Vaccine persecution continues

The vaccine proponents are gloating about a finding that Andrew Wakefield described 12 cases inaccurately in a 1998 paper on MMR and autism.

The attacks on Wakefield have been going on for years, as noted here.

A minor 1998 study being wrong should not be news, since much medical research is wrong. My concern is that now researchers will be intimidated into not publishing results that deviate from official vaccine recommendations. The Wakefield example shows that they would risk having vaccine promoters taking extraordinary steps to destroy their careers if they question vaccines.


The NY Times reports:

One of psychology’s most respected journals has agreed to publish a paper presenting what its author describes as strong evidence for extrasensory perception, the ability to sense future events.

The decision may delight believers in so-called paranormal events, but it is already mortifying scientists. ...

Some scientists say the report deserves to be published, in the name of open inquiry; others insist that its acceptance only accentuates fundamental flaws in the evaluation and peer review of research in the social sciences.

“It’s craziness, pure craziness. I can’t believe a major journal is allowing this work in,” Ray Hyman, an emeritus professor of psychology at the University Oregon and longtime critic of ESP research, said. “I think it’s just an embarrassment for the entire field.”

It is craziness, but it is better than having to listen to ESP advocates complain that their research is censored for ideological reasons. Sensible people will understand that some studies are outweighed by overwhelming contrary evidence.