Dear Ms. Ziv,
We are writing to express our gratitude and commend you for your informative, accurate, and evidence-based reporting on the recent measles outbreak, Andrew Wakefield’s response, and the research that has negated a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. As a journalist, you have a great impact on the public’s understanding of complex and divisive issues, and we thank you for providing your readership with a scientifically sound piece of journalism that disseminates factual information on this critical topic.
Andrew Wakefield, a former doctor whose license was revoked in 2010, published a 1998 study in The Lancet, which purported a link between autism and the MMR vaccine—a study that has had far-reaching effects on the behavior of parents (i.e., beliefs about MMR causing autism, dropping vaccination rates). Wakefield is reviled by the scientific community and most of the public, but to a small group of individuals he is still believed to be a pioneer in the fight against vaccinations.
Unfortunately, this fraudulent report (retracted in 2004) has had a greater impact on public thinking and behavior than the dozens of rigorous, controlled studies that have followed, and which have successfully refuted the claims he made. More recently, a 2014 analysis reviewing a variety of previous studies involving over 1.26 million children found no link between MMR and autism in any case in all studies reviewed (Taylor, Swerdfeger, & Eslick).
As you point out, these views on vaccinations, in the face of scientific evidence, have incredibly dangerous consequences for everyone. Subsequently, we have seen an increase in deadly, preventable diseases within the United States, including the most recent measles outbreak in December 2014. This is proof that misinformation and media coverage can have a detrimental effect on our nation’s health.
Providing your readers with a clear understanding about the lack of evidence Wakefield had to uphold his claims, and the potential financial gains he might incur if successful in influencing public thinking about the MMR vaccine and autism, is critically important. Thank you for juxtaposing this information with his response to the recent outbreak, in which he stated that he made no claim about the vaccine causing autism. Additionally, interviewing experts in the medical field helped to provide support to the importance of the vaccine schedule in keeping our communities free from life-threatening diseases. By presenting Wakefield’s statements and the reports by experts in the medical field, the reader can clearly see how he had ulterior motives, has not conducted scientifically sound research related to the topic, and should not be trusted as a credible source.
Thank you for your commitment to responsible journalism, research, and perhaps most importantly, for presenting factual evidence relating to the current measles outbreak. It is our hope that your story will help to create a more savvy and well-informed general public.
References
Taylor L. E, Swerdfeger A. L, Eslick G. D. Vaccines are not associated with autism: An evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine. 2014 June;32 (29):3623–3629.
Briana D. Tingler, M.A., and Elizabeth G. Callahan, M.A., BCaBA
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
