An Addendum to February's "First Read"
Managing Editor's Note: David Kirby's post Il Mercurio and the AAP on the Italian study has been duly noted by Dr. First of AAP. Dr. First has updated his site. Molto bene. Click HERE.
It has been brought to my attention that in the study on thimerosal briefly highlighted below, I noted that groups did or did not get thimerosal and had similar results in terms of neuropsychological developmental outcomes. Reading of this study will indicate that both groups studied actually did have thimerosal in their vaccines, one group having 62.5 micrograms cumulative intake and the other 137.5 micrograms cumulative intake. While the amount of thimerosal in the lower group studied in Italy is less (according to the author of this study Dr. Tozzi) than the small amounts used in this country, I do want to correctly indicate there was no group studied that received no thimerosal whatsoever in their vaccines. The results of this study suggesting essentially minimal (if any) differences in developmental outcomes remains as stated--although a limitation as noted by Dr. Tozzi is that there was no comparison group with zero exposure to thimerosal. I appreciate the readers who have brought this to my attention so that I could more accurately clarify my interpretation of this study. Please read this article for yourself to learn more.
John - thanks for the interesting add'l info re: Dr Pyke - it certainly is a small world....
Posted by: Randy | February 02, 2009 at 11:34 AM
Credit where it's due. Good on him for admitting the error. Must have been a whole lot of letters!--Garbo
That or a legal entanglement, lol.
Posted by: kathleen | February 01, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Okay, so the warm fuuzy didn't last long.
QUESTION:
When I google Dr first and pediatrics, the first link that comes up is titled:
New editor of Pediatrics • General pediatrician, educator, children’s TV star: Dr. First reaches his audience.
Is Dr First a TV personality?
Posted by: kathleen | February 01, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Oh, and nicew how First's comment ability has been disabled. He can spew the lies, but can't take the heat. No surprise there. Since, I feel sure that his initial blog was sent to ped's everywhere, I wonder if he has taken the time to send his correction? Damage done and not really cleaned up:(
But still so nice to see a correction.
Posted by: kathleen | January 31, 2009 at 03:21 PM
OOOOH....Goosebumps! Thanks for the warm fuzzy all the way around:) Absolutley spot on for a great start to today.
Thanks DK and JS and anyone else who helped.
Posted by: kathleen | January 31, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Thank Randy. I didn't know the Thomas Dolby item but instantly recognised Magnus Pike:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_Pyke
Pyke as his Wiki article recalls used to appear on a TV programme in the UK with Dr Miriam Stoppard a prominent apologist for MMR. At the time, despite the somewhat low brow show, Stoppard was married to the famous playright of that name. Subsequently she was married to Sir Christopher Hogg the chairman of GSK until the end of 2004. Small world.
I think the reason for optimism is the heavy attrition on these people's credibility.
Posted by: John Stone | January 30, 2009 at 04:50 PM
Thank you, David Kirby. Now if only AP and other media will retract the lie.
Posted by: Gatogorra | January 30, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Thank you John. Is there still a certain naivete in looking hard for a bright spot in this mess?
I'm honestly not sure - at least we can have that civil discussion.
I wrote to Corrinne Zoli regarding her excellent response to the "special article" in Pediatrics. In her reply to me, she noted that "it's not the science that is at issue but the institutional politics. That's where parents, I believe, need to stay involved and keep pushing back to take back institutions that are supposed to service them (and our children)."
Trying so hard to hang on to optimism and to look for signs of sincerity, is it possible to lose sight of the fact that certain events are in fact only the result of parents (and others - e.g. DK) "pushing back"?
Thanks for the perspective and all the sanity checks along the way.
Meanwhile I thought this little ditty from the '80's might be an appropriate way to cap off a thread like this - the title says it all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlHgbOWj4o
PS - is it just me or does Dolby bear a striking resemblance to Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen?
Posted by: Randy | January 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM
In truth, Randy, First was forced to back down - there was no way that he could paper over the discrepancy. Humiliating though it is, it is, of course, achieved without disturbing the seamless triumphalism of the vaccine lobby - another sham study succesfully launched with only a few little hitches, quite out of sight of the general public.
Posted by: John Stone | January 30, 2009 at 02:46 AM
Persistance from David Kirby - kudos - so advocacy can make a difference
Posted by: Concerned mom | January 29, 2009 at 10:41 PM
he could have done nothing - what he did was admit his error. damage control, far from perfect (like the study itself), sure - but an improvement over the more typical non-response - even if that makes him just slightly horrible, it's better than completely horrible (that is, if it proves to be a 1st step towards not horrible...)
Maybe I'm naive? The thing is, honestly I didn't expect anything at all - beyond another round of spin - there are people all over this issue walking around with their pants down and nobody in the herd seems to notice, so he could easily have just shut up and blended in.
I'm not suggesting anyone canonize the guy - but this might be a segue into further dialogue. Ok so maybe I am naive and his update / statement is totally disingenuous - but i just found it refreshing that he didn't crawl under a rock with this one, which he could have easily done with a dozen of the usual defenders / apologists backing him up.
just my 2c...
Posted by: Randy | January 29, 2009 at 04:04 PM
Interesting that Dr. First is not accepting comments on his blog post.
Posted by: meg | January 29, 2009 at 03:24 PM
While it looks as if First did not even read the abstract carefully, reponsibility for publication lies with his predecessor Jerold Lucey, editor of PEDIATRICS for nearly 35 years until this January. The manuscript was accepted last May.
Posted by: John Stone | January 29, 2009 at 03:12 PM
Yes, it is sad (and scary) that the editor-in-chief didn't even READ the "study" correctly, and thereafter tells pediatricians to cite incorrect facts about the "study" to the parents of their patients.
Thank you Mr. Kirby. I'm sure you were the FIRST of many to point out to Dr. First his error.
Posted by: Diane F. | January 29, 2009 at 02:38 PM
Sorry to disrupt the Dr. First back-patting party.... what else was he supposed to do after being outed? The follow up is not an act of nobility, it is damage control.
I don't give credit to doctors for only being slightly horrible.
Posted by: Steve | January 29, 2009 at 01:38 PM
First point... Good for him for admitting his mistake.
Second point... Sad for us that the editor of Pediatrics either didn't read the study or read the study and couldn't even get the most basic facts correct in his blog.
Yikes.
Posted by: Sue M. | January 29, 2009 at 01:01 PM
a reasonable and well articulated response from Dr First - very nice to see
Posted by: Randy | January 29, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Credit where it's due. Good on him for admitting the error. Must have been a whole lot of letters!
Posted by: Garbo | January 29, 2009 at 12:13 PM