Deer on CNN, responds to Wakefield’s wild charges

[Guest guest]

Deer on CNN, responds to Wakefield's wild charges

Deer is the investigative reporter who broke the story of the research fraud that Wakefield conducted in his autism/MMR studies. Wakefield made some serious charges against Mr. Deer yesterday, claiming " He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know."

video - http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2011/01/brian-deer-on-cnn-responds-to-andrew-wakefields-wild-charges/

here is the transcript

CHETRY: Yes. And so, this is certainly a bombshell of a story this morning. The study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism caused shock waves when he it was published back in 1988 in the medical journal "Lancet." But by 2004, most of the paper's co-authors had withdrawn their support. Then last February, "Lancet" retracted that report saying the research was, quote, "unethical." Last summer, Dr. Wakefield was then barred from practicing medicine in Britain.

And Deer is the investigative journalist who really blew the lid off of this story. And he joins us live from London this morning.

, good morning.

BRIAN DEER, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, SUNDAY TIMES OF LONDON: Good morning.

CHETRY: One of the things I want to ask is: what is the—what was the most motivation then for Dr. Wakefield to falsely link autism to the MMR vaccine in that initial study?

DEER: Well, I believe that his motivation was essentially to make money. Initially to make money from litigation, he was retained as an expert in a lawsuit for which we know he was paid three quarters of a million U.S. dollars. But he also had all kinds of business interests which he thought would make considerably more money through promoting the scare and promoting public anxiety through over the MMR vaccine.

CHETRY: And then the question seems to be: why would there be all of these other co-authors? And why would it make its way into a prestigious journal like "Lancet" and really shape the discussion and the fears about autism linked to vaccine?

DEER: Well, that's one of the great weaknesses of medicine and medical publishing, is that people can publish things that are false. People talk about peer review and such like. And they imagine they're some kind of safety system. But, in fact, the whole system works on trust. His co-authors didn't know which child was which in the study that he published.

And so, it is actually possible for determined cheat to get away with the kind of behavior that Dr. Wakefield has been involved in.

CHETRY: Well, Dr. Wakefield is still continuing to stand by his study and his findings. actually talked to him last night. He went after you. He accused you of being part of a conspiracy to discredit him.

Let's just listen to a bit of what he said. Also, he claimed that you were getting paid to do this—to do this investigation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER 360) DR. ANDREW WAKEFIELD, ACCUSED OF FAKING AUTISM RESEARCH: I have read his multiple allegations on many occasions. He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Did you have a financial interest in doing this investigation, ?

DEER: I've been an investigative journalist working for "The Sunday Times of London" since the early 1980s.

The point you have to remember about this whole issue is, firstly, that it's not me saying this. It's the editors of the "BMJ," a very prestigious medical journal who peer reviewed and checked of the facts which we put forward in our investigation this week. So, it's not me saying it. It's the editors of that journal who are behind this.

But secondly, this material has been published in the United Kingdom in extraordinary detail. If it is true that Wakefield is not guilty as charged, he has the remedy of bringing a liable action against myself, against "The Sunday Times of London," against the "British Medical Journal," against television networks here—and he would be the richest man in America.

(CROSSTALK)

CHETRY: But he's alleging that you were being paid to do this article. I mean, you were paid, right, because you were a journalist?

DEER: I was commissioned by the "British Medical Journal" to write the piece, yes. That's what the journalists do.

CHETRY: What about "The Sunday Times of London" and Channel 4 in Britain?

DEER: I work for them. Right. Yes, of course, they pay, I'm a journalist. I was hired to do a job, like you are.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: You are being paid to your job and I'm being paid to do my job.

CHETRY: Thank goodness.

The bottom line, though, is he's questioning your motivations for going after him? Clearly, what are your motivations for going after Dr. Wakefield and his study?

DEER: It was simply a journalist assignment given to me late in 2003. A simple journalistic assignment which I expected would last a week or two weeks. And it just completely opened up when Dr. Wakefield began what we know has established a campaign of lies. When you're a journalist and you see somebody you're dealing is lying to you, then you pursue it. He then sued me. He was then required to may my costs. So, I received a check on his behalf, the previous false lawsuit that he began.

And now, what he's trying to do, cloud the picture by—in the same way as he used to cloud the picture by saying some doctors say the vaccine is safe. Some doctors say it isn't safe.

Now, what he's trying to do is to say, well, some people say that he's a liar and he says that I'm a liar.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: So, what he's trying to basically do is to split the difference. On that basis, he can work a nice living which he's got going. You should see him in Jamaica this weekend, which he's having a marvelous sometime on the expense of parents of autistic children.

CHETRY: Well, I want to ask you about that. What has been the impact of this safety on calling into question the safety worldwide of certain vaccines?

DEER: Oh, it's been absolutely devastating because he and a little clique of lawyers and activists around, anti-vaccine activists around him, have been able to spread anxiety, to export it from the United Kingdom, bring it across the Atlantic, the United States, with the result, we're now seeing parents anxious about vaccination. We've seen just the worst outbreak of whooping cough in California since the 1950s.

CHETRY: Are we going to understand autism and what causes it, though? Because we have seen this rise, 50 percent from 2002 to 2006 in children identified with autism spectrum disorder? I mean, why is it increasing like this?

DEER: Well, I'm a journalist, I'm not a doctor. And I don't give medical advice. I can say from what I understand talking to doctors and scientists is that the (INAUDIBLE) conditions which cause autism, autisms, neurological problems in children, are very complex issues. And science just doesn't have the answer.

So when someone like Dr. Wakefield comes along that gives a simple answer that blames other people, blames drug companies, now blames me, it's all my fault, a very small number of parents become misled by that and cling to this. Because their choice is basically blame somebody else or suffer the possibility that they're left with the guilt of thinking it was their fault that they vaccinated their child. So, it's a very vulnerable group that Dr. Wakefield preys on.

CHETRY: Well, your reporting certainly is getting attention this morning. All of it is going to be out there along with the editorial as well. We look forward to seeing all of this.

Deer, thanks for joining us this morning.

DEER: Thank you.

> >> >> > I agree. Luckily, I was both blissfully ignorant of the dangers and my > > children avoided any permanent effects from immunizations. If I was to > > rear a child now, I would avoid the vaccines. If that was not > > possible, I would have them given one-at-a-time with a long interval > > between receiving each vaccine. Even if Thimersol isn't being used > > and/or is not the cause, I believe we overload kids' immune systems > > with multi-vaccines.> >> > You just can't trust pHARMa.> >> > Terry> >> > Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > *From: * Antony Sandler antonysandler@...> > *Sender: * SSRI medications > > *Date: *Fri, 7 Jan 2011 04:46:31 -0800 (PST)> > **SSRI medications > > *Reply* SSRI medications > > *Subject: *Re: Re: Vaccine-Autism Study Was Fraud - > > NYTimes.com> >> > When my wife and I have a child next year, I plan on NOT administering > > any of the Vaccines until I have scrutinized EVERYTHING about them. > > I will probably opt out of most of them. I know this is going to be > > a point of contention with me and my wife.> >> > I SAW FIRST HAND the change in my wife's cousin's first child, turn > > autistic from MMR vaccine. I SAW THE CHANGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY > > EYES. I don't need anyone to tell me the cause and effect. The > > proof is in the puddin'. Man, I am so disgusted with our nation.> >> >> >> >> >>

[Guest guest]

Deer on CNN, responds to Wakefield's wild charges

Deer is the investigative reporter who broke the story of the research fraud that Wakefield conducted in his autism/MMR studies. Wakefield made some serious charges against Mr. Deer yesterday, claiming " He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know."

video - http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2011/01/brian-deer-on-cnn-responds-to-andrew-wakefields-wild-charges/

here is the transcript

CHETRY: Yes. And so, this is certainly a bombshell of a story this morning. The study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism caused shock waves when he it was published back in 1988 in the medical journal "Lancet." But by 2004, most of the paper's co-authors had withdrawn their support. Then last February, "Lancet" retracted that report saying the research was, quote, "unethical." Last summer, Dr. Wakefield was then barred from practicing medicine in Britain.

And Deer is the investigative journalist who really blew the lid off of this story. And he joins us live from London this morning.

, good morning.

BRIAN DEER, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, SUNDAY TIMES OF LONDON: Good morning.

CHETRY: One of the things I want to ask is: what is the—what was the most motivation then for Dr. Wakefield to falsely link autism to the MMR vaccine in that initial study?

DEER: Well, I believe that his motivation was essentially to make money. Initially to make money from litigation, he was retained as an expert in a lawsuit for which we know he was paid three quarters of a million U.S. dollars. But he also had all kinds of business interests which he thought would make considerably more money through promoting the scare and promoting public anxiety through over the MMR vaccine.

CHETRY: And then the question seems to be: why would there be all of these other co-authors? And why would it make its way into a prestigious journal like "Lancet" and really shape the discussion and the fears about autism linked to vaccine?

DEER: Well, that's one of the great weaknesses of medicine and medical publishing, is that people can publish things that are false. People talk about peer review and such like. And they imagine they're some kind of safety system. But, in fact, the whole system works on trust. His co-authors didn't know which child was which in the study that he published.

And so, it is actually possible for determined cheat to get away with the kind of behavior that Dr. Wakefield has been involved in.

CHETRY: Well, Dr. Wakefield is still continuing to stand by his study and his findings. actually talked to him last night. He went after you. He accused you of being part of a conspiracy to discredit him.

Let's just listen to a bit of what he said. Also, he claimed that you were getting paid to do this—to do this investigation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER 360) DR. ANDREW WAKEFIELD, ACCUSED OF FAKING AUTISM RESEARCH: I have read his multiple allegations on many occasions. He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Did you have a financial interest in doing this investigation, ?

DEER: I've been an investigative journalist working for "The Sunday Times of London" since the early 1980s.

The point you have to remember about this whole issue is, firstly, that it's not me saying this. It's the editors of the "BMJ," a very prestigious medical journal who peer reviewed and checked of the facts which we put forward in our investigation this week. So, it's not me saying it. It's the editors of that journal who are behind this.

But secondly, this material has been published in the United Kingdom in extraordinary detail. If it is true that Wakefield is not guilty as charged, he has the remedy of bringing a liable action against myself, against "The Sunday Times of London," against the "British Medical Journal," against television networks here—and he would be the richest man in America.

(CROSSTALK)

CHETRY: But he's alleging that you were being paid to do this article. I mean, you were paid, right, because you were a journalist?

DEER: I was commissioned by the "British Medical Journal" to write the piece, yes. That's what the journalists do.

CHETRY: What about "The Sunday Times of London" and Channel 4 in Britain?

DEER: I work for them. Right. Yes, of course, they pay, I'm a journalist. I was hired to do a job, like you are.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: You are being paid to your job and I'm being paid to do my job.

CHETRY: Thank goodness.

The bottom line, though, is he's questioning your motivations for going after him? Clearly, what are your motivations for going after Dr. Wakefield and his study?

DEER: It was simply a journalist assignment given to me late in 2003. A simple journalistic assignment which I expected would last a week or two weeks. And it just completely opened up when Dr. Wakefield began what we know has established a campaign of lies. When you're a journalist and you see somebody you're dealing is lying to you, then you pursue it. He then sued me. He was then required to may my costs. So, I received a check on his behalf, the previous false lawsuit that he began.

And now, what he's trying to do, cloud the picture by—in the same way as he used to cloud the picture by saying some doctors say the vaccine is safe. Some doctors say it isn't safe.

Now, what he's trying to do is to say, well, some people say that he's a liar and he says that I'm a liar.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: So, what he's trying to basically do is to split the difference. On that basis, he can work a nice living which he's got going. You should see him in Jamaica this weekend, which he's having a marvelous sometime on the expense of parents of autistic children.

CHETRY: Well, I want to ask you about that. What has been the impact of this safety on calling into question the safety worldwide of certain vaccines?

DEER: Oh, it's been absolutely devastating because he and a little clique of lawyers and activists around, anti-vaccine activists around him, have been able to spread anxiety, to export it from the United Kingdom, bring it across the Atlantic, the United States, with the result, we're now seeing parents anxious about vaccination. We've seen just the worst outbreak of whooping cough in California since the 1950s.

CHETRY: Are we going to understand autism and what causes it, though? Because we have seen this rise, 50 percent from 2002 to 2006 in children identified with autism spectrum disorder? I mean, why is it increasing like this?

DEER: Well, I'm a journalist, I'm not a doctor. And I don't give medical advice. I can say from what I understand talking to doctors and scientists is that the (INAUDIBLE) conditions which cause autism, autisms, neurological problems in children, are very complex issues. And science just doesn't have the answer.

So when someone like Dr. Wakefield comes along that gives a simple answer that blames other people, blames drug companies, now blames me, it's all my fault, a very small number of parents become misled by that and cling to this. Because their choice is basically blame somebody else or suffer the possibility that they're left with the guilt of thinking it was their fault that they vaccinated their child. So, it's a very vulnerable group that Dr. Wakefield preys on.

CHETRY: Well, your reporting certainly is getting attention this morning. All of it is going to be out there along with the editorial as well. We look forward to seeing all of this.

Deer, thanks for joining us this morning.

DEER: Thank you.

> >> >> > I agree. Luckily, I was both blissfully ignorant of the dangers and my > > children avoided any permanent effects from immunizations. If I was to > > rear a child now, I would avoid the vaccines. If that was not > > possible, I would have them given one-at-a-time with a long interval > > between receiving each vaccine. Even if Thimersol isn't being used > > and/or is not the cause, I believe we overload kids' immune systems > > with multi-vaccines.> >> > You just can't trust pHARMa.> >> > Terry> >> > Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > *From: * Antony Sandler antonysandler@...> > *Sender: * SSRI medications > > *Date: *Fri, 7 Jan 2011 04:46:31 -0800 (PST)> > **SSRI medications > > *Reply* SSRI medications > > *Subject: *Re: Re: Vaccine-Autism Study Was Fraud - > > NYTimes.com> >> > When my wife and I have a child next year, I plan on NOT administering > > any of the Vaccines until I have scrutinized EVERYTHING about them. > > I will probably opt out of most of them. I know this is going to be > > a point of contention with me and my wife.> >> > I SAW FIRST HAND the change in my wife's cousin's first child, turn > > autistic from MMR vaccine. I SAW THE CHANGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY > > EYES. I don't need anyone to tell me the cause and effect. The > > proof is in the puddin'. Man, I am so disgusted with our nation.> >> >> >> >> >>

[Guest guest]

Deer on CNN, responds to Wakefield's wild charges

Deer is the investigative reporter who broke the story of the research fraud that Wakefield conducted in his autism/MMR studies. Wakefield made some serious charges against Mr. Deer yesterday, claiming " He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know."

video - http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2011/01/brian-deer-on-cnn-responds-to-andrew-wakefields-wild-charges/

here is the transcript

CHETRY: Yes. And so, this is certainly a bombshell of a story this morning. The study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism caused shock waves when he it was published back in 1988 in the medical journal "Lancet." But by 2004, most of the paper's co-authors had withdrawn their support. Then last February, "Lancet" retracted that report saying the research was, quote, "unethical." Last summer, Dr. Wakefield was then barred from practicing medicine in Britain.

And Deer is the investigative journalist who really blew the lid off of this story. And he joins us live from London this morning.

, good morning.

BRIAN DEER, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, SUNDAY TIMES OF LONDON: Good morning.

CHETRY: One of the things I want to ask is: what is the—what was the most motivation then for Dr. Wakefield to falsely link autism to the MMR vaccine in that initial study?

DEER: Well, I believe that his motivation was essentially to make money. Initially to make money from litigation, he was retained as an expert in a lawsuit for which we know he was paid three quarters of a million U.S. dollars. But he also had all kinds of business interests which he thought would make considerably more money through promoting the scare and promoting public anxiety through over the MMR vaccine.

CHETRY: And then the question seems to be: why would there be all of these other co-authors? And why would it make its way into a prestigious journal like "Lancet" and really shape the discussion and the fears about autism linked to vaccine?

DEER: Well, that's one of the great weaknesses of medicine and medical publishing, is that people can publish things that are false. People talk about peer review and such like. And they imagine they're some kind of safety system. But, in fact, the whole system works on trust. His co-authors didn't know which child was which in the study that he published.

And so, it is actually possible for determined cheat to get away with the kind of behavior that Dr. Wakefield has been involved in.

CHETRY: Well, Dr. Wakefield is still continuing to stand by his study and his findings. actually talked to him last night. He went after you. He accused you of being part of a conspiracy to discredit him.

Let's just listen to a bit of what he said. Also, he claimed that you were getting paid to do this—to do this investigation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER 360) DR. ANDREW WAKEFIELD, ACCUSED OF FAKING AUTISM RESEARCH: I have read his multiple allegations on many occasions. He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Did you have a financial interest in doing this investigation, ?

DEER: I've been an investigative journalist working for "The Sunday Times of London" since the early 1980s.

The point you have to remember about this whole issue is, firstly, that it's not me saying this. It's the editors of the "BMJ," a very prestigious medical journal who peer reviewed and checked of the facts which we put forward in our investigation this week. So, it's not me saying it. It's the editors of that journal who are behind this.

But secondly, this material has been published in the United Kingdom in extraordinary detail. If it is true that Wakefield is not guilty as charged, he has the remedy of bringing a liable action against myself, against "The Sunday Times of London," against the "British Medical Journal," against television networks here—and he would be the richest man in America.

(CROSSTALK)

CHETRY: But he's alleging that you were being paid to do this article. I mean, you were paid, right, because you were a journalist?

DEER: I was commissioned by the "British Medical Journal" to write the piece, yes. That's what the journalists do.

CHETRY: What about "The Sunday Times of London" and Channel 4 in Britain?

DEER: I work for them. Right. Yes, of course, they pay, I'm a journalist. I was hired to do a job, like you are.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: You are being paid to your job and I'm being paid to do my job.

CHETRY: Thank goodness.

The bottom line, though, is he's questioning your motivations for going after him? Clearly, what are your motivations for going after Dr. Wakefield and his study?

DEER: It was simply a journalist assignment given to me late in 2003. A simple journalistic assignment which I expected would last a week or two weeks. And it just completely opened up when Dr. Wakefield began what we know has established a campaign of lies. When you're a journalist and you see somebody you're dealing is lying to you, then you pursue it. He then sued me. He was then required to may my costs. So, I received a check on his behalf, the previous false lawsuit that he began.

And now, what he's trying to do, cloud the picture by—in the same way as he used to cloud the picture by saying some doctors say the vaccine is safe. Some doctors say it isn't safe.

Now, what he's trying to do is to say, well, some people say that he's a liar and he says that I'm a liar.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: So, what he's trying to basically do is to split the difference. On that basis, he can work a nice living which he's got going. You should see him in Jamaica this weekend, which he's having a marvelous sometime on the expense of parents of autistic children.

CHETRY: Well, I want to ask you about that. What has been the impact of this safety on calling into question the safety worldwide of certain vaccines?

DEER: Oh, it's been absolutely devastating because he and a little clique of lawyers and activists around, anti-vaccine activists around him, have been able to spread anxiety, to export it from the United Kingdom, bring it across the Atlantic, the United States, with the result, we're now seeing parents anxious about vaccination. We've seen just the worst outbreak of whooping cough in California since the 1950s.

CHETRY: Are we going to understand autism and what causes it, though? Because we have seen this rise, 50 percent from 2002 to 2006 in children identified with autism spectrum disorder? I mean, why is it increasing like this?

DEER: Well, I'm a journalist, I'm not a doctor. And I don't give medical advice. I can say from what I understand talking to doctors and scientists is that the (INAUDIBLE) conditions which cause autism, autisms, neurological problems in children, are very complex issues. And science just doesn't have the answer.

So when someone like Dr. Wakefield comes along that gives a simple answer that blames other people, blames drug companies, now blames me, it's all my fault, a very small number of parents become misled by that and cling to this. Because their choice is basically blame somebody else or suffer the possibility that they're left with the guilt of thinking it was their fault that they vaccinated their child. So, it's a very vulnerable group that Dr. Wakefield preys on.

CHETRY: Well, your reporting certainly is getting attention this morning. All of it is going to be out there along with the editorial as well. We look forward to seeing all of this.

Deer, thanks for joining us this morning.

DEER: Thank you.

> >> >> > I agree. Luckily, I was both blissfully ignorant of the dangers and my > > children avoided any permanent effects from immunizations. If I was to > > rear a child now, I would avoid the vaccines. If that was not > > possible, I would have them given one-at-a-time with a long interval > > between receiving each vaccine. Even if Thimersol isn't being used > > and/or is not the cause, I believe we overload kids' immune systems > > with multi-vaccines.> >> > You just can't trust pHARMa.> >> > Terry> >> > Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > *From: * Antony Sandler antonysandler@...> > *Sender: * SSRI medications > > *Date: *Fri, 7 Jan 2011 04:46:31 -0800 (PST)> > **SSRI medications > > *Reply* SSRI medications > > *Subject: *Re: Re: Vaccine-Autism Study Was Fraud - > > NYTimes.com> >> > When my wife and I have a child next year, I plan on NOT administering > > any of the Vaccines until I have scrutinized EVERYTHING about them. > > I will probably opt out of most of them. I know this is going to be > > a point of contention with me and my wife.> >> > I SAW FIRST HAND the change in my wife's cousin's first child, turn > > autistic from MMR vaccine. I SAW THE CHANGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY > > EYES. I don't need anyone to tell me the cause and effect. The > > proof is in the puddin'. Man, I am so disgusted with our nation.> >> >> >> >> >>

[Guest guest]

Deer on CNN, responds to Wakefield's wild charges

Deer is the investigative reporter who broke the story of the research fraud that Wakefield conducted in his autism/MMR studies. Wakefield made some serious charges against Mr. Deer yesterday, claiming " He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know."

video - http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/2011/01/brian-deer-on-cnn-responds-to-andrew-wakefields-wild-charges/

here is the transcript

CHETRY: Yes. And so, this is certainly a bombshell of a story this morning. The study that linked the MMR vaccine to autism caused shock waves when he it was published back in 1988 in the medical journal "Lancet." But by 2004, most of the paper's co-authors had withdrawn their support. Then last February, "Lancet" retracted that report saying the research was, quote, "unethical." Last summer, Dr. Wakefield was then barred from practicing medicine in Britain.

And Deer is the investigative journalist who really blew the lid off of this story. And he joins us live from London this morning.

, good morning.

BRIAN DEER, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST, SUNDAY TIMES OF LONDON: Good morning.

CHETRY: One of the things I want to ask is: what is the—what was the most motivation then for Dr. Wakefield to falsely link autism to the MMR vaccine in that initial study?

DEER: Well, I believe that his motivation was essentially to make money. Initially to make money from litigation, he was retained as an expert in a lawsuit for which we know he was paid three quarters of a million U.S. dollars. But he also had all kinds of business interests which he thought would make considerably more money through promoting the scare and promoting public anxiety through over the MMR vaccine.

CHETRY: And then the question seems to be: why would there be all of these other co-authors? And why would it make its way into a prestigious journal like "Lancet" and really shape the discussion and the fears about autism linked to vaccine?

DEER: Well, that's one of the great weaknesses of medicine and medical publishing, is that people can publish things that are false. People talk about peer review and such like. And they imagine they're some kind of safety system. But, in fact, the whole system works on trust. His co-authors didn't know which child was which in the study that he published.

And so, it is actually possible for determined cheat to get away with the kind of behavior that Dr. Wakefield has been involved in.

CHETRY: Well, Dr. Wakefield is still continuing to stand by his study and his findings. actually talked to him last night. He went after you. He accused you of being part of a conspiracy to discredit him.

Let's just listen to a bit of what he said. Also, he claimed that you were getting paid to do this—to do this investigation. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S ANDERSON COOPER 360) DR. ANDREW WAKEFIELD, ACCUSED OF FAKING AUTISM RESEARCH: I have read his multiple allegations on many occasions. He is a hit man. He's been brought in to take me down because they are very, very concerned about the adverse reactions to vaccines that are occurring to children. Who brought this man in, who is paying this man, I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Did you have a financial interest in doing this investigation, ?

DEER: I've been an investigative journalist working for "The Sunday Times of London" since the early 1980s.

The point you have to remember about this whole issue is, firstly, that it's not me saying this. It's the editors of the "BMJ," a very prestigious medical journal who peer reviewed and checked of the facts which we put forward in our investigation this week. So, it's not me saying it. It's the editors of that journal who are behind this.

But secondly, this material has been published in the United Kingdom in extraordinary detail. If it is true that Wakefield is not guilty as charged, he has the remedy of bringing a liable action against myself, against "The Sunday Times of London," against the "British Medical Journal," against television networks here—and he would be the richest man in America.

(CROSSTALK)

CHETRY: But he's alleging that you were being paid to do this article. I mean, you were paid, right, because you were a journalist?

DEER: I was commissioned by the "British Medical Journal" to write the piece, yes. That's what the journalists do.

CHETRY: What about "The Sunday Times of London" and Channel 4 in Britain?

DEER: I work for them. Right. Yes, of course, they pay, I'm a journalist. I was hired to do a job, like you are.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: You are being paid to your job and I'm being paid to do my job.

CHETRY: Thank goodness.

The bottom line, though, is he's questioning your motivations for going after him? Clearly, what are your motivations for going after Dr. Wakefield and his study?

DEER: It was simply a journalist assignment given to me late in 2003. A simple journalistic assignment which I expected would last a week or two weeks. And it just completely opened up when Dr. Wakefield began what we know has established a campaign of lies. When you're a journalist and you see somebody you're dealing is lying to you, then you pursue it. He then sued me. He was then required to may my costs. So, I received a check on his behalf, the previous false lawsuit that he began.

And now, what he's trying to do, cloud the picture by—in the same way as he used to cloud the picture by saying some doctors say the vaccine is safe. Some doctors say it isn't safe.

Now, what he's trying to do is to say, well, some people say that he's a liar and he says that I'm a liar.

CHETRY: Right.

DEER: So, what he's trying to basically do is to split the difference. On that basis, he can work a nice living which he's got going. You should see him in Jamaica this weekend, which he's having a marvelous sometime on the expense of parents of autistic children.

CHETRY: Well, I want to ask you about that. What has been the impact of this safety on calling into question the safety worldwide of certain vaccines?

DEER: Oh, it's been absolutely devastating because he and a little clique of lawyers and activists around, anti-vaccine activists around him, have been able to spread anxiety, to export it from the United Kingdom, bring it across the Atlantic, the United States, with the result, we're now seeing parents anxious about vaccination. We've seen just the worst outbreak of whooping cough in California since the 1950s.

CHETRY: Are we going to understand autism and what causes it, though? Because we have seen this rise, 50 percent from 2002 to 2006 in children identified with autism spectrum disorder? I mean, why is it increasing like this?

DEER: Well, I'm a journalist, I'm not a doctor. And I don't give medical advice. I can say from what I understand talking to doctors and scientists is that the (INAUDIBLE) conditions which cause autism, autisms, neurological problems in children, are very complex issues. And science just doesn't have the answer.

So when someone like Dr. Wakefield comes along that gives a simple answer that blames other people, blames drug companies, now blames me, it's all my fault, a very small number of parents become misled by that and cling to this. Because their choice is basically blame somebody else or suffer the possibility that they're left with the guilt of thinking it was their fault that they vaccinated their child. So, it's a very vulnerable group that Dr. Wakefield preys on.

CHETRY: Well, your reporting certainly is getting attention this morning. All of it is going to be out there along with the editorial as well. We look forward to seeing all of this.

Deer, thanks for joining us this morning.

DEER: Thank you.

> >> >> > I agree. Luckily, I was both blissfully ignorant of the dangers and my > > children avoided any permanent effects from immunizations. If I was to > > rear a child now, I would avoid the vaccines. If that was not > > possible, I would have them given one-at-a-time with a long interval > > between receiving each vaccine. Even if Thimersol isn't being used > > and/or is not the cause, I believe we overload kids' immune systems > > with multi-vaccines.> >> > You just can't trust pHARMa.> >> > Terry> >> > Sent via BlackBerry by AT & T> >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > *From: * Antony Sandler antonysandler@...> > *Sender: * SSRI medications > > *Date: *Fri, 7 Jan 2011 04:46:31 -0800 (PST)> > **SSRI medications > > *Reply* SSRI medications > > *Subject: *Re: Re: Vaccine-Autism Study Was Fraud - > > NYTimes.com> >> > When my wife and I have a child next year, I plan on NOT administering > > any of the Vaccines until I have scrutinized EVERYTHING about them. > > I will probably opt out of most of them. I know this is going to be > > a point of contention with me and my wife.> >> > I SAW FIRST HAND the change in my wife's cousin's first child, turn > > autistic from MMR vaccine. I SAW THE CHANGE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY > > EYES. I don't need anyone to tell me the cause and effect. The > > proof is in the puddin'. Man, I am so disgusted with our nation.> >> >> >> >> >>