OC Register Corrects Autism Science Foundation Founder Dr. Paul Offit’s Lies (Finally)
By J.B. Handley
It remains remarkable that Paul Offit, a multimillionaire due to a patent he cashed in on for a vaccine (HERE), remains the primary media spokesperson for disputing the vaccine-autism link. As AoA readers know, Paul Offit is also an inveterate liar, and will say just about anything to quell parent’s fears that vaccines are causing all this autism. As you may recall, Offit lied in one of his books about me. I sued him, and Offit was forced to correct his book, write me a letter of apology and acknowledgement, and donate money to Jenny McCarthy’s second-favorite (behind GR!) charity at UCLA.
As a side note, Offit is also a charter member of the dwindling number of doctors and scientists willing to contend that the rise in autism prevalence is “false”, simply the sign of changing and better diagnosis, and that autism has always been here. I think history will reserve a special dungeon for these “epidemic deniers” who are impeding the ability of parents to save the next generation of kids from the same fate as their children.
As many of you know, Sharyl Attkisson is one of the more remarkable mainstream journalists in that she seems perfectly willing, time and again, to tell the truth about what is going on with our kids. That Pharma has not been able to get her fired is a testimony to Sharyl’s courage, and the spine of someone else at CBS who must care more about the kids than the ad dollars Viagra provides them with.
Several years ago (2008), Sharyl did a great piece about Paul Offit, the AAP, and their sources of funding, providing an accurate picture of how tied in all these vaccine defenders were to vaccine makers and their profit machine. The OC Register, in their irresponsible haste, produced a letter from Paul Offit responding to Sharyl Attkisson with what was vintage Offit in that it was filled with ad hominem attacks, innuendo, and, of course, plain old lies.
Wasting no time in sharing the truth, the OC Register has bewilderingly issued a retraction and correction to Offit’s letter, nearly three years late. Below, please find the correction in its entirety, and a link to it HERE.
Correction for April 18
2011-04-18 15:49:24
An OC Register article dated Aug. 4, 2008 entitled “Dr. Paul Offit Responds” contained several disparaging statements that Dr. Offit of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia made about CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson and her report. Upon further review, it appears that a number of Dr. Offit’s statements, as quoted in the OC Register article, were unsubstantiated and/or false. Attkisson had previously reported on the vaccine industry ties of Dr. Offit and others in a CBS Evening News report “How Independent Are Vaccine Defenders?” July 25, 2008.
Unsubstantiated statements include: Offit’s claim that Attkisson “lied”; and Offit’s claim that CBS News sent a “mean spirited and vituperative” email “over the signature of Sharyl Attkisson” stating “You’re clearly hiding something.” In fact, the OC Register has no evidence to support those claims. Further, Offit told the OC Register that he provided CBS News “the details of his relationship, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s relationship, with pharmaceutical company Merck.” However, documents provided by CBS News indicate Offit did not disclose his financial relationships with Merck, including a $1.5 million Hilleman chair he sits in that is co-sponsored by Merck. According to the CBS News’ documentation recently reviewed by the OC Register, the network requested (but Offit did not disclose) the entire profile of his professional financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies including: The amount of compensation he’d received from which companies in speaking fees; and pharmaceutical consulting relationships and fees. The CBS News documentation indicates Offit also did not disclose his share of past and future royalties for the Merck vaccine he co-invented. To the extent that unsubstantiated and/or false claims appeared in the OC Register and have been repeated by other organizations and individuals, the OC Register wishes to express this clarification for their reference and for the record.
Is it just me, or does it feel like the bad guys are unraveling a bit? Perhaps the combination of Robert MacNeil’s courage and Poul Thorsen’s indictment are causing some journalists to reconsider this issue? Bravo, OC Register, better late than never!
J.B. Handley is co-founder of Generation Rescue and a Contributor to Age of Autism.
"Is it just me, or does it feel like the bad guys are unraveling a bit?"
Its now sep2015 . What the hell is it going to take to bring this Monstrous Criminality down ?
We have all the evidence , and the State(s) have no shame .
Posted by: Sophie Scholl | September 30, 2015 at 10:13 AM
Offit or Dr.Profit he does not see autistic kids,he is no expert. He is living off from his toxic Rota vaccine patent.
There is no transparency,there is no honest communication,
therefore there is no trust.Dr.Offit and Merck they are all connected by the bloody profit first (before the patients or our children).
Posted by: one Voice | April 20, 2011 at 11:47 PM
"the Roman legions of government lawyers"
What an accurate and yet immaginative description!
Posted by: Benedetta | April 20, 2011 at 10:33 PM
To lawywerswhoeatthieryoung,
I think this is about my child, who along with older children around the country, had civil cases pending in state courts. For 9 years, our case has sat, waiting for the Feds and the Special Masters to come up with the scheme to kick EVERYBODY out of court. Now with the Supreme Court saying Vaccine Companies have no worries but all of us parents must try to survive and take care of our Vaccine INJURED children, I am sure I will be getting a letter soon from the Court saying BYE-BYE.
I am pretty sure that is what those "350 product liability cases involving claims that childhood vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal cause autistic-spectrum disorders in some children."
One of those cases is my precious child and it breaks my heart as it is salt in the wound.
Posted by: We are one of the 350 | April 20, 2011 at 08:04 PM
JB, I love that you call a spade a spade, and tell it like it is - keep up the fantastic work!
Posted by: Dick Augspurger | April 20, 2011 at 05:42 PM
I believe 60 Minutes, Dateline, CNN and a bunch of other news outlets have already produced segments on the 1999 Offit Rotashield suspension, the Simpsonwood meeting, Dr. Thorsen, the 2004 IOM vaccine meeting, and a number of other vaccine issues.
However, the only time they get them out is when it is time to set up long term pharma ad programs and lock in advertising rates. The programs then go "back in the vault."
Posted by: cmo | April 20, 2011 at 05:41 PM
Hey Headsup,
"our clients move in an ever-changing world — an increasingly competitive global business environment where speed, flexibility, agility and focus are required"
That doesn't sound much like our children. Most days are pretty much the same as the one before.
If you look at the directories of these law firms, Orrick alone has over 1,100 corporate trial lawyers. Gibson Dunn? 1013 Dechert? 692. Not a single one at any of these offers to defend our vaccine injured children against, well, the Roman legions of government lawyers (itself).
With a secret police force this size there is no law in the land, it's a matter of despotic will. The Supreme Court decision against our children enforces tyranny and the will of future despotic action. At the same time, Bill Gates dubiously rattles off vaccines are an important form of "population control".
And the false presentation from HHS is our children aren't really vaccine injury claim victims, they're victims of mass tort.
Well, individual brave lawyers sheltering 100s of claims apiece are hardly an example of any sort of orchestrated class action machine. They are the result of an unwillingness of government to trust the American people.
In fact, the only thing massive is the amount of US tax dollars being spent on the armies of corporate lawyers with the sole aim to deny our children their "no fault" claims.
The CDC is wrong about SARS, wrong about Ebola, wrong about West Nile, wrong about MMRV, wrong about the annual flu shot, wrong about Bird Flu, wrong about Swine Flu, wrong about TB, wrong about flesh-eating bacteria, wrong about vaccines saving lives, wrong about Autism.
The FDA lost a citizen's petition requiring them to prove the GRAS and GRAE status of Thimerosal or recall and destroy every product with the neuro-poison in it. They claimed the second petition filed was too complicated for them.
These law firms are no more than players in the combination. The only way to destroy this beast is to unmask vaccines. That means "un-sanctifying" them and exposing the false prophets propagating their use.
Posted by: Media Scholar | April 20, 2011 at 05:00 PM
Don`t forget the support from "her in doors" blogging as Sullivan..
http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/11/is-paul-offits-wife-internet-trollautism-father-sullivan.html
Could make it a multi shot day..."Smokin'"
Angus Files
Posted by: Angus Files | April 20, 2011 at 04:59 PM
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/correction-296910-dated-entitled.html#article-comments
Yes, as nhokkanen has pointed out someone called M Robinson has 'defended the indefensible' on Offit and blamed innacurate OC reporting!! My attempt at registering to make a comment was stopped, when I failed to provede a 'zip code' We DON'T have them in Scotland!! So it's up to you US folks to show your outrage to OC.
Posted by: Jenny Allan | April 20, 2011 at 04:38 PM
A histrionic Offit defender has posted 3 comments at the Orange County Register page.
Posted by: nhokkanen | April 20, 2011 at 04:10 PM
If you're wondering where the next broadsides will be coming from, here's a heads-up about lawyers:
April 7, 2011 12:32 PM
Dechert, Gibson Dunn Add Four Partners Apiece from Orrick
Posted by Tom Huddleston Jr.
Thursday was departure day for litigation partners at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, as a pair of four-person groups jumped to new firms. A New York–based quartert headed to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, while a Los Angeles–based team moved to Dechert.
According to a Gibson Dunn press release, the new arrivals there are Daniel Thomasch, Richard Mark, Lauren Elliot, and Joseph Evall.
The press release notes that the four are "known for their work as national lead trial and appellate counsel for Wyeth (now Pfizer) in more than 350 product liability cases involving claims that childhood vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal cause autistic-spectrum disorders in some children."
Check out who Daniel Thomasch spoke with at the recent New York Academy of Science, "vaccines under The Gun..." None other than, Paul Offit and Trine Tousardous (sp:?)! They apparently rented out the floor and pretended to be "invited" by the NYAS but in reality the whole thing was funded by pharma and Paul through the vaccine department of the Philadelphia College of Physicians. They are getting very sloppy in leaving wide open paper trails....
Posted by: lawywerswhoeatthieryoung | April 20, 2011 at 03:32 PM
The reason for the late correction is CBS only recently were able to provide the information to the Orange County Register that Offit lied.
Posted by: ChildHealthSafety | April 20, 2011 at 02:42 PM
Because he lied, he should be held accountable for the killing of children by the dis-honest vaccines he was lying about.On the chair with him and fry him. On second thoughts give him the 1000 vaccines babies can have , times it, by his body weight compared to a 15lb baby..
Yeh!!
Angus Files
P.S. Do not apply to administer the shots
Posted by: angus files | April 20, 2011 at 02:17 PM
Yes, JB, it does feel like the bad guys are unraveling ... and more than just "a bit." Thanks for the report. Keep pulling on those threads!
Posted by: Dan E. Burns - SavingBenBook.com | April 20, 2011 at 01:32 PM
Regarding the bad guys unraveling, I may be wrong about this but I think the numbers are way down in CA-- since the removal of Thimerosal. Just personal observation. I think they can't just say we are now back to not knowing how to diagnose it, so the the rats are jumping off the sinking ship. People like Thorsen and Offit will be the big bad villain (they are either morons or incredibly evil- I know), but I feel the greater evil are the ones who will never have their day of reckoning over this.
Posted by: Mfischer | April 20, 2011 at 01:15 PM
See, but that's the problem with media these days. They are too quick to jump on any story before verifying claims in order to 'beat out the other guy.'
We see this time and time again, most of the time without retractions or remorse because the damage is already done in the media whether it be radio, TV, newspaper, blog, twitter or FB. It doesn't matter. Retractions don't make headlines.
- Paul Thorsen included....
Posted by: Kevin | April 20, 2011 at 12:37 PM
Heads up;
What does this mean exactly?
Posted by: Benedetta | April 20, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Andy Wakefield lost his medical licence as a result of allegations of dishonesty.
What is the CEO and Board of the Childrens' Hospital of Philadephia doing about this profiteering pirate stealing US childrens' health?
Posted by: ChildHealthSafety | April 20, 2011 at 10:21 AM
So I guess when Paul Offit accused Barbara Loe Fisher of lying that was also a lie.
Posted by: Carol | April 20, 2011 at 09:54 AM
If you're wondering where the next broadsides will be coming from, here's a heads-up about lawyers:
April 7, 2011 12:32 PM
Dechert, Gibson Dunn Add Four Partners Apiece from Orrick
Posted by Tom Huddleston Jr.
Thursday was departure day for litigation partners at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, as a pair of four-person groups jumped to new firms. A New York–based quartert headed to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, while a Los Angeles–based team moved to Dechert.
According to a Gibson Dunn press release, the new arrivals there are Daniel Thomasch, Richard Mark, Lauren Elliot, and Joseph Evall.
The press release notes that the four are "known for their work as national lead trial and appellate counsel for Wyeth (now Pfizer) in more than 350 product liability cases involving claims that childhood vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal cause autistic-spectrum disorders in some children."
Posted by: headsup | April 20, 2011 at 09:24 AM
Thanks, JB! I've seen this story relayed all over facebook, but I enjoyed your commentary a lot! You coming to Autism One ever?
Posted by: Erik Nanstiel | April 20, 2011 at 09:10 AM
"To the extent that unsubstantiated and/or false claims appeared in the OC Register and have been repeated by other organizations and individuals, the OC Register wishes to express this clarification for their reference and for the record."
I eagerly await the "retraction" of those "organizations and individuals" who repeated the "unsubstantiated and/or false claims" that were published by the OC Register?
In addition .. I expect future statements by Dr. Offit to main-stream media outlets to include the information that he has been found guilty of filing "unsubstantiated and/or false claims" to discredit the professional reputation of others.
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | April 20, 2011 at 08:57 AM
Better late than never, indeed.
Posted by: 4Bobby | April 20, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Is it just me, or does it feel like the bad guys are unraveling a bit? Perhaps the combination of Robert MacNeil’s courage and Poul Thorsen’s indictment are causing some journalists to reconsider this issue? Bravo, OC Register, better late than never!
------------------
The vaccine manufacturing drug company QUASH SQUADs simply must be attacking science somewhere else right now.
I am still trying to figure out the ethical way to scoop a spoonful of vaccine strain Measles from colonies infesting the guts of regressively autistic children.
Posted by: Media Scholar | April 20, 2011 at 08:00 AM