CBS News just e-mailed me a statement in response to Voices for Vaccines’ criticism of its coverage:
Our report last Friday represents one part of the extensive reporting CBS News has done, and will continue to do, on the issues surrounding vaccines and possible links to autism. That continuing coverage has repeatedly reported on the critical importance of the nation’s maintaining a robust vaccination program for children. Reporting on what critics, including members of Congress, believe to be potential conflicts of interest for vaccine advocates who receive funding from vaccine makers is also an entirely legitimate aspect of our overall coverage. We believe our report was in no way defamatory of any institution or individual, and that no retraction is warranted.
Reader comments: We want this to be a place where people discuss and debate ideas that foster stronger communities. We expect people to differ -- judgment and opinion are subjective -- and we encourage free speech and the exchange of ideas. But you are participating in a community that is intended for all of our users and we prohibit profanity, vulgarity, racial, sexual and homophobic remarks, threats, harassment and personal attacks. Here's the full User Agreement. Thank you for making this a safe place worth preserving and sharing. Share this: The icons below make it easy to share this post with others. First icon e-mails a link.
Posted in: Autism and the media • Vaccines |
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
So, there you go Lisa, et.al.
Instead of trying to quash the public’s right to know who gets what type of funding from whom, maybe you should be focused on the legitimate concerns regarding vaccine safety that thousands of individuals are reporting.
Cuz trust me, we aren’t going anywhere until the studies are done which *prove* that the current vaccine schedule is safe and the components within the vaccines are safe as well.
Kelli Ann… Nice… you took the words right out of my mouth.
Thank you Sheryl, Katie, and CBS for fair and investigative reporting that the autism epidemic deserves. And thank you for standing your ground.
We are not going anywhere… not until the “battle” is done, and it is far from over.
Ang - military spouse
The report stated the truth. Dr. Paul Offit, Every Child by Two and the American Academy of Pediatrics have a financial interest in the ever growing childhood vaccine program. As for the “independent” group Voices for Vaccines, it is run by industry insiders as well. You think they plucked housewives off the streets of East Nowhere to start that group? How about a voice for my three daughters with autism?
Thank you, Sam. Thank you.
Thanks CBS for continuing to shine a light on a dark and unethical relationship. Not retracting and promising to continue your focus on these organizations and individuals is an honorable and much appreciated decision. To witness this kind of integrity from a news source and the re-emergence of freedom of the press, especially regarding vaccines and autism, is a beautiful thing.Thank you Sam Miller for pursuing the truth on your blog too.
Thanks, CBS, for standing by your accurate story despite the feeble blusters of pharma-funded faux consumer groups like Voices for Vaccines. The interrelationships between these bureaucrats with the CDC and pharmaceutical companies bears even closer examination. Some have spouses working in finance and academia who introduce their agendas, as well.
It’s tragic that the CDC isn’t making honesty their Job One. Had they first been up front with the public, they could have redeemed themselves. But now, after seeing FOIA documents and government exposes, it’s hard to imagine people regaining trust in professional liars.
As others have said, it’s time to fumigate Baltimore and Atlanta. Out with the self-serving, irresponsible public health administrators who brought us the autism epidemic, and in with people who believe in Webster’s definition of “safe.”
Kelli dear, it’s a bit hard to quash information that Atkisson could find quite easily in the public domain, where it’s always been. Of course you can be an Atkisson style ‘investigative reporter’ and still manage to muck up most of it. But then, she’s been doing this for years apparently. No change there.
What would be really useful in ‘investigative reporting’ would be to tackle all those undisclosed conflicts of interest - the one’s buried out of the public domain - Geiers, Hewitson, Deth, Wakefield. They were buried until someone went looking for them of course. But then that would be real investigative journalism.
CBS is to be congratulated for their stellar, truthful, and fearless reporting. This is what journalism is all about.
CBS News with Katie Couric is the only nightly news show I will watch from now on. This is what investigative journalism should be all about, and this is the watch dog role the media should be playing in controversial issues. And we all know, where public health and profit intersect, there is a controversy that needs to be watched and reported on. Thank you CBS, Katie and Sharyl for your bravery and brilliance!
Lisa
Many thanks, CBS, for your coverage of the all-important conflict-of-interest issue. However, you would also. do well to revisit the assumption that there is a critical need for today’s “robust” vaccination program as defined and enforced by those with financial interests in promoting the sale of vaccines.
“it’s a bit hard to quash information that Atkisson could find quite easily in the public domain, where it’s always been.”
Alyric sweetie, the *quashing* isn’t referring to the fact that the information contained in the public records wasn’t reported on till now. Rather, the *quashing* was in reference to Lisa’s attempt to tell CBS what it could report on and her demand for a retraction.
And, as we both know, just because information is in the *public domain* doesn’t necessarily make it public information known by the masses.
Enter, Sharyl and CBS.
I applaud you for standing up to vaccine bullies and might I suggest you do a report on this new organization Voices for Vaccines.I think you may be surprised by the names of those connected to this organization and its funding.
alyric -
I have seen your comments on other blogs and a similar pattern to the one you posted here. You must be worried about this information and it must make you feel better to attack Ms Atkisson ans some of the biomedical researchers. To defend this practice of getting paid to promote vaccines at all costs, including monumental injuries, reflects an intent that borders on either stupidity or criminality. Which are you?
What unbelievable gall Voice for Vaccines has!
This front group for special interests needs to have the microscope
put on them. The public deserves to know who they are and what their agenda is.
CBS has no reason to retract anything in their report. They reported facts that the general public did not know. That was a public service.
Glad to see one of the major networks not cow down to big Pharma for once!
Thanks CBS. You have done an immense service to some child and his/her parents. You have done your job which is to provide the information. Now, It is up to the parents to make their decision.
You have put that little bit of doubt in their minds, I hope, and they can look at the rest of the info available.
I wish that we had been informed of what to look for.
Maybe I would have looked a little harder and made sure that the vaccines were mercury free. Not vaccinated when the child was not well.
Only one vaccine at a time. Not given the Tempra ( acedaminaphen) which multiplies the effect of the mercury when the child was feverish. Spaced out the vaccines over more time. Not given my child a flu shot.
You should view Dr. Boyd Haley’s interview on Youtube about mercury and autism. This is 20 minutes view time that may have a life altering effect.
Thank you again.
Fil Navarra
Well Done CBS!!!
Thank you….You have proven that responsible journalist are alive and well in America! History will show YOU as one of the brave ones that took the first steps towards enlightenment (by asking relevant questions and reporting the truth).
It is out of the love, that we have for our children, that we will never let this issue “rest”. We owe it to them …. they depend upon us for safety and protection.
We will never be bullied into silence. There is no price tag that warrants the poisoning of children, the health crisis this country now faces and the thousands of families that have been ruined as the result of lax - greedy doctors. The truth will be told. It has just begun.
Thank you CBS for telling the truth regarding the financial ties between big Pharma and our Govt. Autism, at least the majority of cases are truly from the vaccines. I have witnesssed this. I have 4 daughters, 1 is recovered from autism, 1 is currently recovering, and 2 are completely normal and healthy (NOT VACCINATED). This is huge because everything else is the same - same parents; house; OB; ped.; and delivery, 1 difference - VACCINES.
I sent the following to CBS news yesterday and posted on Age of Autism as well.
Rather than a retraction and appology, I think Sharyl Attkisson’s next move should be this…Run a segment regarding Voices For Vaccines’ request for a retraction, then uncover who is behind Voices For Vaccines. Maybe she could include their open letter to Congress and their failure to honestly disclose who is behind that organization in that letter.
I think that would make a great part two to her expose.
Kelli Ann,
what studies do you at Generation Rescue have that show that your favorite “alternative” vaccine schedule is safe?
I can answer that, none.
Does it stop you from giving out extremely risky medical advice? Apparently not.
Every vaccine in the schedule is tested as a part of the schedule. There are multiple studies on safety of the current schedule.
So, we have “Current Schedule”, tested.
“Generation Rescue’s favorite schedule”, untested.
For those wondering–the “favorite schedule promoted by Generation Rescue gives no coverage at all for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella…. does that sound safe and tested to anyone here?
ThoJ
Could you please send a link to or state the specific studies you are referencing that proove the “schedule” is safe.
I, like many parents, have spent hours looking for some such study as one would assume, most certainly, such studies have been done and that the CDC would never approve roughly 24 (depending on state) vaccines in the first two years of life without such evidence of safety.
This evidence would certainly put many minds and hearts to rest.
Ms. Randall. From American Heratige Dictionary; Whore = To compromise one’s principles for personal gain.
Tom,
I don’t think that Ms Randall has compromised her principles, and certainly doesn’t seem to be motivated by personal gain.
Consider this counter example:
JB Handley, co-founder of Generation Rescue runs a company which makes soy-based food products: Genisoy. His products, like all foods, contain small amounts of mercury. In fact, an indepdent lab test on one of his nutrition bars demonstrated the mercury content.
To put the amount in context, a pregnant mother eating one of his Genisoy bars every day during a pregancy would add more mercury to her system than from a flu vaccine.
This has been made public. Yet, there is no statement from Mr. Handley or Genisoy. There is no indication that efforts have been made or are being made to reduce the mercury content in his food products.
There is no indication that they have been testing for mercury in their food products over time.
He remains silent on his own business, which is producing foods which (again, as all do) contain mercury, while publicly stating that mercury causes autism.
It would appear that he does not measure up well to the American Heritage Dictionary.
Pamela,
every vaccine is tested as a part of the schedule. So, if you wish to look at the safety of the current schedule, you can look for the safety studies on the most recent addition.
If you want safety studies on neurological disorders and thimerosal, Thompson (2007) is a good place to look.
As I bet you are aware, the CDC has had a safety study performed on thimerosal and autism. The indication is that this has been submitted for publication–and the strong indication is that this shows no association.
Orac and ThoJ,
Are either of you in possesion of quality studies done on the current vaccine schedule, all given at the intervals currently used, quantity at the time of innoculation. IE, the 2 month schedule, 4 month schedule, etc? No, becuase it has not been done. As per Merck studies past 42 days ARE NOT done post vaccination, even IF an adverse event occurred within the study time post vaccination. Seizures that occur within 42 days of vaccination are considered adverse event, yet no followup studies on the outcome of this subset of kids has ever been done. The followup is—–>PT,OT speech, mito dysfunction diagnosis—-> ASD diagnosis.
“every vaccine is tested as a part of the schedule”
ThoJ:
Important word being *PART* — where is the safety study on the COMPLETE vaccine schedule???
You know, like the recent monkey study that tested the COMPLETE vaccine schedule to see what would happen to the monkeys if they got all the vaccines in the schedule at the same time and doses as our children do.
Yes, I know it’s not published *yet* but once it does become published, it will be the only study which tests the ENTIRE VACCINE SCHEUDLE AS A WHOLE for safety.
Golly gee — you would think the government would have done this as STEP ONE before adding more and more vaccines to the schedule.
ThoJ
Maybe I wasn’t clear in my question to you. I made no reference to thimerosal studies. Can you please reference a specific study that evaluates the safetey of the “entire” schedule as apposed to studies done on indvidual vaccines, as that was the topic of your original post?
Kelli Ann, (and Pamela)
you appear to be misunderstanding the statement–
Vaccines are tested as part of the entire schedule. Therefore, the most recent addition to the schedule not only tests that specific vaccine, but the schedule that includes it.
You will find more details about this in Orac’s blog. Kelli Ann appears to follow it, so I am a bit unsure of where her misunderstanding comes from.
“Kelli Ann appears to follow it, so I am a bit unsure of where her misunderstanding comes from.”
ThoJ:
You confuse misunderstanding with disagreement – just because Orac writes something doesn’t make it gospel truth.
And actually, I don’t *follow it* but rather only pop in occasionally.
Rarely, I’ll post something and when I do, I make my point and leave because I’ve got more *productive* things to move on to and trying to have a *civil debate* on that site is impossible. So most times, I don’t even read any responses cuz I’m just too busy to get pulled into the unproductive banter.
And for the record, just because I may *read* a blog every once in a while certainly doesn’t equate to agreeing or endorsing what the blogger opines about – he may be *your* guru but he certainly isn’t mine.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
ThoJ
Nice try. I understand perfectly well that you are continue to imply that studies have been done to evaluate the safety of the “entire” schedule. I’m still awaiting the evidance of such study. ORAC is not a scientist and does not conduct studies. Actual study please.
Tell you what. I’ll check back in one more time…say tomorrow morning. Then I will be left to assume you’ve conceeded that there is no actual study testing the safety of the “entire” schedule (which is the case).
CBS’s continual fair and non-biased reporting is exactly why I have dissed NBC and largely Foxnews in the last year or so. It’s refreshing to find reporters who are not afraid of whether or not one will enjoy the outcome and realize the questions need to be asked, as truly scientific minds should ask.
I just got a tetanus shot and asked for the insert. It says clearly that there has been no study of the safety of the shot in pregnancy or when compbined with other shots–which it would be if it were the DPT. The shot had aluminum AND thimerasol in it and I am sorry I got it.
Thoj, say what? I never, ever heard that about Genisoy. If Genisoy has as much mercury as a shot, I’d like to see the details about that. Please send a link. That’s scary. A toxin is a toxin. Some of us don’t excret them well!
If you really want to know what vaccines are all about, you first must understand that the most important wiring/mapping process takes place from birth - 3 years of age. Then start researching the chemicals that go into vaccines. Many cause nerve/cell damage. So, understand that that the concept of “Every Child by Two” is INSANE.