MMR / Jeni Barnett / Ben Goldacre

I might struggle because it's just such utter codswallop ?

It really is isn't it? I've made the mistake of listening to it all now ?

Fark me I think my head is going to explode just reading it. I want to keep shouting at the computer ?

Incidentally some of the responses from people hosting the sections of the transcript are hilarious ?

And anyone, right now, this moment in time can go on the internet, they can go on sites. They can find out the dangers of vaccination and make their own informed decision.

Yes... unfortunately, what you read on the internet isn't necessarily true. For example, I learned today that Nobby Stiles once sang with Pink Floyd, that a small blue pill would make my penis 15 inches long, and that Flight 1549's descent into the Hudson was in fact a government conspiracy.

Yup I'll send one in too Hazel.

I don't want to listen to it or I'll get angry.

Mr Orly is a great fan of the Ofcom pages - and they will always make a note of complaints that are part of a co-ordinated campaign. A handful of Hitchers probably won't count as a co-ordinated campaign, but be careful about making it really obvious. Just in case. <totally paranoid icon>

I agree - the more I'm reading about it the more I think I might just post a list of myths that she perpetuates and the scientific facts. That way, people can construct their own letters.

Count me in on the en masse complaint. I haven't got time to read/listen to it at the moment but the utter crap spouted about MMR makes my blood boil, it really does. How people can still be so stupidly blind is beyond me. What about the children who can't actually have the MMR for medical reasons - they need everyone else's help to protect them from potentially dying. It's an absolute no-brainer for me and always has been.

I can actually feel my heckles rising as I'm typing.

Phew <not quite so paranoid icon>

Am loving the latest update on her weblog (is it just me, or is this passive agressive ?)

I thank those of you who have sent me information about sites that may be of use to me.

I thank the Bad Scientist for being just that. Sarcasm doesn't shift peoples opinions. Making another person feel small because they don't have a Bad Science degree and then nit-picking over semantics is not the answer either.

I care about humanity my way, and you Bad Scientist yours.

To all of you Bad scientists, who are SO angry with me, good luck with your research. Should you fall ill I will attend you as best I can with my motherly love. Should I fall ill, as a non paid up member of your club, will you administer to me? And should I refuse your drugs then what?

https://jenibarnett.com/

Raaaaaaaaaaaaah, even reading that blog post has given me the rage!

Yes, motherly love will cure the child in intensive care with measles complications, won't it.

Cunt.

SHe can keep her sodding motherly love, I'll take vaccines, antibiotics, transplants, chemo and a million and one other medical advances, thanks all the same.

I wonder if she treated her asthmatic daughter by waving holy willow bushes or something over her. SHe probably used inhalers.

There's nothing motherly about being as think as pigshit

I wish someone would pay me money to spout off like that. Theres loads of stuff that I dont know about and can quote from random sources as ill informed as she is. I could'nt give a stuff about social housing where she was born.

Most places have an old bag ranting complete codswollop but most people just ignore them.

PMSL at "Bad Science degree" like it's an actual course you can study ?

I'm all for motherly love but if my children are ill I think I'd rather rely on vaccines, antibiotics and drugs than motherly love. Or homeopahty or whatever it is that Barnett peddles.

Thanks for this btw - will use these stats

I didn't think her stats were right (why would they be? nothing else she says is) but fully admit to being far too lazy to look them up. ?

Incidentally, wtf are "logical children'?

"I have raised a biological child and two logical children."

is she being nutty, or is it a recognised term for step children, or adopted children, or any child that isn't your biological one? Because I've never heard it before (outside programming speak).

I agree, my boss is a big fan of 'natural medicines' which generally means that when her children get ill instead of giving them some prescribed medication she gives them some herbal concoction or another (by the way i have no problems with herbal medicines themselves but i do think they ought to be prescribed by someone who knows what they are doing). Anyway the children take ages to get better, end up missing school, she then comes down with whatever they are suffering with which means she's either off work or it spreads around the office....notably other people who work here do then take prescribed medication and recover more quickly.

It drives me up the wall...i'm just lucky that i seem to have a very robust immune system and very rarely get ill, others i work with are not so fortunate. ☹️

I could not get the link to work, so have not heard what was said, but I do have strong views on the subject. I have 3 children (12, 9 & 7 - all boys). I missed the MMR jab for my eldest at 12-18mths and he was given the MMR at around 2 1/2yrs. He started to develop problems with his speech and diarrhoea and started 'flapping' his hands and 'going into his own world around the same time. He was diagnosed with autism when he was 4 - Monday 18th Dec 2000 around 11.30am (big day).

Going to the Dr. time and time again for what we were told was "toddler diarrhoea" (when he was 6) was *** (for want of a better word) and his digestive system began to improve when we put him on a gluten and casein free diet.

This was around the time when Andrew-whats-his-face came out with the study and we were very unsure as to give our other boys the MMR. My H was convinced that it was the cause of eldests autism, I wasn't convinced but with all the press coverage at the time was not happy about the vaccine. We made the decision to have separate measles, mumps, rubella vaccines (had to travel 2 hrs each time x3 luckily the boys are only 15mths apart so had them at the same time and my parents helped out with the cost - v expensive).

Anyway, to try and cut a very long story short (sorry if I'm waffling) no.2 son is fine but I'm pretty sure no.3 son has autism anyway (although not as noticable as no. 1) and was given the diaognosis "aukward and stubborn, just like his Father". And on a happy note, eldest has started secondary school and thanks to all the help with statements/LSA/friends etc. he is doing really well academically and socially.

I have no idea if the MMR affected my son but was glad to have the option of separate vaccines for my other 2 and would not have considered not getting them vaccinated.

What an eejit! (JB I mean) Oh honestly. Bloody Andrew Wakefield and any of his followers must love people like this!

FFS - of course motherly will cure all illnesses a child can get. Does she honestly think that children will get over serious illness with a bit of tlc from their mother. This is making my blood boil.

Katy,

Thanks for sharing your story.

My brother developed autistic features at around 2-3 too. He also had the MMR but I couldn't be more convinced that it has nothing to do with the jab.

As seems to be the case with your family, unfortunately autistic spectrum disorders run in ours too and my Dad and Grannie - who never had the MMR, obviously, are both on the spectrum too.

I'm sure you are well aware of all the research into this area, and the fact that the age of giving the MMR coincides with the most common time for onset of autistic symptoms.

I have absolutely no doubts that any kids of mine will have the MMR. Having said that, it's a heck of a lot easier if you have a science background (I don't know if you do or not), as the media are so bad at reporting on this issue (apart from the lovely Dr Goldacre) that it is very difficult to get all the facts if you arent' able to dissect the papers yourself. Hazel has given a very good summary above, and I do highly recommend Ben Goldacre's stuff on this (incidentally, did you know Andrew Wakefield was paid millions of pounds to try and prove a link between MMR and autism.....).

The other twist in our family story is that my H (ill-informed hippy mother) didn't have the MMR and last year he was admitted to hospital extremely sick with measles and still has residual effects from it.

Anyway: back to the OP, definitely count me in for an Ofcom complaint.

*** me. M son is 14 now, but when he was a baby I listened to my doctor and gave him every vaccine going. I'm so disappointed that he's now a strapping 6 footer ,exuding testosterone (sob) and shrugging off viruses and bugs in hours. I let him read what this daft women said and he commented "What a muppet"

That woman gives me the rage. I have been ranting on and off since I read her pathetic self justification on her blog - didn't hear the broadcast. Someone on BT posted a link to a rather interesting graph around MMR / Autism

https://www.newscientist.com/data/images/archive/2489/24895301.jpg

Am I being thick? (probably) but when I get into the complaints section at Offcom it asks for the broadcaster. I've put in LCB and it says it does recognise it. What am I doing wrong? Who is the broadcaster? (Sorry, never listened to LCB before......)

Link to info to use when complaining is here: https://www.hitched.co.uk/Chat/forums/t/90316.aspx

It's LBC, not LCB.

Just doing mine now.

? Thanks R-A. It's normally some stupidity on my part.....

Nope. Still can't get in. Have all you lot crashed the site?

Cool.

I put LBC radio.

Are you using Hazel's link? It doesn't sound like the same form I filled in...

Okay, I'm in now. May have to wait until morning as I'm knackered now. LBC radio is definitely not a BBC station though is it?

Can anyone explain her illogical children?

No - I think Baron was confused when he mentioned BBC, though there was a second rubbish discussion on Radio 4 this morning.