Banned Wakefield Films From British TV Emerge on Youtube After Nearly a Decade
Three controversial television films suppressed as part of the continued persecution of Andrew Wakefield are now available to watch on YouTube. The drama ‘Hear the Silence’ starring Hugh Bonneville as Andrew Wakefield and Juliet Stevenson as a mother trying to find the truth about what happened to her child was seen once on British television in December 2003 and then disappeared. Two months later the allegations of Brian Deer began to appear in the media. It has now been posted on the web by ‘ScienceIsrael’ in the original English with Hebrew subtitles.
Recently Kathleen Yazbak recalled her involvement in the film:
“Our family's autism journey has been challenging and humbling, like that of the many who have tread the same path. We were fortunate to have the ear of an amazing screenwriter [Tim Prager] who also dug deep with his own independent research of the situation and engaged countless others so this story could be told and the movie created. It is our hope that parents and grandparents try to make a difference in the dialogue about autism.”
When it was first screened the British radical investigative journalist, Paul Foot, wrote in the Guardian:
“Last week's Channel Five programme Hear the Silence about the MMR controversy was one of the best dramas I have seen. It was not just a moving true story, beautifully acted. It was also a shocking indictment of the medical establishment. A group of parents were confronted with the fear that their children had become autistic after having the triple vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. A responsible authority should surely take such fears seriously and deploy the full extent of scientific research to testing the fears, if only to allay them. The reaction of the authorities was exactly the opposite.
"The one senior doctor who took the parents seriously, Andrew Wakefield, had his research stopped and was effectively banished to the US. Despite his record as an often published scientist, he was widely smeared. Legal aid for the parents to sue the government was cut off.
"On the programme, the two sides confronted each other. On the parents' side there was anguished concern, backed by sober science from Wakefield. On the other was outraged impatience, led by two slightly fanatical GPs, including Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West. He insisted there was no link between autism and MMR, and loudly failed to prove that this was so. Instead, he went some way to proving the time-honoured medical principle that doctors know everything, and patients nothing."
Very sadly, a few months later Foot died and our children were not only ruthlessly abandoned by the Guardian newspaper but by Private Eye, the journal with which Foot was also closely associated .
Also now available are the two banned episodes of the popular BBC drama series written by GF Newman, Judge John Deed, which deal with MMR. It is fascinating to think that a decade ago the BBC was still just open enough to produce such establishment sceptical dramas, but also what they were rapidly becoming.
AoA contributer Martin J Walker has written the following note:
“In all the recent controversy about the BBC, and the controversies which came before, and before that, it is never mentioned that the the Corporation has for decades pursued policies of strict censorship in line with corporate and governmental ideology. In my work, in relation to alternative medicine, I personally have become aware of this practice in relation to the subject of cancer treatments and more recently with respect to the controversy over the MMR vaccination and the case of Dr Andrew Wakefield.
“The most blatant censorship engineered by the BBC was in two episodes — One Angry Man and Heart of Darkness — of the BBC drama series Judge John Deed which were banned internationally by the BBC after one showing. Exactly how the corporate pharmaceutical pressure was exerted within the BBC, is difficult to discern. The two episodes which were banned were about MMR vaccination.
“However, the two episodes are now available on You Tube
“The series was devised, written and produced by one of Britain's most notable dramatists Gordon Newman who came under immense pressure to take any mention of MMR or even vaccination out of his scripts. I was one of the two script advisors for the series. Many of the British parents wanted themselves to see the episodes a second time and pass on the reference to other parents and were shocked and angry when the episodes were banned and taken out of the box set on retail sale. Now everyone, internationally, has the opportunity to see them.”
Martin Walker’s extraordinary account of the hearings against Wakefield and colleagues can still be read on the CryShame website . Also visit the Slingshot website where Martin’s many and various publications can be purchased including ‘Silenced Witnesses I & II’ in which parents give their account of the MMR affair SlingShotPublications. .
@Vivienne Ben-Shir, you were duped. There is no requirement to get vaccinated to travel to foreign countries including India. The single exception is for Yellow Fever vaccine if entering certain countries if you have traveled from an endemic area within the last 6 days. Yellow fever hot spots are in some sub-Saharan African countries and a few South American ones.
Travel vaccines are another scam and are NOT required at all, just recommended. However, unlike baby vaccines relatively few people bother getting them.
Posted by: John Paulson | March 13, 2018 at 01:27 PM
My son - now 38 - was a patient of Prof. Walker-Smith in 1977/78 and I saw with my own eyes these vaccine-damaged children in the hospital ward. Iam so lucky that my mother was against vaccination, for what reason I don't know, and I wasn't vaccinated. I didn't have my son vaccinated (nor do I have my pets vaccinated). Dr. Wakefield should be hailed as a hero of our age but instead has been ridiculed and put hidden away from the general public, at the cost of countless lives.
Of course, the pharmaceutical companies are so powerful that governments are "swayed" by them, as in the case of vaccines, and children and families will continue to be harmed as long as this is the case and GPs and midwives make a young mother feel that she is a bad mother if she questions what is in the actual vaccine and its fluid, and the consequential guilt she is made to feel. This is nothing less than a national scandal and disgrace.
Now, with foreign travel, one is obliged to be vaccinated to enter many countries. The first time I went to India (10 years ago) I had 5 vaccines in one shot and became ill withn an hour. And we put poison into new born babies....
Posted by: Vivienne Ben-Shir | November 01, 2014 at 04:15 AM
"By now the BBC deserves zero trust about anything. I have even come to loath their heroes: Humphrys, Paxman, the Dimblebys. Everything about it is permeated by arrogance, contempt for truth and for the public who have continued to believe in their fundamental good faith."
Well said. We across the pond can say the same of our CDC.
“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.” Albert Einstein
Posted by: Lou | March 12, 2013 at 10:23 PM
Martin is, of course, quite right: by now the BBC deserves zero trust about anything. I have even come to loath their heroes: Humphrys, Paxman, the Dimblebys. Everything about it is permeated by arrogance, contempt for truth and for the public who have continued to believe in their fundamental good faith. I think it is possible that they are finally beginning to become irrelevant to the public perception of events. Probably the definitive image of the modern BBC is the head of news locked in laughing embrace with Jimmy Savile in 2006:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2231648/Senior-BBC-news-executives-Helen-Boaden-Stephen-Mitchell-deny-stepping-aside.html
I thought she'd moved on, but checking today I see she's still there.
Posted by: John Stone | February 28, 2013 at 06:00 AM
I am re-posting this comment from Martin J Walker which appeared inadvertently under another article - JS
-----------------------------------------------------
Perhaps I could draw attention to the following:
On February 25, in the small town of Horsham in the United Kingdom, there will be a rare and potentially groundbreaking opportunity for the 9/11 truth movement. Three hours of detailed 9/11 evidence is to be presented and considered in a court of law where the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will be challenged over the inaccurate and biased manner in which it has portrayed the events and evidence of 9/11.
I don't hold out much hope for the success of this action but, it might just be a sign of the times. Perhaps the British media so long in hock to the corporate, the rich and the powerful, is eventually being recognized for what it is — a way of creating consensus based on propaganda and not fact. It's at times like this that I ask myself what would be a satisfactory outcome to the MMR fiasco. Unfortunately given the pain and distress suffered by countless children and so many parents in Britain and America, it is unlikely that any outcome could be termed satisfactory, however, given the limited options, short of 'people's justice', I would opt for the following.
A full publicly held hearing before an independent judge, with the administrating independent lawyers having the power of subpoena, a little like a grand jury hearing in the States. On the finding of this tribunal criminal and civil charges should be framed against all parties found to be at fault.
However, the fact remains that a 'just settlement' is perhaps not 'just' if it is found 20 years after the initial damage is done. From this we might learn that it is probably best to be organised, to fight back, radically and most importantly collectively at the time that 'we know' such crimes have been committed. This is not to suggest that any of the victims of this fiasco are at fault, it's just to remind ourselves that in such cases time is undoubtedly the enemy. Even if we get a satisfactory outcome, the public gaze has long drifted 'off- subject' and onto another depredation, like a drunken butterfly.
Best Wishes, Martin J Walker.
PS. I think that when we pay homage to films and especially actors and actresses we should not forget the writers of these works, for they are the people who have picked up the injustice and run with it and often of course they are the people whose jobs and reputations suffer. Tim Prager the writer of Hear the Silence and Gordon Newman the writer of the Judge John Deed series neither of whom have vaccine damaged children should be endlessly applauded for their contribution.
Posted by: John Stone | February 28, 2013 at 04:25 AM
I used to think how Horton could sleep at night ..but then the money must make everything right..shame on them
Thanks Mark
Angus
Posted by: Angus Files | February 25, 2013 at 03:06 PM
This was very powerful drama: I had not seen 'Hear the Silence' until yesterday. Thank you, AoA, for giving me the chance to see it at last. Thank you too, to Jackie Fletcher for sharing her personal recollection of the disgraceful behaviour of the medical establishment after the publication of the Lancet paper. Although I had not seen the channel 5 film, I did follow the reaction in BMJ at the time of its showing ... and so again yesterday. I noticed the following response from Richard Horton, editor of the Lancet.
http://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/another-view
Fascinating stuff! At the time Horton appears to be an unforgiving critic of the profession's attitude to the Wakefield challenge. Here are some pertinent excerpts to savour:
"However, the refusal of those with senior public-health responsibilities to engage in a debate provoked by this programme is, in my view, a serious error of judgement."
"How do we as a profession value our patients' testimony? In this film, Andrew Wakefield says, "I can't censor the patients' story". His "evidence" is dismissed as "anecdotal" by colleagues ... There are sadly countless examples where histories have been ignored, to everybody's cost. So why can we not discuss the value, validity, and imprecision of the patient testimony honestly and openly and calmly?"
"The Department of Health is portrayed as being cold and heartless in its reaction to Wakefield's arguments ... It is surely reasonable to ask whether the Department has handled this matter effectively? Do we not want a health service that takes evaluation of policies, as well an technologies, seriously? And why can that debate not be conducted publicly?"
"In sum ... Hear the Silence is a thoughtful drama that raises important questions that both profession and public alike should be prepared to sit down and discuss. That one side of this much-needed engagement resists dialogue, with what comes across as a mixture of anger and scorn, seems to me to be unforgivable."
Richard Horton has the power to restore the 1998 Lancet paper to the scientific record: it is hard not to feel anger and scorn for the man who has not yet seen fit to do so.
Posted by: Mark Struthers | February 25, 2013 at 02:34 PM
Yes Jackie I was one of those parents like yourself involved with the group action case regarding the MMR. My son is 20 now and is even sickier than he has ever been in his life 18 years after his MMR. It has done untold damage to him and still affects him. My Mp won't listen but I will forever keep the pressure up. I've posted this article of John's on Autism Mothers on Facebook to let the 43,500 members know whats really going on. Keep up the good work John and everybody. If you have not added your story of vaccine injury please do so at my site, just click onto my name and the site will come up.
Posted by: Joan Campbell | February 25, 2013 at 01:54 PM
Well said Jackie and thanks to you also for the support over the years..Where JABS have helped thousands shed some light on these black days ..the numbers have to a thousand fold,worse that Thalidomide I would think..and still counting ..Shame on the DOH et-al
Angus
Posted by: Angus Files | February 25, 2013 at 11:56 AM
It was very interesting to watch Hear The Silence again after all these years. Though dramatised for television it was extremely accurate in its portrayal of the suffering families went through, and still do so, and the lifeline given to these families by Dr Wakefield and the Royal Free Hospital team.
To give extra background to the meeting with Tessa Jowell (Health Minister), Sir Kenneth Calman (Chief Medical Officer), Dr David Salisbury (Principal Medical Officer), Dr Wakefield, Prof. Walker-Smith and other parties which included a family of a vaccine damaged child, their MP Llew Smith, Richard Barr and Kirsten Limb (Legal Team for the children) and Jabs.
During the one hour meeting Dr Wakefield and Prof. Walker-Smith described their work and findings of the forth-coming paper. Details of 1200 children were put forward by the legal team and Jabs and a clinical investigation of the children was called for. It was emphasised that because of the poor passive surveillance system these children's details would not be known to the DH.
Sir Kenneth Calman gave a press interview directly following the meeting and stated that he was reassured that MMR was the safest way to protect children and that the minor side-effects were well documented. We had just given him details of 1200 severely damaged children, some of whom had died, following a suspected reaction to MMR/MR vaccines and he could make that statement?
It was also agreed at the meeting that an open forum would take place following the publication of the 1998 Lancet paper. Experts would be chosen from home and abroad by Dr Wakefield with input by Sir Kenneth Calman so the work could be scrutinised openly. What actually happened was a closed meeting attended by 37 medical experts chosen by the Department of Health. Neither the Jabs legal team nor the MP or any parent representatives were allowed to attend or participate. This is when the witch hunt against Dr Wakefield began.
And the 1200 children? It was agreed at the meeting that a blue form would be sent to all the families so details could be accessed. There were 530 blue forms returned to the MHRA
with basic details of the children. None of the children were medically investigated and none of the parents were questioned further.
Posted by: Jackie Fletcher, Jabs | February 25, 2013 at 09:44 AM
Jane
Of course, GF Newman's dramas happen in a parallel universe where things are just slightly different. The actual position in the UK, defended by Dr Salisbury, is that vaccination is voluntary, which leaves the legal responsibility with parents (generally acting on the basis of official propaganda) and the vaccine companies - but in the case of MMR (or one controversial version of it) a state body, the NHS, presumably acting on political advice signed indemnites, which meant the state might have to pick up the tab if things went wrong (as they did).
The other feature is the public funder of civil prosecutions is so politicised that no prosecution is likely ever to succeed even in the remote event of it being initiated (much more unlikely even than 20 years ago when the MMR prosecution was first conceived). To give an idea our Legal Services Commission - the public funder - is so up the pharmaceutical companies or their government cronies that they wouldn't even fund a prosecution of Merck over Vioxx, after the whole thing had already been successfully settled in the US courts. So we have a theoretical possibility of product liability in the UK but not the reality of it, and all products are used entirely at the risk citizens (or as we more truthfully used to be called "subjects").
In this way we have a completely other system for stuffing the public interest, and it is very effective. Indeed, our vaccine injury scheme which is at the discretion of civil servants is also almost impossible to activate (most years go by now with no payments at all) and offers a maximum payment of £120k ($190k), not remotely comparable to the substantial - and relatively frequent - payments made in the US.
Of course, this may change to something even worse, as is possibly happening in Australia now, but when the possibility of compulsory vaccination was raised on BBC Question Time in 2009 the five panellists - all being experts - declared that although MMR was completely safe they didn't think it was the right way for the UK to go i.e. they didn't want their children or grandchildren to have to have it (they're not stupid).
John
Posted by: John Stone | February 25, 2013 at 05:39 AM
Not only were the two episodes relating to MMR vaccine withdrawn from boxed set of "Judge John Deer" and cancelled from re runs but It is interesting to note that the brilliant series was cancelled after the final two episodes "Evidence of Harm". One again this show dealt with vaccine damaged people but this episode also examined the corrupt connection between the pharmaceutical industry and government. In these final episodes, and I quote; "Deed delves deeper into why funding for the soldier to sue the pharmaceutical company was withdrawn and makes ever more sinister discoveries. Then the forces of reaction move to stop him."
In these episodes the Judge finds his phone is bugged and computer hacked by government and pharmaceuticals who at the same time are trying to get a law passed in UK that would prevent people being able to sue for vaccines like they did with the Patriot bill in USA. It is the most exciting episodes as he tries to stay one step ahead of the forces trying to stop him passing a favourable judgement for the soldier and prevent indemnity for vaccine damage being passed into law. Intersting also to note that the wife of the soldier explains the side effects of the vaccine and it the same side effects my son had from his pertussis (DPT) vaccine. Interesting also to note that the live pertussus vaccine was used as an adjuvent for the anthrax vaccine they gave to Gulf War Soldiers (Gulf War Syndrome). I found that bit of info on pub med but strange that I can no longer find it back. Soldiers and young children are the most vaccinated people and strange they should both show the most side effects from multiple vaccines over a short time period.
Posted by: Jane Vermeer | February 25, 2013 at 12:53 AM
Mairead Hilliard -- You got that right
In 2000, Fasano discovered that the body produces its own key, a molecule he called zonulin. Scientists are still trying to determine zonulin’s normal function, but they do know that bacteria and inflammatory molecules can stimulate its production to make the intestines “leak.” It turns out that certain undigested portions of gluten, the storage protein of wheat, barley and rye, may have the same effect.
And how did he discover this??
He invented a cholera vaccine that caused his poor test subjects to produce celiacs.
----and how many have undiagnosed celiacs disease or gluten intolerance.
And does the stomach stop at leaking just these 10 known gluten proteins of barley, wheat and rye?
Maybe there are tons of other proteins leaking in including peanut butter.
Fasano said his cholera vaccine caused celiacs. Are we to believe that it was just the cholera vaccine alone that does this, and not the others.
I don't think so.
Maybe this would not mean much in a different culture -- but our culture, our civilization depends on the grains esp the wheat, barley and rye -- not the oats. Hell of a time to become intolerant of the our main substantiality food.
Posted by: Benedetta | February 24, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Not only do we have an epidemic of Autism. We also have a huge increase in children/ adults under the age of 30 who have been diagnosed with Crohn's's disease or Ulcerative colitis both of which are also known as Inflammatory Bowel disease a chronic long term illness and have been linked to the MMR vaccine triggering same.
Dr. Wakefield also speaks about this in some of the interview's he's done on video links.
Mairéad
Irish Colitis & Crohn's Support
Posted by: Mairead Hilliard | February 24, 2013 at 08:39 PM
Thanks Toni Reid, I continue to find an abstract here and there, yet once again, if I want to read the entire study , it seems only those that point toward "safety" are available. I do think there's an intention. Some pretty weak studies are available in their entirety , while more interesting ones are offered as abstracts only or full for fees.
Posted by: barbara j | February 24, 2013 at 03:39 PM
Thanks for making us aware of these awesome films. Amazing that ten years ago the issues were allowed to see the light of day in mainstream venues, though later suppressed. Great that Martin Walker served as advisor for Judge John Deed.
Adriana, thanks for pointing out that Juliet Stevenson played the lead role in the film "Truly, Madly, Deeply". I couldn't remember where I had seen her before - that was a great movie.
And Hugh Bonneville, who played Dr. Andrew Wakefield, is currently starring in Downton Abbey, which I have never seen but keep hearing about. At moments he reminds me of Bill Murray, causing me to feel an incongruous expectation that he was about to do something silly.
Posted by: Twyla | February 24, 2013 at 02:20 PM
Great Aussie Dad ,
I have it on VHS tape from away back ..but this is just better..
Angus
Posted by: Angus Files | February 24, 2013 at 12:37 PM
Thanks to 'Bob' in an earlier post - I have downloaded the free software - http://www.real.com/realdownloader
and have this morning saved Hear the Silence and both John Deed episodes for permanent safekeeping.
Link
http://www.real.com/realdownloader
Posted by: Aussie Dad | February 23, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Barbara J- you had trouble finding information on MMR. Go direct to the National Institutes of health site. Eg - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23246259
there's plenty of stuff there if you know what you're looking for and you've got lots of time :-)
Posted by: Toni Reid | February 23, 2013 at 09:17 PM
This is too real....makes me well up within the first few minutes, and I'm not a cryer. EVERYONE should see this...it's a glimpse of our past.
Posted by: Meadow Davidson | February 23, 2013 at 04:20 PM
Why is it that when one looks for information on "scholar", all articles , all studies, that point toward the mmr as safe are available through nih for reading. All others directly link to a pay to read page. Deliberate method to keep everyone from reading the truth.
Posted by: barbara j | February 23, 2013 at 01:21 PM
@ taximom .. you wrote:
"...We need a record of the truth--and the fact that these dramas were banned speaks volumes."
If memory serves me right .. I think someone purchased the "movie rights" to David Kirby's best selling book "Evidence of Harm" .. which was as powerful as the telling of the Wakefield travesty.
It would not surprise me to learn that "someone" working to protect the vaccine industry bought the movie right's to David's book .. with the sole purpose of NEVER allowing a movie to be made of his fine work.
It wouldn't be the first time such a tactic was used to protect the professional reputations of corrupt indivuals or industries. Better the movie is NEVER made .. than trying to ban it after.
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | February 23, 2013 at 08:10 AM
Wow, and I thought Hugh Bonneville was good in Downton Abbey! Sarah sums up the medical profession's response to the kids' plight well when she says, "can we talk about something else?"
Posted by: Jen | February 23, 2013 at 02:33 AM
For those of you who have not watched the Justice John Deed Drama Series, I implore you to do so....
Major league reasons why they banned these ones, and We are hooked on other episodes of the well produced and directed productions.
Posted by: Tim Kasemodel | February 23, 2013 at 12:39 AM
Thank you! I'm amazed by the in-depth research demonstrated in these productions.
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | February 22, 2013 at 09:20 PM
Just to say, the kids at the Royal Free were being treated primarily and studied secondarily, as I have understood it. There are moments when the film may not make this clear. Since Brian Deer liked to argue to the contrary, it is a point perhaps worth making.
Posted by: Christina Waldman | February 22, 2013 at 09:19 PM
I second the suggestion that as many people as possible burn copies of these dramas. We need a record of the truth--and the fact that these dramas were banned speaks volumes. No doubt, efforts will be made to keep people from seeing these dramas and to keep people from seeing anything but what the pharmaceutical industry wants them to see.
Posted by: Taximom | February 22, 2013 at 08:50 PM
Our story is not finished.. I can't wait for the sequel: "Hear Us Roar!" - about the backlash against Pharma, exposing institutionalized corruption, exposing the truth by autism parents and exoneration of Dr. Wakefield
Posted by: Sarah | February 22, 2013 at 06:27 PM
The movie Hear the Silence is brilliant. It explains the disease and shows the ignorance of the medical establishment. It is a classic and it should be made a must watch for every expecting parent!
Posted by: Cassandra | February 22, 2013 at 06:12 PM
A Chinese billionaire from Taiwan has established a new scientific prize, which doubles the Nobel's prize. I think we should recommend Dr. Wakefield to this prize, as he is a true savior of humanity in our times. Nobel's prize is severely compromised with corruption and special interests and is ethically tainted.
Posted by: no vac | February 22, 2013 at 06:10 PM
Is there a history to how these videos made it to YouTube? It's amazing that they finally surfaced. I hope that many non-believers see this and understand why Dr. Wakefield was marginalized in England. He spelled out the reason why the threesome of measles, mumps and rubella should not be in one vaccine. It's important to remember that none of these illnesses ever occur in nature via injection, and they shouldn't, just like mercury that is never injected into the human body by mother nature.
Posted by: Birgit Calhoun | February 22, 2013 at 03:01 PM
This film is wonderful in so many aspects.
If we have any marketing folks out there PLEASE figure out a way to get this tool for truth out there; especially to young mothers!
Posted by: Lou | February 22, 2013 at 02:47 PM
Thanks for this post. Saw "Hear the Silence" back in the day in a movie theater outside of Boston, thanks to the efforts of Fou Y and others who arranged the US screening...
John Hobbs posted here: "I have never met a group of 'experts' more dedicated than those who are ensuring that our children can never recover." Well said! Except for the scientists and parents who are attempting to unravel this iatrogenic disaster.
The sacrifices of Dr Wakefield, his team, family, and friends can not be overstated. Dr W (undoubtedly would deny this) in my mind equates to a modern day Sir Thomas More.
Posted by: ottoschnaut | February 22, 2013 at 02:02 PM
Thanks for posting the info. Watching now- it's amazing.
Posted by: Christine Heeren | February 22, 2013 at 01:58 PM
This needs to be shown to everyone. Mothers, fathers, doctors, nurses, schools and most of all to the GOVERNMENT (our Nanny) to see if we can get some results, some justice, and simple common sense about giving vaccines.
Whomever it was that censored this film originally should be held up to ridicule and ignored in the future.
Posted by: Bonnie B Matheson | February 22, 2013 at 10:34 AM
Thank you for posting about this. I've just watched it. I didn't think that I could admire the Wakefields any more than I already do. I was wrong.
Posted by: Andree | February 22, 2013 at 07:45 AM
"I have never met a group of 'experts' more dedicated than those who are ensuring that our children can never recover."!!!!!!
Posted by: John Stone | February 22, 2013 at 06:56 AM
I write to the BBC regularly inviting them to have a Panorama program 'Britain's Autism Shame' They don't reply.
I have written to everyone from the PM to my autistic grandson's GP. No one can help.
Now I am writing my version of Autism Awareness.
It is aimed at having NHS doctors treating autism and having a whole new branch of medicine created dedicated to the treatment and prevention of autism.
I have never met a group of 'experts' more dedicated than those who are ensuring that our children can never recover.
Thank you. We can never thank Andrew Wakefield and family enough: just try our best to see his sacrifice is not in vain
Posted by: John Hobbs | February 22, 2013 at 05:54 AM
I watched this movie yesterday and it is a very accurate portrayal, from the parents perspective, of the whirlwind known as life after you realize your child has been vaccine injured. So many aspects of this mom's story resemble my own. Except for that piece of shit husband of hers- mine always was & still is 100% on our team fighting/healing/recovering along with me every step of the way. (Dont get me wrong though, MAMA drives the recovery bus over here ok! lol)
But wow! The scene with the mom sitting in front of the computer with her son's baby pics scattered about, immunization record card in hand & all sorts of documents o' truth scrolling down the screen....that is it!! That right there is the moment!!... When it all adds up, starts to make sense & those supposedly unruly puzzle pieces start to fit together completing the disturbing but oh so helpful to finally SEE 'big picture'. When they showed her studying her son's baby pictures, recalling dates, reminiscing milestones, trying to chronologically map out his story.... OH BOY did I get the chills!! BC I have done that same exact thing. Too many times. Over the past 5 yrs. And of course, sobbed everytime. I used to cry bc my son's future was an unknown picture, both figuratively & literally! I'd be looking on one side of the table and see all his happy healthy newborn->2yo pictures. Then glance over to the few nice pictures of him from 2yo on, which when I say nice I mean that at least his entire blank-faced body was in the shot & he was at least facing forward in the right direction. Those pictures could not capture happy moments or fond memories bc during that time, there weren't many. Lots of screaming, stimming & whining though! And when he was feeling good, his Lil hyperactive body moved way too fast for me to snap a non blurry pic. I'd cry wondering if his life would continue to be chronicled this way.
Well, today at 7yo I look at my sons life story thru pictures and I still cry. But now it's tears of joy, pride, achievement, excitement & relief. BC there's a clear "before, during & after" story to be told here. More than just having proof for the naysayers, we have a happy ending to our recovery story and although we have a long difficult journey ahead, I am confident there will be loads and loads of amazing, beautiful photos capturing a healthy boy experiencing a full life, enjoying special occasions & creating moments to treasure.
The culmination of 5 yrs sifting thru baby pics, current pics, reminiscing, seeing the regression that happened to my son thru pictures, matching certain age pics with life incidents, seeing actual progress taking place thru picture comparisons.....has resulted in the need for me to make his recovery video- a picture slideshow w music & written explanations; however, the pictures speak for themselves and tell the story we all know too well. BC of the great pioneers of this cause creating a path before me, my son's journey toward healing has been successful. To you I say, from the bottom of my heart...THANK YOU! :)
Posted by: Thinkingmominthedesert | February 22, 2013 at 03:35 AM
Everyone who want to insure that this film will not disappear again should use Real Downloader (or other free video downloading software) to save a copy to your computer. Then if ScienceIsreal's YouTube account is closed, we can upload the film to our own accounts, or burn to DVD, etc.
Posted by: Bob | February 22, 2013 at 02:28 AM
Now that I got a chance to view the film, it is understandable why someone might not want the general public to see it since the drug companies are exposed for what they stand for, which of course is profits first, and their implication in the vaccine induced autism epidemic.
Posted by: Victor Pavlovic | February 21, 2013 at 09:37 PM
Does anyone know exactly what happened with Hear the Silence when it first came out? Did it get air time at all? Who yanked it? Is there any paper trail to that decision that can be investigated?
Posted by: Kathryn | February 21, 2013 at 07:52 PM
bloody brilliant
pam collins - parent who had the honor of seeing Andy and Paul in Kamloops British Columbia in early 2000!
Posted by: Pammie | February 21, 2013 at 07:36 PM
It has taken 10 years for these films to resurface, let's hope it doesn't take another 10 years before our Government's recogonise the Autism Epidemic.
@ Bob Moffitt,
If the "pro-vaxers" want to call me "anti-vaccine" so be it!
Elizabeth Gillespie
Mum to, now 11 years old, severely Autistic, non-verbal and vaccine injured son.
Posted by: AussieMum | February 21, 2013 at 06:34 PM
Bob as they say
"When you compromise, you become a commodity and then you die.”
Dr Wakefield has never done that and his and others integrity shall win the day...thats what the goverments run scared of..
Cheers
Dr Wakefield.
Posted by: ANGUS FILES | February 21, 2013 at 06:16 PM
This film speaks the truth..it tells our story. My 9 year old son had his first endoscopy and colonscopy today. Guess what the photos showed?? inflammation in the duodenum. Very clear redness and what look like white bumps along the wall of his small intestine. I'll be getting the results of the tissue biopsy in a few weeks.
Posted by: Sarah | February 21, 2013 at 05:48 PM
@ Bob Moffitt
When you quoted his wife saying "You've got work to do", i reminded me of the movie Amazing Grace... the story of William Wilburforce who heard the same words from John Newton (the author of the well known song). Both men got strong encouragement from people very important in their lives, and both men went on to a greater work. MP Wilburforce accomplished much in his career. I pray that another Brit (.. and i'm not speaking of Piers Morgan) accomplishes something just as great.
Posted by: ASDFatherInPA | February 21, 2013 at 05:06 PM
Just finished watching "Hear The Silence".
I want to express my eternal gratitude to Dr. Wakefield .. and .. most especially to his courageous wife Carmel .. without whom .. I suspect .. Dr. Wakefield would agree .. may have found it just too difficult to continue his valiant battle to help our children.
Here is my amateur attempt to transcribe the dialogue in the movie .. which to me .. proves the old adage:
"Behind every great man stands a great woman"
Dr. Wakefield speaking to his wife Carmel: "We weren't even talking about too much money. They just don't want to look."
Carmel: "Well, you pissed off your boss, the Department of Health, the drug companies, just about very professional medical organization in the U.K. .. and .. you had your phone tapped! I mean, that's not bad going for someone whose a bad scientist, but, it makes me wonder what they're all so worried about?
Dr. Wakefield: "Then there's the small matter of what work I'm going to do?"
Carmel: "You've got work to do and you're not done yet!"
Dr. Wakefield: "Whose going to pay for it?"
Carmel: "In light of every thing, that's a small detail."
God bless both Andy and Carmel .. they and their family have paid an enormous personal price to help us.
Please .. to anyone who has the opportunity to sit at the table where decisions are made .. no more COMPROMISE on the issue of vaccine research .. ALL OF IT .. multiple vaccines in a single visit, suspect toxic ingredients, comparision of vaccinate v. unvaccinated populations, ever increasing exposures to pregnant women and fetuses, on and on.
It MUST END. If that means I am "anti-vaccine" .. then .. SO BE IT!!!!
Posted by: Bob Moffitt | February 21, 2013 at 04:31 PM
Journalist Chris Hedges, one of the named plaintiffs along with Watergate Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg who are suing the government for the "indefinite detention" provision in the National Defense Authorization Act, just wrote an ode to the necessity for artistic "sublime madness" in times when rights are being composted. http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/a_time_for_sublime_madness_20130120/
And this film really was sublime. To think it was made the year my children were born is beyond heartbreaking to me. It's exactly the kind of "sublime madness" that could have saved them if it hadn't been deliberately kept from us.
If I knew nothing about the back story and had never heard of the controversy, I would still think this was among the best bits of screenwriting I've ever seen. I'm not surprised to hear what people are sharing about the depth of research. Thank you for providing some history to it.
The performances were also extraordinary. I'd fallen in love with Juliet Stevenson's ability when I saw the film "Truly, Madly, Deeply" years ago but "courage" is never a word I use to describe performances unless the work is as politically meaningful and politically dangerous as this film. Considering all, I don't think it gets much more dangerous to a career than this. Ironically the really worthy stuff comes with risk in tow but it's the only thing that makes art more than silly distraction.
I'm sure the censorship was also meant to discourage actors from appearing in politically risky films like this but I think this kind of meaningful risk is what feeds the artist, while the path of least resistance is pretty much death to talent. Watching Matt Damon slide into mediocrity parallel to doing films like "Contagion" and now aping for Bill Gates image-correcting "toilet" campaign is a counter-example and reminds me of the German cinema classic, "Mephisto"-- about a German actor in the 1930's who gradually begins to betray principles in fits and fragments until he capitulate with power and finds himself owned.
I wonder how long this will remain online?
Posted by: Adriana | February 21, 2013 at 02:51 PM
Thank you John, great info and links also thanks to Dr Ed Yazbak for all that you have done. Yes we are all in this together and I commend Dr Wakefield for his compassion and tenacity.
Posted by: Joan Campbell | February 21, 2013 at 02:27 PM
Thanks to the link provided (here, and by Vaccine.Explorer, yesterday) I watched about 45 minutes of it. Thirty-three minutes into "Hear the Silence", I had to grab a hankie and wipe my tear-filled eyes. Our children are treated the same way today, sadly. If a child or young adult has an autism diagnosis, they are not worth treating according to the medical community. Some medical "professionals" go as far as to say there is nothing they can do to help your child (for gut pain, or ear pain, neurological issues, or auditory processing disorder) as "the problem" is due to the autism. Even today, only typical children are offered appropriate medical care due to these stupid, indoctrinated, and useless doctors and alleged medical professionals, as if an autism diagnosis turns children into rubbish to be tossed onto the street. This dehumanization of, and lack of concern for, children with autism has to stop!!!
Thank you, Dr. Wakefield, for listening to the mothers and for actually, truly caring about their affected children. Many more doctors like you are needed in this world.
Posted by: Not an MD | February 21, 2013 at 11:13 AM
Yes, the BBC's pretense at objectivity on these matters is long since dropped. The Andrew Gilligan affair, re "Sexed-up dossiers" was the final straw as since then the BBC has been crippled fatally.
They did run an investigation into the MMR scandals but since that time all output on any vaccination issue is predicated on the assumption that the procedure is justified, life enhancing and beyond criticism. The Sarah Barclay report was deeply flawed and structured to misinform the viewer. I have recently written up a report of my involvement:
http://bmeandothersciences.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/the-curious-case-of-panoramas-blind-reportage-sspe-mmr-and-the-limitations-of-sarah/
which expands upon their editorial attitude.
Posted by: Chris Hemmings | February 21, 2013 at 10:18 AM
Good that this is available to allow parents to make a balanced decision on the MMR debate. There is something seriously wrong with medicine in the UK. Dr Wakefield took blood samples from children to assist research to see if MMR did have a negative effect on children and was treated harshly for doing so. His crime was to believe that his duty as a doctor was to do the best for patients. And yet in a London Hospital at this moment a young boy is part of a cancer experiment using toxic levels of radiation and chemotherapy as part of an open "experiment" GMC stay silent and the courts remove the parents right to make health choices for this son.. because somehow this mainstream group of doctors are being sanctioned to play a cat and mouse game with a child's life and because it is cancer if the child lives or dies, they will claim a victory.
Posted by: Tracey L | February 21, 2013 at 09:42 AM
Hurray for youtube. Just a pity that not everyone has access. It's sad to think that ten years on from 'Hear the Silence', censorship is still happening in UK. How many more children have been injured by this vaccine since then? And if and when it happens, parents find themselves facing a brick wall. Thank goodness for the veritable army of parents on Facebook who can provide info, support and suggestions. And thank goodness for the handful of doctors who continue to warn of the possible dangers. But sadly their comments are kept well out of mainstream media.
Posted by: Seonaid | February 21, 2013 at 08:48 AM
Thank you again Dr. Wakefield, Professor Murch and Professor Walker-Smith for all your help when we were desperate in 1999. Our family will forever be grateful to you for all what you have done for our wonderful grandson, who by the way still talks about you.
Thank you John for bringing "Hear The Silence" to Age of Autism and to the United States and Thank you Science Israel for making it available to the World.
Children usually learn from their parents. I was fortunate to be a father who was enlightened by his daughter, who against all odds, had done her own independent research.
One of my proudest days may have been when she called me to tell me that she and her friend Vivian had been referred to in London as "those two rabid American women".
It is still wonderful to see so many American mothers fighting the good fight, including the distinguished Managing Editor of this publication.
F. Edward Yazbak MD, FAAP
Posted by: F. Edward Yazbak | February 21, 2013 at 08:11 AM
Thank goodness for Youtube. Suppression of information is an increasing problem for our cause.
Posted by: Madvocate | February 21, 2013 at 07:34 AM
PLEASE PLEASE EVERYONE!! Take this opportunity to watch these three excellent BBC dramas. Also post these video links onto as many 'friendly' blog and forum sites as possible.
I have no doubt at all that there will already be moves afoot to force these links off the internet.
The genie is presently 'out of the bottle'. Let's spread this far and wide. The more this is saved and broadcast, worldwide, the harder it will be for UK Government/ corporate protectionism interests to stop it.
Posted by: Jenny Allan | February 21, 2013 at 06:23 AM