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February 04, 2008
Stone of Arc
by Peter Pitts
Yes, Virginia, while some media will exploit public health myths for their own venal purposes, others can play an important role in advancing the public health.
By now you are certainly familiar with the controversy surrounding the ABC program “Eli Stone” – where the title character (an attorney who has spiritual visions) goes to court to prove that childhood vaccinations cause autism.
Well, rather than piling on to the already crowded anti-pharma bandwagon, here is what the New York Times said in an editorial:
“Nevermind that such authoritative bodies as the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have found no evidence of a causal link. Nevermind that the incidence of autism continued to rise even after mercury preservatives were phased out of almost all childhood vaccines. As far as Eli Stone is concerned, you can’t just rely on science. Sometimes you have to go on faith.
The American Academy of Pediatrics tried unsuccessfully to get the episode canceled, fearing that it could deter parents from getting their children vaccinated, exposing them to far greater dangers from disease. Let’s hope that any parents who watched don’t make that mistake. And let’s hope that in future episodes, Eli Stone and ABC show better judgment in picking causes.”
Posted by peterpitts at February 4, 2008 09:49 AM
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