Paul Offit: ‘Autism’s False Prophets’
October 27th, 2008
From Newsweek, an extended feature on Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a lightning rod in the white-hot controversy over childhood immunizations.
Offit is the nation’s most outspoken advocate for vaccinations, which has set him up for criticism and worse from parents who blame the shots for their children’s autism. The author of a new book on the subject, Offit says he’s been harassed in public and received threats in letters, emails and phone calls.
He has the same motivation that parents do, Offit says: He wants what’s best for kids. He challenges his critics to disprove his scientific analysis, which quotes study after study showing no vaccine-autism link. The book is “Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure.”
With video.
Earlier posts here and here and here.
(Photo from Newsweek video.)
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February 9th, 2009 at 5:10 am
As a student i have seen the devastations of Tetanus and Polio. I would not want that for my children or me. Though born in India, i must have great immunity since i did not catch any of those bad ailments. Had TB but only the skin test to prove. Must have been one of those prolonged FUOs i had in my younger days.. Have seen the devastations of what Tetanus can do.. How one can have such stiffening of all muscles of body and the only medication we had was paraldehyde IV to control these painful spasms.. living hell.. Tetanus has changed it all.. not too long ago college students were getting the Measles.. not too long ago heard the story of a woman visiting the Nepal getting the Rabies after trying to pet a stray dog that bit her. She begged for Rabies shot at Nepal, at India and did not get it.. and got it after she came to USA but was too late.. and The Harvard Professors saved her life by intrathecal.. anti rabies immune globulin..
As ID physician i see the devastation of how HIV robbs the life and youth out of men and women in the prime of their life.. OH how i wish there is a vaccine for it..
As a student i have seen the treachery of little boys and girls drag their leg braces to want to walk despite that Polio stricken legs that have atrophies…….. dont we remember the Iron Lung days of Polio……… dont we remeber the great president of USA going around on the Wheel chair from the devastation of the Polio…
I can go on and on and on.. There is a price for everything
If we want to cross the ocean in a day and go to India from USA then we have to accept the risk of getting killed in the air line accidents. If we want to get from Point A to Point B fast instead of walking or horse buggy..and want the CAR .. then we have to accept few deaths from auto accidents…for everyhing good there will always be some bad.. IT is the Question of What percentage is good..What percentage is Bad..What is numerator.. What is the denominator.. you get the point.. Vaccines Are GOOD.. Not infallible.. not 100% safe.. 99.9% safe.. That is good enough for me.. hope i convinced few to be on the vaccine side.. God Bless V.Chokkavelu MD FACP FCCP Board Certified Infectious Diseases Physician.. Wheeling WV 26003