New link found between MMR and Autism: This one’s been done before

New link found between MMR and Autism: This one’s been done before

There is a virus doing the rounds, and it needs to be stopped in its tracks. There was a similar outbreak several years ago, that has caused thousands of people to  fall ill, with a number of deaths, years after the first infection.

The link between vaccines and Autism first when viral over 15 years ago, when Dr Andrew Wakefield published a spurious, poorly researched report in The Lancet, linking  the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab with autism.

We’re still feeling the fallout of this bad science health scandal today, with the recent measles epidemic rearing up in Wales and the south west, years later after thousands decided not to take up the free-to all MMR vaccination programme.

As the mother of a child on the Autism spectrum, I remember the day Jonah had his second dose of MMR. He had it early, as there was a measles outbreak at his nursery. A week later, he had a high fever. I worried about the effects of the jab. But I  also know that he was already displaying stereotyped Asperger’s behaviour, such as pigeon toeing and lining up toys before he had this second dose. But this didn’t prevent me from sometimes, just questioning my decision to have him vaccinated early a little bit.

I am a trained journalist who did a health journalism specialist during my training at City University. I studied how the Andrew Wakefield scandal was spread and hyped by an eager press. It has been found conclusively that there is no link between MMR and Autism, but that doesn’t make such a great story for a scandal hungry press, and the damage had already been done.

This story, In Forbes, suggests that bad science is once again going viral, with MMR again linked to Autism because of a flawed Italian court ruling.

Well, this time, I hope the press can be the remedy, not the carrier of bad science. Let’s hope this story is put into isolation before it becomes even more contagious.