Conspiracies will kill dogs

IT waS twenty years ago that the (now discredited) Doctor andrew wakefield claimed a link between human vaccination and autism.

In an article published in the highly-respected Lancet medical journal, he put forward (now discredited) “evidence” that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination was causing autism in children.

In fact, many of the patients in his “study” were actually litigants in a claim against the manufacturers of the vaccine and his “research” was funded by the same group.

Ultimately, Doctor Wakefield was struck off for his coercion but mud, as they say, sticks.

It is only now that vaccination levels in children have climbed back up to their pre-1998 levels.

Recent discussions about the issue have caused the National Autistic Society to issue a statement saying: “There is no link between autism and vaccines.”

Can you magine if there had been Facebook and the internet as we know it in 1998? How quickly would Dr Wakefield’s utterly unethical nonsense have gone viral?

How many people with no knowledge of vaccines, immunology or autism would have pressed “comment” and added their tuppenceworth?

Unfortunately, this is happening with canine vaccination.

Out of the woodwork have appeared delusional individuals who have decided, in their eminent wisdom, that their poorly trained pet has become autistic as a result of vaccination.

Let’s be clear, the British Veterinary Association stated unequivocally that there is “no scientific evidence to suggest autism in dogs or a link between vaccination and autism”.

I have little doubt many of the 700,000 people affected by the developmental disorder will be deeply offended on two counts. First, to suggest that autism is a condition that can be contracted and, second, to suggest it can be compared to the aberrant behaviour of some dogs.

In my opinion, to do so is insulting.

But it will happen.

The outcome is inevitable.

Parvovirus will rear its ugly head. Leptospirosis will debilitate and kill. And vaccinations, which have done so much good across the world, will continue to be the whipping boy of the conspiracy theorists.