[Shootohoist]

Has there ever been any research into using LSD to treat autism?

[wrenjmerg]

Has Oprah apologized for being such a terrible person?

[Asianunta]

2004 is ancient history. They did a massive study in Denmark (I think) where they surveyed everyone, including a massive community of people who refused all modern medicine, and found that the incidences of autism increased in both groups at the same rate. So something else is causing autism rises and people STILL banging on about vaccinations even though it's been comprehensively debunked and the snake oil merchant who questioned it in the first place has been confirmed as a fraud! Depressing.

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004407.html

No credible evidence of an involvement of MMR with either autism or Crohn's disease was found. And things have gone even further since then.

http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/pay-to-play/#more-931

[Biashpainabix]

Now can everyone see Spencer is one of the crazies?

[Z3s9vQZj]

There's always more science to be done.

Sane people know this and don't need to give ammunition to crazies.

[flnastyax]

Even if the vaccines did increase the chances of autism, how would that be worse than the kid dying from some disease?

[nebrarlepleme]

Er, I'm not sure that SpencerH is actually being all that unreasonable here. He's just saying that there's more science to be done, which is not exactly a terrible thing for a scientist to say.

There is, but as there's been a huge amount of anti-vaccination scares and we've already done a shed load of research into disproving the unfounded fears of scaremongering pressure groups maybe we're better off spending our money on something else since this vaccine that is taken by millions a year, for many years, doesn't seem to cause any issues.

Funny how anti-vax always bang on about how dangerous vaccinations could be, but never mention how dangerous the diseases are! Measles can cause deafness, and kills 1/2500 to 1/5000 kids who get it. Rubella can cause miscarriages, deafness, blindness and retardedness and there are all kinds of other complications.

Even if the vaccine did cause a tiny incidence of autism, which it doesn't, it would still be better than a potential 1/5000 risk of death?

[ovH9wfSJ]

Exactly. The earliest time you can detect autism is co-incidentally just about the time kids get shots.

[zueqhbyhp]

Same thing as losing a gold chain in the river one day, the rains coming the next and suddenly we are all worshipping the river god.

Well, thank the river god we have science to work out all this stuff.

[Argurnenoni]

He agrees that the science done so far demonstrates no causal link between vaccines and autism, thinks children should get their vaccines, and thinks Wakefield is a snake oil salemen. I'm not sure how he's helping the crazies.

once your sentence becomes longer than 10 words that can be easily comprehended, you are helping the crazies... oh wait I am helping the crazies... damn

[DiBellaBam]

The problem is saying it IS possible when there's no indication that anything of the sort is possible is enough for many people to fear it. Like nye, apparently.

It's like saying your daughter's teacher is possibly a child rapist. You don't go saying **** like that unless you have any reason to be it's at all realistically possible.

Talk about arrogance with no foundation. At least Guy has training and what I have to imagine as intensely personal experience.

I can't for the life of me think of why parents would feel uneasy about injecting their children with substances including toxic heavy metals, especially when there is a not infrequent incidence of science and authorities getting it wrong.

The attitudes displayed in this thread towards any questioning of authority and accepted (by some) wisdom, even by someone very well positioned to know what he is talking about, are amazing.

[Theorsell]

Lead? What problem? It's useful to make pipes and put in paint. No trouble there.
Asbestos? Very useful stuff. Let's insulate our buildings with it and use it in various household and clothing items.
Got a bug? A sniffle? Use this stuff that kills those bugs dead. It's like health candy! Everybody gets some! Only problem, now those drugs don't get all the bugs and there's some that will kill you despite whatever Guy and his cohort can think to do for you. Oops, sorry!

But, just trust us on this one. We know you have been taught to avoid heavy metals as if they carry the plague, but you can trust your children to it, and us. We have it right this time!

Yeah, right.

[MrsGoo]

I stopped using tinfoil a long time ago. I'm positive the US govt has back-doored it.

[Kayakeenemeds]

I'm no nazi for calling stupid people stupid.

People can refuse vaccinations all they want, I'm not forcing them. Just don't expect me to pay for your care when you get sick.

And make no mistake, people who refuse vaccinations on the grounds that you think X is icky are stupid. But they have every right to be stupid.