The movie Vaxxed, led by Dr. Andrew Wakefield, alleges that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials deliberately withheld research data showing that the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine causes autism in African-American baby boys . One of these officials, Dr. William Thompson, eventually became conscientious enough to inform the father of an autistic child, Dr. Brian Hooker, about how to obtain copies of the suppressed research findings. He described to Dr. Hooker the steps taken at the CDC to blatantly suppress statistical evidence for the causal role of the MMR vaccine in autism. Essentially, Dr. Thompson contends that he and his superiors at the CDC published manipulated data obtained by selectively excluding African-American children for whom birth certificates were not available. Reducing the number of children counted made the remaining data statistically insignificant. Published data was further discounted by suggesting that several African-American baby boys were vaccinated before 36 months of age simply to qualify for additional social services. This would have reduced the likelihood of autism being diagnosed in those who received the MMR vaccine after 36 months of age.

According to the film, CDC staff were willing to manipulate the data despite knowing that the MMR vaccine would cause future children to become autistic. Essentially, they deliberately decided to hide the MMR’s link to autism. This disregard for identifying a cause of autism was used to help discredit Dr. Wakefield’s earlier suggestions of such a link. The continued occurrence of autism in African-American children was apparently more acceptable than the possibility of casting doubt on the CDC’s prior assurance of vaccine safety. The CDC’s actions were also intended to protect the profits of Merck, the maker of the MMR vaccine. This additional motivation was personal greed, as a profitable industry could provide financial rewards; for example, in subsequent employment opportunities. In fact, one of the supposed villains on the CDC staff was, in fact, recruited for a very high position at Merck.

Autism is a global tragedy for affected children and their parents. It is a somewhat callous act on the part of the film’s producer and director to prey on the emotions of parents by suggesting that their son’s illness had been knowingly perpetrated by government officials. Why not tell it like it is: that government officials are simply not up to the task of evaluating aspects of vaccine safety? Aside from Dr. Thompson, it can be more realistically assumed that CDC staff do not inherently believe that the MMR vaccine causes autism. Also, why not further admit that the movie doesn’t satisfactorily explain autism? This might reduce your return on investment, but it would surely be more considerate of the emotional well-being of parents of autistic children. Less deception in the film will also help minimize the criticism evoked by various mainstream researchers and journalists against various obviously flawed statements in the film. Typically, these mainstream spokespeople also know relatively little about the fine details of vaccines or autism, but the film’s one-sided bias is likely to dissuade them from open and honest discussion.

The unsubstantiated accusations within the film also provide autism conspiracy theorists with a topic of the day to rant to their followers. These commentators profit from controversy and polarization and do little to objectively address the real underlying issues. Instead of helping to modulate comments on the film, they may further inflame public anger and hostility toward the CDC. These commentators can cause people with impaired reasoning and emotional control to engage in violence against people accused of causing autism. This would be a sad price for seeking ratings and increasing attendance for the film.

I first met Dr. Wakefield during his presentation to the House Government Reform Committee chaired by Congressman Dan Burton in April 2000. In fact, I walked the halls with him after his presentation and described three reasons why I thought your conclusions were wrong. I was able to attend an accompanying social function and provided my analysis to two of the people who had helped organize the congressional hearing. They weren’t really interested in my opinion, but they were in awe of Dr. Wakefield’s marquis value. They were focused on how they would personally benefit from his performance and how soon they could deliver financial rewards to others. The outcome of the autistic children seemed secondary.

Subsequently, I spoke with Dr. Wakefield at various meetings both in the United States and abroad. I consider him a friend and colleague who has been unfairly punished by a stubborn medical establishment. I also put it in one of the functions of the film. Vaxxed. As I explained again to Dr. Wakefield, I strongly believe that the main basis of vaccine damage in infants is previous infection of the infant with a sneakily adapted viral infection. The infection is acquired from the mother during pregnancy. While the cellular immune system does not normally respond to stealth-adapted viruses, it can if the immune system becomes overly activated by vaccines. Both sneakily adapted and conventional viruses can be suppressed through a non-immunological alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway. This pathway is mediated by a dynamic (kinetic) quality of body fluids. It may seem that it is improved through the consumption of activated water. Consideration of these issues is much more constructive than an exaggerated movie about the essentially pointless manipulation of data in a CDC study.

It would be worth it, if the vested interest in the movie could help lead to a better public understanding of stealth-adapted viruses. CDC officials have shied away from stealth-adapted viruses primarily because of unequivocal evidence that some were derived from the monkey cytomegalovirus used to produce polio vaccines. This issue is made even more complex by the likely role of stealth-adapted viruses in the formation of HIV, the AIDS virus. However, there is a distinction between the CDC not wanting to explore past government mistakes and actively inflicting autism on innocent babies.

Politics and commercial interests have meddled with public health organizations, including the CDC. Responsibility for public health problems has largely been relegated to committees, which lack the will to tackle innovative research that challenges the status quo. Autism is a stealthily adapted viral infection, for which the administration of potent vaccines may be inappropriate. Means are potentially available to suppress stealthy adapted viruses and these should be evaluated immediately with the help of parents. For more information, contact W. John Martin, MD, PhD. at [email protected]