At first I wasn't going to write this post since I believe that a film that appears to be (at least in part) based on thoroughly discredited, fear-mongering nonsense should get as little attention as possible.
Then after browsing several anti-vaccine and conspiracist websites I found as I suspected, that this has already exploded and whatever I write here won't make matters any worse.
The film 'Vaxxed' is directed by Mr Andrew Wakefield, a former physician who lost his medical license after research that he had authored, was found fraudulent (containing as I understand it, both methodological and ethical flaws).
Just watching the trailer for this film elevated my BP into dangerous territory. How is it that this man keeps promoting the same debunked data to this day? Hasn't it caused enough harm already?
It seems that anti-vaccine proponents span the entire spectrum from sadly misinformed to clearly unhinged. However, no matter what their individual motivation happens to be, they are in my opinion dangerous. We have fought a hard battle against diseases that today are vaccine-preventable. Millions of children have died in the past and some still do, to this day. We don't see much of it in first-world countries due to the success of vaccines. Anti-vaccine proponents seem to believe that the "olden days" were better. I think it's deeply worrisome.
In my escapades around the internet, I've found all sorts of scary blogs, clips and opinions relating to childhood vaccines.
This YouTube clip rather amusingly (in a sad way) has 90 likes and zero (!) dislikes (probably because no rational person would even click on it in the first place). (I'm not sure what this says about me)
Anyway this women thinks that nagalese (an enzyme) is added on purpose to vaccines in order to induce autism, cancer and type 2 diabetes in vaccine recipients. And the doctors who discovered this were subsequently murdered to cover this up. This vaccine tampering seems to be a part of some nefarious population control plot.
(It seems that alpha-N-acetylgalactoseaminidase (referred to as nagalese in the YouTube clip) can deglycosylate vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and DBP plays a role in the immune cascade response. So it seems that alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase can interfere with the immune response. While some cancer cells can release alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, I've found no proof that injecting them into humans induces cancers, never mind autism and DMII. I will however admit that I didn't spend an inordinate amount of time researching her theory).
I admit that this last video is a bit extreme. But this woman and other "anti-vaxxers" have one thing on common. They are willing to accept something as true, even when there is no supporting evidence available.
Serious questions:
* Why are some people so vulnerable/susceptible to flawed logic and poor research?
* What can we as nurses/healthcare professionals do to ensure that our patients base their decisions on sound evidence-based facts or at least have the opportunity to do so? Or should we just reconcile ourselves with the fact that a portion of the population will base their decisions on questionable or outright false information, misconceptions and fear?
The only place it has been shown is the Angelika Theater in NYC. There are no other plans (that I could find) for a release anywhere else.
I've also only heard of the Angelika screening it thus far, the Tribeca Film Festival pulled it from their lineup. Love the Angelika, it has the best popcorn ever! But I think I'll skip "Vaxxed," I'm pregnant and would like to avoid stroking out from sheer frustration :)
Has anybody had a chance to watch the film "VAXXED", yet?
Does anyone know where and when it will be shown?
It has a limited time engagement at the Angelika Film Center from 4/1 through 4/7. That's the only release available for now. You can buy tickets to it on Fandango and make the trip if you want to see it for now. I guess they have "plans" for "widespread release" but likely that means a few independent theaters in major markets will perhaps screen it.
autymnfyres. My heart breaks about your son. I can't imagine anything more horrible. I think the black and white of the issue with vaccines and autism is that reputable scientists and doctors knew, thought, believed, since at least 2005 or 2006, (I'm trying to remember from my bad memory), that there was no link between vaccines and autism. Yet the media, parents, legal system, CDC, I can only imagine what other organizations, were tied up in knots for years studying debating, suing, etc. I can't imagine the billions of dollars wasted on that fight.
If instead the FACTS had been accepted from the start perhaps research on immediate detrimental reactions could have been funded and better understood.
My body has a very strong immune system. Only ever had chickenpox.
Of course, if one saw the places I use to play as a child, you would know why I have such a strong immune system…LOL
That's not really how your immune system works, saying it's strong because you've never been sick is like saying your arms are strong because you've never made them do anything. The most effective immune responses are antibody mediated, you generally only develop antibodies two ways; a previous infection/significant exposure that triggers the development of antibodies, or immunizations which do the same thing just in a much safer way.
Also consider that the majority of those infected with the flu virus and potentially spreading the virus are asymptomatic, so it would be incorrect to assume that because you don't experience the flu, that you aren't spreading it to others, potentially others with weakened immune systems who most depend on you getting vaccinated to reduce your potential of harming them.
If this seems like a sore spot for me, here's why; I work in an ICU that is a regional adult ECMO center, this means that every year at this time we have a whole section devoted to VV ECMO that's unofficially referred to as "flu-ville". Unlike other forms of ECMO, VV ECMO for the flu has decent outcomes in terms of survivability, although that still involves a horrific few weeks in the hospital and often a SNF stay. Our most common patients are 35-50 and otherwise healthy and I frequently hear "I don't get it, they never get sick" and "she's never needed a flu vaccine before", or just the general sentiment that someone avoiding a vaccine "to be safer".
Even this very aggressive treatment isn't foolproof, and there are few each year that transition to comfort care, typically patients around my age and with kids my age. Transitioning a 35 year old to comfort care and having their 3 and 6 year little girls come to hold mom's hand while she dies makes it much harder to just say "oh well, everyone's entitled to their own opinions", some opinions are harmful.
Has anybody had a chance to watch the film "VAXXED", yet?
Does anyone know where and when it will be shown?
There is no way I would be willing to pay (put money in the pockets of the irresponsible fearmongers who made the film) to see the movie. If it eventually turns up on TV for free, I might be willing to watch it just to see how bad it actually is.
AFAIK, it is only showing in the one theatre in NYC so far.
Todd Drezner's open letter to Cinema Libre Studio was excellent and worth a read.
"By releasing Vaxxed,†Cinema Libre is actively harming thousands of autistic people. While we should be discussing ways to best support autistic people and help them lead fulfilling lives, you would instead have us follow a discredited scientist and dishonest filmmaker down a rabbit hole that leads only to long debunked conspiracy theories."
If this seems like a sore spot for me, here's why; I work in an ICU that is a regional adult ECMO center, this means that every year at this time we have a whole section devoted to VV ECMO that's unofficially referred to as "flu-ville". Unlike other forms of ECMO, VV ECMO for the flu has decent outcomes in terms of survivability, although that still involves a horrific few weeks in the hospital and often a SNF stay. Our most common patients are 35-50 and otherwise healthy and I frequently hear "I don't get it, they never get sick" and "she's never needed a flu vaccine before", or just the general sentiment that someone avoiding a vaccine "to be safer".
Even this very aggressive treatment isn't foolproof, and there are few each year that transition to comfort care, typically patients around my age and with kids my age. Transitioning a 35 year old to comfort care and having their 3 and 6 year little girls come to hold mom's hand while she dies makes it much harder to just say "oh well, everyone's entitled to their own opinions", some opinions are harmful.
Well said.
I am "next in line" caring for such patients in long-term acute, and can sign under every word above. Most of these patients who made it out of ICU survive and eventually start to breath, eat, speak and walk again, but the price paid for that is nothing but horrific, in all terms. Suspiciously many of them do not come "to their own old self", according to the families. Some end up on permanent vent and other means of chronic life support. We are speaking about people in the prime of their lives, 35 to 55, and most of them thought that flu vaccine is either not important at all, or only worths the trouble for seniors.
Add to that people literally driven crazy by chronic pain of herpes zoster, and women of my age who had to go through horrendous procedure of pelvic evisceration to treat the complications of successful treatment of their advanced cervical cancer. It is heart-breaking to see kids visiting around Christmas when they answered on usual "what would you like from Santa?" something like "I want mom to come back home".
)
to cover this up. This vaccine tampering seems to be a part of some nefarious population control plot.
concerned lady
133 Posts
Has anybody had a chance to watch the film "VAXXED", yet?
Does anyone know where and when it will be shown?