Newsweek Story Continues Shelf Life
Newsweek’s cover story on Oprah Winfrey has continued to attract attention this week. High profile blogs such as Daily Kos continue to berate Oprah’s coverage of health issues while newspapers including the Toronto Star have run opinion pieces on the issue.
Dr. Deepak Chopra defended Oprah on his Huffington Post blog. He opines, “Patients aren’t supposed to know more than their physicians. The fact that they often do, at least insofar as alternative treatment goes, is both a sign of hope and cause for distress.” Respectful Insolence blogger Orac has shot back, calling Chopra’s alternative treatments, “not science-based. It’s mystical, prescientific superstition.”
Newsweek has also published a mixed bag of letters responding to the article.
NVAC Feasibility Study Stirs Interest
Last week, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee recommended an independent third party conduct a feasibility study on whether a vaccinated versus unvaccinated children study could be conducted. This decision has sparked some interest among activists online.
Both David Kirby and Dr. Bob Sears have responded to the announcement. While Kirby viewed the announcement “as a healthy sign of a responsive — and responsible - government,” Dr. Sears was less inclined to believe it was a step in the right direction. “Finally, after years of public pressure, the government has agreed to do the research,” he wrote. “Maybe.”
Coverage of Pertussis Exemption Study Continues
A Pediatrics piece examining the rate of whooping cough in children who are not immunized against the disease has continued to garner coverage this week. The New York Times wrote a brief summary for their “Vital Signs” segment while medical ethicist Dr. Janet D. Stemwedel questions whether “vaccine refuseniks are free-riders.”
NEJM Features Vaccine Court
This week, the New England Journal of Medicine ran two pieces on the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Dr. Ross D. Silverman’s article looks at the importance of childhood immunizations and the various mechanisms that have been created in order to ensure immunization rates remain high. Ms. Alexandra M. Stewart takes a deeper dive on the recent Omnibus Autism Proceedings decision, summarizing the verdicts and next steps for Petitioners.
Dr. Harvey Karp on Huffington Post
The Huffington Post, home to regular bloggers such as David Kirby and Dr. Jay Gordon, has posted an excellent piece by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp. The article is the first of three, all of which examine the arguments of vaccine refusers and the reasons why their fears are unfounded. We will continue to follow this series as it is published.
Rotavirus Vaccine Recommended by WHO
The World Health Organization has officially recommended that every child in the world receive the rotavirus vaccine. A universal vaccination program could save the lives of half a million children around the world. The announcement means that donations can now be used to purchase and administer the vaccine.