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Celebrities and Vaccines: Who’s on the Anti-Vaccine Bandwagon?

Posted by lulu and moxleys mom on August 24th, 2010 at 11:40 pm

BBC 000469 198x300 Celebrities and Vaccines: Whos on the Anti Vaccine Bandwagon?I recently (innocently enough) questioned whether the Duggars vaccinate their children, due to the fact 12 of 19 children contracted chicken pox at the same time and there is a chicken pox vaccine. It resulted in some heated commentary and discussion, and it made me wonder what celebrities have spoken out about the safety of vaccines. It’s not just Jenny McCarthy, who has linked her son’s autism to vaccines. So what celebrities have issues with vaccines?

–Charlie Sheen didn’t want Denise Richards to vaccinate their daughters, and sent a letter to their pediatrician stating he was not supportive of the treatment.

–Jim Carrey spoke out against vaccines during his time with ex-girlfriend Jenny McCarthy, in one of many instances saying in a Huffington Post blog piece: “In this growing crisis, we cannot afford to blindly trumpet the agenda of the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or vaccine makers.”

–Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins spoke out against the swine flu vaccination and the suggestion the swine flu was a national emergency and epidemic.

–Brent Spiner of Star Trek sent out some Tweets that seemed anti-vaccine and when directly asked (via Twitter) if he was, he replied: “Not completely. But it’s worth investigating before letting drug cos. bamboozle us.”

I’ve definitely thought it sure seems like our babies get a lot of vaccines (when they are so little!) and had a long talk with our pediatrician about it and did my own research. I admit, all of the vaccine / autism connection talk scared me, and I put off my twins’ MMR vaccine (with my pediatrician’s consent) until our two-year wellness check-up, rather than go though with it at 18 months. For me, it made sense to put off the MMR until two years, but I adhered to the schedule other than that. Although I did not have the girls vaccinated for the swine flu as it didn’t coincide with one of our well-visits and our pediatrician didn’t indicate it was a must. So what’s your stance and why?

Read Babble’s full timeline of the vaccine-autism debate, from 1998 to now.

 Celebrities and Vaccines: Whos on the Anti Vaccine Bandwagon?

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16 Comments

I just don’t trust the pharmaceutical industry to have my best interest at heart. How many diseases can they terrorize us with to fatten their own pocket? At least 36 or so now, right? I don’t think it’s safe to give that many immunizations to a kid. It’s not so much about believing Jenny McCarthy as it is not believing Big Pharma. It’s not science any more – it’s CASH!! I’m glad Jenny is bringing attention to this. Can’t be easy with all the hate she gets for it.

edita simms commented on Aug 25 10 at 8:55 am

It’s not just Jenny and celebrities. In fact Jenny is somewhat new to this issue. At the autism one conference in Chicago, close to 2000 parents were in attendence. Each and every one of them are just livid about the havoc vaccines have done to their lives. Probably another 500,000 wished they could have afforded to attend.

Joe commented on Aug 25 10 at 10:39 am

I’m not positive but does Jenny McCarthy have an MD? What about Billy Corgan? Maybe he is a secret PhD in Immunological Research?

Maybe we should let scientists and doctors do their job. This doesn’t mean pharmaceutical industries. The autism link has been COMPLETELY debunked. The ONLY expert who supports this has been discredited and has had his medical license revoked.

For more on the real science see http://www.scienceinseconds.com/episodes/Vaccines

TMK commented on Aug 25 10 at 12:35 pm

I completely understand your distrust in big pharma, but in reality, vaccines represent a minuscule proportion of their profits and Pediatricians actually loose money giving kids vaccines. There is a ton of science showing that vaccines are safe and that they do save lives. I mean, just look at the Pertussis outbreaks all over the country. Vaccines do not cause autism, severe side effects incredibly rare and the diseases they protect against are real and serious. Maybe you don’t think pharma has your best interest at heart but millions of health care and public health professionals certainly do and we all vaccinate our children. I hope you can find some good resources for accurate information.

Erin commented on Aug 25 10 at 5:19 pm

Vaccines have nothing to do with Autism or Autism related disorders. We had some of our boys vaccinated with everything they were supposed to get and some not vaccinated on schedule and one other not vaccinated at all, and all of our kids ended up with autism. I firmly believe it is genetic and am just waiting for science to prove it. I can completely understand the worry about your child “contracting” autism from a vaccine, but what would you rather have on your shoulders, the slight risk of autism or the death of your child from a completely preventable disease? Autism isn’t as bad as many make it out to be, most people are only familiar with the severe cases. As a mother who has lost one child and am probably about to loose another, it is Much better to have a child with autism, than to have no child at all. Think about it. But like I said I’m convinced it is genetic and am sure if you search your side of the family and your husbands side of the family you will find someone with autistic behaviors that was labeled eccentric, weird, OCD, anxious, or social anxiety, and many more.

CJ commented on Aug 26 10 at 2:54 pm

I never questioned vaccines until my baby and I were injured in 2007 (me by the rubella and him by the DTaP, HIB, and IPV). Up until that point, my husband, myself and our teen boys were vaccinated for everything). I never knew that vaccines could cause so much damage! Why are doctors only telling you that they may cause a slight fever or inflammation at the injection site? Why aren’t they going over all the possible side effects that the vaccine manufacturer has listed? The doctors are not required to. Crazy, isn’t it? I would later learn that I had 3 other victims in my family and my teenager was one of them. What really angered me the most was finding out that vaccines never eradicated disease – they are actually reponsible for most cases of diseases. Where did I get this info? The World Health Organization, the CDC’s MMWR reports (before/after each vaccine came on the market), reading peer-reviewed medical journals that our doctors are supposed to be reading, and by reading/studying the vaccine package inserts. I could say so much more in this post, but I think that you really need to read my blog – start in Sept of 08 at http://vaccinesexposed.blogspot.com

Ps: Vaccines are not mandatory for school entry in 48 states. The only states they are mandatory are WV and MS.

Also, I have read every book out there – the best books on the market to help you make an educated decision are:

“Vaccine Safety Manual” by Neil Z. Miller
“Fear of the Invisible” by Janine Roberts – both contain HUNDREDS of credible sources cited for their information – most, from the CDC and government meetings on vaccine safety (or lack thereof)

Good luck to you.

Dawn commented on Aug 26 10 at 3:18 pm

I vaccinated our oldest 3 because I was not aware of the dangers. With our baby who is 16 months, I was aware but I had a hard time fighting the dr’s. We vaccinated her until her 12 mo. vax. She has not had any since & won’t. My middle school child was supposed to have some too to start school. I won’t vaccinate any of us anymore.

I have a TON of info on vaccines on my blog if anyone is interested:
http://wedonthaveitalltogether.blogspot.com/search/label/Vaccines

Danielle commented on Aug 26 10 at 8:30 pm

I no longer vaccinate, I’ve seen vaccine damage and I’ve seen vaccine failure. I have seen enough pharmaceutical damage in my own family to see the obvious. I’ve seen natural remedies work too. I’ve seen the difference in my never-vaccinated daughter and other, more vaccinated children, even in her brother (his vaccines were only a few and they were delayed, then I quit.) I’ve seen a healthy child get these childhood diseases and I’ve *been* a healthy child who got these (some) diseases. I do not fear disease. I know for a fact that if doctors would read the same peer reviewed literature and package inserts that I’ve read then they would use logic and see this for what it is. They would then tell their patients to skip vaccines and learn to see food as their medicines.

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 10:39 pm

“Maybe we should let scientists and doctors do their job.”

What if you found out that “scientists and doctors” went to schools mostly funded with pharmaceutical money. And what if you found out that “scientists and doctors” used textbooks in med school that were mostly funded, planned, written, approved and published with pharmaceutical money?

Would that make you look into it? If you knew that?

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 10:48 pm

“The autism link has been COMPLETELY debunked.”

That is only said by those who have not done a single minute’s worth of research but instead only parrots what he/she has been told.

If that’s true then you won’t mind providing some sort of proof. And PLEASE don’t offer a link to an industry-funded piece of trash either. Provide peer-reviewed proof.

I won’t hold my breath…

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 10:52 pm

Because rats bodies say that immunizations DO cause autism! And other autoimmune disorders such as Addison’s disease
Autoimmune hepatitis
Celiac disease
Crohns Disease
Dermatomyositis
Goodpasture’s syndrome
Grave’s disease
Guillain-Barre syndrome
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Lupus erythematosus
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
Multiple sclerosis
Myasthenia gravis
Narcolepsy
Pernicious anemia
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Reactive arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sjogren syndrome
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Temporal Arteritis
Type I diabetes
Ulcerative Colitis
Wegener’s Granulomatosis

and there’s more but you get the picture I hope.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0008382

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 10:56 pm

Genetics do not occur in such large numbers. In NJ, 1 in 70 (seventy) boys! When you hear the numbers being 1 in 100 please note, that’s with girls included. And look at this group’s numbers:

http://autismone.com/content/minnesota-department-health-closing-door-truth-somali-children-autism-patti-carroll

Just an example of them “doubling-up” on vaccines simply because they could and in this this population we see an alarming number of children with autism. It is un real! We need to stand up for these babies – they can’t do it themselves. Please please please start reading and stop listening/trusting just anyone and everyone!

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 11:15 pm

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Biologi…/UCM101580.pdf

This package insert clearly indicates their knowledge of this vaccine causing SIDS and Autism.

I just know that if people would just read the data they would see the truth. Our doctors have been taught using pharma-money, their books written by the industry. Their studies designed with the outcome in mind.

No one wants to believe this. But if you just read for yourself, you will find the truth.

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 11:20 pm

Pertussis outbreaks “all over the country”? Have you ever looked to find out how many of those with pertussis were vaccinated against pertussis?

There is not one unbiased double-blind placebo-controlled study proving that vaccines efficacy. That vaccine or any other.

Look for it if you don’t believe me.

Please – look for it.

Dana commented on Aug 26 10 at 11:24 pm

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