# Anti-vaxxers are ignorant scumbags that kill children **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626 "2016-09-01T01:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/221 "2017-08-18T13:57:52Z")
It turns out that while California’s SB277 (eliminating “personal belief”) exemptions from vaccination for schoolchildren) has had a salutary effect in boosting vaccination rates, there’s also been a big jump in medical exemptions. > **[Medical exemptions to school vaccine mandates soar in California as SB 277...](https://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2017/08/18/medical-exemptions-soar-in-california-as-sb-277-makes-personal-belief-exemptions-unavailable)** > > California's new law that eliminates personal belief exemptions has been a success, increasing vaccine uptake after just one year. That isn't to say that there aren't problems. One potential problem is the increasing number of medical exemptions,... Some schools (particularly Waldorf schools, and certain charter and religious schools) continue to endanger children through high percentages of unvaccinated kids. It’d help if Californians made complaints to the state medical board about docs who give out wholesale exemptions (one antivax physician, Bob Sears is already in trouble over alleged improper care including a dubious exemption). ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/222 "2017-10-08T03:00:21Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > THere was a recent article about the pushback on vaccination by various state governments and I made the mistke of reading the Facebook based comments. > > I learned: > > 1. vaccines do nothing except kill and cause autism > 2. No one has ever studied the safety of vaccines, ever > 3. Measles can be cure with Vitamin C > 4. They all have an anecdote about how the school their kid went to had an outbreak of a vaccinatable disease and all the kids with the vaccination got the disease and the unvaccinated ones didn’t catch it. Also, embryonic cells from aborted fetuses were used decades ago to make vaccines, and although there has been no need for any new ones in a very long time, Niece and others are repulsed by the very idea. [http://www.rescuepost.com/.a/6a00d8357f3f2969e201b8d1f6118e970c-pi](http://www.rescuepost.com/.a/6a00d8357f3f2969e201b8d1f6118e970c-pi) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/223 "2017-10-08T13:53:04Z")
There are seemingly no limits to the antivax crazy. An antivaxer just informed me online that not only is measles harmless, but that measles infection prevents cancer and many other diseases. I guess that means I am immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/224 "2017-10-08T16:51:33Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There are seemingly no limits to the antivax crazy. > > An antivaxer just informed me online that not only is measles harmless, but that measles infection prevents cancer and many other diseases. > > I guess that means I am immortal. Well, the idea that diseases cause super powers is not new. [SMBC-20080607](http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20080607.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2017, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/225 "2017-10-09T15:52:21Z")
In other news from antivax-land: It’s reported that the latest journal article to excite antivaxers is being retracted. In brief, the authors (Shaw and Tomljenovic) did a mouse study purporting to show that subcutaneous aluminum injection simulating the aluminum adjvant in some vaccines activated mouse genes claimed to be “homologous” with those linked to autism in humans. After this paper was published, alert analysts cited not only tenuous conclusions but what looked to them like fishy manipulations of data. > **[The rise and fall of an antivax paper](https://forbetterscience.com/2017/09/29/the-rise-and-fall-of-an-antivax-paper-by-smut-clyde/)** > > Mirror neurons and little men in boats, by Smut Clyde This is not the first embarrassment for these two notorious antivax researchers. Retraction is nothing new: > **[Retracted paper linking HPV vaccine to behavioral issues republished after...](https://retractionwatch.com/2016/10/24/retracted-paper-linking-hpv-vaccine-to-behavioral-issues-republished-after-revisions/)** > > A retracted study linking the vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) to behavioral problems in mice has been republished by a different journal. The paper has been significantly revised, an author … Noting also the granddaddy of all retracted antivax publications (Wakefield’s study attempting to link measles vaccine to autism), it seems that the only rivals to antivax “scientists” when it comes to sloppy and/or devious research are their counterparts in anti-GMO advocacy.\* \*and sometimes their interests overlap. See Stephanie Seneff. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/226 "2017-10-10T04:55:16Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > An antivaxer just informed me online that not only is measles harmless, but that measles infection prevents cancer and many other diseases. Oh, SHIT! Guess what study they’re getting confused? 😃 [Mayo Clinic trial: Massive blast of measles vaccine wipes out cancer](http://www.startribune.com/no-4-massive-blast-of-measles-vaccine-wipes-out-cancer-in-mayo-clinic-trial/259155541/) ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/227 "2018-02-03T23:35:37Z")
An anti-vaxxer doctor just won a $2.5 million judgement. > [@](#): > > Mark Geier built a medical practice in Rockville and a national reputation for propagating the discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended his license seven years ago because he was treating autistic children with a drug considered dangerous for young people and not known to alleviate symptoms of the disorder. > > But the regulators who stripped Geier’s credentials are now in the hot seat, ordered to each personally pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages by a judge who says the board abused its power in an attempt to humiliate the doctor and his family. The board posted a cease-and-desist order on its website in 2012 alleging that Geier had improperly prescribed medication for himself, his wife and his son while his license was suspended. In an unusual move, the order named the drugs in question. Online critics of Geier took notice, mocking the doctor and his family in blogs and comments for their use of the medications. The Geiers say the state publicized those details for vengeance, to punish a doctor with unconventional ideas. State officials say it was an honest mistake. > > But Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Ronald B. Rubin sided with the Geiers, awarding them $2.5 million in damages. He called the order a significant breach of medical privacy and accused the board and its staff of failing to preserve emails related to the case and pleading ignorance about the order on the witness stand. > **[Regulators who targeted anti-vaccine doctor may pay millions for humiliating him](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/regulators-who-targeted-anti-vaccine-doctor-may-pay-millions-for-humiliating-him/2018/02/03/b63ea6dc-faf8-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html)** > > The Maryland Board of Physicians violated Mark Geier’s privacy, then tried to cover up what it had done, judge says. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/228 "2018-02-03T23:42:34Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > An anti-vaxxer doctor just won a $2.5 million judgement. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/regulators-who-targeted-anti-vaccine-doctor-may-pay-millions-for-humiliating-him/2018/02/03/b63ea6dc-faf8-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/regulators-who-targeted-anti-vaccine-doctor-may-pay-millions-for-humiliating-him/2018/02/03/b63ea6dc-faf8-11e7-ad8c-ecbb62019393_story.html) [The judge is not highly regarded](http://www.therobingroom.com/maryland/Judge.aspx?id=5695); I predict this won’t exactly hold up on appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/229 "2018-02-04T03:02:40Z")
I was able to find without too much trouble online details of a case in another state, in which a doctor’s license suspension agreement with the medical board contained names of drugs (including opioids and anti-anxiety meds) the physician was found to have obtained phony prescriptions for, in order to self-medicate. Does that means the other state board improperly released personal information as well? :dubious: Regardless of how an appeal goes, Mark Geier’s medical career was in limbo at last report (according to [this article](https://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2013/05/23/mark-geier-loses-his-last-medical-license/) of a few years ago, he had his medical licenses suspended or revoked in all 12 states in which he was licensed to practice. A key issue was his prescribing for autistic boys a drug (Lupron) commonly used for chemical castration of sex offenders (based on the belief that autistic boys are in precocious puberty fueled by excess testosterone, which supposedly enhances toxicity of mercury - from the vaccines, y’know). :smack: > **[Chemical castration for autism: After three years, the mainstream media...](https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/chemical-castration-for-autism-after-three-years-the-mainstream-media-finally-notices/)** > > We've written a lot about anti-vaccine zealotry on this blog, as Steve and I take a particular interest in this particular form of dangerous pseudoscience for a number of reasons. One reason, of cours ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/230 "2018-02-05T20:37:07Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > There are seemingly no limits to the antivax crazy. > > An antivaxer just informed me online that not only is measles harmless, but that measles infection prevents cancer and many other diseases. > > I guess that means I am immortal. _I am Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I got the measles in 1518 in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel. And I am immortal. I can not die._ ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/231 "2018-02-07T05:24:48Z")
And all you have to do is inoculate yourself with the word of god anyway: [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/televangelist-suggests-alternate-flu-shot-‘inoculate-yourself-with-the-word-of-god’/ar-BBINcFw](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/televangelist-suggests-alternate-flu-shot-%e2%80%98inoculate-yourself-with-the-word-of-god%e2%80%99/ar-BBINcFw) Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/232 "2018-02-07T05:56:38Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > _I am Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I got the measles in 1518 in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel. And I am immortal. I can not die._ 😃 Awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/233 "2018-02-12T17:15:20Z")
There has been an unfortunate outbreak of [stupid](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/02/09/milwaukees-newly-picked-top-health-official-says-science-still-out/323462002/) in Milwaukee. The mouth-breather in question tried the usual waffling - > [@](#): > > “I would like to have more research done on the whole issue in the first place, rather than just tying it to one thing, because I’m not sure that’s it,” she said. “It usually isn’t. And I think that’s what happens when you try to nail it directly to one thing, such as the vaccine.” The previous one got canned for not following on lead in children. This one should be canned for not following up on the lead between her ears. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/234 "2018-02-14T15:41:23Z")
Conspiracy theorists can make a lot of money by peddling crazy. Anti-vaxx is the “911 was an inside job” of 2018. I think most of these people aren’t dumb at all; they know they’re conning people. It’s just unfortunately not criminal (or not likely to be). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/235 "2018-02-14T23:53:20Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Conspiracy theorists can make a lot of money by peddling crazy. Anti-vaxx is the “911 was an inside job” of 2018. I think most of these people aren’t dumb at all; they know they’re conning people. It’s just unfortunately not criminal (or not likely to be). Sadly, it’s much more dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/236 "2018-02-15T01:58:13Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There has been an unfortunate outbreak of [stupid](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/02/09/milwaukees-newly-picked-top-health-official-says-science-still-out/323462002/) in Milwaukee. The mouth-breather in question tried the usual waffling - > The previous one got canned for not following on lead in children. This one should be canned for not following up on the lead between her ears. I cherish the times I completely agree with you, man. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/237 "2018-02-15T14:11:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There has been an unfortunate outbreak of [stupid](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2018/02/09/milwaukees-newly-picked-top-health-official-says-science-still-out/323462002/) in Milwaukee. The mouth-breather in question tried the usual waffling - > The previous one got canned for not following on lead in children. This one should be canned for not following up on the lead between her ears. > > Regards, > Shodan An amazing demonstration of stupid. In [news from north of the border](http://canoe.com/news/national/sobeys-pulls-support-from-health-expo-where-father-convicted-in-sons-death-will-speak), a Canadian grocery chain pulled its sponsorship of a “Health and Wellness Expo” after an outcry over one of the featured speakers, David Stephan. Stephan (an antivaxer) was convicted along with his wife in the death of their young son, who developed meningitis but was “treated” with herbal smoothies and echinacea. There’s a sick irony in that one of the supplements promoted by the company with which Stephan’s associated, is supposed to help brain function. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/238 "2018-02-16T17:52:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [The judge is not highly regarded](http://www.therobingroom.com/maryland/Judge.aspx?id=5695); I predict this won’t exactly hold up on appeal. It’s hard to see how the board members can be held personally liable, but it’s also hard to see how the award itself would be reversed on appeal. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/239 "2018-02-24T21:12:04Z")
Europe has the same situation as the U.S. **Measles Cases in Europe Quadrupled in 2017** > [@](#): > > Measles cases soared in Europe last year, and at least 35 children died of the highly infectious disease, according to the World Health Organization. The virus found its way into pockets of unvaccinated children all over the continent, from Romania to Britain. The number of recorded cases quadrupled, to 21,315 in 2017 from 5,273 in 2016, a record low… > > Vaccination rates across Europe are lower than in the United States. Various longstanding anti-vaccine movements persist there, and some conservative Protestant sects in Europe believe vaccination subverts God’s will. > **[Measles Cases in Europe Quadrupled in 2017 (Published 2018)](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/health/measles-europe.html)** > > Outbreaks across the continent infected 21,000 and killed at least 35 children, leading some governments to crack down on vaccine compliance. ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626/240 "2018-02-25T00:53:12Z")
Ireland actually seems to have [slightly higher vaccination rates than the US](https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/news/media/pressrel/newsarchive/16archive/apr-16/childhoodvaccinations.html) (early childhood vaccination rates are at the WHO recommended level of 95%, MMR rates are a little below it at 93%, we’re not great on the later childhood booster rates) but we’ve still got an ongoing measles outbreak. I hauled in my kid for her booster a few months early - I had to put up a fight for it, because the boosters are supposed to be done in school, in their first year, and she’s not in school yet, but no way in hell am I leaving her with any less than maximum protection if there’s an outbreak. I am so pissed off that I have to worry about this bullshit. That was a couple of months ago, by the way. Kid still doesn’t look autistic to me. I know there was some link on this thread where I donated to give vaccines to kids in Third World countries. I’m gonna go find it and donate again, so at least some other parents can get their worry level down a few notches. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-vaxxers-are-ignorant-scumbags-that-kill-children/764626.md?page=13)