By Josh Mazer
Steven L. Salzberg’s response to Margaret Dunkle’s vaccination op-ed is itself a study in fear-mongering and ignorance (“Sun prints dangerous anti-vaccination op-ed,” July 14). It is precisely because of the condescending and uninformed views of Dr. Salzberg that parents are losing confidence in the CDC mandated vaccination program.
Salzberg is “deeply concerned” that the op-ed piece will lead to decreased uptake of vaccination and increased morbidity due to vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. Fair enough, but how about a comment from him on the following points:
The co-author of the 2002 epidemiological study from the Journal of Pediatrics cited by Dr. Salzberg is currently under federal indictment for stealing money from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His credibility is in doubt, as is that of the entire study.
Further, how does Dr. Salzberg justify the use of epidemiology to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of a medical intervention given to millions of children? This amounts to nothing less than human experimentation.
Most vaccine safety studies are funded by vaccine manufacturers. The CDC, National Institutes of Health and the vaccine manufacturers maintain a revolving-door relationship.
Dr. Julie Gerberding, while head of NIH, approved three doses of Merck’s Rotateq for the immunization schedule; one year after leaving NIH (the statutory minimum) she was hired to head Merck’s vaccine division.
Dr. Salzberg’s claim that “hundreds of studies” have disproven a link between vaccines and autism is false……..
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