Julia Belluz on anecdotes, context and the ‘lowest form’ of evidence
Toronto Public Health is adding its voice to a growing chorus of health agencies and advocates protesting the appointment of anti-vaccine crusader Jenny McCarthy as one of the hosts on the television show The View.
The View announced last week that McCarthy would replace right-wing host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on the daytime talk show. McCarthy is an actress and former Playboy bunny, but is perhaps best-known for her views that a vaccine triggered her son’s autism. There is no scientific link between vaccines and autism. (She also claims that a gluten-free, casein-free diet cured her son. There is no proven cure for autism.)
Toronto Public Health expressed its displeasure over McCarthy’s appointment in a tweet Monday morning, which included a link to an information graphic showing how potentially deadly diseases — including measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis and polio — have been nearly eradicated due to vaccines.
.@JennyMcCarthy anti-vaccine views = misinformation. Please ask @theviewtv to change their mind http://t.co/Qo8yAHoZSw
Skepticism over shots is making doctors more PR savvy
The number of celiacs has increased fourfold. Then there are all the newly gluten ‘sensitive.’
Suddenly, Asperger’s is the new ‘it’ disorder on screen and in fiction.