEx3lo
His behaviour verges on psychopathic in my view, and it's astonishing he carries any moral authority with anyone concerning anything at all.
Thank God he was let go from his job at Thoughtful House: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/19/wakefield-quits-texas-autism-centre
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