Q6 - Adding a conclusion - make it well structure in 1.5 hours sharp can not be late

Running head: CONSPIRACY THEORY 1

CONSPIRACY THEORY 4

Conspiracy Theory: MMR vaccine controversy

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Conspiracy Theory: MMR vaccine controversy

This controversy can be traced back to 1998 from the publication of a research paper that was fraudulent in all its intents and purposes that did allude to the thought that measles, mumps and rubella MMR vaccine combined did lead to autism spectrum as well as colitis disorders. These claims did spread like wild fire and caused a lot of panic among parents who feared for the health of their children. As a result, there was a significant drop in the number of those who sought vaccination in the United Kingdom, United States and Iceland. From these declines, there was also the surge in the cases of measles and mumps which lead to deaths and injuries that were severe and permanent. This controversy and/or conspiracy had no basis as was reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and other institutions such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (Clarke, 2008). The report had been published in The Lancet Journal by Andrew Wakefield and twelve other researchers.

Analysis

a. Tools and assumptions

From investigations, it has been deduced that Wakefield did have a multitude of undeclared conflicts of interest which played into his ability and desire to report factually on the effects of vaccines (if there were any negative ones) and as a consequence making him to manipulate the evidence (Kaski, 2012). This also lead to him breaking a number of ethical codes. There is a consensus that the MMR vaccine has no effects or links to autism or colitis disorders and that the benefits of the vaccine do outweigh the negative effects by margins that are immeasurable. As a result of this controversy, it is okay to describe the report by Wakefield as one of the most outrageously damaging and disastrous stories in the history of medicine in the last century. This conspiracy led to a number of fatalities and is therefore an issue that should be addressed with the seriousness it deserves.

To a number of people, Wakefield’s report presented enough reason not to trust the vaccines thus leading to a decline in the number of users and thus a catastrophic rise in the cases of measles. The report by Wakefield led to his dismissal from practice in the U.K. His basis for the paper was backed by two laboratory work papers showing how scanty the work on the report was (Kirby, 2007). The fact that the report gained traction in other minor papers made it raise fears as people feared for the safety of their children and the general safety of the vaccines. The political class also joined in attacking the health service with anecdotal stories from parents who came out to ‘prove’ that Wakefield’s report was true. The stories were also circulated in other papers by people who did not have expert knowledge in the field of medicine. All these happened despite the fact that there never existed any scientific backing of the paper by Wakefield.

b. Documentation (Vaccines do not cause autism)

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], autism spectrum disorder usually arises from the differences in the functioning of the brain and is purely a developmental disability. There is no link as to the relationship between this disorder and the MMR vaccine. This is despite the constant concerns people express in trying to link autism with this vaccine. The fact that the number of antigens in vaccines has no relation to autism helps to refute the claims of this outrageous conspiracy. Comparisons for children who receive vaccines, with and without autism, clearly indicate that the number of antigens administered never changes in both cases (Mooney, 2009). Thimerosal has been associated with negating the following aspects of the neuropsychological elements of kids undergoing vaccinations; verbal memory, motor coordination, intellectual functioning, language and behavior regulation as well as executive functioning.

The ingredients in vaccines themselves have no relation to the disorder as has been established through the study of thimerosal which is mercury-based in nature and is usually used to prevent the contamination of vaccines that are made in multi-dose vials. Through such studies, it has been established that such ingredients have no effects on the recipients and do not lead to autism as maliciously reported in the 1998 report (Clarke, 2008). Even the reduction in the use of thimerosal in vaccines was as a result of the need to reduce the use of mercury in vaccines and as a precaution and not linked to the fears of it being a cause of autism. The ingredients in vaccines have therefore been deemed safe and do not have any links to the autism or any other diseases or disorders that affect recipients of vaccines. The failure to vaccinate is definitely a sure way of putting children at risks that can be fatal or severely injurious to their well-being.

g. Literary theory.

The spread of the information by Wakefield can be attributed to the human phenomenon of hanging onto the slightest information that is available. The masses are easy to manipulate when the information to be passed across can be twisted and given a personal angle. This can be seen from the use of scant data just to deceive the eye and create the perception that the information is actually legit (Smith & et al., 2008). The fact that Wakefield had an array of conflicts of interests ranging from financial to business gains from publishing such a report points to the manipulative power of those in charge of information.

According Deer (2004), Wakefield did fail to disclose the financial extensions he had received from a team of solicitors who were working to obtain evidence against the dominant vaccine manufacturers. The parents who gave anecdotal evidence against the MMR vaccine were also litigants and the fact that Wakefield failed to disclose all this information even to his colleagues highlighted just how much flawed the report was and lacked in veracity. These also showed how manipulative he was; and was intent in ensuring that he had besmirched the image of the already popular MMR vaccine at the expense of the users who might be harmed. Wakefield also had in place a vaccine (which he had already applied for its patent) that he intended to replace the MMR vaccine once his report had gained enough traction and with the hope that it would lead to the subsequent discontinuation of the MMR vaccine (Kaski, 2012). These conflicting interests’ points towards the manipulative nature of a person with power (in this case power being the access to information and the ability to twist them to one’s favor). The payments to Wakefield were from individuals who want to discredit the MMR vaccine as being dangerous and were to a tune of £435,643.

References Clarke, C. E. (2008). A question of balance: The autism-vaccine controversy in the British and American elite press. Science Communication., 30(1), 77-107. Kaski, O. (2012). "MMR Vaccination Controversy. Vtech Works Education, 34-56. Kirby, D. (2007). Evidence of harm: Mercury in vaccines and the autism epidemic: A medical controversy. New York: St. Martin's Press. Mooney, C. (2009). Why does the vaccine/autism controversy live on. London: Discover. Smith, M. J., & al., e. (2008). Media coverage of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism controversy and its relationship to MMR immunization rates in the United States. Pediatrics, 121(4), e836-e843.