ABC's Private Practice Measles Storyline
ABC's Private Practice featured a vaccination storyline last night. Here's the official summary from the show. Feel free to provide your version in the comments.
One of Cooper's patients contracts the measles and forces the quarantine of all those at Oceanside Wellness, while Naomi pressures Addison into working with her cocky rival, Wyatt, on a fertility case; meanwhile, Violet and Pete wonder if their friends-with-benefits relationship should move to the next level, as Dell fights for sole custody of his daughter.
George W. Bush was definately not an expert in the field of economics and fiscal policy. But he was in a position do be the leader of those things. So yes, it is a path that needs to be sited. And although it is true that medical studies show that there are no direct links to vaccines triggering autism, there are several undeniable coinsidences. My son was not diagonsed till he was 4yrs old, but we knew something was wrong around 4-5mos old. Doctors told us we shouldn't worry, and proceeded to give him 6 shots at one time. I watched him loose control of is muscle tone and by 8 months old, he couldn't even sit up any more. I and my wife had to retrain him how to do everything, and he didn't walk till he was two years old. At the end of the day, scientific fact is nothing more than a high school principal shaking their finger at you saying..."no no no"
Posted by: Mauro A. DiVieste | May 12, 2009 at 10:13 AM
Mauro-citing George W. Bush as a professional in the field of economics and fiscal policy is not the path you want to take...but that's a different conversation entirely.
The truth of the matter is that yes, children often start to display first symptoms of autism within the first 18 months to 3 years of life, which also happens to be a time when they receive vaccinations. However, correlation is not causation. There may be any of a number of factors that may be contributing to the development of autism that have yet to be discovered and studied. Scientists have not found proof a mechanism by which mercury in vaccines or the vaccines themselves trigger the development of autistic symptoms. At the end of the day, anecdotal evidence is not enough--there are dozens of uncontrolled variables that come into play when you base your argumentation on experiences and not on scientific fact.
Posted by: Ellie | April 29, 2009 at 08:38 PM
If only the medical field would be willing to work with us. (Parents of autistic children) They refuse to consult us about what we think they should be testing for. Instead they do the studies and of course find no evidence that vaccines cause or help cause autism. George Bush also said that the state of the economy was just fine, and look at it now. Just because a professional said it, doesn't make it so. LISTEN TO US! WE LIVE IT EVERY DAY! WE ARE ALSO PROFESSIONALS!
Posted by: Mauro A. DiVieste | April 17, 2009 at 11:17 AM
Very disappointing.
Heck, in this type of practice, Cooper would be a DAN Doctor.
I guess ABC needed to make up for Eli Stone.
Posted by: Steve | January 12, 2009 at 10:11 AM
I posted about this episode on Thursday night because it was so upsetting and ridiculous! http://feministymama.blogspot.com/
Posted by: N. | January 12, 2009 at 05:57 AM
I guess the "Troll patrol/wackosphere people have showed up" indeed, because now the poll results have changed considerably. Go to
http://abc.go.com/primetime/privatepractice/index?pn=index
to vote and even the score.
Posted by: Twyla | January 12, 2009 at 05:57 AM
Yes Kathleen,
Eleven! I was truly devastated the day I read his shot record. We had requested our records from the Peds doctor because he and I had gotten into a fight/argument about me not giving the Rotateg vaccine. He said I was being abusive to my child and he was going to call childrens services...sound familar? We decided to file for our VICP and I hadn't read the shot records. The paralegal that is on our case called me and said she would send me a copy of the record. I was absolutley horrified. I signed for what I thought was 3 shots (3 viruses) and found out it was actually 11. Prevnar 7 MMR and Verivax all on one visit.
Thanks to the very website and one of the posters on here (she knows who she is and THANK YOU!!!xoxox) I found that this doctor had written a letter to the editor of our local paper and admitted (by default) that he was doing a study out of his office to see (in his words) "What vaccines worked in what combination". I was never informed or consented to ANY study being done on my child. I only signed for the "shots". My son had a MASSIVE seizure that same night and ended up in the ER. When I asked if it was from the vaccines...well, you know what the answer was. I also found out that he was given a flu shot. I NEVER signed for it and remember VERY CLEARLY refusing it. They were well aware that my son has the family history and is COVERED in eczema. They were also aware of his reaction to eggs and they still did this too my baby.
Needless to say, we've contacted a different lawyer (from the one handling our VICP) and in his words....he says "we have a hell of a case". He said that we would be one of the first in the country to sue a doctor and possibly win for vaccine injury.
Yes, as you can tell, I'm mad and I'm not going to sit by and let people watch a stupid show like that and not say anything.
I read thru some of the comments on there and there is a wonderful mom that psoted her website in tribute to her son Ian who died after a reaction to the Hep B vaccine given at birth. Here site is iansvoice.org
You will be shocked at the photos but I want that b*tch Gerberding to see them. She needs to be told every day that she is a monster.
Posted by: rileysmom | January 11, 2009 at 07:51 PM
Rileysmom,
ELEVEN!!! That is the most I've heard of in one day. And you are right, the idiotic comment about the measles being like a cold...ridiculous. Of course, if they came up with a vaccine for colds......
Posted by: kathleen | January 11, 2009 at 12:13 PM
I have been checking out some of the comments on there and guess what??? The Troll patrol/wackosphere people have showed up. I did actually watch the show on a regular basis and always had my hubby DVR it for me. After watching that episode, I told my husband not to bother anymore. I was so angry when I heard the mom say "I thought it would be like a cold." Like we parents would be stupid enough to think measles would be just like a cold. We are just too uneducated to know it wouldn't. I know exactly what the measles are being my son with autism broke out in a rash after receiving his MMR
vaccine along with Prevnar 7 and Verivax on the same day. Yep, that's right folks, 11 viruses in one day.
This show should just stick to the "who's boinking who this week" thing. That's what it's about anyways.
Posted by: rileysmom | January 11, 2009 at 07:36 AM
That was the last time that I watch that show for sure. I have a 4 year old son who regressed into autism after vaccinations. I choose to NOT vaccinate my 1 year old, for fear the same thing would happen. After watching this episode I was very happy that I AM educated on vaccines and reactions caused by them, and not some dumb mom that listens to everything that a doctor says ( like I was before ) and ran out and vaccinated my other child. I looked it up on the computer and it looks to me like it is more likely to die from the vaccine then the actual virus.
Posted by: Danielle Manglis | January 11, 2009 at 12:59 AM
I will simply never watch that show again. Period. Way to go ABC, don't you screen the writers? Horrible.
Posted by: Jennifer | January 10, 2009 at 08:04 PM
I was sure to let ABC know that I was done watching their show with failing ratings... one less viewer.
-and that they probably lost many more than that.
Posted by: Jenny | January 10, 2009 at 07:47 PM
Julie, I was just over at Babycenter and the snarky "better autistic than dead" remark has come up a few times on the idiotic birth clubs.@@ That is so rude. No one in real life has ever made that remark to me but God help the first person who does. I'll probably end up in jail for assault.
And a lot of those moms think it was "great" that the doctor vaccinated the kid against the mom's will. Would they also think it was "great" if he also regressed into autism and then this poor lady would have TWO children with autism to care for until the day she dies and they both end up in an institution somewhere being abused after she is dead?
Posted by: Chris | January 10, 2009 at 04:38 PM
"Did anyone on this board attend even a single class in med school?"
What's your point? My first job was in a hospital at 16 and I've been in or around the medical field for 20+ years. I learned enough to know that I want to avoid it as much as possible. Modern medicine is a business. How do you stay in business? Mainstream medicine stays in business by keeping people sick. The more "chronic" the condition the better.
Listen to what's being said in every drug commercial. The list of side effects are opportunities for more drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are far from altruistic. I'm not saying they're useless - but they're motivation is money and creating more business.
I never heard of restless leg syndrome until a drug company told me about it.
Posted by: Deb in IL | January 10, 2009 at 01:35 PM
Okay, I am glad that I missed that show. One question...isn't it bad for a child to be vaccinated after they are sick? HPV vaccine isn't for people that have HPV...
anyway, I'm also glad that i am not the only who can be taken wrong in type compared with what was said LOL (ADD be damned, it's a killer to a poster:)). Very funny Nicole.
Why does fear work so well? There is no need for common sense as long as you can get your way scaring parents too death. My son is injured because of fear. My first day at the ped's office for a vaccine...I asked the nurse if we had to do this (before I met the Dr.) and was told right then that if we chose not to vaccinate, we would be asked to leave. That is scarey for a new mom with a new baby and wanting so badly to do the right thing. Because of that one sentence my pediatrician did not know what happened to our son when he had his reaction. I was too scared. In all honesty, the ped would have worked with me. We do not agree, but he is a good person who knows that I lose sleep over my child not him. Fear kept the possibility of open, healthy communication at bay. We did not actually talk about my sons reaction for 18 months.
Fear is a horrible thing.
Posted by: kathleen | January 10, 2009 at 01:35 PM
At http://abc.go.com/primetime/privatepractice/index?pn=index
they are taking a poll.
The first question asks whether the mom had the right to not vaccinate her sons. So far:
71% voted "YES - The parent has the right to act on their beliefs."
29% voted "NO - Her decision put her son and hundreds of other people at risk for the measles."
The second question asks whether the doctor was right to vaccinate the son against the parent's wishes.
20% voted "YES - Cooper had to protect his patient, no matter what."
80% voted "NO - He crossed the line."
Guess the fear-mongering propaganda didn't work so well.
Interesting that they even had this topic on a show. The approach used to be total censorship; don't even say a word about parents seeing problems with vaccines. Just raising the questions can send people to the internet where they find AoA and GR and ARI and TACA and 909shot and safeminds...
Posted by: Twyla | January 10, 2009 at 07:41 AM
Did anyone on this board attend even a single class in med school?
Posted by: Michael | January 10, 2009 at 07:41 AM
So, the AAP wants us to believe that their main concern is for the safety and well-being of the children. Doctors have no problem making parents feel guilt in their efforts to protect our children. They take no issue with putting out a message that not vaccinating your child is tantamount to child abuse or neglect. All in the name of keeping the children healthy and safe, right?
On the other hand, we have breastfeeding. The AAP says breastfeeding is best. Formula is not an equivalent. Yet, when breastfeeding advocates wanted to put out commercials showing an insulin syringe with a rubber nipple on it to indicate the increased risk of juvenile diabetes in formula fed infants why wasn't the AAP all for it? Perhaps because the wealthy formula companies got their lobbyists out to say we can't make mothers feel guilty about their choice to feed their children formula. Why is it that when I walk into my pediatricians office they have samples of ready to go bottles of formula at the front desk? I thought their main concern was for the health and safety of our children. Where are the doctors who want to report mothers for abuse for not breastfeeding? The AAP says breast is best, right?
BREASTFEEDING=NO ONE MAKES ANY MONEY
NOT VACCINATING=NO ONE MAKES ANY MONEY
The portrayal of that doctor last night as a hero whose concern for the health of his patient drove him to perform a procedure on a child without consent is beyond
ludicrous. The truth is, as all Autism parents know, the only one looking out for the health of your child is you. I wish that I had realized that 13 years ago when my son was born. I wish that I hadn't had blind faith in people with medical degrees. At this point, I have very little faith left in people with medical degrees.
Posted by: Christine | January 09, 2009 at 09:14 PM
Thank you Julie!! Yes, Kim...delicious sarcasm. I'm sorry, I assume people will always "get" me and my writing, but clearly that's not the case.
Let me re-word...
I am tired of Hollywood & the media potraying us (I am one of you!!) of being "stupid" hence, my "stupid autism mom" line. They think we can't accept that our kids were born with autism, so we need to blame those that created and dispense the vaccines. They potray us to be idiots. I'm tired of it.
Nicole :)
Posted by: Nicole | January 09, 2009 at 09:14 PM
I also took Nicole's comment to be delicious sarcasm on her part. Sometimes words translate differently from how you wrote them to how someone else reads them.
KIM
Posted by: Stagmom on Nicole | January 09, 2009 at 07:25 PM
Before you guys beat up on Nicole, I think she was being facetious towards the stereotype of the autism mom as portrayed by Hollywood writers in these pathetic autism-vaccines episodes- I don’t believe she was slamming us at all--read her blog about recovering her own son...she's on our side!
I believe she was saying that the "stupid autism mom" (who is ‘stupid’ because she doesn’t realize that vaccines can only do good, and not ever, ever cause autism) is the popular portrayal of the Hollywood-writers who see us autism parents as idiots who should be blaming our genetics instead of Big Pharma and the Government, because vaccines can’t possibly be the cause of autism....
Just my two cents.
Posted by: Julie Swenson | January 09, 2009 at 07:22 PM
Sorry to be a jerk for a moment; but if you get your medical advice from a TV drama regarding your children ....well.... the advice fits.
I agree the show was horrible
It was also very fiction.
Hopefully viewers see it as such or God forbid get medical advice!
Posted by: Lisa | January 09, 2009 at 07:03 PM
Here is my letter to ABC:
Dear Writers and ‘Research’ Writers of “Private Practice”, President of ABC and Show Sponsors,
I am sure I will not be the only parent writing in to respond to the episode named “Contamination”, shown last night on ABC on the Private Practice Show.. I am so angry I am shaking.. I cannot believe the misinformation that was broadcasted to America last night.
This episode was full of misinformation and fear mongering. Did the research writer get a kickback from Merck? This was the absolute worst case scenario for a Measles case. MEASLES IS NOT A DEADLY DISEASE!!!!!..
Did the Dr. treat the ‘patient’ with Vitamin A? WHY NOT?????????????????
If I were this mother, I would have not vaccinated any other children either. And per the poll on ABC.com, I am one of the 74% who think this ‘mother’ was within her rights. Because she is. What that Dr did on this show was ILLEGAL. The Doctor would and should be sued if this happened in Reality. No Vaccine has 100% efficacy, that fact is clearly stated on the Vaccine Package Insert. Some vaccines have a listed effectiveness of less than 80%.
Many cases of Measles are from contact with other freshly vaccinated children, as live virus vaccines shed. Wild cases of measles are quiet rare. That was not mentioned at all on last night’s episode. Perhaps I should have a position on your show as a research writer, as I seem to be more informed that any writer on the show. I chose to do my own research, independent of Offit and his scare tactics.. Only God knows how he sleeps at night.. I couldn’t if I were responsible for a vaccine that killed babies.
The Department of Defense listed Autism as a side effect of the DTaP vaccine. The side effects of the ever increasing schedule is terrifying and alarming! We have the most vaccinated children in the world and the most disabled and afflicted child population as well.
I am in shock that any child was vaccinated against the will of the parent.
It is ILLEGAL!!!!!!!!!! Especially with a sibling on the Spectrum.. Autism is Vaccine Poisoning.. How dare you??? You smacked every ASD Parent in the face last night. Shame on all of you. A vaccine is not a ‘magic shot’ and being vaccinated many days after exposure would do no good whatsoever except depress the immune system even further. What a crock! How irresponsible!!
I will no longer watch ABC… I am blocking it from my TV. I am also sending this letter to all the sponsors for the Private Practice time slot, telling them if they continue to purchase airtime for this show; my family will begin boycotting them as well. Money talks.. apparently.. I just wonder who was purchased this time? Private Practice research writers? ABC?
I am the mother of two unvaccinated children who will survive the measles, chicken pox, and everything else because their immune systems are not depressed with mutated viruses, ethanol, Animal RNA/DNA, MSG, Yeast, acetone, and latex to name just a very few of the toxic ingredients in Vaccines. I am disgusted at this network and the content of this show.
My name
My address
Las Vegas, NV
"Vaccination procedures are a highly politically motivated non-science, whose practitioners are only interested in injecting multitudes of vaccines without much interest or care as to their effects. Data collection on reactions to vaccines is only paid lip service, and the obvious ineffectiveness of vaccines to prevent diseases is glossed over. The fact that natural infectious diseases have beneficial effect on the maturation and development of the immune system is ignored or deliberately suppressed. Consequently, parents of small children and any potential recipients of vaccines and any orthodox medications should be wary of any member of the medical establishment (which is little more than a highly politicized business system) extolling the non-existent virtues of vaccination."--Viera Scheibner Ph.D.
"I did not find it difficult to conclude that there is no evidence whatsoever that vaccines or any kind are effective in preventing the infectious diseases they are supposed to prevent. Further, adverse effects are amply documented and are far more significant to public health than any adverse effects of infectious diseases. Immunizations not only did not prevent any infectious diseases, they caused more suffering and more deaths than has any other human activity n the entire history of medical intervention. It will be decades before the mopping-up after the disasters caused by childhood vaccination will be completed."--- Dr. Viera Scheibner, PhD
Posted by: Ant Bethany | January 09, 2009 at 06:28 PM
I see the brilliant "I'd rather have an autistic child than a dead one" comment made it's way onto the ABC messge board by at least one person who still believs the 'measles is gonna getcher kid' myth...good grief, I always have to do a face palm when I see this little gem. I can just imagine the smug look on the face of the typer, also.
But that was the underlying message of the show last night, I believe. Vaccinate or DIE.
Sigh.
Posted by: Julie Swenson | January 09, 2009 at 06:28 PM
Nicole,
What an absurd statement.. All Autism mothers do not blame the CDC or the FDA.. although they should.. Regressive Autism is preventable..
Gee, since you seem to have the root of Autism all figured out.. can you tell us when they are delivering your Nobel Prize??
Regressive Autism is preventable, it is Vaccine Poisoning.. Children do not change overnight or right before your very eyes due to genetics, dummy.
What was done on the show was SCARE TACTICS, misinformation on Measles, and forcible vacciantion is Illegal in this country.. Have a good one sweetie and do some more reading.. :) ~Beth
Posted by: Ant Bethany | January 09, 2009 at 06:28 PM
"I'm growing tired of the stupid and misguided "autism mom" who blames her pathetic life on the CDC and AAP because she can't blame her own genetics."
Nicole
What does this mean? Is that portion of your post a slam to us "stupid" and "misguided" autism moms who do indeed blame our children's circumstances on the government agency and the medical organization that are supposed to be looking out for ALL children's well fair- not just some.
I refuse to allow my genetics to take the blame for my son's autism, because my genetics alone did not cause my son to regress into autism.
Posted by: question for Nicole | January 09, 2009 at 06:28 PM
The whole show was absurd. I'm growing very tired of the autistic kid looking the same in every show, too (non verbal, rocking, no hint of personality). I'm growing tired of the stupid and misguided "autism mom" who blames her pathetic life on the CDC and AAP because she can't blame her own genetics.
Nicole
Posted by: Nicole | January 09, 2009 at 03:48 PM
If it hasn't been posted yet, the episode is available for free viewing on the ABC site - and I should mention is sponsored by TARGET in case you don't like what you see.
http://abc.go.com/player/index?pn=index
If I talked about a group that didn't exist 50 years ago that promised a full healthy life if you joined them and death if you didn't, you would think I was talking about a religious cult.
Kids are far more likely to get seriously injured by trampolines, skateboards or too many potato chips then by measles, though its a good idea for most kids to get the shot. However, to specifically single out an at-risk family for this episode indicates to me that this was a highly manufactured propaganda product. Many of these episodes are partially based on real life, and I hope this writer is interviewed by authorities. Any doctor or nurse who does such a thing should lose their practice and house along with their license and be in jail.
Maybe someone should do a piece on how perfect doctors are as parents, and interview their kids and their kids teachers. Managing risk is ultimately a 24/7 parents job. end of story.
Posted by: Ben's Dad | January 09, 2009 at 03:48 PM
TEN THINGS I LEARNED FROM WATCHING PRIVATE PRACTICE ON JANUARY 8TH
1. My child is a “time bomb”.
2. Not vaccinating your child is “child abuse”.
3. Parents who believe in the “conspiracy theory” and do not vaccinate should have their children taken away from them.
4. Vaccines are totally “safe”, “medically necessary” and it’s clear that they do not cause autism.
5. Diet and vitamins are “non-traditional”, but vaccines are “the standard of care”.
6. It’s OK to hold a mother back and treat her child without her permission.
7. Doctors are annoyed by doing extra paperwork and don’t care that their practice isn’t under code. Rules do not apply to them.
8. The AAP tells doctors not to kick parents out of their offices for not vaccinating.
9. Hundreds of people die from measles every year.
10. You should report parents to the gov’t if they don’t vaccinate their children.
Posted by: Christine Heeren | January 09, 2009 at 02:23 PM
This is what I posted over at the message boards for the show:
I've been growing tired of ABC's attitude toward autism lately anyway, but last night show was the last straw for me.
My four year old daughter was given her first vaccination, the Hepatitis B, when she was ten days old. She was hospitalized at eleven days old for vomiting, fever, head to toe rash, dehydration and lethargy. It happened again when she was two months old with the next set of vaccines and again at six months old, nine months old and 13 months old, with each set of vaccines. On Halloween, this past year, after two hospitalizations and countless ER visits for acidosis, vomiting, dehydration and hypoglycemia, she was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease through extensive testing. She will be getting a gtube placed surgically next month because she also has trouble both eating foods and with her body doing what it is supposed to with the nutrients and waste from those foods. I've had to watch her fight HARD for every happy and healthy moment that began back on that tenth day of her life after her first introduction to a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease (I am not, nor is anyone anywhere near me living with Hep B, therefore, my child had NO right to be subjected so early in life to a vaccine for a disease she is not at risking of contracting...hindsight can be such a hard thing to live with)
Last night, I watched the show while I carefully observed my feverish, vomiting child. After the show ended, after we did some more at home testing of ketones and blood sugar, she was taken to the emergency room for more intensive care. I was sick to my stomach watching them villanize this mother on the show and even worse watching that ass of a doctor take away this mother's right to choose. The same doctor would argue my right to abort my child, but I lose my rights as a parent when I choose to have that child?? It's insane. And yes, it's just TV, but it's actually very real life for so many of us living with the consequences of the forced herd immunity mentality. We are villanized every day. And we are working hard to care for and advocate for our very sick kids. I'm not even referring to autism here. No one will concede that some kids just can't handle vaccines. Or if they do, they won't concede to it until AFTER the fact and the child has been deeply and permanently affected by this "recommended" (read as: crammed down our parental throats as mandated - however deceptive that mandate truly is) schedule.
Truly irresponsible television last night and a slap in my face as I was already sitting up sick with worry over this latest illness that began four years ago with that first vaccination jab.
I know that I didn't mention that my daughter also has autism, but sometimes I think the autism/vaccine link clouds the general idea that all of us carry - vaccines are given too soon and too many and are affecting our entire country in more ways than just with regard to the onset of autism. Since we go a bit beyond just the autism bit and we noticed an immediate reaction/problem when she was two weeks old that will continue to be a life-long, possibly life-threatening battle, I wanted to focus on that...not saying that the autism issue isn't valid or important, but I do wish we'd talk about vaccines and their effects more generally sometimes in our fight to be heard about how dangerous the schedule and the cozy relationship of pharmaceutical companies and our government is.
Posted by: Laura | January 09, 2009 at 02:11 PM
Wow - I respect and appreciate everyone's pain! I, too, have a son with autism...pretty classic - not high functioning! Although I do feel that he was born that way, I'm pretty sure the his schedule of vaccines only further impaired him as he was born compromised. I took a safe route creating my own vaccination schedule with my second son; however, I did vaccinate - one at a time - 6 weeks a part. I was so conflicted by last nights episode, because I agreed with some of the messages but adamantly disagreed with the way they cut corners... after all the third son was over 3 - and probably only got the measles vaccine, as opposed to the whole "MMR" that most likely poses more of a threat. And so help "Cooper" for inappropriately and probably illegally vaccinating that child against the mother's wishes!!!!!
Posted by: Sammi Robertson | January 09, 2009 at 01:46 PM
How dare they say that we are bad parents for trying to protect our children from the harmful affects of the vaccines. They took the worst case possible and through it in everyones face to try and scare everyone to vaccinate their children. Most parents are taking the extra precaution to keep their children out of situations where they are at risk to become exposed to these viruses. To make everything fair I think the show should now run an episode where the son who the doctor vaccinated becomes autistic. They have no idea what families with childern with autism go through. That mother was doing what she thought was right. They went so far as saying she should be turned into child protective servies because that is abuse. As I recall this is the same show that said abortion was acceptable. I am going to push to get this show taken off air. I care about my daughter that's why I don't vaccinate her. I'm not abusing her I'm giving her a chance to live her life. I have 3 maybe 4 children in my immediate family with autism. Everyone of them were vacinated they can not tell me that thier is no link between shots and autism. The doctors don't want to admit it because they know they would be held accountable for their actions and I hope eventually they will. But until then I will not allow a tv show to bash us for protecting our children.
Posted by: Tiffany Mathis | January 09, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Just wanted to add to the CDC data link: a large number of the diseases listed were not "vaccine preventable" in 1950 or 1960 or 1970 or even 1980. Anyone for retroactive thinking?
Posted by: MinorityView | January 09, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Aside from the rage over this show, I also felt sick to my stomach.
I only watched the episode because I was sitting up with my four year old daughter who was very sick with another "episode". She's had these episodes since birth. Correction: She's had these episodes beginning with her first Hep B vaccination at ten days old. Since those awful first weeks and the terrible first year that followed all of her 21 vaccines, she's been diagnosed with mito and autism. I watched in absolute horror as the doctor ran over and jabbed that poor kid, as I sat with MY sick kid, knowing just how much that jab cost my own child and how much it continues to take from her and from our family with each illness related to her Mito.
This was a terrible, terrible, terrible message. "Vaccinate or die. Screw you and your kid and your experiences with autism (or mito) and the reactions they have. And look what will happen if you don't vaccinate, you bad, terrible, irresponsible and neglectful mother, you child will die from a disease YOU could have prevented."
Posted by: Laura | January 09, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Could perhaps this fear-mongering episode of Private Practice be network ABC's way of appeasing their pharma sponsors and the AAP, who were angry at them last year for airing the Eli Stone episode where a mother sued a vaccine maker and won?
This Private Practice episode was poorly written and disgusting on all counts. I'm sure pharma and the AAP are happy wappy with ABC now!
Posted by: Diane F. | January 09, 2009 at 12:52 PM
ABC is getting a earful today.
http://abc.go.com/primetime/privatepractice/index?pn=mb&cat=25220
Posted by: anonymous | January 09, 2009 at 12:30 PM
http://fearlessfemales.blogspot.com/
As you can see from the latest post on this blogger's site, sadly parents like this one are brainwashed by the system everday. Her daughter is in residential care under New England Center for Children in Massachusetts. Not surprising since that center seems to be more pro vaccine than the Pharm. companies themselves.
Posted by: Jane | January 09, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Marjie,
I agree with the mother's statement about losing her child to autism. We did lose our son to autism - physically he was here, but he wasn't here. He was a shell of a child in his own world.
Thankfully, we have much of him back due to the interventions we have taken to do so.
And I would never take the risk of vaccinating any future children should we have any. I have done enough research to know that none of these vaccines are safe.
Posted by: Michelle | January 09, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Since you asked:
Here are the reported cases and deaths from Vaccine preventable diseases, United States, 1950-2007
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/appendices/G/cases&deaths.pdf
Posted by: Dan, tx | January 09, 2009 at 11:20 AM
I agree, the message that I got was that either vaccinate and risk autism, or your child will die. A very strong message, and one that didn't need to be established.
Whether you believe that the vaccine's caused your child's autism, or you believe that your child is just autistic the show put a very negative light on both sides. The mother in the show was desperate to ensure that her other two son's did not become autistic, even using language such as "I lost one son to autism" this creates a very negative image, and tells people that we (the parents) believe that our child is taken from us.
On the side that truly believes that the vaccine's caused their child's autism, it was awful to witness the show portraying the doctor as a hero when he ignored the mother's decision not to vaccinate, and gave the needle anyway.
I believe that any form of awareness is good awareness, however using death of a child as a message is wrong. I am a mother of an autistic son. I have a daughter younger, and all of her vaccine's are up to date..
I would never dream of putting either of my kids in a possible deadly situation, and I believe that no other parent is either.
It is not child abuse to be afraid of vaccinating your child! Education is needed to ensure that people are knowledgable that there may be a safe time to get the needles.
Too many vaccines, too early. Plain and simple.
Posted by: Marjie | January 09, 2009 at 10:30 AM
Can anyone tell me the last time a child (healthy or otherwise) died of the measles in the US?
There has been what, one death, in the UK in like the last 10-20 years out of 25,000 or so infections- is that right?
Posted by: Jack | January 09, 2009 at 10:30 AM
All you have to do is pay attention to the commercials: they are drug or GMO foods one after another. Fox & CNN (the only news we get here in Costa Rica) have "special reports" on new drugs and how great they are. It's sickening. Literally.
Posted by: Sally O'Boyle | January 09, 2009 at 10:25 AM
I watched the show and it made me sick. All I could think while watching is "If any mother is on the fence, this show will scare her to vaccinate."
How sad the media is so one-sided in any form of discussion on vaccines. Why are they so afraid to entertain the possibility that vaccines are dangerous? It seems to me that if you are so loud in screaming you are right it usually means you have something to hide?
Posted by: Stacie | January 09, 2009 at 10:15 AM
this show was absolute propaganda. BTW, when do these docs have time to treat patients? They're far too busy whoreing around aren't they?
I'm going to talk about this episode on my AO Radio show today. Allowing a kid to die from the measles without getting him into a REAL hospital (as opposed to what looks like a clinic to me, although I'm not very familiar with the show, I don't watch such tripe as a habit).
The blonde bimbo doctor with her judgemental look made me want to dive thru the screen and bitch slap her! And God help the doc that ever tried to get anywhere near my child with a vaccine. That little punk would have ended up being the patient in the next episode as surgeons were trying to come up with a way to get my size 11 boot oout of his nether regions!
Posted by: c. linderman sr | January 09, 2009 at 10:15 AM
I thought it was about the criminal adminstration of a medical procedure against someone's will and also about an incompetent group of doctors that somehow let a healthy boy die of measles in what appears to be a weathly area of LA. Something that is simply unheard of.
Posted by: Jack | January 09, 2009 at 09:43 AM
I was sick to my stomach. As soon as I saw that boy rocking in the waiting room, I knew what was going to happen. All I could think was "Wow, those pharmaceutical companies and/or the AAP/CDC got ties into that show." Talk about a way to scare the living crap outta any parent. I felt like they just made a mockery out of "desperate autism parents" when she said she just returned from Switzerland for an unproven treatment and she thought maybe he's meltdown's were less. OMG, this show enraged me. I just hope parents have the sense to see this is propaganda and if that child was that sick, he would have been in a HOSPITAL not remaining at the peds office - dying from measles within what? 20 minutes of being diagnosed? Oh this pisses me off ... this show said to me "Do you want a dead kid or a kid that can't communicate and rocks in a corner? Your choice mom!"
We sent a man to the moon 40 plus years ago and we can't test our children to find out who might be susceptible to vaccine injury? Give me a break. And now Merck says they will no longer provide the MMR in separate shots?
GREEN THE VACCINES AND TOO MANY SHOTS TOO SOON IS ALL WE ARE SAYING. We are not insane parents.
Posted by: Kathy | January 09, 2009 at 09:43 AM