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Mark Blaxill on Wakefield in USA Today: 'Believe objective science and parents, not the medical industry or the media frenzy"

Usa today Mark Blaxill is featured in USA Today this morning for an opposing view to, Debate on Fighting Disease: Vaccine Fear Mongering Endgangers Child Health. Mark takes ownership of his opposing view --which USA Today titled  "Unjustly accused -- Medical industry seeks to suppress science to protect vaccine profits," we have restored Mark's original title here -- and we are left wondering who wrote the "Vaccine fear mongering" editorial, excerpted below.

Americans no longer routinely see people disfigured by smallpox or crippled by polio, so it's easy to forget what terrible scourges those diseases were before vaccination eradicated them here. Routine shots also nearly wiped out measles, a dangerous childhood illness that killed 450 and caused 4,000 cases of encephalitis annually in the USA before a vaccine became widely available in the mid-1960s.

But reported cases of measles, while still tiny, are now ticking upward, and the probable reason is troubling: Fearful parents are refusing to let their children be vaccinated against once-common childhood diseases. Anxiety — fanned by a discredited British researcher and misguided celebrities — has grown that childhood vaccines, chiefly the MMR vaccine (for measles, mumps and rubella), are a reason for an alarming spike in the number of children with autism, a disorder that impairs a child's social and communication skills, often severely... (Read and comment on the full article Debate on Fighting Disease: Vaccine Fear Mongering Endgangers Child Health. )

Here is Mark Blaxill's response. Please comment at USA Today using the link below.


In George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, a memorable scene follows the protagonist (working at the satirically named Ministry of Truth) as he rewrites the news to erase a man’s life and work from history. That’s what Richard Horton, editor of the British medical journal The Lancet, just attempted when he retracted a case series report by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues at the Royal Free Hospital from the scientific record. Horton should be ashamed of himself, and anyone who believes in the free and open discussion of controversial scientific questions should be concerned about what has happened to our civil discourse in the process.

There’s a lot of name-calling and misinformation swirling around this issue that should stop. Parents concerned about vaccine safety issues are branded “anti-vaccine.” Dedicated scientists who simply reported a series of cases combining bowel symptoms, autistic regression and exposure to the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) stand accused of fraud and misconduct. Meanwhile, the medical industry has dismissed concerns over exploding autism rates in a crusade to protect their policies and vaccine profits.

Anyone convinced that Wakefield is the problem should ask a simple question: Can you name a single instance of fraud or misconduct by Wakefield, describe it simply without deferring to the authority of some faceless tribunal and defend the evidence to an informed skeptic? You won’t succeed. Why? Because the evidence clearly shows there was neither fraud nor misconduct. The parents whose children Wakefield studied never complained, and most have gone public with their support of Wakefield and his colleagues. Why wouldn’t they? Their children were treated by Wakefield’s colleagues, experts in pediatric gastroenterology, and the children’s intestinal symptoms and symptoms of autism improved.

The Lancet parents are not alone. Thousands of parents all over the world — dedicated, educated parents of children with autism — have done their own scientific diligence and reached conclusions that differ from the media frenzy stoked up by government officials and the medical industry. They trust Wakefield and believe he and his colleagues stand unjustly accused. They also believe that scientific censorship is a pernicious thing and should stop. You should, too.

Mark Blaxill is Editor-at-Large for Age of Autism and a Director of SafeMinds, an organization that researches the role of mercury in autism.


Media Scholar

Did anyone comment on the misguided graphic on the initial USA Today piece?

Mr. Gonzalez of USA Today seems to not know that a vaccine can not take credit for a decline in a disease prior to the existence of the vaccine.

The first one came out in 1963 and was replaced by a last adverse version in 1968. The MMR was "available" in 1971, but wasn't exactly pushed until later.

Frank Martin DiMeglio

The NUMEROUS vaccines are biologically active (and foreign/unnatural to the body) as disease/disorder/toxicity/damage.

Maredith C

I know Mark, and his daughters. He is a nice guy, but has gone over the bend about all of this. I truly believe that his ego is involved here. I don't think that he can believe that any genetics of his would lead to autism.


It was almost 23 years ago when my daughter
received the MMR vaccine and i do remember she developed a very high fever . We put it down to the fact that it was because of the vaccine and she had a convulsion.We put this down to the fact that she had the vaccine but surprisingly her high fevers and convulsions didnt stop there she had two more convulsions thereafter over a period of 5 years.But everytime she had a fever we lived with a fear that she would have a convulsion .Could the MMR vaccine have triggered the fever and hence the convulsion I wonder? Anyway it happened years ago she has grown up now .Just wondered


Some of the commenters seem to be responding to one or two pro-vaccine comments (e.g., by "the Mick"), but I can't see those now. Were they removed? If so, why?

You won't find the truth in an echo chamber.


Why should we believe the drug companies again?

"Committee staff began this investigation in May 2007 after a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing a link between the diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone)and heart attacks. However, the reviewed evidence suggests that GSK knew for several years prior to this study that there were possible cardiac risks associated with Avandia. As a result, it can be argued that GSK had a duty to warn patients and the FDA of the Company’s concerns. Instead, GSK executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk.
When an independent scientist sought to publish a study in 2007 pointing out the cardiovascular risk of Avandia, GSK acquired a leaked copy of that study from one of its consultants prior to the study being published. The company’s own experts analyzed the study, found it to be statistically reliable, and then attacked the soundness of that study in press releases and public comments. GSK also sought to counter the study’s findings by quickly releasing preliminary results from its own study on Avandia, even though the company’s internal communications established that its study was not primarily designed to answer questions about cardiovascular risk...."


I don't know that vaccines cause autism. What I do know is that vaccine studies are "special" and not constructed in the same controlled placebo method as other medical studies. We have no accurate data on the effects of vaccine on healthy children, let alone on those with any other medical disorders. To my knowledge there has been no accurate study comparing racial and ethnic group reactions to vaccines.

"A virus is just a plane ride away" Really, who is doing the fear mongering now? Until there are accurate, placebo controlled studies of vaccines and an accurate, independent study comparing vaccinated vs unvaccinated I won't be loading a revolver with potentially lethal toxins and injecting it into my child every three to six months. I do not vaccinate at all after I discovered how the FDA vaccine approval trials are constructed. No one with any sense and understanding of science would. In our house we practice good hygiene and pathogen prevention. No one has gotten the flu or any other illness and we have have immune-compromised family members. Thank you for speaking out for those of us who are concerned for our health and the health of the next generation.

Tim Kasemodel

The level of ignorance of the critics of Mark's veiwpoint is astounding, and unbelievably prevalent.

"the Mick" says:
"Additionally, since mercury has not been used in MMR vaccines for years, why would the director of an organization "which researches the role of mercury in autism" focus on an MMR study? There must not be many loose ends to pull at for the polio and flu vaccines that still use mercury - a less ingestible form in less quantity than that in two 6 oz. cans of tuna."

I mean, where do you even start? The tuna references are the most disturbing of all - "less ingestible form"????

You hear anyone using that reference just tell them this. You do not inject tuna. The 25 micrograms of hg in a 1/10th of a tsp flu shot is at 50,000 ppb concentration ethyl mercury INJECTED into small children and canned light tuna is around 35 ppb INGESTED methyl mercury.

Then ask them to consider the daily EPA allowable limit is based on .1 mcg/kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight, or less than 1 mcg for a 20 lb baby.

I think I figured out once that a 200 lb adult would need to consume 149 servings of tuna and absorb 100% of the hg to equal that of a 20 lb baby getting a Hib or DPaT shot in the 90's.

bad penny

I did my own vaccinated vs unvaccinated study with my two boys the first full blown autism and Whooping cough with his last DPT. But the unvaccinated conversational at 18 months.

Oh loved the study that said if the maternal age was 40 you doubled the chance of an autism diagnosis. Apparently not if you don't load that child up with Hg and toxic medical advise or medicines. My unvaccinated 6 yr old will help me celebrate my 47th birthday next week. And as for these diseases only being a plane away they are only a child away when our Dr. don't inform parents that live virus vaccines can infect others. My 6yr old got chicken pox's in kindergarden he was the only one in his class that did't get the booster. The school nurse asked me to report it to the state and I asked her who should I reprt the 17 children who got the booster or the AAP for jacking up the kids with a live virus and not advising the parents they are contagious. Shigles anyone?


this is an easy one. viruses are communicable, autism isn't. soo... of course the government is OK with a "few" cases of autism.

Dian Marchese

Nobody knows children as well as their parents. If Dr Wakefield has research that confirms what parents already know, put it out there build on it. If it's not subsantial enuf it won't hold up, if it is we could b on r way 2 a fix!

Darian (nickname)

Excuse me? Only social? Really? Explain wtf I have seen in the hab centers Offit!! Because last time I checked, a mere social/communication disorder doesn't cause someone to go to the bathroom in the middle of the floor, beat themselves with thier own fists, scream that bone chilling scream, or knock themselves unconcious while repeatingly slamming thier head into the wall!!

It does not cause attacks on others, on objects, on themselves. Or the violent physical reactions to the wrong kind of food on thier bodies!

Forgive me, but I must say, social/communication disorder my A$#!

michael framson

Teresa, I don't think its vaccine profits they worry about. They are loosing credibility. Its going down the tubes fast.

The Maginot line the medical community has erected to keep people from figuring out that vaccination science is corrupt. Parents are figuring out that too many doctors are either pathological liars or clueless when comes to vaccinations and the horrendous damage they are inflicting.

What is being perpetrated on children is this country is nothing less than domestic terrorism.

How long do "they think" they can get away with it? Its not profits they worry about.

Its about being held accountable.

Shannon Hunt

My reply on USA Today.......

We are not crazy, fringe, anti-government people. We are parents who have WATCHED our children (I have two DX with ASD) change after vaccinations. I did not learn from my first child and allowed my second to be damaged. My younger boy's father has auto-immune problems within his family. No one asked for a family history...WHY? Knowing what I now know, we would have cut down and spread out his vaccines, only given him the most urgent ones and requested they be Mercury Free. I am not anti-vaccine but I am anti-corruption. I am not a conspiracy theorist........I am a parent crying FOUL!!

Teresa Conrick

Thank you Mark, for a sane voice of reason.

This is so typical. "A plane ride away" that's Offit for sure either directly involved here or via propaganda material; "Anxiety — fanned by a discredited British researcher and misguided celebrities".....sounds like more Offit with a hint of AAP talking head, Dr. Parikh;...."autism, a disorder that impairs a child's social and communication skills"...that's just a blatant lie as autism impairs the immune system, the mitochondria, the gut, the brain, the ability to eat all foods, etc and this bs attempts to downplay and remove the MEDICAL pieces of autism which are the roots to the disorder; "But the conviction that vaccines are the cause, despite convincing scientific proof that they're not, is turning into a dangerous threat to public health" that is just completely untrue, a bold lie about "convincing" proof...and this is more of the same.."But research has shown almost identical autism rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children, and autism rates continued to rise after thimerasol was removed from virtually all child vaccines in 2001", as there is NO study comparing vaccinated to unvaccinated children and the fact that both of these lies appear together here strongly tell us that there is a huge fear of the truth - that the medical industry seeks to suppress science to protect vaccine profits.


The more I read, the more I find out about scientific censoring. It doesn't seem to be limited to autism research. Just today I was researching ubiquinol, which we are adding into our family's nutritional supplements. Curious as to whether it might be helpful for my neighbor, who just completed chemotherapy, I googled ubiquinol and chemo. What did I find? Information about the National Cancer Institute censoring and deliberately skewing science on an inexpensive yet effective cancer treatment called hydrazine sulfate. Researchers comparing apples to oranges. Politicians ignoring the cries of families begging to use the treatment to save their loved ones. Millions of dollars in funds wasted on worthless, damaging, deadend research. A hero of information dissemination named Kathy Keeton, their own version of Jenny McCarthy. It all sounds so familiar. One day, maybe all the victims of pharma/govt sponsered non-research and science suppression will get together to stand against their common slaveowners and demand freedom. 1.2 million families with autism might stand next to the countless cancer families who will stand be next to the nutritionists, next to the homeopaths, who may be next to the NDs. Maybe it will be a parade of wheelchairs filled with the guillan barre and ALS and parkinson and diabetes victims, walking in front of the survivors of heavy metal poisoning, with the asthma crowd in rear, trailing not too fast in their masks, inhalers in one hand, protest flags in the other, and the list goes on and on. Maybe a new magazine will be formed as the government scrambles, dedicated to publishing censored science reports complete with public peer review, not beholden to pharmaceutical advertising. Maybe a new and independent research co-op will be formed, with all these victims buying into it and methodically pushing through the real research and cures their diseases need. Maybe a new insurance agency covering any medical treatment an individual chooses for himself, based on family and friend membership support circles, like the cell phone companies. The possibilities are endless, because the victims are endless.

Catherine Tamaro

Regarding USA Today's "statistics" regarding the drop in vaccinations: Ferry County, WA is not only located in one of the most rural areas of Washington state but half of the county lies within the Colville Indian Reservation. The fact that vaccination rates are low on an Indian reservation should surprise no one, but it has nothing to do with Andrew Wakefield or fear of the MMR. Rural Indian populations receive abysmal levels of public health services from the federal government and the low vaccination rate reflects this. However, it would be interesting to determine the rate of autism on the reservations because it would seem that the thanks to the neglect of the BIA, we may have a heretofore-undiscovered population of unvaccinated children.


Kathy Blanco

I saw this on a blog this morning and I copy without knowing the author...anon...

Most of the published medical literature over the last 20 years should be piled up and burned. It cannot be trusted. This is an article that should have been published. Not only that, but a prospective, double blind study in humans comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated MUST be done. It is time to cut thru all of the bluster and hyperbole. We can handle the truth.

Mr T

All anyone has to do is read the Simpsonwood report. They had a big problem and had a meeting to figure out how to cover it up. In the meantime my son received his vaccines in 2001 and was mercury poisoned. I thought I lived in a better country than this.


yea and half those kids that recently got infected with measles had the measles does that work?

Beth Bento

There is NO evidence of research on unvaccinated vs vaccinated.. Where did that yahoo get his information? Has a study finally been done that we are aware of?


For some reason, the Autism community is expected to place their full faith and trust in the medical industry, which still has "no clue as to the cause" of an epidemic that is 30 times more common than polio at its peak.

The vaccine industry clearly uses only "tobacco science" to support their claims, and is able to do so with the full cooperation of the news media, that will do about anything for a full page drug ad, with about half of that space devoted to warnings in regards to the use of the product....

A Mom

The outright lies are but a sign of desperation on their part. They are going to fall on their own swords/be eaten alive by the monster they have created.

GFCFSF organic popcorn, anyone?


The modern media frightens me. They are not about finding truth anymore. They use those with vested interests as their "sources". How else did vaccine maker Paul Offit, who has never treated Autism, become an Autism Expert in the media. The make agreements with the CDC not to report on certain science information until CDC says it is okay. The media has essentially become the publicity arm of the government, pharmaceutical industry, and the multi-nationals. They need to be held accountable for this abrogation. Quality blogs such as this one have filled the void media left a long time ago.

Parent II

Parent: I second that question. That line stood out to me too. I've never seen anything like that 'research'. Would love for someone to jump in with a source/link (if there is one).


The same people who are in charge of the large media groups are the same people in charge of some of the large pharmaceutical groups that develop vaccines. This is all part of their pre-emptive campaign against information that may emerge from thimersol vaccination schedule research that is supposed to be coming out. They cannot stand the thought that they might end up making $99 instead of $100. Stems from greed, simple as that.


In the "vaccines are great" piece, it states "[b]ut research has shown almost identical autism rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children."

What research shows this?

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