AVN in WA: Sanitation causes autism?

Meryl Dorey, from the Australian Vaccination Network is in WA holding "seminars" where she will no doubt warn parents of the "dangers" and "myths" of vaccination.

Anti-vaccinationists love correlations where they take to sets of data, which may or may not be directly related, and draw conclusions from the coincidences of those data sets.

One of their favourites is that autism (and, well, any number of diseases and syndromes) has supposedly increased since vaccination began.

Another is that vaccination wasn't responsible for the reduction in many childhood diseases. Instead, they claim it was sanitation and clean water alone that led to improvements in health.

So basically we have vaccination and sanitation sitting side-by-side. One supposedly causing autism and the other delivering better health.

How is it, therefore, that they don't claim a direct link between sanitation and autism. Surely if autism has increased in the way they suggest, then its timeline must fit neatly with that of the roll-out of sanitation and clean water.

If you attend one of the AVN "seminars", you might like to ask Meryl Dorey why this correlation is ignored.

AVN in WA: Credible research?

In a comment today on the AVN's Facebook page, the mysteriously out-of-place admin "SB" made the point that when looking at published research data, we  shouldn't dismiss or accept results based simply on whether we like or dislike the industry in question.

Meryl Dorey, apparently missing the point of SB's comment entirely, replied [my bolding]...

I agree 100% SB - and when studies are tainted by industry funding, it is very hard to take the results they come up with as gospel truth. 

I really don't think that's what SB was saying at all given that earlier, in the very same thread, she'd written "If we don't trust anything that comes out of universities or research institutes, then what is the point of it all? How can you "do your own research" if everything is considered tainted?"

Anyway, Meryl continued...

I spend much of my day reading studies that are relied upon by governments and health departments to decide not just vaccination policy, but health policy in general. Many of those which have been funded by drug companies are designed in such a way as to achieve the required result.

She goes on the cast doubt on a study of vaccinated versus unvaccinated kids, listing three principal reasons for her doubts. I'll leave her concerns alone for several reasons

1. I haven't read the study myself and am not qualified to do so to any useful degree (neither is Meryl).
2. Meryl has previously demonstrated an apparent inability to deal with very simple high-school-level statistics so I wouldn't trust her review of scientific data anyway.
3. It's irrelevant to the point I intend to make...

Having listed what she labels "errors" she continues [my bolding]...

So we need to take all information into account and critique the studies based on what we know of the researchers, any conflicts and any obvious errors that we see. But since most research will come from pharmaceutical companies or be funded by them, we have no option but to look at that information. It doesn't mean we have to believe it, but knowing where to find it and how to access it is very helpful.

And finishes her reply with [my bolding]...

If we dismiss information simply because we don't agree with it, we will not be basing our decisions on fact. It can be very easy to see what is valid and what is not and we can learn as much from tearing apart the obviously tainted and incorrect studies as we can from reading those studies that are valid and independent. 

So Meryl claims to cast a critical eye over the things she reads, "tearing them apart" in order to decide what is valid and what is tainted and emphasises that it's very easy to spot them either way.

Keeping that in mind...

In 2009, Meryl posted on her blog part of an article in which the author, David Icke, claimed that vaccination was part of an Illuminati plot to implant mind control chips in the population with a view, ultimately, to depopulating America through genocide. Meryl posted the excerpt and the link without any further comment except "Here is a link to read more".

Given today's assurance from Meryl that she carefully considers the things she reads, I now must assume she had torn apart the detail of that article looking for flaws and, finding none, decided it was credible enough to recommend to her readers.

Here's an excerpt from the part of the Icke article that was posted on Meryl's blog [my bolding]...

"The word ‘evil’ is much overused and I don’t say it lightly; but we are dealing with evil in the sense that the word is the reverse of ‘live’. Those behind the conspiracy to cull the human population and turn the rest into little more than computer terminals are anti-life. They have no respect for it and no empathy with those who suffer the consequences of their actions, no matter how appalling."

Note that she posted the excerpt and link without one word of criticism which is what leads me to assume that she found it credible since she doesn't usually, in my experience, post links to things she disagrees with, without noting her disagreement.

The link on Meryl's blog post no longer works. The Pakistan Daily copy of the article has since moved to here. The original David Icke article, complete with the obligatory scary pictures, can be found on his website here.

Here's some more excerpts from the remainder of the Icke article that Meryl asked her readers to "read more" of...

The swine flu virus was created in a laboratory to generate mass panic with the specific intention of forcing everyone to have the vaccine. Problem-Reaction-Solution. This ‘natural’ swine flu virus apparently contains genes from humans, birds and pigs from several continents.

Only those at the core of the conspiracy, and those who bother to research it, know what the game is. ‘There is evidence that an international corporate criminal syndicate, which has annexed high government office at Federal and State level, is intent on carrying out a mass genocide against the people of the United States by using an artificial (genetic) flu pandemic virus and forced vaccine program to cause mass death and injury and depopulate America in order to transfer control of the United States to the United Nations and affiliated security forces (UN troops from countries such as China, Canada, the UK and Mexico).
 
Their vehicle is a secret society network structured like a transnational corporation. The operational headquarters is in Europe, in places like Rome, London, Paris, Brussels and Berlin. I refer to this as ‘the Spider’ and it dictates to the global web.

There are subsidiary networks of secret societies in every country that answer to the ‘Spider’. Their job is to control their country’s politics, banking, business, military, media, medicine, and so on, and introduce in their sphere of influence the global agenda dictated by the ‘Spider’. Those on the inner levels of this structure are collectively known as the ‘Illuminati’.

What we do know is that we are seeing a long-prepared plan for mass vaccination by people who could not care less about the health of the population. That says everything about the real motivation, but only those in the shadows know what the effect is designed to be.

While Meryl is concerned that research data may be "tainted" if the research is funded by industry, and is happy to outline her criticisms of vaccine research in blog posts and lengthy (and numerous) Facebook commentaries, she seems entirely unconcerned that David Icke might not be an entirely reliable source of medical advice.

So, one more reason why I don't much care what Meryl thinks of any given piece of research - 4: she apparently thinks David Icke, a man who believes the world is run by shape-shifting reptilian overlords, is credible. And remember, she thinks it's "very easy" to spot valid and invalid research.

If you've attended or are thinking of attending the AVN "seminars" in WA, ask yourself if you find any of the above conspiracy theory to be credible. If you share a belief that the world is run by lizard people, if you think vaccination is part of a global plot to turn us all into robots and kill us on demand, then by all means hand over your hard earned cash to Meryl. If not, buy your child something nice instead and get your medical information from responsible people who are qualified to give advice and who, usually, offer it for free.

AVN in WA: Pro-vax-safety, pro-doctor?

In an article in the Northern Star, Digby Hidreth writes...

"Ms Dorey stressed that the AVN was not an anti-vaccine organisation, but one that was "pro vaccine safety".

But in January this year, after a judge ordered that a child be immunised, in keeping with her father's wishes (but against the mother's), Meryl Dorey wrote on her Facebook page [my bolding]...

"Court orders rape of a child. Think this is an exaggeration? Think again. This is assault without consent and with full penetration too."

Given that Meryl Dorey apparently thinks that immunisation and rape are not merely analogous but actually one and the same thing, one wonders why she wouldn't be anti-vaccine? Is she not anti-rape? Is she simply an advocate for "pro rape safety"?

And then...

This week, in Cathy O'Leary's article in the West Australian, Meryl Dorey is quoted as saying  

"I always say to people to go to their doctor and get information but get the other side as well so they can make a real decision about whether to vaccinate,..."

And yet, when we go to the AVN Facebook page we find this...

"Zoe" commented: "Hi, are you able to direct me to some information on the tetanus vac? we have not vaccinated our 15 month old at all to date but we are starting to think about this vaccination as our son becomes more and more active. Thanks for your help."

Meryl replied: Hi Zoe - take a look at the AVN shop - there is an article there by Dr Kris Gaublomme on the tetanus vaccine that I think you will find helpful - it is available as a download.

And that reply, which has been summed up by others as "buy my stuff" is not unusual (the tetanus information, available freely elsewhere on the internet, had a price attached on the AVN website). THis is just on eexample from this month but I can't recall ever seeing a public recommendation from Ms Dorey that people should seek advice from actual doctors.

In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find that recommendation from any admin or AVN supporter on any AVN-controlled site (except for the mysterious "SB" who has herself been the subject of vilification on the AVN Facebook site as a result of her usually-rational comments) .

If Ms Dorey "always" says to go to your doctor, there seems to be very little evidence of this on the internet.

Meryl Dorey doesn't simply lack any qualifications in the area of vaccination, or medicine in general for that matter, but seems unsure of what her own message to parents is. After all, would she seriously support the choice of any parent who actually chose to have their child raped? I'd hope not.

AVN in WA: Simple facts in the media

Cathy O'Leary has written a simple and factual article in The West Australian about the Australian Vaccination Network's (AVN) return to WA.

"An anti-vaccination group that sparked a political row in Perth last year is back in WA charging parents $15 for its public forums.

The Australian Vaccination Network held meetings in Busselton and Perth this week and will hold others in Jurien Bay and Geraldton next week. Last year, the Uniting Church in Perth refused to let the NSW group use one of its halls and the State Library came under fire when it let the group use one of its buildings instead.

The NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing also stripped the group, based at Bangalow near Byron Bay, of its charity status after health authorities found its information was biased and said its website should state that its claims were not medical advice."

There's nothing demonstrably wrong in these opening paragraphs except, perhaps, that the OLGR's decision to strip the AVN of its charity status was as much about actual breaches of charity regulations as it was about the AVN's refusal to abide by an HCCC ruling.

The AVN's last visit was controversial. The church did refuse to let the group use its facilities. There were ructions about the State Library's decision to host the anti-vaccination "seminars". Health authorities did request that the AVN be up front about its anti-vaccination position and its lack of medical expertise. The AVN did ignore this advice. The OLGR did strip the AVN of its charity status and part of their decision was, apparently, based on the AVN's refusal to follow the HCCC's advice.

So, Cathy O'Leary has told it as it is. Naturally this has upset the AVN's Meryl Dorey who wrote on her Facebook page...

"More rabid anti-vaccine safety press from Cathy O'Leary of the West Australian. I would think that the hundreds of families whose children have been hospitalised because of a dangerous flu vaccine might have something to say about this?"

Perhaps Ms Dorey thinks Ms O'Leary should have just made up some different facts that paint the anti-vaccine group in a better light?

The article even included a comment from Ms Dorey who said "I always say to people to go to their doctor and get information but get the other side as well so they can make a real decision about whether to vaccinate,"...  whatever that means.

When I need my car repaired, I go to a mechanic. If I'm told my brakes need replacing, I either get the job done or, if I'm unwilling to trust the advice, I might seek further advice - from a different mechanic. If a long line of mechanics keep telling me my brakes need replacing should I assume a conspiracy because no one's giving me "the other side"?

Should I, perhaps, seek the advice of a farmer's wife who might charge me $15 to tell me all mechanics are out to make a profit and that they only promote the views of "big auto" and that I'd be better off not replacing my worn-out brakes because worn brakes are a natural part of the driving process and that people have died after having their brakes replaced?

I'm having a great deal of difficulty seeing how this would be a rational path to take with my car and yet some parents happily do it with their children's health. I don't get it.

Seriously, the AVN promote some pretty loopy ideas, from bizarrely unscientific advice about toxicology to lizard-people conspiracies. Far from being "rabid", I think Cathy O'Leary was all-too-generous to the AVN.



Five reasons not to vaccinate

AVN in WA: Cognitive Dissonance

In honour of Meryl Dorey's return to WA, I'm just going to repeat some things I've written before. I present them here in list form...

I often find myself bemused by the cognitive dissonance on regular display over at the AVN...

• They support people who deny germ theory but link to stories about doctors apparently spreading pertussis to patients.
  
• Also, despite an apparent disbelief that germs cause disease, they insist that sanitation and clean water is the real reason vaccine-preventable diseases were reduced.
  
• They claim modern medicine is good for emergency trauma cases whilst also claiming it is run by corrupt pharmaceutical companies who will happily maim and kill us all if there's a dollar to be made.
• They complain that health authorities are useless when it comes to controlling vaccine manufacturers like CSL, but happily "flip the bird" at health authorities when told to post warning notifices on their own website.
  
• They think the small amount of anecdotal evidence against vaccines outweighs the vast amounts of anecdotal evidence that vaccines are basically safe and work as advertised.
  
• They believe childhood diseases are a natural right of passage and that vaccines screw up the natural processes of immunity - but recommend homeoprophylaxis to supposedly help your children avoid catching these diseases.
  
• They don't believe in vaccine efficacy at all yet link to any stories which show a drop in vaccine efficacy - and they seem to think this supports their case.  
• They advise parents to "do your research" yet dismiss the evidence of people for whom research is their life.
  
• They note any historical correlation between any ailment and the development and roll-out of vaccines whilst ignoring other development timelines, such as electricity and electronics, motor transport and industrialisation in general, with similar correlation.
  
• They decry science as being imperfect ("science doesn't know everything" or "science isn't the only way of knowing") but readily point to any study that suggests even the tiniest weakness in vaccine use.
  
• They believe we're all pawns in some massive global conspiracy run by "the Illuminati" or some such, but openly discuss their views on the world-wide web using computers built by major corporations with software written by other major multi-billion dollar corporations.
  
• They believe that even the tiniest, trace amounts of known toxins are always toxic and never worth the "risk", but will happily recommend the consumption of hydrogen cyanide (apricot kernels) to "treat" cancer or "Traditional" Chinese "Medicines" that can contain toxic levels of heavy metals.
  
• They argue that vaccines have no impact on disease organisms whilst also arguing that vaccinations are causing those same organisms to mutate into resistant forms.
• They complain that doctors can't be trusted because they profit from vaccination - yet seem unconcerned that their much-beloved homeopaths, naturopaths, chiropractors and other alternative practitioners do not ply their trades for free. (Even the AVN charge for "information" that is quite often freely available elsewhere.)
• They argue that we are being damaged by modern medicine and that "traditional" remedies are superior without realising that countries where science-based medicine is the norm enjoy much better life expectancy.

How can anyone trust any sort of "information" a group like this might spread? I can't.

If you have any more examples of the ongoing dissonance at the AVN, drop a comment.

Are anti-vaccinationists stupid?

I've re-opened the blog for a short time in honour of Meryl Dorey's return visit to Western Australia.

Let's begin.

On her anti-vaccination Facebook page, Mery Dorey writes...

"Study after study show that the parents who refuse vaccines or vaccinate selectively are older, more highly educated and of a higher socio-economic status. Yet we are continually told we are stupid for making a choice that our own research says is right for our families!"

I sympathise with a parents who decide against vaccination as a result of reading mis-information on the internet. I don't think they're stupid, as such, just ill-informed. And there's a big difference.

For example, one could just as easily suggest that the people who invested in things like Firepower Fuel Pills were actually very educated, it's just unfortunate that the information they received was wrong. Firepower roped in a number of major sporting clubs and the Australian Government, including our defence forces. Clearly these were not uneducated slum-dwellers. Presumably there was some decent level of education and success - but they were still duped because they simply didn't understand the real science behind the claims being made for the product.

Similarly, people who have lost their life savings as a result of bad financial advice are not and were not stupid, they just suffered as a result of following bad advice.

So no, Meryl, the average parent who swallows your nonsense isn't stupid or uneducated, they are just placing their trust in the wrong sources. They become "stupid" for want of a better word, when they begin to evangelise their anti-vax faith and start claiming their knowledge of immunisation to be greater than that of the world's immunologists and doctors. That's pretty dumb.

“Court orders rape of a child. Think this is an exaggeration? Think again. This is assault without consent and with full penetration too.” [Meryl Dorey, January 2011, in response to a court order for a child to be vaccinated, in keeping with her father's wishes]