I was RAISED anti-vax. My younger brother was diagnosed with autism around 1995, and my younger sister quit getting her childhood vaccines around that time, so my folks were apparently anti-vax hipsters who were into that crap before it was cool. I'm lucky I got my early childhood vaccines.
I was skeptical of the broader "biomedical movement" (read: stupid and/or dangerous "cures") for autistics in the 2000s. I wound up with a degree in biomedical science, worked in vaccine R&D, and am now completing a PhD in genetics (only one more month!)
It's a bit of a mindfuck to have your folks be so proud of you for your academic accomplishments, praise your smarts, and then...decide that dipshit Dr. Robert Malone, who is demonstrably wrong on COVID vaccines, is the more credible source.
I tried to inoculate them against misinformation by discussing neutral things about how the immune system works, with fun analogies. Dad was engaged and curious. I would gently drop in "this is how a vaccine works." I thought I might pull off the biggest 21st century victor.
Nope.
COVID and Trump 2020 (yeah that's right, they were anti-Trump in 2016 but the "rioting and lawlessness" of the racial justice protests got them "worried") have really fractured what had been a reasonably civil relationship up to that point.
James, if you're ever needing a break from ranting, I'm available!
As someone on the spectrum as well as having having worked in biomedical research for 10 years Andrew Wakefield is a sack of shit. How that bogus paper was ever published in a real journal still amazes me.
The anti-vax/autism link is what really burns me. These shitheads are essentially saying that it would be better for my son to be dead than be who he is (right up there with PETA stealing domesticated pets and then murdering them to make a statement).
"I'm not getting my kids vaccinated because I don't want them to catch teh autisms." Like if my son sneezes on you, you're going to contract an acute case of the autism. **sarcastic thumbs-up**
In my third year, all biomed PhD students had to take a daylong seminar on responsible conduct of research. One of our case studies in fraudulent science was Andrew Wakefield. :)
Oooooo this is a PERSONAL blood-boiler for me.
I was RAISED anti-vax. My younger brother was diagnosed with autism around 1995, and my younger sister quit getting her childhood vaccines around that time, so my folks were apparently anti-vax hipsters who were into that crap before it was cool. I'm lucky I got my early childhood vaccines.
I was skeptical of the broader "biomedical movement" (read: stupid and/or dangerous "cures") for autistics in the 2000s. I wound up with a degree in biomedical science, worked in vaccine R&D, and am now completing a PhD in genetics (only one more month!)
It's a bit of a mindfuck to have your folks be so proud of you for your academic accomplishments, praise your smarts, and then...decide that dipshit Dr. Robert Malone, who is demonstrably wrong on COVID vaccines, is the more credible source.
I tried to inoculate them against misinformation by discussing neutral things about how the immune system works, with fun analogies. Dad was engaged and curious. I would gently drop in "this is how a vaccine works." I thought I might pull off the biggest 21st century victor.
Nope.
COVID and Trump 2020 (yeah that's right, they were anti-Trump in 2016 but the "rioting and lawlessness" of the racial justice protests got them "worried") have really fractured what had been a reasonably civil relationship up to that point.
James, if you're ever needing a break from ranting, I'm available!
As someone on the spectrum as well as having having worked in biomedical research for 10 years Andrew Wakefield is a sack of shit. How that bogus paper was ever published in a real journal still amazes me.
The anti-vax/autism link is what really burns me. These shitheads are essentially saying that it would be better for my son to be dead than be who he is (right up there with PETA stealing domesticated pets and then murdering them to make a statement).
"I'm not getting my kids vaccinated because I don't want them to catch teh autisms." Like if my son sneezes on you, you're going to contract an acute case of the autism. **sarcastic thumbs-up**
A silver lining:
In my third year, all biomed PhD students had to take a daylong seminar on responsible conduct of research. One of our case studies in fraudulent science was Andrew Wakefield. :)
Unfortunately, once you scare people it's almost impossible to unscare them.
Useless gossip: was/is dating Elle Macpherson.
You forgot to include how Wakefield was part of the antivaxxers who literally tried their hardest to kill Somali children in Minnesota. Fucking scum.
The damage this man has caused is immeasurable.