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jabsadmin
1239 Posts |
 Posted - 02/22/2008 : 22:05:08
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Letter of Complaint
I am absolutely appalled at the content and standard of production of the One Show which could not have been more biased and misleading on the MMR issue.
Your resident doctor, Sarah Jarvis, referred to the latest Baird et al study as conclusive proof that the MMR vaccine was safe. For your information here are the facts about the study:
1. The author of the new study had not selected children believed to have been damaged by MMR vaccines or with serious bowel conditions similar to the children investigated by Dr Wakefield and the Royal Free team.
2. The author stated that some of the cases regressed, therefore, the complete sample was not all regressive autism. Dr Wakefield's team looked at children with severe bowel conditions and regressive autism.
3. Only one child from the control group had clinical symptoms of possible enterocolitis so the study was not comparing like with like.
4. JABS maintains that only a percentage of children develop autism after MMR and these are the children who very clearly regressed after the first vaccine with a percentage of them regressing again after the booster.
5. These children were born in the early 90s and they may not have antibodies after all this time and according to the author many of the affected children did not receive their second MMR.
6. The author had only looked at antibodies and not studied biopsy tissue and CSF samples. Is it a matter of looking in the wrong place yet again?
7. The author concluded 'No association between measles vaccination and ASD was shown.' and then made a leap to 'No link between MMR jab and autism spectrum disorders' which totally misrepresents the data.
8. All of this seems to have been conducted 5/6 years ago and has been released a few weeks before Dr Wakefield has to defend himself before the GMC. Why the delay if its data was so definitive, so conclusive, so completely beyond refutation?
Although the research is interesting, after limited blood studies, they promote unequivocally that there is no link between MMR and autism when they haven't moved the research on. This is in contrast to Dr Wakefield's work: biopsies and CSF samples were undertaken as part of his clinical investigation of children at the Royal Free Hospital. He and his team found measles vaccine virus in the damaged areas of some of the children with autism and severe bowel problems believed by their parents to have been damaged by MMR vaccine.
For Dr Jarvis and the BBC to use this paper to promote MMR vaccination as they did in the programme seriously misleads your viewers and cannot be considered as anything more than propaganda. Where was the balance? Why wasn’t Dr Richard Halvorsen asked to join the studio debate?
What is particularly alarming is that it could lull parents into a false sense of security over the issue of MMR vaccine. The Government is aware that children have been severely harmed or have died following this vaccine - there is a vaccine damage payment unit and awards have been made to families.
To put Dr Jarvis right again, Dr Wakefield's February 1998 Lancet report was never discredited. The editor of the Lancet, Dr Richard Horton said during the recent GMC hearings that the paper was an excellent example of a ‘case series’. That this was a standard and entirely reputable way of reporting on a possible new syndrome. He likened it to how the first cases of HIV/AIDS were reported in the early 80s and how the new variant CJD issue broke more recently.
This new study takes us no further forward in determining whether MMR vaccine is causing regressive autistic-like conditions or other serious neurological problems such as uncontrolled epilepsy, loss of speech and communication, encephalitis etc.
It is regrettable that BBC researchers like these authors who defend the MMR vaccine and deny any MMR - autism connection, never propose alternate causes for the substantial increase in regressive autism in the UK after 1988.
Basically, the exercise of looking in the wrong place and discovering nothing is repeated every year or two.
Jackie Fletcher
JABS
www.jabs.org.uk
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GUS THE FUSS
United Kingdom
1465 Posts |
Posted - 02/22/2008 : 22:23:43
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Well done J my tuppence worth submitted
http://www.bbc.co.uk/theoneshow/contact/comment.shtml
Why is it you never listen to the evidence (the autistic children) and are only interested in the science and epidemiology provided by tabloid gutter press as it was hardly hard to see where the research had come from? Your programme missed the point that Dr Wakefield was funded by the government to investigate IF there was a possible link between vaccines and autism and he did indeed find only a possible link. His paper on this still stands and it has never been discredited but results replicated Sooo ! As they do in the UK they silence out the messenger ,. Why wasn’t a friendlier overture extended to Dr Halverson?? Oh! Forgot the BBC Browns Broadcasting Company
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Becky Fisseux
United Kingdom
287 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 08:39:15
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Oh dear,
I'm very disappointed. I've been reading here for a little while, as I'm interested in getting all points of view regarding vaccinations for my daughter. All points of view and as much evidence as possible.
This, (from the administrator of the site, who I would assume to be an interested, yet generally neutral party) however, appears to be a "tabloid" rant along the lines of the worst kind of Daily Mail-ism.
While obviously designed as "tabloid television", the One show's piece was quite clearly based on all the available evidence, and, let's face it, Dr Andrew Wakefield's "evidence" has been shown to be wrong so many times, it was hardly groundbreaking stuff.
While, for new(ish) parents like myself, I feel there are genuine concerns about vaccinations (my personal worry is the sheer number of them), there are examples of fearmongering by the press which should by now have been thrown out with last Tuesday's Daily Mail.
I did, however, have to laugh at Gus the Fuss's line about "Tabloid Gutter Press" - surely these are the newspapers who've been keeping this particular story alive for so long, as fermenting terror sells more papers for them (see also "liquid explosives on planes" and the various Diana conspiracy stories as peddled by the Daily Express).
THere are genuine questions to be asked, but please don't carry on this ludicrous scaremongering, particularly under the guise of a site administrator. I thought this site was here for discussion of issues, not preaching.
I look forward to being able to take part in more reasoned discussion in the future.
Yours etc,
Becky. |
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John Stone
United Kingdom
1254 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 08:56:07
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Becky,
Jackie offered an ordered informed critique of the programme, and the situation regarding the science:
http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/adc.2007.122937v1
There was not the remotest hint of a rant about it. If you disagree with the criticisms, could you please be more specific.
John S |
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Cybertiger
United Kingdom
976 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 09:51:57
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"fearmongering, fermenting terror, preaching, ludicrous scaremongering, reasoned discussion."
LOL! Becky brilliantly exhibits the 'eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' and the spectacular fermentations of a horror movie. Please apply a foment to the fevered brow, Ms. Fisseux. |
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Elizabeth
United Kingdom
244 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 10:26:45
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If anyone cares to google for "Sunfield School" (and dodge the unwelcome re-directions) they'll find that the three patrons of Sunfield School* in Stourbridge, West Midlands, UK, are Jasper Carrott, Josie Lawrence and Adrian Chiles, the last-named being one of the hosts of "The One Show". According to the website, Adrian Chiles ran the 2005 London Marathon dressed as the West Bromich Albion FC mascot, Baggie Bird, in aid of Sunfield's new classrooms appeal. Adrian has also been presenting a series of 'Late Late Working Lunches' for Sunfield - fundraising evening events where he interviews a well-known guest. I have no idea whether or not, as one of the presenters, Adrian has any editorial control over the content of "The One Show".
Please also note that Jasper Carrott, a well-known UK comedian, actor and gameshow presenter (for our international readers), in September 2001 sat in the hotseat at Elstree accompanied by one of his daughters, Jenny Davis, for "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" and donated his £64,000 winnings to the Sunfield School. Also, those of us who watched it will remember that the sitcom "All About Me" which ran for three series on BBCTV in 2002/3 had a character who was an Asperger's Syndrome teenager (Jasper Carrott was the male lead and the first series' scripts by Mike Whitehill contained useful information on the difficulties faced by teenagers with Asperger's Syndrome).
* The Sunfield School is for children with a diagnosis of ASDs and severely challenging behaviours. The website is well worth a read in its own right. |
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Seonaid
United Kingdom
1361 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 12:55:59
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Hi Becky,
Jackie and others contributing to this site are fighting very hard to get justice for vaccine damaged children and also help prevent the same thing happening to others.
There is absolutely nothing 'rantish' about Jackie's letter of complaint. She has put over her points very clearly - all based on fact. She speaks for many of us.
Jackie - as always - well written and well said. Thank you for being our voice.
Becky - If ever you find yourself in need of support - should you end up having a vaccine damaged child - you will find this site a very useful source of information - and facts. Facts that never seem to reach the media.
At least 900 families in UK have been given compensation for the deaths, or permanent damage caused to their children by vaccination. Needless to say one never hears this being discussed on BBC TV.
Keep reading.
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John Stone
United Kingdom
1254 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 13:22:00
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"Dr Jarvis has received payment from sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb for acting as an advisor on editorial boards and for chairing and speaking at conferences."
http://www.targetpad.co.uk/biographydisplay.aspx?id=137
"Dr Sarah Jarvis trained at Cambridge and Oxford Universities, and is now a ¾ time GP and GP trainer in inner-city London. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the RCGP spokesperson on women’s health.
"Dr Sarah Jarvis writes extensively in the medical and consumer press, and is a regular contributor to Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Pregnancy and Baby and You magazines. She is the ITN lunchtime news resident doctor and the Radio 2 doctor, appearing on the regular health slot on Jeremy Vine’s Radio 2 Monday afternoon show. She also appears regularly on GMTV and Radio 5 live. Sarah has a particular interest in cardiology, and after 12 years on the advisory board of Update and Doctor, is now on the advisory board of the British Journal of Cardiology and the patient services board of Heart UK (the cholesterol charity). She has written extensively on cardiology and the new GMS Contract. She has also been closely involved with the development of integrated care pathways for asthma. Dr Sarah Jarvis has authored A Younger Woman’s Diagnose-It-Yourself Guide to Health, Diabetes for Dummies, Pregnancy for Dummies and Children’s Health for Dummies.
"Dr Jarvis believes that Peripheral Arterial Disease is a highly significant, but hugely under-recognized marker for cardiovascular disease: "It is essential that those working in primary care, who are perfectly placed to identify these high risk patients, recognize and act on the finding of PAD if they are to reverse the rising tide of cardiovascular disease in the UK."
"Dr Jarvis has received payment from sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb for acting as an advisor on editorial boards and for chairing and speaking at conferences."
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Edited by - John Stone on 02/23/2008 15:17:51 |
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jabsadmin
1239 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 15:02:42
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Hi Becky
I think you assume wrongly that I am just "interested" and "generally neutral". For your information I started the JABS group back in 1994 following my son's brain damage from the MMR vaccine. I have been campaigning since then, along with many others, to have vaccine damage recognised properly and for a safer vaccination programme.
As you are interested in getting all points of view regarding vaccinations for your daughter and as much evidence as possible I'm sure you will agree that JABS has an obligation to point out when media present only one view and seriously misleads its viewers.
To say the piece was based on all the available evidence is simply wrong. We were consulted by the BBC and asked to help with some of the research so I think I am entitled to criticise and question as well as expose the gaping holes in the content and presentation. The BBC was made aware of the limitations of the Baird et al study during the programme's research stage but this did not prevent Dr Jarvis wrongly giving the MMR a clean bill of health. I think you may have been misled regarding Dr Wakefield's work and suggest you do some more research.
This web site is for parents of vaccine damaged children, their supporters and for people genuinely interested in having vaccine damage recognised and compensated and improving vaccine safety. As you will be aware all vaccines carry a risk of side effects and some children are seriously damaged or die. That is not scaremongering that is fact.
As you say there are some genuine questions to be asked. Here are some examples to get you started:
why are pre-licence trials so inadequate?
why is such an ineffective monitoring system accepted by the DoH?
when adverse reactions are reported why are they not investigated?
why does the DoH want to deny the existence of vaccine damage when investigating reported cases might lead to a screening system to safeguard future vaccinees?
why is the DoH hellbent on denying a choice on single dose vaccines if it is really concerned about measles epidemics?
As one parent to another we should all work together to protect our children both from the worst aspect of disease and equally important the worst aspect of vaccine damage. Don't you agree?
Jackie
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Truth Seeker
United Kingdom
978 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 15:43:06
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The only "scaremongering" i see all comes from the Gov and the sickness industry on the MMR issue.
Is asking questions, highlighting bad science and methodology and flawed studies scaremongering now?
I hardly think so.
This is an example of scaremongering, they have been doing this for 14 years and still no measles epedemic. They also mention another myth that 95% of the population must be jabbed to get herd immunity which is compplete bunkum as there have been measles outbreaks in children who were fully vaccinated and with a 99% uptake rate in the US.
Thats true scaremongering based on a flawed theory sold to us a medical fact.
http://news.scotsman.com/mmrvaccine/Warning-shot-over-MMR-jabs.2811513.jp
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GUS THE FUSS
United Kingdom
1465 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 18:44:09
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When you add your comments you then get the option to make a complaint to the BBC – I think its probably worth copying comments across to the BBC Complaints dept too. Probably will have a higher impact if they have to make lots of official replies? ..why not sounds good to me
Gus
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Elizabeth
United Kingdom
244 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 21:02:42
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| Could a kind person please tell me which day "The One Show" featured the MMR issue? I'm trying to find it on www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer and I really don't want to spend 2 1/2 hours playing through the previous week's output. Thank you in advance. |
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GUS THE FUSS
United Kingdom
1465 Posts |
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Elizabeth
United Kingdom
244 Posts |
Posted - 02/23/2008 : 21:43:48
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| Dear Gus, Thanks for the link. Elizabeth. |
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BBC One Show
