I know I used to have a policy against talking politics on this blog, but times change, I change, and if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!
Donald Trump doesn't believe the scientific consensus on climate change (it's just weather changes) and he doesn't believe the scientific consensus on vaccines.
Don't we want our president to be consistent?
Donald Trump thinks vaccines cause autism.
This topic, after two and a half hours of the debate, was by far the most significant, and undoubtedly the most disappointing moment of the evening.
I must begin with this: Vaccines do not cause autism. There is no basis in science at all for this. The journal piece that began this nonsense years ago was retracted. All similar studies have been thoroughly discredited.
The following medical groups agree that there is no link between vaccines and autism: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine. Whether alone or grouped together (such as Measles Mumps and Rubella), vaccines don't cause autism. The medical community is clear.
Jake Tapper, the CNN debate moderator, noted that Trump has repeatedly linked vaccines to autism. Trump's response was that grouping them together (MMR for example) is a cause.
His proof: A testimonial. His words were "we've had so many instances, people that work for me." He then talked about a child who recently was vaccinated, then got sick, and is now autistic. Trump claimed that if vaccines were spread out, a little at a time, "I think you're going to see a big impact on autism."
Such an assertion is not only without merit, but potentially very harmful. The notion that grouping them together may be a "problem" leads to a general mistrust of vaccinations. It's dangerous misinformation. Plus, waiting is dangerous. These infectious diseases cause pneumonia, brain damage, deafness, infertility and even death. That's why we don't wait. That's why we vaccinate children.
via www.cnn.com
*I tried my best to make that title sound Trumpesque
