From some of the boys in the UK re: Hear The Silence & Their press release BEFORE the show

[Guest guest]

My contact sent me these

From some of the mmr-can-do-no-wrong boys in the UK re: Hear The Silence &

Their press release BEFORE the show

Glen Aston [mailto:glen@...]

Sent: 15 December 2003 12:42

(greetings all)

Two points:

1. I know that you would do nothing lightly in terms of protecting

children's health, and I say again that I do not wish to criticize either

of the authors (whom I greatly respect) for an excellent letter. My point

about " significant " , however, was not what *we* mean by it, but what

others understand by it. I tried the phrase out on a journalist (yes, an

anecdotal report coming up!), whose unprompted response was that it meant

that MMR vaccination was indeed linked with autism, albeit uncommonly. That

is why I went on to suggest alternatives for the future such as " there is

no evidence for, and a great deal of evidence against... " .

2. I'm not clear if your statement " the implication that some of us were

'persuaded' not to take part is inaccurate " refers to my own previous plea

to members to consider carefully before agreeing to take part in the debate

and my own appreciation of the fact that some, like , had refused to

do so. If so, then I did not intended to " persuade " people; I do not see it

as my role to persuade colleagues, least of all you , who will make up

their own minds independently (as you say). But it has always seemed to me

that one of the real values of our professional e-groups is the chance to

make points openly and for debate and consideration. If professional

comment on our own website is interpreted by its own members as

persuasion then we shall, as I think you imply, be bordering on

conspiracy theory.

Regards

.

*******

-----Original Message-----

From: English [mailto:peter_english@...]

Sent: 15 December 2003 20:18

I think is right about the word " significant " . In the letter it

really does (in ordinary, as opposed to scientific English) make it seem as

if we might be saying that there is a link, but that it's not, in our

opinion (and in some quarters doctors are not perceived as humble!), very

important. This allows others to disagree about the importance... 's

way of putting it is much clearer.

English

Surrey, UK

**********

We agonise over whether the omission or inclusion of a single word is

correct on scientific, semantic, cultural and who knows what other grounds;

they dont appear to give a shit what they say, nor to have a care of any

implications or consequences, nor of their utterances relationship to any

evidence or (is this a polemic too far?) to any objective truth. Is this

why so many so-called opinion formers* prefer their slapdash claims to

our hard-won evidence?

* often humanities graduates educated beyond their ability to think.

Dr Reynolds

CCDC Herefordshire Health Protection

Belmont Abbey, Hereford HR2 9RP

01432 344344

mailto:gary.reynolds@...

gary.reynolds@...