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Private Practice Speaks for CDC

post #1 of 33
1/9/09 at 2:46am
Thread Starter 
I'm in shock after watching tonight's episode of Private Practice. It's about a child bringing measles into a medical clinic. Parents who don't vaccinate are called child abusers and portrayed as pariahs. Measles is shown to be a serious disease, and in the episode a child dies from measles, something that is rare, happening once in every 5000 cases. Being that the total number of US measles cases in 2007 was 42, the likelihood of seeing a measles death is extremely rare, especially for school-aged children. A doctor forcibly vaccinates the child's brother for measles in the show, against the will of his mother. One of the parents who doesn't vaccinate is dowdy and slightly hysterical; the other a drug addict. The show breeds a dangerously vicious intolerance for freedom on conscience and acts as a mouthpiece for the CDC. Is it any coincidence that the CDC is holding a meeting in Ashland, Oregon this Saturday because 30% of the kindergartners are not vaccinated for measles. This topic has been all over MSNBC. An article in Discover said that the number of measles cases had dramatically risen from 2007 to 2008 and was at its highest level in more than a decade. According to the CDC, 63 of the 131 new cases of measles from January to July 2008 were among those unvaccinated. The majority of the cases (68), however were among those vaccinated. That wasn't mentioned in the article and is never addressed. It just doesn't make sense that unvaccinated kids put vaccinated kids at risk as long as the vaccines themselves are effective. I find it particularly amusing, if it weren't so tragic, that the show was about measles, a mild disease that my friends and I all had as children. The portrayal of the disease in the show is far from the truth. When will the CDC learn that they will not persuade intelligent parents with fear and awe, but only when they acknowledge the validity of our concerns?
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post #2 of 33
1/9/09 at 12:15pm

Terrible show

I was horrified by the show as well. Unfortunately I bet it scared a lot of parents. It scared me and bothered me just before I went to sleep last night, even though I know better. I could not believe that the kid died at the end after coming to the doctor's office the same day, feeling just fine other than like he had a cold. Ridiculous. I don't normally watch this show, but wow, that was some bad acting too. I did notice that everyone else in the show was very attractive, other than the mom who does not vaccinate. I will make a point of not watching this show again and I sure hope they don't start doing this type of show on Grey's Anatomy as well or I would have to stop watching it.
post #3 of 33
1/9/09 at 12:58pm
Well put, Peggy.

I am looking all over the Web for something...maybe one of you will know what I am talking about. There is a page on either the CDC or the AAP Web site for screenwriters. It contains "script ideas" (AKA propaganda). I can't find it--any help would be appreciated. I want to share the link on Facebook so my friends will get some perspective on last night's show. Thanks!
post #4 of 33
1/9/09 at 1:36pm
I was horrified by last nights show. I actually like that program and was so upset by the content, and the portrayal of the mom. I though they could have highlighted the 2 doctors who agreed that the mother was within her rights to choose. I couldn't believe that the child died. I am sure many parents are terrified. It is very very sad.
post #5 of 33
1/9/09 at 1:43pm


I saw it too and was shocked. I don't normally watch that show but since it came on right after Gray's and I caught that it was about vaxing I was hooked.

It scared me too and I've done the reading and know how rare of a situation that would be.

It makes me so angry how they paint parents who don't vaccinate as scared of Autism or uneducated in their choices. And then they said that Social Services should be called for endangering the children :

I'm still fuming :
post #6 of 33
1/9/09 at 1:52pm
I couldn't agree more. The show was shocking - as it was written to be. "They're" saying the mother is using fear to make a bad decision on behalf of her children. Well, it goes both ways...

I turned the tv off and went to bed thinking about my precious dds. I wouldn't ever use scare tactics to parent them, so I won't be swayed by them myself.

If anything, this show is the perfect example of just why it's crucial that we educate ourselves so we can feel confident making such important decisions for our children.
post #7 of 33
1/9/09 at 2:32pm
I thought it was appalling and in very bad taste. I am SHOCKED to be quite honest. I feel like they totally mis-represented the issue and probabily scared thousands if not millions of Mama's into vaccinating their children out of fear and not a mindful decision. And the whole thing with the Ped vaxing with-out permission was DISGUSTING and not only completly WRONG also ILLEGAL! Well, at least it is illegal in Illinois, my ped told me himself that he could never vaccinate a child without permission because the parent could have him arrested for Attempted Murder! That was a big Ahh Haa moment for me only adding to my confidence in not vaxing.

I was a big fan of this show until last night and now I don't know how I will ever watch it again:

Amy
post #8 of 33
1/9/09 at 2:40pm
I cannot BELIEVE that he vaccinated that woman's youngest kid without her consent!

What else I thought was ridiculous was that by the time the doctor examined that kid for the first time he looked AWFUL. That wasn't just some cold and I could tell by looking at the kid. My son is not vaccinanted any more and if he developed some weird illness we would be at the ER stat!
post #9 of 33
1/9/09 at 3:04pm
Looks like the show is floundering. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...,7926618.story

So maybe ABC will cast it away.

I'm assuming that this particular episode was made in response to the Eli Stone show that had a little boy come down with Autism after his MMR vaccine, and the family won the case.
post #10 of 33
1/9/09 at 3:18pm
I am so glad someone else posted about this. I never watch this show and just so happened to catch it last night. I was in shock watching it. I mean the way they talked about that mother as if she were a child abuser. Then the fact they vaccinated the youngest son without her consent. Another poster said this also, but something I don't get is why vax the youngest kid since he had already been exposed to the measles? It just doesn't make sense to me. My understanding is that the only vax that works after the fact is rabies. Am I wrong about that? Also way back when the measles were just like the chicken pox, everyone got it and noone thought much of it. Also, is it just me or are we bombarded with stuff about vaccines? You turn on the tv and you have ads or shows, you turn on the radio and you have ads, and you go to the store and you hear ads about how you should get the flu shot. Am I the only one noticing this? My family has been vaccine free for 4 yrs now and this is the most I have heard about vaxing.
post #11 of 33
1/9/09 at 3:31pm
:
post #12 of 33
1/9/09 at 3:56pm
I have never watched this and glad I don't!
post #13 of 33
1/9/09 at 4:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by N8'sMom View Post
I have never watched this and glad I don't!

: And I certiantly won't start now.
post #14 of 33
1/9/09 at 5:20pm
I actually liked the show when it first came out.
Of course the longer I watched it the worse it has gotten. The whole story line is very onesided.
Like that Dell guy used to want to be a midwife at first, but he now he's happy to be a receptionist. Just as well since just about every birth on that show is an emergency c-section...
And the measles thing - just icing on a cake of ignorant bs.
post #15 of 33
1/9/09 at 6:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KBinSATX View Post
Like that Dell guy used to want to be a midwife at first, but he now he's happy to be a receptionist. Just as well since just about every birth on that show is an emergency c-section...
Totally OT but he actually has his own office now and is seeing clients to get his license, I think. They just don't show him doing anything with clients (just like they rarely show Pete the holistic health expert doing anything with clients, either. I guess their work isn't dramatic enough? ).

Getting back to the topic...I was also very upset and was here on MDC during commercial breaks to commiserate. I spent a little time looking for actual numbers and found this very new epidemiological paper in The Lancet. In over 12000 reported cases of measles in Europe over a two year period, 7 resulted in death. Those statistics are a far cry from the picture of measles painted last night...the dialogue gave the impression that measles is often gravely serious.
post #16 of 33
1/9/09 at 6:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MJ13 View Post
It makes me so angry how they paint parents who don't vaccinate as scared of Autism or uneducated in their choices.
Sad thing is, that IS how most people see "us" (parent who dont vax) Pisses me off.

Quote:
Originally Posted by k9sarchik View Post
I'm assuming that this particular episode was made in response to the Eli Stone show that had a little boy come down with Autism after his MMR vaccine, and the family won the case.
Ohhh the cdc was PISSED about that one. Made me love the show even more! lol.
post #17 of 33
1/9/09 at 6:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DQMama View Post
I am looking all over the Web for something...maybe one of you will know what I am talking about. There is a page on either the CDC or the AAP Web site for screenwriters. It contains "script ideas" (AKA propaganda).
Aha, I found it: http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/e...tip_sheets.htm

related:

http://insidevaccines.com/wordpress/...and-the-media/

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upl..._flu_nowak.pdf
post #18 of 33
1/9/09 at 6:32pm

CDC Health "Marketing"/"Entertainment Education"

Quote:
Originally Posted by DQMama View Post
Well put, Peggy.

I am looking all over the Web for something...maybe one of you will know what I am talking about. There is a page on either the CDC or the AAP Web site for screenwriters. It contains "script ideas" (AKA propaganda). I can't find it--any help would be appreciated. I want to share the link on Facebook so my friends will get some perspective on last night's show. Thanks!

Here you go: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthMarketing/e...ent_education/
post #19 of 33
1/9/09 at 7:17pm
Last night's show was disgusting. I was livid while watching. I used to watch this show because I like Grey's Anatomy and I was curious if it would be good... it has never really picked up as anything more than a mediocore nighttime soap, and it's OFF my DVR queue after last night.

I am not bothered by not seeing my kind of parenting in mainstream TV. I am not surprised that there are no cloth diapers, nursing toddlers, etc. But I am bothered when a show is actively hateful of my choices. Addison mocked Dell's midwifery, she also is a huge proponent of c-sections. I can't watch this rubbish.

Beautiful post, Peggy. Spot on.
post #20 of 33
1/9/09 at 8:37pm
DISGUSTED. I wish there was something we could do. "How many of these little time-bombs are running around here?"
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