Book rewiew: Autism's False Prophets

Thanks to M for the rec on Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure, by Paul Offit.

I don't have the book on hand, alas. I had to return it before leaving to BR, about 75% read, but I was able to pick it up at the library there, right off the shelf, so I finished it there.

To make where I'm coming from clear: vaccinations work and people who don't vax are selfish, deluded, and probably ignorant. I made a serious mistake in not vaxing for chicken pox and my children paid for it. In the US we have the illusion of safety because "those diseases don't exist anymore" and people think they can get away with relying on others to take on the small risk of vaccines and selfishly yet have their children protected by others. This my bias and it will be obvious in this book review.

The other bias I have: I've seen kids with autism. I am lucky enough not to have one. I'm not, and will never, make light of that problem. I understand the feeling of helplessness facing that diagnosis, the desire for a cure.

I've been following the "vaccines cause autism" debate for many years: it started up vocally at about the time AC was a baby, and as a result I've paid attention. I'd heard about most of the cases/ideas/etc talked about in the book, but one by one, and without the continuity of the book. Reading it in order, one by one, was compelling.

Offit brings to the light the appalling science that was used to rope desperate parents in, to give them someone to blame, to give them hope of a cure. His writing is clear and to the point, and he manages to make the science easy to understand. He's rational and doesn't engage in name calling... I mean, he doesn't have to: the science speaks for itself.

There is a much too short discussion of the scientific method and how it's used, and how hard it is to explain it to the general public. This alone is worth reading the book for: understanding how science works will allow someone to understand why it is so easy for quacks to proclaim just about anything, and how hard it is for scientists to respond in the media.

One fascinating chapter was about how thimerosal ended up being removed from kid's vaccine's. There was no real reason for it, and no change in autism diagnosis numbers after the removal, but it served as a red herring, and because of the lack of understanding of scientific method (and stupidity on the part of the media), it led some people to think that 'aha! there must have been something there'.

Offit clearly shows the conflicts of interest of the anti-vax leaders, their lack of understanding of the data, or their total willingness to lie about it. Those people have long countered with doctors/CDC/NIH in the pocket of the phamaceutical industry meme, of course, but they are much more implicated than the opposite and while scientists and doctors most often disclose relationships, the anti-vax leaders make money, and pocket money off their inane rants, and do not publicise the fact.

If you have any interest in autism and the supposed vaccine connection, this is a good book: it streamlines all the bits of reports and news that have come out during the last decade and organises them.

My one gripe with the book is that it's much too kind to that idiotic piece of crap that is Jenny McCarthy and her moronic "Green our Vaccines" shit. I won't link. I avoid the term "stupid bitch" to refer to women, because I don't like the word bitch used about women, but if one women deserves the moniker, it's her. She's ignorant and flaunts it, and because of her celebrity and her partner's (Jim Carrey. A luminary, have no doubt) she is listened to, and does serious damage.

Anti-vaxers and their autism connection have about, in my mind, the same credibility is young-earthers, and "Intelligent" Design proponents. And this books shows, clearly, concisely why, in a calm, rational, and beautifully well argued manner.

One of my favourite bloggers, Orac of Respectful Insolence, did a much better review, well worth reading.

Book rewiew: Autism's False Prophets

Thanks to M for the rec on Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure, by Paul Offit.

I don't have the book on hand, alas. I had to return it before leaving to BR, about 75% read, but I was able to pick it up at the library there, right off the shelf, so I finished it there.

To make where I'm coming from clear: vaccinations work and people who don't vax are selfish, deluded, and probably ignorant. I made a serious mistake in not vaxing for chicken pox and my children paid for it. In the US we have the illusion of safety because "those diseases don't exist anymore" and people think they can get away with relying on others to take on the small risk of vaccines and selfishly yet have their children protected by others. This my bias and it will be obvious in this book review.

The other bias I have: I've seen kids with autism. I am lucky enough not to have one. I'm not, and will never, make light of that problem. I understand the feeling of helplessness facing that diagnosis, the desire for a cure.

I've been following the "vaccines cause autism" debate for many years: it started up vocally at about the time AC was a baby, and as a result I've paid attention. I'd heard about most of the cases/ideas/etc talked about in the book, but one by one, and without the continuity of the book. Reading it in order, one by one, was compelling.

Offit brings to the light the appalling science that was used to rope desperate parents in, to give them someone to blame, to give them hope of a cure. His writing is clear and to the point, and he manages to make the science easy to understand. He's rational and doesn't engage in name calling... I mean, he doesn't have to: the science speaks for itself.

There is a much too short discussion of the scientific method and how it's used, and how hard it is to explain it to the general public. This alone is worth reading the book for: understanding how science works will allow someone to understand why it is so easy for quacks to proclaim just about anything, and how hard it is for scientists to respond in the media.

One fascinating chapter was about how thimerosal ended up being removed from kid's vaccine's. There was no real reason for it, and no change in autism diagnosis numbers after the removal, but it served as a red herring, and because of the lack of understanding of scientific method (and stupidity on the part of the media), it led some people to think that 'aha! there must have been something there'.

Offit clearly shows the conflicts of interest of the anti-vax leaders, their lack of understanding of the data, or their total willingness to lie about it. Those people have long countered with doctors/CDC/NIH in the pocket of the phamaceutical industry meme, of course, but they are much more implicated than the opposite and while scientists and doctors most often disclose relationships, the anti-vax leaders make money, and pocket money off their inane rants, and do not publicise the fact.

If you have any interest in autism and the supposed vaccine connection, this is a good book: it streamlines all the bits of reports and news that have come out during the last decade and organises them.

My one gripe with the book is that it's much too kind to that idiotic piece of crap that is Jenny McCarthy and her moronic "Green our Vaccines" shit. I won't link. I avoid the term "stupid bitch" to refer to women, because I don't like the word bitch used about women, but if one women deserves the moniker, it's her. She's ignorant and flaunts it, and because of her celebrity and her partner's (Jim Carrey. A luminary, have no doubt) she is listened to, and does serious damage.

Anti-vaxers and their autism connection have about, in my mind, the same credibility is young-earthers, and "Intelligent" Design proponents. And this books shows, clearly, concisely why, in a calm, rational, and beautifully well argued manner.

One of my favourite bloggers, Orac of Respectful Insolence, did a much better review, well worth reading.