Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe

Bunch of pseudo scientific fear mongering based on an thoroughly debunked conspiracy theory. The author of this film is a known fraud who lost his medical license, this is his pitiful attempt to clear his name. He is also counting on parents seeing this movie and being afraid for the health of their children. I want to give explanations and proofs for those not familiar with this story. Andrew Wakefield is a guy who falsified his research to show that the MMR vaccine is causing autism. He was payed handsomely by lawyers suing the government on that case and so he published a report in 1998 to give them scientific base. It backfired, everyone reacted, scientists tested his research and tried to reproduce his results. It was proved deliberately falsified so he lost his license. The Dr.Thompson story is covered on the "scienceblogs" site, here in short: there was no cover-up, Hooker did a very bad study that was later retracted and the story of this movie is proved false.

From the 1970s to today, parents have been reporting damage to their children after vaccinations. Given the sheer numbers, the videotaped evidence, the corroboration of pediatricians, the Vaccine Injury Court payouts, it's not even a question any more that kids have been harmed, and will continue to be harmed.

The point that the film makes --

What we need to know NOW is how often, and how many kids are harmed, and in what manner. Vaccines work, to some extent, and vaccines harm, to some extent. So it's time for a double blind study between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, that includes the entire range of vaccines. Incredibly, this has never been done.

What parents need to know are the rate and severity of all side effects, vs the rate and severity of possible diseases. Then an informed decision can be made.

Having no answer to that question is not acceptable.

Naysayers to this film have an almost religious faith in vaccines, and ignore the data points of harmed kids, and even the key data point of the documentary: a top scientist says they not only forged data, the data shows a connection between the vaccine and autism. The more scientific approach would be to include these key data points in building an overall perspective on the issue.

Don't rely on religion. Rely on science and logic.

Naysayers also seem to get caught up in what they've read or been told or read regarding Dr. Wakefield. For example, they will say he authored a study that claimed a link between MMR and Autism. They can't even get that right (but it's understandable, if you get your information solely from wikipedia.) The actual study -- yes you can read it -- states the opposite, that no link was proved. (Surprise!) (One should also note that the study was designed by 14 scientist, not one scientist with an agenda, and also that the data was not faked or forged, only the process was criticized.)

It's bizarre that mis-reported criticisms from a case series from twenty years ago should have any relevance to a current documentary on a CDC whistleblower, but that's what people do.

The documentary is eye-opening, hard to watch at times, shocking, and makes no scientific claims that haven't been vetted as true.

The beauty of the documentary is that it represents a turning point -- there will be many more to come, as concerned parents demand answers, real studies, and ultimately (in the very long run) individualized vaccines that can be given with confidence, rather than the current system of roulette, some percentage of children will be irrevocably harmed, but that's all right, because there will be too few to matter.

It's not too few to matter if it's your child.

Vaxxed will leave something for everyone. It's a compelling and well executed documentary that is not, unlike many of it's predecessors, suffering from an identity crisis. You will walk away challenged, maybe compelled, but ultimately engaged in the debate one way or the other after watching this. Frankly, it's a good thing too. The conversation needs more involvement from people on both sides of the coin. Whether you embrace today's aggressive vaccination schedule as a necessary evil, or like a growing population are beginning to, big pharma overeach at the mercy of children's health, it is important that the conversation turn to one of data and research rather than emotion and antagonism. The Producers of Vaxxed dance a pretty fine line but manage to maintain data diversity and integrity for the most part. Yes, there's some dramatic music and dark soundbites to ratchet up the tension but what doc isn't taking a more threatrical line today. It's great cinema.

Right at the heart of the doc is a fantastic protagonist/antagonist depending on your perspective. This flawed but brilliant character leaves a Faustian mosaic across the 90 minutes and is compelling viewing.

Bobby DeNiro recently went on record as saying there is something there. And I found myself walking away agreeing with him. In the UK there isn't the violence in rhetoric that appears to mare the discussing in the US. We came to terms many years ago that when it comes to Pharma we're all guinea pigs - and that this applies to vaccines as much as it does Vioxx or any other problem drug. It seems that the US is a long way from this level of acceptance which is all the more reason to go watch Vaxxed and let the science do the talking for 90 minutes. And wherever you stand at the end of the movie at least you can say that was a worthwhile way to spend 90 minutes.

The premise is that people at the CDC, and ostensibly, the pharmaceutical companies and all doctors who administer vaccines, are all in on a giant conspiracy to kill you. But not just you. Since pharmaceutical company executives and their families, and doctors and their families, and politicians and their families, and the CDC and all its employees and their families, all get vaccines, apparently the conspiracy is one of mass-murder suicide. So, yeah. If that makes sense, enjoy, this one's for you.

If however, you think "teaching the controversy" is bunk, and that it just might be the case that not all stories have two equal sides, and that everyone is not, in fact, out to kill everyone, then congratulations, you've earned the right to propagate and you should spread your genes so that those who believe the first paragraph above become extinct.

I went to see the documentary Vaxxed last night with my friends and fellow concerned moms and I was in shock, disbelief and anger as I watched fact after fact after fact scrolling on the screen that shows how we are being lied to about the effects of vaccines on our children. Whether you are for or against vaccination it does not matter. That is not the issue!!!! The issue is whether vaccines are safe and safely administered to our children. How many at a time? At what age? What substances do they contain? Before you start passing judgment, picketing for vaccination or lobbying that vaccines are safe, please go watch the movie and judge then for yourself!!!!