Friday, February 27, 2015

Dr. Wakefield Goes to Oregon...or Not.

This week, I was astounded to read that Dr. Andrew Wakefield, he of the thoroughly debunked "vaccines cause autism" fame, had been called to testify before the Oregon State Legislature.  The bill in question would ban parents from requesting non-medical vaccination exemptions, and Wakefield was called as an expert consultant presumably in support of the dissenting position.  Except that he will not be allowed to testify.  

Courtesy of We Love GMOs and Vaccines

Though alternative explanations were given, I'm going to (perhaps cynically) agree with my colleagues at We Love GMOs and Vaccines: they realized who -and what- Wakefield is, and declined further interaction.  Well spotted, State of Oregon.   

Monday, February 2, 2015

It Turns Out that Calling People Idiots is Ineffective

A friend of mine recently suggested that perhaps humor was a good way to do a little scientific education and outreach.  Lecturing is too "professorial" (perhaps not unexpected from the likes of me, though); presenting quick nuggets of data appears ineffective.  Making people laugh while educating?  That could work.  Jon Stewart's viewers routinely score best on random current events polls, so maybe there's something to it.  I was thus excited to see that The New Yorker published a comic about the recent measles outbreak


Courtesy of The New Yorker

I'm sure you could all guess my opinion of parents who eschew vaccines.  However, I think it far more important that children do not get sick.  This?  This will not change the mind of anyone on the fence.  This is why we Northeasterners are reputed as being rude.  Did I do a spit-take laugh upon reading it?  Maybe.  But it doesn't help.  Opportunity missed, guys: you could have cracked people up AND changed minds with a different approach.  No ever changed anyone's mind by calling them an idiot.  You would think The New Yorker would be aware of that.  I mean, what are you guys?  A bunch of... never mind.