Over the weekend, I went to see VAXXED down at the Angelika Film Center here in New York City. What I saw when watching VAXXED was not some anti-vaccine propaganda, rather a well-constructed display of corruption at the CDC. The film follows Dr. Brian Hooker as he gets access to original CDC data via a whistleblower from inside the organization, Dr. William Thompson. Dr. Thompson alleges a conspiracy of incredible proportions; destruction of documents, obstruction of justice, and grievous harm inflicted upon children are just a few of the crimes this film suggests occurred. When you see it for yourself, and compare the evidence to the testimony of parents who have autistic kids, you just can't help but ask yourself, 'are we being lied to?'
We also see first-hand the symptoms of autism up-close, from the parents' perspective. Throughout the film, you hear again and again: 'my child was normal, healthy, and happy until he got his 12-month immunizations.' There was even one case, a pair of twins, where the first twin had such a terrible reaction that the mother pulled them out of there. The boy who received the shots ended up severely autistic and the girl who didn't get vaccinated is a straight-A student who plays classical piano.
Overall, I thought the film was powerful. It showed how pharmaceutical industry executives, academics, and regulators are all filled from the same pool of people and how those people move between each sector with ease. There was even one lady (Dr. Julie Gerberding) who was head of the CDC during the 'definitive' (read as fraudulent) CDC study that 'disproved' the MMR-Autism link and guess where she works now? She's head of Merck's Vaccine Division.
We also learn about 'Vaccine Court,' which is where parents who believe their children were damaged by vaccines go to sue for compensation, but they can't sue the manufacturer due to a piece of 1986 legislation that says taxpayers foot the bill, not pharmaceutical companies. Thanks to this fraudulent study, autistic spectrum disorders cannot be blamed on the MMR, saving taxpayers around 3 trillion dollars in compensation which would be owed to these families IF the MMR-Autism link was proven.
The film also presents the counter-argument that vaccines are all safe, effective, and should be given regularly. Perhaps one of the most compelling points in the film is when two pediatricians, who both appeared in public regularly to promote vaccination, were given the redacted data from the CDC and a chance to review it. The change in their perspectives was interesting, to say the least.
Have kids? Go see VAXXED!
which is why the industry getting it banned at the festival, or rather 'pulled', might be better advertising for it than allowing it to be shown there... this is a common mistake by the establishment, as force is their first and favorite means of attacking those that don't do what you want them to do.