Heated Autism Debate on The Doctors With Jenny McCarthy

May 7, 2009

Passionate parents and doctors went head to head in what turned out to be a fairly heated debate on Wednesday's episode of The Doctors. Autism advocate and mother, Jenny McCarthy, her son Evan's doctor, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel, and J.B. Handley, co-founder of Generation Rescue were guests. They talked candidly with Dr. Jim Sears and Dr. Travis Stork about the 36 vaccinations American children are given. To see the second clip, read more.

22 Comments

3 years 12 weeks

Two videos on You Tube called "autism spectrum seems out of control" and "autism epidemic out of control." Quite interesting. Good sources regarding why there is such debate surrounding autism..now the debate is over the proposed dsm 5 which wants to put aspergers and pdd nos, etc...all in the same catagory as some spectrum disorder

3 years 30 weeks

This panel discussion was hopeless. The “experts” on both sides were pathetic – that includes Travis, Jim, Jenny, and Handley. Yes, as someone pointed out, Travis looked like he was about to cry. I appreciate what he said in defend of vaccines, but it was pathetic that he allowed himself to be bullied like that. If he knew anything about the research he would have been able to shred Handley, but instead he whimpered and complained that his foe wasn’t being nice. If Travis spent less time getting primped up for TV and more time hitting the books, he might have been capable of offer a meaningful rebuttal. As for Jim Sears, I respect that he tried to defend vaccination but he’s certainly not someone that I would consider as a knowledgeable or reliable source on this subject. Jim’s brother Bob Sears is an ardent advocate of delayed vaccination. He wrote a laypersons book on the subject (The Vaccine Book). It was one of the most poorly researched, scientifically inaccurate, worthless pieces of crap I have had the misfortune of reading in a long time. Jim and Bob run a practice in Dana Point, CA with their dad Bill, and are known for endorsing any fly-by-night vitamin supplement, dubious therapy, or fringe pseudoscientific concept that promises to fill their pockets with dough. Now to the topic of whether vaccines cause autism. Many parents of autistic children have steadfastly clung to the now largely discredited notion that vaccines are the cause of the disorder. They base this belief largely on the notion that: (a) the incidence of autism has risen drastically in the past decade; (b) that the increased incidence of autism is related to the use of the MMR vaccine and the introduction of other new vaccines; and (c) that thimerosal in the MMR vaccine (and other vaccines) is the likely causative agent of autism. All 3 of these concepts have been discredited or are shaky at best. The rise in incidence appears to be an artifact attributable to changes in the way autism is diagnosed. In the past, many people who likely were autistic were classified as “mentally retarded” or otherwise developmentally impaired; now these same people would be routinely diagnoses as autistic. Secondly, the research on which the MMR/autism link was suggested (Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 article in Lancet) has been thoroughly discredited: 12 of the 13 authors have issued a retraction -- all except Wakefield – and Wakefield is now being investigated for faking his data and failing to disclose a financial conflict of interest related to this research. Lastly, thimerosal has been pretty much exonerated as a cause of autism. It was removed from the MMR vaccine about a decade ago, and yet no change in the incidence of autism followed. In addition, the amount of mercury in the vaccine is lower than the levels people are typically exposed to from food and other everyday sources. If there is a connection between any vaccine or vaccine ingredient and autism, the research to date hasn’t supported it. There may be additional hypotheses to test but a hypothesis is not a fact, and the facts to date simply do not support all of the exaggerated hysteria. IMO, some of the anti-vaccinationists are well intentioned but terribly misguided, while others are just blithering idiots with an agenda and/or a lack of ability to for adaptive thinking.

3 years 34 weeks

Dr. Stork's position on this serious matter is like that of a 10-year-old. Is he crying? Rather than debate the substance of the actual question with an accusation of an "attack", he should be explaining why he disagrees. He doesn't....and actually represents his medical colleagues very poorly. "Can't we all just get along?" Really, Dr. Stork? That's the best answer you come up with? After watching these videos, if you can't honestly see what's wrong with the Medical position's stance on Immunizations, then I pray for you and your child.

3 years 45 weeks

News flash people. Did you think that because the FDA approves a drug or vaccine it is because they have tested it and found it to be safe? NO!! The testing is done by the drug companies who report what they want to the FDA. That's why you hear all the commercials saying, " If you or a loved one took drug X and a) died, b) suffered a (fill in the blank)...call the law offices of...". The truth is that most doctors get their drug information from the drug reps that come in a buy pizza for the office and give them nice pens and junk. Sad but true.

4 years 6 days

I don't have a child and I don't know what it is like to have my child "go astray" because of autism, however, knowing these potential risks of these vaccines, the parents still CHOSE to vaccinate their child. I don't think that doctor's who CHOSE to go through EXTRA SCHOOLING (med school) to help our communities and our society. We pay them to HELP us. They do want to help for those of you saying that doctors don't want to help. You are obviously uneducated and you need to grow up. Doctors are here to help. Obviously autism sucks and yeah hopefully they will find a cure but it is not fair to blame the doctors for your childs disability when in all truth it is probably something to do with your body or something that may have happened during your pregnancy. Grow up and shut up. Maybe you should educate yourselves prior to blaming your doctors. You chose the damn vaccinations. Dumbass.

4 years 1 week

A chiropractor is not a medical doctor. A medical doctor would know that case studies are a nice place to start to design hypotheses for research, but not much more. In the case of autism, the research has shown that there is no connection between vaccinations and autism.

4 years 1 week

I think people are WAY too trusting of drs. every patient is an individual not a statistic and should be treated that way, children have their parents as advocates

Dr G 4 years 1 week

As a Doctor, I know that there is research and there are case studies. In the case of autism and vaccines the case studies weight heavily. All I need to hear is the hundreds of parents who say "my child was a happy, healthy two year old until that shot, and a day later he/she was lost". That is all I need to know.

lickety split 4 years 1 week

well my boobs are real :rotfl: next!

4 years 1 week

I find the debate on autism completely frustrating and saddening. It's interesting, as Dr. Stork pointed out, that there are these parasites in the medical community looking for 5 minutes of fame rather than helping the kids. There has been so much time, study and effort given to link vaccines to autism...and there isn't a link. I have to wonder, given a friend of mine's recent research on breast implants, if the same amount of time has been devoted to see if there's a link between silicone breast implants (in pregnant mothers...) and mother's who produced autistic children. No one wants to "blame" the mothers, but we do want to get to the root of the problem.

Chouette4u 4 years 1 week

"Ok McCarthy may not have great medical knowledge, but the parents need a voice as no one is listening. "Seems to me like there is already a lot of awareness about this. If you haven't heard that some people think vaccines cause autism, you're probably living under a rock. I don't understand why some parents of (young-ish) autistic children seem so angry about vaccines. They CHOSE to vaccinate knowing there is some suspicion of the autism link.Personally, I think vaccines are pretty safe (on the autism front anyway). I do think that there should be more research done regarding autism that looks for non-vaccine related links, as well as more research looking at the vaccines.

Chouette4u 4 years 1 week

"Ok McCarthy may not have great medical knowledge, but the parents need a voice as no one is listening. " Seems to me like there is already a lot of awareness about this. If you haven't heard that some people think vaccines cause autism, you're probably living under a rock. I don't understand why some parents of (young-ish) autistic children seem so angry about vaccines. They CHOSE to vaccinate knowing there is some suspicion of the autism link. Personally, I think vaccines are pretty safe (on the autism front anyway). I do think that there should be more research done regarding autism that looks for non-vaccine related links, as well as more research looking at the vaccines.

4 years 1 week

Only the parents know what it is like to watch a child deteriorate immediately after a vaccination.Not all jabs suit all children,the medical profession know this.The jury is still out. Ok McCarthy may not have great medical knowledge, but the parents need a voice as no one is listening.

kty 4 years 1 week

the debate over autism will always be heated cause no one truly has the right answers about what causes it.parents will always be frustrated cause they want answers that doctors haven't found yet,they want a cure,to make their kids feel better,and it's ok as parents to want the best for our kids,but to blame vaccine when none of us are sure about it and it hasn't even been proven is wrong.instead of them arguing they should focus on founding a way to cure or reduced the effects of autism on kids.lickety split i can't really said that i know how you feel or understand but i pray they find a cure fast.

lickety split 4 years 1 week

1-there are things worse than death.2-no one but jenny knows what happened at jenny's house.3-statistics mean diddly shit until that .0001% visits YOUR house.4-the doctors i have spoken to are NOT following5-contrary to what the "good doctor" there says, the medical community as a whole does NOT want to help children with autism; they want to treat the herd. i have lost count of the doctors that havce REFUSED to treatment to my severely autistic daughter. 6-"why would i want to listen to you yell at me" :cry: he sounds like a fricking idiot. he thinks HE'S frustrated? try listening to someone who plays a doctor on TV talk about something that personally affected your family.

lickety split 4 years 1 week

1-there are things worse than death. 2-no one but jenny knows what happened at jenny's house. 3-statistics mean diddly shit until that .0001% visits YOUR house. 4-the doctors i have spoken to are NOT following 5-contrary to what the "good doctor" there says, the medical community as a whole does NOT want to help children with autism; they want to treat the herd. i have lost count of the doctors that havce REFUSED to treatment to my severely autistic daughter. 6-"why would i want to listen to you yell at me" :cry: he sounds like a fricking idiot. he thinks HE'S frustrated? try listening to someone who plays a doctor on TV talk about something that personally affected your family.

masonsmama 4 years 1 week

I'm all for an educated debate on vaccinations, but the key is "educated" - Jenny McCarthy, for all the reading she's done and all the specialists she's talked with, is not an expert. Weighing the calculated risk of vaccination vs known communicable diseases shouldn't be a debate for TV personalities. Besides, I'm exhausted by all of the misinformation out there - if I read one more time about the danger of mercury in vaccines (which has not been present in vaccines in years), I think I'll lose it.

erinflower 4 years 1 week

I'm in agreement with snarkypants. As a parent of a child with aspergers I think she has done a bit of a disservice to many of us. The diet she loves didn't work for us and while we did delay vax and I agree that we don't need as many as are given, I don't think they caused my son's disease.

snarkypants 4 years 1 week

jenny has no idea what she's talking about. i wish she would shut her big mouth.

michlny 4 years 1 week

Jenny has become a great advocate. She speaks passionately but she's very levelheaded.

CaterpillarGirl 4 years 1 week

I agree with Dr. Bachelor , its all about attacking and not about speaking calmly. Both sides are passionate but there is no need to get personal. I also agree with Jenny in that we dont NEED as many immunizations as we think we do. Chicken pox? let the kids have them.

CaterpillarGirl 4 years 1 week

Link Love

22 Comments

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