I can't even begin to wrap my head around the logic of The View bringing on someone whose resume highlights are Playboy model and a reckless anti-vaccine spokesperson onto their panel. I also can't begin to guess how much more damage that woman can do.
Before Jenny McCarthy told the world vaccines gave her son autism, she posed nude on the cover of magazines. And in those days, the rates of vaccination exemptions were small, as were the instances of illness due to preventable diseases.
Her impact has been immense.
An article this week in the Business Insider agrees. "Because of the anti-vaccine movement, including McCarthy's outspoken anti-vax stance, there has been an increase in vaccine exemptions over the last several years.
This has led to an upsurge in the rate of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially whooping cough (known as pertussis to doctors). A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2013 found that in New York State "counties with high exemptions had overall higher rates of reported pertussis."
Also, from the article, "If vaccinations were stopped, each year about 2.7-million measles deaths worldwide could be expected," according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)."
Jenny McCarthy read an article by a doctor who has since lost his license due to falsifying data about the link between vaccines and autism. The article had no validity at all, but her book about it and her publicity tours for it, and her trips to talk shows preaching the anti-vax gospel has caused irreparable damage. Long after that doctor and that study have been discredited, people still fear the 'dreaded MMR' because of that study, and, more specifically, because of Jenny McCarthy.
In spite of the fact that the study was discredited, and in spite of the fact Jenny McCarthy claims her son has been cured, she is still very vocal about her anti-vaccine stance.
Why is she getting a daily pulpit? How is that a good idea? Do we need more children to die of preventable diseases?
I highly doubt she's being brought on because of her value as a pin-up model. She's been brought on because she's controversial and ABC clearly wants ratings. But she is dangerous. People are scared of vaccines now. Some don't even know what they are scared anymore, but they are, because there is a negative association with vaccines, thanks to Jenny McCarthy.
Her cause needs to be silenced, not offered a national audience on a daily basis.
Vaccines save lives. In spite of what Jenny McCarthy wants to convince people. Science has proven her wrong. Repeatedly.
Jenny McCarthy offers more value as a former Playboy model than she does as a disseminator of any valuable information. But somehow I doubt she'll be talking about her days posing nude.
Written by Leslie Kennedy for BabyPost.com
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