News Exercise #277

1 What is the main reason for the measles vaccine seeming less important to some people?
2 What hypothesis was wrongly put forward, leading to the misunderstanding of vaccines, and how did the professional community react to it?
3 What was the official measles situation in 2000?
4 What is the social media problem?
5 What has the estimated effect of the vaccine?

Answers:
1 What is the main reason for the measles vaccine seeming less important to some people?
It is “a product of its own success”, meaning that as it has been so successful, people no longer see the bad effects of measles, and then think that measles isn’t a problem.
2 What hypothesis was wrongly put forward, leading to the misunderstanding of vaccines, and how did the professional community react to it?
Twenty years ago, someone (actually David Wolfe) wrote an article connecting the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)vaccine with autism. The vast majority of scientists and medics have done lots of research to show that there is no link.
3 What was the official measles situation in 2000?
The CDC (Center for Disease COntrol) announced measles eradicated.
4 What is the social media problem?
Many parents may only be hearing the skeptical voice put out over SM, and not hearing the medical expert opinions.
5 What has the estimated effect of the vaccine?
The WHO said that it has saved about 20,000,000 lives in the last two decades.