Vaxxed: The dangerous provocation of anger among parents of autistic children

The movie Vaxxed, led by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, alleges that officials at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) purposely withheld research data showing that the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine causes autism in baby boys African Americans. One of these officials, Dr. William Thompson, finally felt sufficiently driven by conscience to inform the father of an autistic child, Dr. Brian Hooker, on how to obtain copies of the suppressed research findings. He outlined to Dr. Hooker the steps that were taken at the CDC to blatantly suppress statistical evidence for the causal role of the MMR vaccine in autism. Essentially, Dr. Thompson contends that he and his superiors at the CDC published manipulated data obtained by selectively excluding African-American children for whom birth certificates were not available. The reduction in the number of children counted made the remaining data statistically insignificant. The published data was discounted by suggesting that several African American baby boys were vaccinated before 36 months of age simply to qualify for additional social services. This would have reduced the likelihood of autism being diagnosed in those who received the MMR vaccine after 36 months of age.

According to the movie, CDC staff were willing to manipulate the data despite knowing that the MMR vaccine would lead to future children becoming autistic. Essentially, they deliberately decided to hide MMR’s link to autism. This disregard for identifying a cause of autism was used to help discredit Dr. Wakefield’s earlier suggestions of such a link. The persistence of autism in African-American children was apparently more acceptable than the possibility of raising doubts about the CDC’s previous safety about the safety of the vaccine. The CDC’s actions were also intended to protect the profits of Merck, the maker of the MMR vaccine. This additional motivation was personal greed, as a profitable industry could provide financial rewards; for example, in subsequent job opportunities. In fact, one of the alleged CDC villains was, in fact, recruited to a very high position at Merck.

Autism is a global tragedy for affected children and their parents. It is a somewhat insensitive act for the film’s producer and director to take advantage of parents’ emotions by suggesting that their child’s illness has been knowingly perpetrated by government officials. Why not tell it like it is: that government officials are simply not up to the task of assessing aspects of vaccine safety? Aside from Dr. Thompson, it can be more realistically assumed that CDC staff do not inherently believe that the MMR vaccine causes autism. Also, why not admit that the movie doesn’t satisfactorily explain autism? This could reduce the return on your investment, but it would surely be more considerate of the emotional well-being of parents of autistic children. Less deception in the movie will also help to downplay the criticism evoked by various mainstream investigators and journalists against various obviously flawed statements in the movie. Typically, these mainstream spokespersons also know relatively little about the fine details of vaccinations or autism, but they are likely to be deterred from open and honest debate by the film’s one-sided bias.

The unfounded allegations within the film also give autism conspiracy theorists a topic of the day to rant with their followers. These commentators profit from controversy and polarization and do little to objectively address the real underlying issues. Rather than help modulate comments about the film, they can further inflame public anger and hostility toward the CDC. These commenters can cause people with reasoning and emotional control problems to engage in violent acts against those accused of causing autism. This would be a sad price for seeking audience ratings and increasing movie attendance.

I met Dr. Wakefield during his presentation to the House Government Reform Committee, chaired by Congressman Dan Burton in April 2000. In fact, I walked the halls with him after his presentation and outlined three reasons why I thought that their conclusions were wrong. I was able to attend an accompanying social function and provided my analysis to two of the people who had helped organize the congressional hearing. They weren’t really interested in my opinion, but they were in awe of Dr. Wakefield’s marquis bravery. They focused on how they would personally benefit from their performance and how they could soon deliver financial rewards to others. The autistic kids’ outcome seemed like an afterthought.

I subsequently spoke with Dr. Wakefield at various meetings both in the United States and abroad. I consider him a friend and colleague who has been unfairly punished by a stubborn medical establishment. I also met him at one of the film’s screenings. Vaxxed. As I again explained to Dr. Wakefield, I firmly believe that the primary basis of vaccine injury in babies is the baby’s previous infection with a stealth-adapted viral infection. The infection is acquired from the mother during pregnancy. While the cellular immune system does not normally respond to stealth-adapted viruses, it can if the immune system is overly activated with vaccines. Both stealth-adapted and conventional viruses can be suppressed through a non-immunological alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway. This pathway is mediated by a dynamic (kinetic) quality of body fluids. Apparently, it can be improved by consuming activated water. Consideration of these issues is far more constructive than a publicized movie about essentially meaningless data manipulation in a study conducted by the CDC.

It would be worth it, if the interest created in the film could help lead to a better public understanding of stealth-adapted viruses. CDC officials have avoided stealth-adapted viruses primarily because of unequivocal evidence that some were derived from the cytomegalovirus of monkeys used to produce polio vaccines. This problem becomes even more complex with the likely role of stealth-adapted viruses in the formation of HIV, the AIDS virus. However, there is a distinction between the CDC who do not want to explore past government mistakes and actively inflict autism on innocent babies.

Political and commercial interests have meddled with public health organizations, including the CDC. Responsibility for public health issues has largely been relegated to committees, which lack the will to tackle groundbreaking research that challenges the status quo. Autism is a stealth-adapted viral infection, for which the administration of potent vaccines may be inappropriate. There are potentially means available to suppress stealth-adapted viruses and these should be evaluated immediately with the help of parents. For more information, contact W. John Martin, MD, PhD. at [email protected]