Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Vaccine War

Frontline on PBS just had a show on the vaccine war. It was well done. It was very factual and will probably be criticized by the antivax groups, because it did not really do them a favor and showed them for what they are. It had Jenny McCarthy, Paul Offit and others in it, including Andrew Wakefield. One point I got out of it was that the antivaxers look at it as more of an individual right and the medical ethics people say it is that and the right of the society in which you live to be protected from a disease that can be prevented. It also brought out the internet as a problem,which we all know is true, but we use it. The false information becomes viral and people are more likely to believe something on YouTube than a doctor or an expert in the area, even when the Youtube source has been shown to be a hoax. That is scary. Maybe, as others have said, that it will take a major epidemic with children dieing before the antivaxers get it, and then only for a generation.
Peace
Skeptical DoDo

No comments: