Vaccines do not cause autism, despite persistent myths. Evidence supports that rising autism rates result from improved diagnostic criteria and awareness, not increased vaccine usage. The CDC and scientific studies affirm that links between vaccines and autism are unsubstantiated, highlighting… Read More »Vaccines were not the cause of the increased autism rate
A controversial BMJ Public Health paper suggested COVID vaccines led to excess deaths, sparking anti-vaxxer claims. However, BMJ expressed concerns about the study’s quality. The article allegedly misused data, implied causation, and faced severe scientific criticism. BMJ and affiliated institutions… Read More »That BMJ paper — COVID vaccines not linked to excess deaths
Measles, a highly contagious respiratory disease, is making a resurgence due to reduced vaccination levels influenced by myths and misinformation, including debunked claims linking the MMR vaccine to autism. This safe and effective vaccine prevents not only measles but also… Read More »Measles is vaccine-preventable, yet it is coming back
Despite the false claims from Robert F Kennedy Jr and other anti-vaxxers, the scientific facts is vaccines do not cause autism.
There have been 164 peer-reviewed, published science articles that show there is no link between vaccines and autism.
Christopher Aluminum Exley, who thinks that the aluminum in vaccines causes everything from autism to Alzheimer’s disease and is a favorite target of my snark, disappeared after he left his academic appointment at Keele University in the UK.
In case you were wondering, Christopher Exley is still pushing false information about aluminum and vaccines. Of course, when does an anti-vaxxer ever really disappear from the world of pushing their nonsense?
Let’s catch up on Christopher Aluminum Exley, just so you know he’s alive and well. And still inventing claims about vaccines.
Read More »Christopher Aluminum Exley is still around after leaving academia
Once again, the anti-vaccine shill, Peter Doshi, uses his BMJ blog to complain about the recent Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine approval by the US FDA. I’ve already seen anti-vaccine activists use this as a “peer-reviewed paper that shows that the vaccine is dangerous.” First, it is not peer-reviewed, it is a blog post no different than the one I’m writing right now. Second, it’s an opinion piece, he’s not showing any original or even secondary research to support his wild claims.
BMJ is not a hotbed of anti-vaccine pseudoscience, except for the presence of Peter Doshi. For example, they published a series of articles, written by Brian Deer, about Andrew Wakefield’s despicable deceit, you can read about it here, here, and here. Deer has also written a powerful book about Wakefield’s fraud. I wonder what Mr. Deer thinks of Peter Doshi as an editor at the acclaimed medical journal.
Even though anyone with the least bit of scientific expertise understands that whatever Peter Doshi says about the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine FDA approval is nonsense, I will endeavor to take apart his ridiculous claims.
Read More »Peter Doshi and FDA approval of Pfizer COVID vaccine – what now?
Recently, the vaccine deniers have pushed a list of anti-vaccine doctors, which gets copy-pasted from one website to another, and are similar to those lists of “scientists” who deny Darwinian evolution or climate change. But is this really made up of respected physicians and researchers? Does it really contain doctors who are experts or authorities on vaccines?
Well, thanks to Zared Schwartz, a senior at the University of Florida studying microbiology, cell science, and neurobehavioral, who took it upon himself to look up each of these individuals and see if they’ve got anything to offer in the discussions about vaccines. Guess what? It doesn’t appear so.
So if you run across this list of anti-vaccine doctors and researchers, wondering if any of them speak from authority, just check them out on this list.
Read More »List of anti-vaccine physicians – beware of false information
California State Senator Richard Pan is a physician who was instrumental in leading the charge for SB277, the law that eliminated personal belief exemptions to vaccinations by California school-age children. Senator or Dr. Pan, your choice I presume, has been dedicated to the health of children in the state of California, sponsoring bills that attempt to improve the healthcare of children across the state.
Unless you’re a vaccine denier, SB277 has been an unmitigated success. Vaccination rates have skyrocketed across the state, meaning more children are protected from deadly vaccine-preventable diseases. Dr. Pan deserves a statue in the Hall of Vaccine Heroes, which should include Edward Jenner, Paul Offit, Jonas Salk, and Maurice Hilleman. He’s probably too modest to accept such an honor.
Unfortunately, Senator Richard Pan has been the target of violent hateful racism and withering personal attacks across social media. He seems to either ignore it or like many of us, just stand up to these attacks with reasoned, evidence-based arguments. Not that the vaccine deniers are capable of listening to reason or evidence.
Recently, Dr. Pan was accosted by an anti-vaxxer at an airport in Orange County, CA. She recorded the encounter on video, despite being asked by Dr. Pan to not do so. Well, let’s look at the video, especially Dr. Pan’s responses, which were calm, professional, and accurate.
Read More »Senator Richard Pan responds calmly to an anti-vaccine questioner
One of the most annoying anti-vaccine activists is Peter Doshi who has decided to pontificate on COVID-19 vaccine trials. He is bothersome not because he is a noteworthy scientist or physician, he’s not, it’s because he somehow scored a position as an editor at the respected medical journal, BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal).
BMJ is not a hotbed of anti-vaccine pseudoscience, except for the presence of Peter Doshi. For example, they published a series of articles, written by Brian Deer, about Andrew Wakefield’s despicable deceit, you can read about it here, here, and here. Deer has also written a powerful book about Wakefield’s fraud. I wonder what Mr. Deer thinks of Peter Doshi as an editor at the acclaimed medical journal.
Doshi occasionally uses BMJ as his personal bully pulpit to push anti-vaccine rhetoric that can lead the casual observer to think that he is some respected authority figure with vaccines. He isn’t.
Peter Doshi has just posted an anti-vaccine blog post on BMJ attacking the clinical trials for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. His opinion piece needs to be critiqued because his attacks can add to the vast number of anti-COVID-19 vaccine myths that are being spread across the internet.
Read More »Peter Doshi discusses COVID vaccine clinical trials – once again, he’s wrong