I refer to the commentary “Unscientific fears over vaccines a threat to all” (Feb 11). I feel that we still need to educate the general public about the importance of vaccination for our young children, so misconceptions about its risk can be reduced.
Even in our society, there continues to be a persistent unfounded fear of vaccines, especially for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), which many allege causes autism in young children.
Letters and reports about the vaccine–autism link published over the years show that there is still a lack of understanding about autism and its causes and treatments. As a result, there is still a lot of misinformation about the condition.
One set of myths concerns the causes of autism. The most popular one, of course, is about the triple MMR vaccine, which was first brought into international attention through a now-debunked study published in The Lancet in 1998.
Another damaging myth is the claim that thiomersal, used as a preservative in vaccines, results in autism. However, the medical community, backed by the World Health Organization and the United States Institute of Medicine among other organisations, has found no causal link between vaccines containing thiomersal and autism.
Another set of myths concerns the treatment of autism. There have been too many risky claims about miraculous cures for autism.
Such claims include special diets, megavitamin therapy, secretin injection, crystal-stone healing, chelation therapy and the list goes on.
Many desperate parents, embracing false hope, have sought such unproven and unscientific treatments for their children with autism, and often without a clear understanding of the condition.
Perhaps our medical and allied practitioners can play a bigger role in informing and educating parents of children with autism about the disorder, its causes and the current appropriate treatments.
In this way, fewer will fall for unscrupulous claims of miracle cures and so-called studies.
Even in our society, there continues to be a persistent unfounded fear of vaccines, especially for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), which many allege causes autism in young children.
Letters and reports about the vaccine–autism link published over the years show that there is still a lack of understanding about autism and its causes and treatments. As a result, there is still a lot of misinformation about the condition.
One set of myths concerns the causes of autism. The most popular one, of course, is about the triple MMR vaccine, which was first brought into international attention through a now-debunked study published in The Lancet in 1998.
Another damaging myth is the claim that thiomersal, used as a preservative in vaccines, results in autism. However, the medical community, backed by the World Health Organization and the United States Institute of Medicine among other organisations, has found no causal link between vaccines containing thiomersal and autism.
Another set of myths concerns the treatment of autism. There have been too many risky claims about miraculous cures for autism.
Such claims include special diets, megavitamin therapy, secretin injection, crystal-stone healing, chelation therapy and the list goes on.
Many desperate parents, embracing false hope, have sought such unproven and unscientific treatments for their children with autism, and often without a clear understanding of the condition.
Perhaps our medical and allied practitioners can play a bigger role in informing and educating parents of children with autism about the disorder, its causes and the current appropriate treatments.
In this way, fewer will fall for unscrupulous claims of miracle cures and so-called studies.
