bad information is bad no matter what the discipline

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Bad information has a habit of lasting longer than the truth for a great majority of people. If it's what they want to hear, it's right. If it's something that makes it easy to have something to blame, it's right.

Critical thought goes out the window and once the teeth of dogmatic belief sinks in there is no reasoning with people.

The "Vaccines cause Autism" people are back at it and goaded on by yet another celebrity.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/04/1 ... tcmp=hpbt4

What's more distressing is the comments. There are mostly "Oh yeah? So's yer muddah" type of mudslinging and very few people that have an understanding of science and how this has been debunked for what, almost 15 years now?

Absolutely.

We have to inform the public about the multifarious nature of the autistic spectrum, rather than paint autism as a tragedy, while seeking a convenient scapegoat (i.e., the vaccines).

I thought this was particularly informative:

"When it comes to health, false promises and misinformed theories lead to inefficient therapies and dead end research. At the end of the day, it leads to anger and the misperception that somebody “caused” whatever medical hardship you’re facing to happen to you, and that is not a good starting point when it comes to autism." (Italics Mine)

I just shake my head on how long things hold on in popular culture due to true ignorance.

Yep...that does happen a lot.

People often choose steadfast, intentional ignorance over solidly proven fact if said fact would force them to have to re-evaluate other beliefs or values. Especially if those beliefs or values are key something important to them, such as being a member of their current community, or could affect their wealth or perceived social/personal power. Just look at things like racism, sexism and the like...

There was a thread about this and someone made an excellent point about how people choose things to fit a narrative that makes them feel better regardless of what is presented.

I really wish I had copied it. It was quite well put.

Unfortunately, the general public and even most health professionals are clueless about autism. They think what they want and believe whatever information the first Google query produces. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Anecdotal evidence seems to prevail.

Lol, People think I'm wrong when I back things up with facts, Especially with autism. I got called a fraud for disproving Anti-Vaxxers. It's hilarious fore they are like hell no, even if they agree on autism speaks being bad it is only for them to be good. Like it's absolutely ignorant. I hate this fore it's like people being more emotional then logical. Which is probably a thing that is in and of it self the downfall of humanity.

The CDC themselves state that one of the very rare side effects (1 in 1 million doses) of the MMR and MMRV vaccines is permanent brain damage. They then go on to say that it is so rare that they don't know if it is caused by the vaccine.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm#mmr

From this point of view, I think Robert De Niro is right in saying that the situation is more complicated and that there is actually a question that needs answering.

But I also think he was wrong to decide to screen Vaxxed in order to promote discussion about the issue because Vaxxed is really just a conspiracy theory. The "evidence" they found of increased rate of autism linked to vaccination only applied to African-Americans but the film is about Caucasians talking about how vaccines caused autism for their children. It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.

There's a special place in Hell for those anti-vax types.

They feel better thinking that they can prevent autism in their children by refusing to have them vaccinated. It gives them a sense of control, so that they feel safer. Unfortunately, they are probably unnecessarily putting their children at risk by doing so.

Anti-vaxer logic:

Vaccines contain formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde molecules contain mercury atoms.
Mercury is toxic.
Therefore, vaccines are toxic.

By that same reasoning:

Salt molecules contain chlorine atoms.
Chlorine is toxic.
Therefore, salt is toxic.

While people are panicking about a fictional "autism epidemic" they are causing real epidemics.