NBC's Nancy "I need to earn out my book advance" Snyderman to Allay Vaccine Fears

Tonight, NBC is running a piece on the Nightly News to quell parental fear of the autism/vaccine connection. Rumor has it they will launch a national direct mail program with a product sample (see below) to delude, educate, concerned parents. The program will be called, "Relax. Then Vax."

Comments

[Kathy Blanco]

Academic medical institutions are themselves growing increasingly beholden to industry.... Some academic institutions have entered into partnerships with drug companies to set up research centers and teaching programs in which students and faculty members essentially carry out industry research.... When the boundaries between industry and academic medicine become as blurred as they now are, the business goals of industry influence the mission of the medical schools in multiple ways.....

With so many high-ranking doctors having financial ties to the drug industry, are there enough doctors who are independent financially or at least in conscience to consider reining in this compromised system? Maybe not. Drug companies are smart. They long ago realized that if they hired as consultants all of the top experts in every medical field, they could sway the entire medical profession with their slant. The result is that today, few independent experts remain. For example, when the FDA convenes medical advisory committees to discuss problems involving medications, it is usually impossible for the FDA to find enough independent experts to outnumber or even equal the experts with drug company ties. At some meetings, 90% of the experts have financial arrangements with drug companies...

Enough said, we are outnumbered folks, outwaged, etc.

Refuse vaccines-ALL OF THEM, this is the only language they understand.

[Kandace]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619#29245188

During the news broadcast, I counted 8 drug commercials and 5 non-drug commercials. Drug commercials:

Pepto Bismol (Proctor and Gamble)
Flomax (Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals)
Zyrtec (Pfizer)
Alka Seltzer (Bayer)
Orencia (Bristol-Myers Squibb)
Advil PM (Wyeth)
Gas X (Novartis)
Lipitor [which also sponsored a segment on the news broadcast] (Pfizer)

Proctor and Gamble - teamed up with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to provide tetanus vaccines

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals - animal vaccines

Pfizer - Vaccines Research is a key part of the new Biotherapeutics Line in Pfizer Research. The vaccines research departments in Sandwich, UK and La Jolla, CA seek to discover novel vaccines (prophylactic and therapeutic) for the prevention and treatment of significant human diseases (infectious diseases, oncology, CNS and Allergy and Respiratory) using a variety of vaccines technology platforms combined with immunomodulatory agents.

Bayer - animal vaccines, and from 2002: German drug maker Bayer yesterday said it has signed an agreement with the World Health Organization to develop an affordable malaria vaccine for use in developing countries.

Bristol-Myers Squibb - "Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today a licensing agreement under which Bristol-Myers Squibb will obtain exclusive rights to Progenics' GMK and MGV cancer vaccines."

Wyeth - manufacturers and markets vaccines

Novartis - the world's fifth-largest manufacturer and second-largest supplier of influenza vaccines in the US. The division's products include influenza, meningococcal, pediatric and travel vaccines.

[Fodder for comedians]

It’s almost comical that anyone would believe a social marketing propaganda campaign to alleviate parents’ fears about the serious dangers of vaccines could even be effective. Such a propaganda campaign is sure to backfire on them since most people will likely know someone or a family with vaccine injury.

I bet Tracey Ullman or many other comedians could capitalize on this vaccine propaganda fear campaign. Tracey does a good job of spoofing CNN’s “Daily Dose of Fear” Campbell Brown in this Showtime clip. Maybe Tracey could play a mean Nancy Snyderman?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_4eTbfp74o

[Sue]

I saw the NBC segment, where they discussed a baby that did not get the HIB vaccination. One of the things the narrator said, but did not elaborate on, was that "3 out of 5" (60%) children who develop this disease did NOT have the HIB vaccine. What they didn't mention--and were probably hoping we wouldn't notice--was that means 2 out of 5 (40%) children who develop this disease DID have the HIB vaccine!

Such a huge failure rate, why bother with vaccination at all? If 40% of people who get a disease were vaccinated against it, what gives?

[michael framson]

To: Riley's Mom, Looking for where to start?

The introduction to Barbara Loe Fisher's "A Shot in the Dark" contains this quote from Peter Mere Latham, "Truth in all its kinds is most difficult to win and truth in medicine is the most difficult of all." Don't we all know that, but I think it encapsulates our circumstance.

There's also another quote which also is true, "Science doesn't provide truth; it only makes us less ignorant." I'm not sure who gets the attribution, but it seems universally relevant. I hope this helps center you.

[Amanda Blinn]

Today I was looking at the paper from our local trash company and there was something about not putting old thermometers, flourescent light bulbs etc in the trash with the quote: "It is illegal in the state of Washington to put things containing mercury in the garbage."

What a statement, when it's still OK to put mercury in infants.

[nhokkanen]

"How many ways does the alleged connection have to be disproved?"

With as many lies as the CDC can conjure up to protect itself.

If the vaccine injury perps from that agency collectively assumed human form, the result would be Scott Peterson. Trust us. Yeah, right. Give me a reason.

[Tired of Spunk]

Congratulations Age of Autism! You've been "Spunked!" That will be my new word for when a blogger or commenter posts very one-sided pro-vaccine opinions, and when it is fairly apparent that they are doing so on behalf of the new Govt and Vaccine Industry marketing endeavor which is to promote and restore trust in vaccine safety.

It's true - the famed Institute of Medicine and the National Vaccine Advisory Committee are working in tandem with industry and marketing partners to leverage internet-based social networking sites which include blogs, google groups, yahoo groups and the like to sway public opinion.

And clearly, the campaign has kicked into full gear this week on the heels of last week's news.

The problem with this strategy is that by and large they are not using real people and real stories - they are total fakes in the virtual world. There's no way they could pull off what's been going down in the media AND in the blogosphere with 100% truthful individuals pontificating their geniunely held opinions and their own true stories in exchange for no compensation whatsoever from any source.

How completely unethical is that? I hope their marketing strategy backfires and there is a groundswell of gasps of shock and awe as people come to realize what has been sanctioned - likely with tax payer dollars no less - a full duping on the internet.

What a sham! Who else is getting spunked this week? What an insidious form of marketing and a new all time low.

Trust will never be restored this way. Until the tides turn and a new strategy comes down, spare yourself the torture and ignore all "Spunker's" comments.

And just to be clear, I'm not singling out Spunk - he's got an army of comrads out there this week - it's ridiculous.

[A@T]

I sent ours.

[Twyla]

For "for rileysmom" and "Jen" - You may be interested in this info on pet vaccinations: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/veterinarian-wi.html

[Amy in Idaho]

I just watched a documentary today on the inventor of the lobotomy. The invention/procedure was hailed as a miracle and the inventor was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I couldn't help but think about how the current medical community hails immunizations as the latest "medical miracle". Thankfully, the support for lobotomies waned in fairly short order. I'm confident that mass immunizations will see the same fate - only we'll see hundred's of thousands victims rather than ten's of thousands.

[Elucidatus]

Just another way to make us look like the fear mongers of all thats good for us.

Now that the special masters have made their decision in favor of the vaccine makers, we will see more and more of this one sided, spoon fed garbage.

I will just continue to help my child get better and help as many as I can in the process.

[A. F.]

When the media come on the air and tell people to vaccinate, does that mean they are giving them medical advice? Does that mean if the child reacts to a vaccine, they (individually or their network) could be sued for guaranteeing the safety of vaccines? I thought the media was just supposed to report "the facts", not give medical advice as though they were your doctor. Do you think they should be held legally accountable? Just wondering....

[jen]

Campbell Brown: ALL BIAS ALL BULL
Unbelievable how ignorant she is of all the pharma corruption. Obviously a lot of people that don't vaccinate have done the research - research that she must be afraid to undertake. Thank God for the internet and all the great resources there are now to really explore the issue.
Just how much does pharma sponsor CNN?

[Notsodangspunkyaroundhere.]

Must be funded by the new Stimulus bill.
More money for cloaked CDC drug propaganda and their spokesmodels!
(1) not less than $954,000,000 shall be used as an additional amount to carry out the immunization program authorized by section 317(a), (j), and (k)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (`section 317 immunization program'), of which $649,900,000 shall be available on October 1, 2009;

[rileysmom]

Ever since Edward Jenner first discovered he could induce immunity to smallpox by vaccinating people with a similar virus, the medical community has run with this discovery and many people have benefited. According to the CDC and the WHO, thousands, if not millions of lives are saved each year through mass vaccination programs. Vaccines are touted as the most important medical discovery of all time. They are the modern day version of the "holy grail" in medicine. Questions regarding their safety are akin to heresy. Ask any pediatrician. Serious adverse vaccine reactions are rare. Perhaps one in a million. Or are they?
*******************
That's just my first paragraph. Thanks to everyone that offered suggestions. It's due on Thurs. I'll let you know how it turns out and I may post it here. Cross your fingers that I get through to some young people that have yet to have children of their own. I honestly could care less what I get on it (depending on what the professor thinks of it) I just want people to hear the message.
I'll check out all of your suggestions. I'm having a hard time fitting everything in because we know damn well the evidence and science is there!!!

[Notsodangspunkyaroundhere.]

Hey Spunk meet my kid.
Double vaccinated twice with Mercury charged vaccines slipped in to Zombie land.
Thousands of dollars later, thousands of hours of therapy and 2 doctors we finally have him back. I would have much rather had chicken pox!
If I could do it again, I wouldn't.
Educate parents, of course... just give them a list of the ingredients they are pumping into our little developing infants.
I'm all for balanced education.

[diane]

Visit CNN.com
Campbell Brown
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/12/campbell.brown.vaccine/index.html

[jen]

for rileysmom, funny you should mention vets because today when I took our dog in for grooming I picked up a brochure on seizures. Guess what one of the "risk factors" for epilepsy was?? Over-vaccination. My God, the Pet Planet paper handout states this. What the hell are most of the docs thinking?
Gatogorra: love "get lax then vax."

[Spunk]

I'm thankful they're trying to get some actual information out there for public consumption, seeing as how there is so much anti-immunization propaganda out there. The more people avoid vaccinating their children, the outbreaks and deaths will climb. And the more people focus on this fraudulent vaccination/autism allegation, the more effort into genuine avenues of research that will be drawn away from where it can do some good. How many ways does the alleged connection have to be disproved?

[ObjectiveAutismDad]

RileysMom,

Start at the beginning:

I. What is Autism
A. When did this first occur
II. Increase in Autism Corresponds with Vaccine use
(see ARI site for nice charts)
III. Appeal to common sense
A. Not everyone can take penicillin
B. Not everyone can eat peanuts (esp. these days)
C. What makes anyone think vaccines are safe
for ALL children?

Of course, there are, like you said, so many other things that can be said. I hope you'll share with us when you're done -- if not sooner.

[Gatogorra]

Lol-- "Conform and deform". Thanks for that.

Get lax and vax?

[for rileysmom]

rileysmom, how about adding some info on well accepted risks of vaccinations for pets? veterinary medicine seems to be ahead of pediatrics... look into vaccine dangers for pets, if you haven't, it's pretty amazing what they see in vx vs unvx pets...http://www.drcarley.com/Science_of_vaccine_damage.pdf

[jen]

Rileysmom, you'll do fine with your paper and presentation. I just wrote something for our newspaper (which of course they will never print) but anyways, I started off with the recent court findings to make it topical (you could also mention Tony Farmer's efforts on flu vaccine) and I mentioned that omnibus hearings did find for the plaintiffs in Hannah Polings case and the recent hep b cases. The VAERS reports on Gardasil (and Gardasil VS menactra from NVIC) are also very topical/scary lately. Mentioning the huge increase in the vaccine schedule (comparing the 70's or early 80's) is always good to do somewhere near the beginning.
Then you could get into the politics of the vaccine program and how the same group responsible for promoting vaccinations is in charge of vaccine safety (ya right!).
I like the new findings Barbara Loe Fisher talks about on her site-the Cochrane Collaborative Review that reveals how much influence (way too much) the pharma industry has in what gets published in medical journals. Some good studies linking vaccines to problems are helpful (such as the U. of Manitoba one linking deferral of dpt (old dpt, albeit) to less likelihood of asthma. I know there are a few studies out there that have shown problems. You could talk about how parents want the vacc/unvacc study done and how ARI is fundraising to do that. And of course, your personal experience with your children and vaccines would be very valuable to hear. Good luck!! It's great that you're doing it!

[Kathy Blanco]

Most of my friends who were once vaccinators, trusting folk, are questioning this "me thinks they protest too much" mentality. Maybe that's how we have to look at it? But, for the most part (other than the autism parents, LOL), we are a trusting, delusioned type of people, and to be honest, the fluoride is working...dumbing us down, not letting us question, we can't mount attacks agsinst big boys, so just give up sort of mentality. Join the Borg, you must absorb.....(sorry to Trekies).

The proliferation of our taking away of our own meedical freedoms continues on many levels, from our supplements that help our kids, which will be taken away from us, to no insurance coverage for "out there" therapy, to "you don't have chronic lyme" therefore no treatment. I am sure, our folders at our insurance company have a red flag on them by now?

And until we get the fact, that not participating in the program IN TOTAL is their greatest fear, then, and only then, will policies change. Some say that will anger their stances, exemptions will be challenged...I think more than likely, it will put more pressure on them to face the facts, including that their campaign for untruth is not working. This includes the trusting that our politicians will speak for us...or industry.

Heck, I have worked for twenty years against this on a small small level, but I feel exasterbated by the whole thing..I just want to fade away, and love my kids, and get their treatments, and just know, our world is sick.

HEP A and DIPTHERIA boosters are added to the schedule here in Oregon, immunization day..a day in infamy..a day in which one more autistic child is added to the tally of the autism epidemic in Oregon (second worse in the country). My world makes me sick...truly sick in every fashion. Starting, at newborns, to adults in Alzheimers homes, who were also probably vaccine injured..sick, sick sick..

[Ray Gallup]

NBC TV is the TV equivalent to the New York Times....."All the news UNFIT to print." Like the NY Times, NBC is probably losing money since hardly anybody is buying the NY Times and I don't know anybody who watches NBC TV. I know I don't and friends of mine don't. Both are lousy news outlets in league with Lucifer and reside in HELL

Ray Gallup

[Diane Frioni]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't see CBS news, who employs the wonderful Sharyl Attkisson, doing crap segments like this. This will be yet another reason I watch only the CBS Evening News.

[Steve]

"barf, that may allay some people's fears but on the other hand, all this mere mention of vaccines and autism out there in the news just refreshes the fears of many others"

So true Jen. The people swayed by this superficial piece wouldn't have the guts to go against their doctor's recommendation.

When the lies and corruption piss me off, I try to remember the "no such thing as bad publicity" factor.

[Kathy Blanco]

This from vaccineinfo.net

The political pressure on IOM to sweep a generation of children under the rug and maintain current vaccine policy at any and all cost was too great for them to bear. If anybody tells you that you can put your concerns to rest about vaccines causing autism, forward these releases to them and ask how can anybody rest with this kind of cover up going on? Pay careful attention to the research that was excluded as well as the rush to get this report out before the science hits the fan. What is equally as disturbing are the releases by the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics supporting the flawed and irresponsible position of closing the door on important ongoing research. Please consider using this information to write letters to your legislators, local papers or to call your local news.

Congressman Weldon Calls IOM Conclusions Premature and Hastily Drawn
National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) Says IOM Played Politics In Report On Autism And Vaccines
National Autism Association Questions IOM and CDC Cover-Up -- How Far Will They go to Protect Toxic Vaccines?
SafeMinds Outraged That IOM Report Fails American Public
NoMercury.org - IOM Chooses Poor Math Over Good Science To Clear Thimerosal
Unlocking Autism - The Great And Powerful Oz Behind The Curtain Of The IOM Has Spoken...
Shafer Autism Report: Government Abandons Autism Research, A Generation of Autistic Children
Releases from the Guards of the Status Quo - AMA and AAP

[Diane Farr]

Why don't they just bluntly come out and say that "this segment of our newscast is brought to you from our good friends at Merk, Phizer and the rest of our pharmacuetical company buddies".

[Keith]

conform and deform!

[rileysmom]

Anne said
If NBC thinks an interview with Paul Offit trashing parents is somehow fair and balanced, they'll find out what the wrath of the autism community is like.

Amen Amen Amen. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all of this. I'm in the process of writing a term paper for a college course on vaccine injuries. I'm having a hard time putting it together. Where to start???? Where to end when there is no end??? I chose this subject but now I'm thinking it might be to huge to handle. I have an audience of 30 other students to give this info too and I want to make it count. Any ideas and links that you all can provide would be great.

[A. F.]

This is the e-mail I sent today:
To: Today Show
I would like to challenge you and Dateline, in the face of the current autism/vaccine debate where last year the Hannah Poling case was conceded out of court (I assume so her medical expert parents would not get their testimony on the record) and the recent Vaccine Court decisions, to do something dramatic. Could Anne Curry or Dr. Snyderman devote a few days to researching this issue with the people involved? Go spend a day with the Polings, if they will allow it. Go spend a day with a doctor who specializes in autism, who hears the same story over and over again: my child was fine until reacting to the vaccines. Pediatrician Dr. Jerry Kartzinel of Florida would be good because he got involved after it happened to his own son. His wife said: you broke him, now you fix him.
Spend a day with journalist Dan Olmsted or David Kirby as they get to the bottom of what's going on. Spend a day with Dr. Wakefield as he struggles, against immense persecution for recommending splitting out the MMR shot while add'l research is done, and hear about his current research in between court dates. (if you can reach him before he is crucified!) Then, go spend a day with Dr. Offit and pin him down as to how rich vaccines have made him but how that totally does not influence him because being a dr puts you above all mercenary thoughts (unlike lawyers of course!) I challenge you to be fair on these issues; let's hear from the players and let the American people judge who is credible. Thank you.

[Kathy Blanco]

It is interesting to note, that in the state of Oregon, this is immunization day, and that most of the time, they are not expressing there are religious and philosophical exemptions here. I don't think that gets equal timing in the media, and on that basis alone, worthy of suiing "someone" for this sin of omission.

I only WISH, I listened to my still small voice inside of me, which shouted, run, take your child, and go to a naturopath. Snydrman is deluded, and there is not a worse advice doctor in the world. Who made her God and all knowing?

[Marie]

Since the courts ruled against 3 families, they are now going to ride the,"vaccines are safe" wagon. They have to get the vaccine program back on track to earn the big bucks. Just because 3 families were denied justice DOESN'T in any way confirm vaccines are safe. Yet, I'm sure they will be able to put their spin on it to make us all look insane -- Nothing new here!!!

[Anne Dachel]

In news presented on anything as heated as the autism-vaccine controversy, we would expect to see EXPERTS FROM BOTH SIDES....
If NBC thinks an interview with Paul Offit trashing parents is somehow fair and balanced, they'll find out what the wrath of the autism community is like.
Anne Dachel
Media editor

[jen]

barf, that may allay some people's fears but on the other hand, all this mere mention of vaccines and autism out there in the news just refreshes the fears of many others. And they will do the research. It would be comical if it weren't so profoundly sad because we know that with the ever expanding schedule there will be more and more affected kids. Unfortunately this is not going to disappear anytime soon and they (Snyderman, Offit etc.) must know they are living out their lies on borrowed time.

[Alison MacNeil]

Does it make sense to inundate them with material today; research, heartbreaking personal stories with pics of kids, articles, etc.?