Dateline’s Dose of Controversy: Matt Lauer, Vaccines and Autism
Rob T. over at Science-Based Parenting blog just posted a review of tonight’s Dateline NBC special, Dose of Controversy. He says that although Matt Lauer interviewed several people to refute the claim that vaccines cause autism, including reporter Brian Deer and vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit, in the end, Matt dropped the ball.
So they explained the controversy, and they had some good takeaways for parents, but all in all, Dateline failed to spend enough time pounding home the multiple studies that have shown no link between vaccines and autism. Sure, they mentioned the conflicting studies in passing a couple of times, but then they spent an entire segment on an 11-year-old getting a controversial treatment at Dr. Wakefield’s Thoughtful House. If they truly wanted to have their show be science based, they would have spent a segment on those other studies.
Head on over there and read Rob’s entire review.
goddessoflubbock Said,
August 30, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
Dateline is not a science based show – it’s reporting aimed at the lowest common denominator with the goal being to hold an audience.
Surprisingly, the anti-vax crowd happily follows Jenny McCarthy whose scientific background consists of possibly passing high school biology. Possibly.
I think they did a decent job of showing what a fraud Wakefield is. Unfortunately there is none so blind as they who refuse to see.
I am convinced Wakefield could lose his only medical license in the UK, be blasted by every medical association in the US, and parents would still bring their children to him.
All because, at the end of the day, they want the “normal” kid they feel entitled to.
Um Ya Right Said,
December 15, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
You clearly are not a parent of an autistic child. Go ahead and try debunk whatever you like, but the parents of these children know different. I would say your probably all in favor of gov run health care as well.
Um Ya Right Said,
December 15, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
Let me leave one more comment just because I feel you need to hear it. Your blog is crap…. There is a reason no one, well other than myself has left a comment. Tough love, sorry!