Integrity and Honesty, Part 2

J.B. Handley

Integrity and honesty are pretty important to me. If someone gives their word about something, I expect them to keep it. If, through no fault of their own, they fail to follow through on their word, that's one thing. But if they make a promise to do (or not do) something and then break that promise, well, let's just say that it does not reflect well upon them. Even worse when that breach of trust comes amidst other comments that demonstrate a disregard for ethical conduct.

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt unless I have really good evidence otherwise. Even if I disagree with someone, my first response, in general, is to assume that they have good intentions and mean well. Perhaps it's a naive approach, but I would rather approach others how I would like to be approached. I don't want to be prejudged, so I try not to do so to others. But that can only last so long in the face of contradicting evidence.

Such is the case recently with J.B. Handley, founder of Generation Rescue.

Report on MN Measles Outbreak from IDSA

Several weeks ago, from October 20-23, Boston, MA played host to the 49th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). This conference gives physicians, scientists and other health care professionals an opportunity to continue learning about the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, as well as to connect with colleagues from around the country. The conference presents speaker sessions, poster presentations, exhibits and networking opportunities.

One of the poster presentations at IDSA covered the measles outbreak in Minnesota earlier this year. Presented by several members of the Minnesota Department of Health (lead author, Pamela Gahr, MPH, Cynthia Kenyon, MPH, David Boxrud, MS, Karen White, MPH and Ruth Lynfield, MD) and Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health (Erica Bagstad, MS, MPH), the poster offered a closer look into how and why measles was able to spread, as well as insight into some of the difficulties involved in investigating and controlling the outbreak.

Censored on Best of Age of Autism: Paul Offit and the Original Sin

A while back, JB Handley made a deal. He bet that if the author Sullivan over at Left Brain/Right Brain was not Bonnie Offit, wife of Dr. Paul Offit, he would never write about Dr. Offit again.

Well, it seems he is, at the very least, passively violating that agreement, as evidenced by a new post up at Age of Autism titled "Best of Age of Autism: Paul Offit and the Original Sin". If Handley has any integrity, as one of the editors/contributors at Age of Autism, he will take the post down. I've left a comment over there to that effect, which I copy here:

Click to enlarge.

Readers, head on over there and let yourselves be heard. Be sure to save a copy of any comments you leave, which you can post here. If you do comment there, however, be sure to follow their commenting policy, so that they have no real excuse to moderate your comment out of existence.

Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

An argument that is heard with near light speed rapidity in discussions of anti-vaccine sentiments is "I'm not anti-vaccine. I'm pro-safe vaccine." This typically comes either immediately following or preceding a diatribe about how evil and dangerous vaccines are. The speaker/author generally declaims how every vaccine is dangerous and God forbid they should ever subject their child to such monstrous poisons (in their eyes). Present them with a series of vaccines and, more likely than not, they will describe some issue which, in their opinion, makes the vaccine "not safe," rendering it anathema. While they are not, in their words, "anti-vaccine," they are "anti-all-currently-used-vaccines."

Whatever. Tomato, tomahto. I'm not going to argue semantics. Instead, I'm issuing a challenge to anyone who says they are "not anti-vaccine, but pro-safe vaccine" (as if those who support vaccines are pro-dangerous vaccine). It is really a simple thing: don't just talk the talk; walk the walk.

Help! I have Polio!

I thought it was just after effects of exercising. I figured that I would be fine, that I would recover without any ill effects. In fact, I thought that my health would improve a fair bit overall: improve strength and stamina, more flexibility, improved balance. That's what I expected. But then I started doing some research and that's when I found out: I have polio. I mean, I have polio-like symptoms:

• Headaches
• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Muscle tenderness
• Fatigue

Based on this, I must clearly have polio. I mean, there is no meaningful distinction between "polio" and "polio-like symptoms." A recently published study by Holland, et al. (PDF), in the Pace Environmental Review stated the same thing for autism:

there is no meaningful difference between "autism" and "autism-like symptoms." (p. 493)

Now, there are some who might argue that there is a distinction, medically speaking, between polio and polio-like symptoms, but they are clearly held in the grip of Big Pharma^TM. Don't let them fool you. I know I have polio because I have polio-like symptoms. And since there is no meaningful distinction between the terms "polio" and "polio-like symptoms," then the only possible answer is that the cause of my distress is nothing else but polio. I'm sure the folks at Age of Autism will back me up on this one.

So, if you have any of the symptoms above, start planning out your last days, because you, my friend, have polio.
____________________________________
It should go without saying that all of the above is satire. But, just in case someone didn't get it, it's satire! I do not have polio. Do not take any of the above as medical advice. If you have medical questions, ask your doctor instead of going by some faceless text on the internet.

Integrity and Honesty

There have been several updates since I originally wrote up this post. Please scroll to the end for the final word on the matter.

Integrity and honesty. Two traits that everyone should strive to obtain. I put quite a bit of value on them. If someone says they will do something, they should do it. They should not lie about it, nor should they weasel out of a promise made. It speaks volumes about a person if they do not deal with others honestly or keep their word. Such actions make them untrustworthy. If you cannot trust someone in relatively small matters, then it becomes difficult to trust them with larger matters. This is particularly important when it comes to dealing with businessmen who have managed equity investments and specialize in mergers and acquisitions. You would expect them to honor their contracts.

There was one person in whom I really did want to see a glimmer of integrity and honesty. Despite his callous, abrasive nature, I really did hope that when he made a promise, he would keep it. I'm speaking, of course, about Generation Rescue and Age of Autism's Mr. Jonathan B. Handley.

Got to Hand It to JB

Two days ago, I posted that Sullivan, from Left Brain/Right Brain, had outed himself, letting the world know his real name. I also mentioned that Age of Autism's J. B. Handley had made a promise last November that, if Sullivan turned out not to be Bonnie Offit, as Handley opined, that J. B. would hand over ownership of the domain name www.pauloffit.com and never utter Dr. Paul Offit's name ever again, nor even to write about him.

Well, at 5:44 am today, April 29, 2011, J. B. Handley posted on Age of Autism, stating that he will keep his word and hand over the web site. He also went so far as to say that, while he does not understand why Sullivan "reveres" Dr. Offit, he will not go after Mr. Carey, since he is also a parent of an autistic child. You can head over to Age of Autism to read Handley's words. But, just in case, I also grabbed a screen shot (after the break). At any rate, J. B., if you read this, just wanted to say thanks for keeping your word and having some integrity. I still think you're rather crass and something of a bully, but at least in this, you showed some honor.

An Outing at IMFAR

The International Meeting For Autism Research, or IMFAR, is coming up pretty soon. May 12-14, to be precise, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, CA. This will be the eleventh year for the conference, where Autism Spectrum Disorder researchers will gather from around the world. Much like other specialty conferences, IMFAR gives scientists an opportunity to share their ASD findings with colleagues and to promote further research. Researchers submit their abstracts and, if selected, present them to attendees.

One such abstract is scheduled to be presented at 9:00am on Friday, May 13. The presentation is titled Parent Reported Status and Expectations for Their Autistic Student Children: An Analysis of the 2007 National Household Education Survey, presented by M. J. Carey.

A Limerick

Presented without commentary (I have a more traditional version, but I thought I'd keep things clean for here):

There once was a guy named J.B.
Whose rants are too painful to see.
...Since he can't fight the science,
...On ad homs he's reliant;
His morals declared bankruptcy.

Climbing Numbers in Minnesota Measles Outbreak

Note: For further updates on the numbers, follow the post Minnesota Measles Outbreak by the Numbers: A Timeline.

Update: As of the morning of April, 2011, the total cases are up to 15. See the link above for the total numbers. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 12 of the cases are linked to the index case of the infant who acquired the measles infection in Kenya. One case was infected in Florida, and one person was infected in India.

Update: As of the morning of March 30, 2011, there have been 14 confirmed cases of measles in Minnesota. The latest case is a 51-year-old of unknown vaccination status. For those keeping track, there have been, to date, 5 infants too young to be vaccinated, 6 children old enough to be vaccinated but who were not and 3 people (two adults) with unknown vaccination history. Of the 14 confirmed cases, 8 have been hospitalized.

Update: On the afternoon of March 29, 2011, the outbreak has reached 13 confirmed cases, and 2 more have been hospitalized. The newest case was too young to be vaccinated. The totals are now: 5 too young to be vaccinated, 6 of age for the vaccine but not vaccinated and 2 of unknown vaccination status. A total of 8 have been hospitalized.

Update: As of March 28, 2011, there are 12 confirmed cases of measles in Minnesota. Four children were too young to be vaccinated, 6 were old enough but were not vaccinated and two have unknown vaccination status. There have been 6 hospitalizations so far.

Update: On March 25, 2011, the MDH stated that the total number of hospitalizations in the outbreak has risen from 5 to 6. Thankfully, there are still no deaths.

Update: As of this afternoon, MDH has reported an 11th case of measles in a 35-year-old. The latest case has unknown vaccination status.

This morning, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) updated their information page on the current measles outbreak. Since February, there have been ten confirmed cases of measles in the Minneapolis area. According the the MDH, the outbreak most likely began when an infant returned from a trip to Kenya. The infant, too young to be vaccinated, had contracted the infection. Since then, it has spread to nine others. The ages of the children range from 4 months to 4 years.

I decided to look at the history of measles cases in Minnesota. Thankfully, the MDH has a handy table and links to the details of past outbreaks.

More Cases of Measles in Minnesota, 3 of 4 Hospitalized

UPDATE: On Wednesday, 3/23/11, a 10th case of measles has been confirmed in Minnesota. Like 4 of the other cases, the latest was in a child old enough to be vaccinated but had not been. The current tally is: 4 too young to be vaccinated, 5 old enough but unvaccinated and 1 of unknown vaccination status. Half of the cases have been hospitalized and there are, as yet, no deaths from this outbreak.

UPDATE: On Tuesday, 3/22/11, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that the measles outbreak now includes 9 cases. 4 in children too young to have received the vaccine, 4 in children old enough, but who had not been vaccinated and 1 whose vaccination status is unknown. To date, 5 of the 9 have been hospitalized, but are recovering.

UPDATE: On Monday, 3/21/11, a seventh case of measles, in a 7-month-old, was confirmed. That brings the tally to 3 too young to be vaccinated, 3 old enough but unvaccinated due to fear and 1 with unknown vaccination status.

UPDATE: According to the Star Tribune today, March 18, 2011, the total number of cases is up to six. Three are Somali children. Two of the six were too young to be vaccinated. Four of the six have been hospitalized.

Last Friday, one week ago, I wrote about a Minnesota infant contracting measles. That child, too young to be immunized, was hospitalized. In that post, I also called out Dr. Jay Gordon who, on his own web site, states that he does not give or recommend the MMR vaccine. Well, in the past week, three more cases of measles have been reported in Minnesota. Two of the three new cases, like the initial case, were also hospitalized.

And now it looks like I'm going to have to call out Age of Autism's J.B. Handley and disgraced gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, because two of the latest cases are in the Somali community. Two children who, although old enough to be vaccinated, were not because of the fears that Handley and Wakefield fueled in their parents. Two children in a community with declining vaccination rates, thanks to the callous and flat-out wrong nonsense spouted by Handley and his ilk.

Four kids, one too young to be vaccinated, two unvaccinated because of fear of the vaccine and one of unknown vaccination status. Four children, three hospitalized.

Some people, like the aforementioned Dr. Gordon, would suggest that four cases is nothing to worry about, that it is not an outbreak:

The problem here is that we shouldn't be seeing any cases of measles in the U.S. We have an extremely effective (95% or higher) and safe product to prevent measles. Not only that, but measles only infects humans, which means that if enough people worldwide are vaccinated, then, like with smallpox, we would no longer need to use the vaccine.

However, until measles is eradicated worldwide, then, as I've said before, a new infection is just a plane ride away. People like J.B. Handley, Wakefield and the goons at Age of Autism and pediatricians who should know better and do a grave disservice to their patients, like Dr. Gordon, must stop. Through their actions, they promote outbreaks like the ones in Boston and Minnesota. Although currently small, these cases could almost certainly have been prevented through vaccination, either of the children themselves or, in the case of the infant too young to be vaccinated, of those around the kids. Behavior such as suggesting the erroneous notion that vaccines cause autism or actively choosing to tell people that the risks of vaccines outweigh the benefits, despite mountains of scientific evidence to the contrary, is not only reckless and irresponsible, it is abhorrent and despicable.

Vaccinate your children. Protect them, their friends, their families and everyone around them. Do what is right.

Update: Just to put this in perspective, in the past 5 years, there have been six cases of measles. In the past week, there have been 4 6 cases. Let me repeat that: in the past 5 years, only 6 cases; in the past week, 4 6 cases. Got that, Dr. Jay "4 cases is an outbreak?" Gordon?

Update 3/21/11: If there was any doubt that Dr. Gordon displays an amazing level of callousness, he had this to say about the Minnesota measles outbreak and how an outbreak is defined:

Yep, taking "a few extra cases" seriously is "pointless." Stay classy, Dr. Gordon. I'm sure the families of those 6 kids think that it's pointless to take the outbreak seriously.

Autism in Certain Minnesota Populations

Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes (quite a misnomer, as there are significantly more than 10K lakes), the land of sky-blue waters. Many people have the idea that Minnesota is a frozen wasteland, where people wear parkas year round and say "Ya, sure" a lot. The movie Fargo went rather far in perpetuating these myths. Well, I guess I can't argue with the "Ya, sure" bit, but the weather in Minnesota can be downright brutally hot in the summer. Overall, though, the seasons are pleasant and bearable if you know how to dress for them. It has a thriving music and theatre scene, as well.

The people are generally nice, too. But there is something about the population that most out-of-staters (and possibly even some Minnesotans) might not know. Minnesota is home to a rather significant Somali community.

I am Bonnie Offit!! - Followup

There has been quite a response to JB Handley's ill-conceived rant over at AoA, titled Is Paul Offit's Wife Internet Troll/Autism Father "Sullivan"?. Quite a number of bloggers have taken up the "I am Bonnie Offit" mantel. A list of them can be found over at I Speak of Dreams.

Almost all of the responses have mentioned many of the same points, as summarized by this comment that, amazingly, made it past the editors at AoA:

I am Bonnie Offit!!

Yes, It's true. I am, in reality, the wife of Dr. Paul Offit. JB Handley, one of the heads of Generation Rescue and Age of Autism, has put forth a challenge to blogger Sullivan, accusing him of actually being me in a post titled "Is Paul Offit's Wife Internet Troll/Autism Father 'Sullivan'?" In response, other bloggers, like Orac and Kev Leitch have tried to claim that they are me, but don't be fooled. I've finally decided to come clean, to keep Sullivan from unwarranted attacks.

How did this all start, though?

Censored on Paul Offit, Rotateq, Pig Viruses, and the Rest of the World

If you have made comments on the Age of Autism article Paul Offit, Rotateq, Pig Viruses, and the Rest of the World, please copy your comment here, including the date and time you posted at AoA.

For more information on the FDA's actions, see Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting Background Material: Porcine Circovirus and Rotavirus Vaccines.

Show to Watch - FRONTLINE: The Vaccine War

Quite a number of years ago, in 1993, the PBS program Frontline took on the scam known as Facilitated Communication (FC), a technique by which a facilitator supposedly helps children with autism communicate via a keyboard, but in reality completely author the messages produced. FC had become quite popular in the autism community because now the children were supposedly composing poetry, writing essays and telling their parents, "I love you". However, it came under scrutiny when allegations of physical and sexual abuse began surfacing. The resulting fallout ruined many families, as parents faced jail time based on the messages written by the facilitators. Frontline exposed the sham in their episode "Prisoners of Silence" (Here is Part 1 of the program).

Tomorrow, they will delve into the autism world once again, this time focusing on "The Vaccine War". The episode is scheduled to air tomorrow, April 27, 2010. Others have already commented on the press release and video clips, so I'll just let them give you a taste of the preview. If Frontline's past reporting is any indication, this will certainly be an episode to watch.

JB Handley on Censorship

Over at Respectful Insolence, Age of Autism's JB Handley made an appearance. In one of his comments, he explained why comments are censoredmoderated at Age of Autism. He had this to say:

And, Orac, the reason they screen posts at AoA is so that parents of children with autism have a safe environment to talk within. If they wanted debate, they can come to your lovely blog, so we all serve our little purposes, keep up the good work.

Now, I have not received any word back on why I have apparently been banned from commenting by Age of Autism. I guess my comments, which are all copied here, created an "unsafe" environment. From what I've seen of the treatment of new commenters over there, I don't think the parents need any manner of protection.

In fact, take a look at some of the comments that followed Handley's over at Respectful Insolence. There are parents of autistic children who feel quite insulted by Handley's patronizing explanation.

Here's my translation of Handley's statement:

And, Orac, the reason they screen posts at AoA is so that people that like to promote their near-religious belief that vaccines cause autism have a safe echo chamber to talk within. If they wanted reality, they can come to your lovely blog, so we all serve our little purposes, keep up the good work.

At any rate, you heard it from Handley himself. If your comment is censored, it's because you are a threat to the safe, warm fuzzy environment for parents of children with autism who cannot handle disagreement.

Censored on Dr. Steven Novella Makes The Case for Vaccine Autism Link...By Mistake

If you have made comments on the Age of Autism article Dr. Steven Novella Makes The Case for Vaccine Autism Link...By Mistake, please copy your comment here, including the date and time you posted at AoA.

Censored on J.B. Handley: Show Me The Monkeys

If you have made comments on the Age of Autism article J.B. Handley: Show Me The Monkeys, please copy your comment here, including the date and time you posted at AoA.